51G 



CYPKRACli^E. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



38. C. adsssta, Boott. Spifes 4 -10, approximate or leather distant, ovate 

 or at length club-shaped (straw-color or pale chestnut) ; perigynia ovate with a 

 tapering beak, slightly winged, rather obscurely nerved, espc dally on the upper side, 

 equalling the scale in length and breadth. — Rhode Island (Olney), New York 

 (S. T. Carey, ^-c), Lake Superior (C. G. taring, Jr., with the smaller form), 

 and northward. — Much like some forms of the next, but the spikes more chaffy, 

 the perigynia tapering into a longer beak. 



39. C. festucacea, Schk. Spikes 6-8, obovoid or club-shaped, the lower 

 distinct; perigynia orate, narrowly winged, with a short beak, longer than the ovate- 

 lanceolate scale; achenium sessile, broadly oval. — Var. tenera has (3-5) 

 smaller spikes, which are more distant on the slender, flexuosc, sometimes nod- 

 ding stem. (C. tenera, Dew.) — Var. mirabilis has (6-8) rounder approx- 

 imate spikes, with fewer staminatc flowers, and the perigynia somewhat spread- 

 ing. (C. mirabilis, Dew.) — About fields and fences ; rather common, especially 

 northward. — A stiff and rigid species, often of a pale-green appearance, except 

 the first variety, which has commonly brownish heads, and a weak stem. 



40. C fueasea, Muhl. Spikes 4-10, ovoid, approximate, the lower rarely 

 compound, of a glaucous-green color ; perigynia ovate, winged, with a short beak, 

 scarcely longer than the oblong and bluntish white scale ; achenium on a short 

 stalk, oval. — Salt or brackish marshes, on the sea-coast, Rhode Island (Olney) 

 to Virginia, and southward. — Much like the last, from which it differs princi- 

 pally in the color of the spikes, and in the constantly erect and more broadly- 

 margined perigynia. The culm is smooth and stout. 



41. C stramisaca, Schk. Spikes (about 6), roundish-ovoid, approximate; 

 perigynia orbicular-ovate, much compressed, broadly and membranaceously winged, 

 with a short abrupt beak a little longer than the lanceolate scale ; achenium 

 nearly sessile, oval. — Borders of woods and in fields; rather common. — The 

 larger forms have a remarkably wide wing, often brown on the margin, giving a 

 variegated appearance to the soft and flaccid spikes. In the smaller forms the 

 heads are fewer (3-4) and more rigid, owing to the narrower wings of the 

 perigynia. 



D. Staminate and pistillate flowers borne in separate (commonly more or les3 

 stalked) simple spikes on the same culm ; the one or more staminate (sterile) spikes 

 constantly uppermost, having occasionally more or less fertile flowers intermixed ; 

 the lower spikes all pistillate (fertile), or sometimes with staminate flowers at the 

 base or apex: stigmas 3: achenium sharply triangular (only 2 stigmas and the 

 achenium lenticular in No. 42-51 and 58). — Carex Proper. 



§ 1. Perigynia vjithout a beak, smooth, not inflated (slightly in No. 51), terminating 

 in a minute, straight, entire or notched point, glr.ucous-green when young, be- 

 coming whitish, often spotted or tinged with purple, or occasionally nearly 

 black at maturity : pistillate scales blackish-purple (brown in No. 51 and 57), 

 giving a dark appearance to the spikes. 



* Sterile spikes 1-3, stalked, often with more or less fertile flowers: pistillate 

 spikes 3-5, frequently with sterile flowers at the apex : bract of the lowest spiko 

 leaf-like, with dark-colored expansions (auricles) at the base, and very minute 

 sheaths, or none. ( Culm and leaves more or less glaucous. ) 



