364 Monograph of North American Caricei. 



an inch and a half or two inches in length, rather densely fruited except 

 towards the base, nodding; peduncles filiform, the lower ones longest, 

 supported at the base by a narrow foliaceous bractea ; glumes acuminate, 

 about as long as the fruit in the middle part of the spike; longer in the 

 lower part, shorter in the upper : sides pale brown, keel green. Fruit 

 ovate, rather broad at the base, very green, distinctly triquetrous, with- 

 out nerves on the sides ; orifice membranaceous, entire or emarginate. 

 Caryopsis subcordate-triquetrous. 



Hab. In moist meadows; Canada to Georgia; common. 

 Flowers in May. 



Obs. This is a delicate and beautiful species. It can scarce- 

 ly be confounded with any other Carex. 



91. Carex pallescens, Lin. 



C. spicis fertilibus binis aut subternis, ovato-cylindricis, den- 

 sifloris, demum subcernuis ; fructibus obovato-oblongis, 

 obtusis ; vaginis culmoque pubescentibus. 



C. pallescens, Willd sp.pl. iv. p. 291. Schk. car. t Kk. f. 

 90. Fl. Ban. t. 1050. Dewey car. 1. c. vii. p. 267. 



Culm about a foot high, sometimes considerably less, erect, slender, tri- 

 quetrous, sulcate, leafy below, pubescent. Leaves shorter than the 

 culm, more or less pubescent ; sheaths retrorsely pubescent. Sterile 

 spike lanceolate, trigonous, on a short straight peduncle ; glumes broad 

 ovate, brown, with the keel green, ciliate towards the extremity. Fer- 

 tile spikes usually 2, sometimes 3, at first erect, when old more or less 

 cernuous, elliptic, and oblong-cylindrical, thick ; ]}cdunclesha.tf an inch 

 long in the lower spike, less in the upper ; glumes ovate, acuminate, 

 reddish-brown, with a green keel about as long as the fruit, not ciliate. 

 Fruit very obtuse, pale green when ripe ; orifice minute and entire. 



Hab. In wet meadows. In Berkshire county, and in other 

 parts of Massachusetts. Prof. Deivey, Mr. Davis, and Mr. 

 Hitchcock. In the Highlands of New-York. Dr. Barratt. 

 Flowers in May. 



Obs. This plant agrees perfectly with our European speci- 

 mens of C. pallescens. It much resembles C. granulans, 

 but the spikes are shorter, the fruit more obtuse, leaves 

 pubescent. Uc. 



