CTrERACE^E. (sedge family.) 517 



•*- Stigmas 2 (in No. 42 sometimes 3) : perigynium lenticular. — Ac&tve. 

 •*-*■ Scales awnless, mostly obtuse. 



42. C. l'Jgida, Good. Sterile spike solitary ; the fertile 2-4, cylindrical, 

 erect, rather loosely flowered, the lower on short peduncles ; lowest bract about the 

 length of the culm, with rounded auricles; stigmas 2- 3, mostly 2; perigynia el- 

 liptical, with an entire scarcely pointed apex, nerveless, or very obscurely nerved, 

 about as long as the obtuse scale ; culm rigid, nearly smooth except towards the 

 top, about the length of the firm erect leaves. (C. saxatilis, Fl. Dan., not of 

 L.) — Var. Bigelovii has 3-5 longer fertile spikes, the lowest on a long stalk, 

 spreading and sometimes remote. (C. Bigelovii, Turr. C. Washingtonia, Dew. 

 C. nigra, Schw. <j- Torr., not of All.) — Alpine summits of the mountains of N. 

 New England and New York, and high northward. (Eu.) 



43. C. forta, Boott, Mss. Sterile spikes 1-2, commonly 1 ; fertile 3 - 4, 

 elongated, narrowly-cylindrical or slightly club-shaped, loosely few-flowered at the base, 

 occasionally more or less staminatc at the apex, the lower on smooth slender 

 stalks, at first erect, finally spreading or drooping ; bracts with oblong auricles, or very 

 slightly sheathing, the lowest about the length of the culm, the rest bristle-shaped, 

 shorter than their respective spikes ; perigynia elliptical, short-stalked, tapering to 

 a distinct point, with a minutely notched or jagged membranaceous orifice, very 

 smooth, neneless, or with 2 -3 indistinct short nerves, the tips spreading or ob- 

 liquely recurved at maturity, scarcely exceeding the narrow obtuse scale ; achenium 

 broadly obovate, much shorter than the perigynium; culm very smooth, haves 

 slightly rough on the margin only. (C. verrucosa, Schwein. C. acuta, var. 

 sparsinora, Dew.?) — Hills and wet banks, N. New England, New York, &c, 

 and along the mountains from Pcnn. southward. — Culm rather slender, 15' -2° 

 high, usually with 3 slender and nodding fertile spikes. It is well distinguished 

 by its smoothness, and by the spreading empty tips of the perigynia. 



44. C. vulgi&ris, Fries. Sterile spike 1, rarely 2; the fertile 2 -4, approx- 

 imated, oblong, erect, densely-flowered, occasionally staininate at the apex, the 

 lowest on a very short stalk ; lowest bract about the length of the culm, with 

 small blackish rourded auricles; perigynia ovate-elliptical, stalked, nerved especially 

 towards the base, with a very short abrupt entire or minutely notched point, 

 longer than the. obtuse appressed black scale; culm slender, marly smooth, except 

 at the top. (C. csespitosa, Good $• Amer. auth., not of L. C. Goodenovii, Gay.) 

 — Banks of streams, New England to Wisconsin and northward. — Grows in 

 small patches (not in dense tufts like No. 46), and varies in height from 3' to 

 18', with narrow leaves shorter than the culm. From the last it differs in the 

 short thick spikes, and erect perigynia, and in the auricles of the bracts ; and 

 from the next, in the shape and nerves »of the perigynium, and in the shorter, 

 black, appressed scale. (Eu.) 



45. C. api'i'ta, Boott. Sterile spikes 1 -2, oblong-cylindrical, acute; fer- 

 tile 2-4, oblong, erect, the uppermost approximate and sessile ; the lower distant and 

 short-stalked, staminate at the apex, or often entirely fertile ; lowest bract about 

 the length of the culm, with oblong brown auricles, or very slightly sheathing, 

 the upper bristle-shaped, shorter than the spikes ; perigynia roundish-ovate, stalked, 

 without nerves, covered with very minute transparent dots, and sometimes very 



