cyferace^e. (sedge family.) 507 



* # # Achenf'.tm warty-roughened, but shining and white : disk a narrow ring sup- 



porting 6 minute rounded tubercles, in pairs : stamens 3. 



4. S. pauciflora, Muhl. Somewhat downy or smoothish; culms slen- 

 der (9'- 18' high); leaves narrowly linear; clusters few-flowered, the lower 

 Literal ones when present pednncled ; bracts eiliate. — Swamps and hills, S. 

 and W. New England, W. New York, and southward. July. 



* # * * Disk none: achenium white, rough with minute tubercles : stamens 1-2. 



5. S. verticil lata. Muhl. Smooth; culms simple and slender (6'- 10' 

 high), terminated by an interrupted spike of 4-6 rather distant sessile clusters; 

 bracts minute; leaves linear; achenium globular (small). — Swamps, Yates 

 County, New York (Sartwell), Michigan (Cooley), Pennsylvania (Muhlenberg), 

 Ohio (Lesquereux), and southward. June. 



16. C.4BEX, L. Sedge* 



Staminate and pistillate flowers separated (monoecious), either borne together 

 in the same spike (androgynous), or in separate spikes on the same stem, very 

 rarely on distinct plants (dioecious). Scales of the spikes 1-flowered, equally 

 imbricated around the axis. Stamens 3, rarely 2. Ovary enclosed in an inflat- 

 ed sac (composed of two inner scales (bractlets) united at their margins), form- 

 ing a rounded or angular bladdery fruit (perigynium), contracted towards the 

 apex, enclosing the lenticular, plano-convex, or triangular achenium, which is 

 crowned with more or less of the persistent (rarely jointed) base of the style. 

 Stigmas 2-3, long, projecting from the orifice of the perigynium. — Perennial 

 herbs, chiefly flowering in April or May, frequently growing in wet places, often 



* Contributed by John Caret, Esq , with the subjoined explanatory note. 



"In arranging the Carices for your work, I have had constantly in view the species compre- 

 hended within your geographical range, and have framed the sections and subsections with es- 

 pecial reference to these, without regard to other excluded species belonging, in many cases, to 

 the same groups, but exhibiting peculiarities which would require the combining characters to 

 be modified or changed. Indeed, most of my subsections would, in a monograph of the genus, 

 require to stand as distinct sections, with appropriate subdivisions. I have thought it an as- 

 Bi- tance to the student to give a leading name to the principal groups, aud in some cases have 

 a lopted those already suggested by different authors ; but as I am uncertain whether the char- 

 acters on which I rely are in accordance with their views, I have cited no authorities under 

 such subsections. I have endeavored to bring the allied groups (as I understand them) as 

 nearly together as I could ; but this, of course, is not always practicable in any lineal arrange- 

 ment. It might, however, have been done with much greater satisfaction on a larger and more 

 comprehensive scale. I have retained the small artificial group Psyllophora?, from its manifest 

 convenience, but should not have done so in a more philosophical work. Upon the whole, I 

 am inclined to hope that the present will at least possess this one advantage over the hitherto 

 more artificial arrangement in general use, — that a student, when acquainted with one species 

 of a group, will be enabled to recognize the co-species for himself, whilst a merely artificial 

 enumeration must at times place very incongruous forms in juxtaposition. Any increased 

 difficulty, if such there be, in commencing the study of this vast and intricate genus upou 

 principles of natural classification, will be amply repaid by the more accurate knowledge of 

 structure thus obtained, than by a reliance merely on the loose external characters derived 

 from the number and position of the spikes I shall be well satisfied if my attempt shall be 

 an assistance to others in doing far better, hereafter." Ed. 1. — The additions aud alterations 

 in the present edition are mainlj from notes obligingly furnished by Mr. Carey. 



