CYPERACE^E. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 533 



* * Spike:) 4 - 7 ; the terminal one entirely staminate, small and linear, or with 

 some fertile flowers at the apex : the rest all pistillate : bracts very long, 

 sheathing. 



122. C Steiiolepis, Torr. Fertile spikes cylindrical, obtuse, the upper 

 approximated, nearly sessile on the zigzag stem, the lower remote on exserted 

 stalks, all erect, very densely flowered ; perigynia shorter than the long awn-like 

 scales. (C. Frankii, Kunth. C. Shortii, Steud., not of Ton:) — Marshes, W. 

 Penn. ? and Virginia to Illinois, and southwestward. — Somewhat resembling 

 the last ; but the spikes are narrower and more numerous, and of a still more 

 bristly appearance from the projecting points of the scales : occasionally all are 

 fertile, the uppermost having no staminate flowers. 



$ 14. Perigynia much inflated, nerved (nerveless in No. 132), smooth and shining, 

 becoming straw-colored at maturity, with a tapering more or less elongated 2-toothed 

 beak: bracts leaf-like, with very short or obsolete sheaths (conspicuously 

 sheathing in No. 123), much exceeding the culm (except in No. 132) : scales 

 brown or tawny: staminate spikes 2-5 rarely 1, stalked. — VesicAei^e. 



123. C. I'Ctrorsa, Schw. Sterile spikes 1 - 3, the uppermost occasionally 

 with a few fertile flowers, the rest more or less pistillate at the base ; fertile spikes 

 4-5, oblong-cylindrical, erect, the upper approximate and clustered on short or in- 

 cluded stalks, the lowest remote on a long exserted stalk, and (with one or more of 

 the others) often bearing 1-2 short branches at the base; perigynia crowded, 

 spreading and at length reflexed, strongly (few-) nerved, tapering from an ovoid 

 contracted base into a conspicuously toothed beak much longer than the lanceolate 

 scale. ( C. reversa, Spreng. ) — Marshy borders of streams, New England to 

 Penn., Wisconsin, and northwestward. — Culm nearly smooth: leaves and 

 bracts 3"-4" wide, much exceeding the spikes, which are l'-l|' long. 



124. C. gigailtca, Rudge. Sterile spikes several (3-5); perigynia hori- 

 zontally spreading and less tumid than in No. 120 : otherwise very like it, but a 

 still larger plant. — Swamps, along rivers, from the Ohio (near Louisville, Ken- 

 tucky, Sho>-t) southward. 



125. C. Scliweiilitzii, Dew. Sterile spikes commonly 2, the lower 

 often pistillate at the base;yer/(7e spikes 3-4, cylindrical, somewhat drooping, 

 densely flowered, often staminate eit the apex, and occasionally the lower rather 

 compound at the base, on smooth nearly included stalks ; perigynia erect, oblong- 

 ovoid, few-nerved, tapering into along and smooth short-toothed beak, a little longer 

 than the lanceolate long-awned scale. — Wet swamps, New England, New Jersey, 

 W. New York, and northward; not common. — Culm 10' -15' high, smooth: 

 bracts and leaves 2" -3" wide, smooth except the margins, much exceeding 

 the culm : fertile spikes (l 1 -' to 2^' long, rather narrow) and the whole plant 

 turning straw-color. 



126. C VCSBCaria, L. Sterile spikes 2-3; fertile spikes mostly 2, rarely 

 3 or solitary, oblong or cylindrical, stout, approximate, the upper sessile, the lower 

 on a short rough stalk; perigynia ohlong-ovoid, \l-nervcd at base, 10-nerved above, 

 with a short tapering beak longer and broader than the pointed or long-tapering 

 awnless scale ; culm sharply angled and rough ; leaves and bracts green, equal- 

 ling or rather longer than the culm. — N. New England 1 ? and northward. — 



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