Monograph of North American Carices. 329 



*cute, or obtuse, reddish brown. Fruit pyriform or obovate, a little 

 v entncose, strongly nerved, glaucous when young, orange-coloured when 

 mature, orifice a little prominent. 



Hab. In W et rocky situations. On the shores of Lake Mi- 

 chigan. JYuttall. Niagara Falls. Mr. Cooper and Profes- 

 sor Dewey. In various parts of Berkshire county, Massa- 

 chusetts. Dewey. In the vicinity of Montreal, Lower Cana- 

 da. Dr. Holmes. Flowers in May and June. 



b. Three Stigmas. 



1. Pistilliferous spikes sessile, or with the peduncles inclosed. 



59. Carex varia, Muhlenberg. 



C. spicis fertilibus (2—3) subapproximatis, paucifloris, ova- 

 tis, subsessilibus, sterili sessili (vel brevi-pedunculata), 

 fructibus subglobosis, acuminatis, bifidis, triquetris,hispido- 

 pubescentibus, glumis ovatis acuminatis aequalibus. 



C. varia, Willd. sp.pl. iv. p. 259. Schk. car. t. Uuu. f. 167. 

 Pursh fl. i. p. 40. Muhl. gram. p. 236. Elliott sk. ii. 

 p. 541. 



Culm usually about a span high, sometimes a foot or more, erect, filiform 

 scabrous on the angles above. Leaves mostly radical, and shorter than 

 the culm, narrow, smooth except on the margin ; exterior sheaths pur- 

 ple at the base. Sterile spike usually either sessile, or on a very short 

 peduncle, from the base of the uppermost fertile ; glumes clasping, ovate 

 acuminate, brown, with a whitish margin, green on the keel ; Fertile 

 spikes mostly 3, erect, bracteate, ovate or oblong, few-flowered; bractea 

 beneath the lowest one ovate, and brown ; glumes ovate, acuminate) 

 brown with a white keel. Fruit ovate and ventricose, so as to appear 

 almost globose, acuminate, obtusely triangular, covered with a rough 

 pubescence. 



Hab. In dry rocky woods ; Hudson's Bay to Georgia ; com- 

 mon. Flowers early in April. 



Obs. This species is allied to C. pilulifera of Europe. It 

 also strongly resembles C. marginata. 



