Monograph of North American Varices. 359 



or two Massachusetts localities, and Prof. Dewey has found 

 his y. rariflora (which is considered as a distinct species 

 by Smith) and 8, livida. He adds also a new variety 

 e. oblonga : spikes rather long-cylindric. Our plant dif- 

 fers in no respect from the European C. limosa, except in 

 the nerves of the fruit being more distinct. It agrees with 

 Michaux's description of his C. lenticularis, but whether it 

 certainly be that species or not, can only be determined hv 

 a comparison with his specimens. 



* Staminiferous spikes two or more. 

 a. With two stigmas. 

 97. Carex cespitosa, Lin. 

 C spica sterili subsolitaria (vel geminata) ; fertilibus subtri- 

 bus, cylindraceis, obtusis, distantibus, infima brevissime 

 exserte pedunculata; bracteis strictis; fructibus ovatis, 

 acutiusculis, dense suboctofariam imbricatis, ore pertusis, 

 gluma ovata (nigra albomarginata) majoribus; foliis 

 patulis. 



C. cespitosa, Willd. sp.pl. iv. p. 287. Schk. car. t. Aa. et 

 Bb. f. 85. Pursh fl. i. p. 38. J\fahl. gram. p. 264. 

 Elliott sic. ii. p. 536. 



Culm a foot and a half high, smooth, triquetrous. Leaves dark green, 2 

 lines broad, flat, smooth except on the margin. Sterile spike solitary 'or 

 geminate, on a rigid peduncle, large ; glumes oblong, very obtuse, red- 

 dish brown, with a green keel. Fertile spikes 3—4, (occasionally 5,) 

 slender, erect, the lowest two inches or more in length, the upper ones 

 gradually shorter and subsessile, sometimes staminiferous at the summit ; 

 glumes blackish brown, with a white border, the keel green, obtuse, two 

 thirds the length of the fruit. Fruit ovate, rather acute, compre'ssed- 

 tnquetrous, without nerves, green ; orifice minutely bidentate. 



Hab. In mountain bogs; rarely in lowlands; Canada to 

 Pennsylvania ; not common. Flowers in May. 



Obs. The North American C. cespitosa is taller than the 

 European plants is said to be ; in other respects there is no 

 apparent difference. 



48 



