CYPERACEAE 201 



13. Scleria pauciflora Muhl. Perennial, pubescent. Stems slender, erect, usually 

 tufted, 2-5 dm. tall : leaves commonly numerous in the tufts ; blades narrowly linear, less 

 than 2 mm. wide, the upper elongated and often overtopping the stem, their sheaths often 

 densely puberulent and pubescent : spikelets in a small terminal cluster and in 1 or 2 

 axillary ones: achenes globular, 1.5-2 mm. in diameter, papillose, the lower ' papillae 

 elongated and reflexed : hypogynium a narrow obtusely triangular border supporting 6 dis- 

 tinct tubercles. 



In dry soil, New Hampshire to Missouri, Florida and Texas. Also in Cuba. Summer and fall. 



14. Scleria vertlcillata Muhl. Annual. Stems very slender or filiform, smooth or 

 nearly so, erect, 1-5 dm. tall : leaves numerous in the tufts ; blades very narrowly linear, 

 0.5-1 mm. wide, erect, weak, shorter than the stem : spikelets in several separated clusters : 

 bracts bristle-like : scales glabrous : achenes globose, fully 1 mm. in diameter, with short 

 transverse ridges or somewhat reticulated : hypogynium none. Plant, especially the roots, 

 fragrant in drying. 



In moist meadows, eastern Massachusetts to Ontario and Michigan, Florida, Texas and Mexico. 

 Also in the West Indies. Summer and fall. 



15. Scleria hirtella Sw. Perennial. Stems slender, 1-6 dm. long, smooth or nearly 

 so : leaves extending well up on the stem ; blades linear, mostly 2-4 mm. wide, like the 

 sheaths, pubescent : spikelets in 4-8 sessile sometimes nodding clusters : scales various ; 

 those of staminate flowers pointless ; those of pistillate flowers broader, cuspidate, glabrous : 

 achenes sulglobose, 1-1.5 mm. in diameter, pointed, smooth, slightly pinched at the tri- 

 angular base, each side of which is furnished with 5-7 minute pores : hypogynium want- 

 ing. 



In low pine lands, South Carolina to Florida and Louisiana. Also in tropical America. Summer. 



21. CAREX L. 



Grass-like herbs, perennial by rootstocks. Stems or scapes mostly 3-angled and 

 tufted. Leaves 3-ranked. Bracts elongated or very short, subtending the spikes, or want- 

 ing. Flowers monoecious or dioecious, solitary in the axils of small bracts (scales). Spikes 

 either wholly pistillate, wholly staminate, or bearing both staminate and pistillate flowers 

 (androgynous). Perianth wanting. Staminate flowers of 3 stamens: filaments filiform. 

 Pistillate flowers of a single pistil with a style and 2 or 3 stigmas, borne on a very short 

 axis in the axil of a sac-like bractlet or second bract called the perigynium (utricle), which 

 completely encloses the achene. Achene 3-angled, lenticular or plano-convex. SEDGE. 



A. Staminate flowers numerous, in one or more terminal spikes, which are sometimes pistillate at the 

 base or summit, or the spike solitary and the staminate flowers terminal or basal, rarely dioecious : 

 stigmas mostly 3 and the achene 3-angled or swollen (stigmas 2 and the achene lenticular or com- 

 pressed in nos. 29-30). EUCAREX. 



*Perigynia mostly long-beaked, 3-20 mm. long, often inflated, the beak usually as long as the body 

 or longer (short-beaked in no. 20): pistillate spikes mostly large, globose, ovoid, oblong or cylin- 

 dric. 

 Perigynia membranous or papery. 



Perigynia ovoid, conic, each with a narrowed base, or subulate, tapering into the beak. 

 Teeth of the perigynium-beak slender, short or none, not stiff nor awned. 



Teeth of the perigynium- beak lanceolate or subulate. I. LUPULINAE. 



Teeth of the perigynium-beak short or almost wanting. II. VESICARIAE. 



Teeth of the perigynium-beak stiff, setaceous or awned. III. PSEUDOCYPERINAE. 



Perigyniaobovoid, very ; abruptly contracted into the beak : 



spikes exceedingly dense IV. SQUARROSAE. 



Perigynia firm, hard or leathery. V. PALUDOSAE. 



** Perigynia short-beaked or beakless, little or not at all inflated, 1-5 mm. long, the beak commonly 

 not more than % as long as the body (long-beaked in no. 27): spikes small and oblong or glo- 

 bose ; or elongated, linear or narrowly cylindric. 

 t Spikes 2 or more, the staminate one always uppermost, sometimes partly pistillate. 



g Pistillate spike or spikes many-flowered, mostly 2.5 cm. long or more (or shorter in nos. 28, 37, 



39, 40, 44, 51-54), linear, narrowly cylindric or oblong. 

 Perigynium with a straight short beak (long-beaked in no. 27 ; nearly beakless in no. 21), firm 



or leathery in texture : pistillate spikes erect : stigmas 3. 

 Uppermost spike staminate from the base to about the 



middle. VI. SHORTIANAE. 



Uppermost spike entirely staminate, or occasionally 



pistillate at the base. 

 Perigynia papillose; beak very short, nearly or 



quite entire. VII. ANOMALAE. 



Perigynia pubescent (sometimes glabrous in no. 



24); beak sharply 2- toothed. VIII. HIRTAE. 



Perigynium beakless or very short-beaked (see no. 21), and with orifice nearly or quite entire, 

 thin in texture, not inflated, closely investing the achene : pistillate spikes erect or 

 drooping, often brown or purple : stigmas often 2. 

 Pistillate spikes erect or somewhat spreading. 



Terminal spike staminate below : stigmas 3. IX. ATRATAE. 



Terminal spike staminate throughout : stigmas 2. X. RIGIDAE. 



