220 CYPEKACEAE 



111. Carex atraminea Willd. Stems and scapes slender, 3-7.5 dm. tall, the latter 

 roughish above, the top commonly nodding : leaves shorter than the scape ; blades 2 mm. 

 wide or less, long-pointed : bracts short or the lower bristle-form and exceeding its spike : 

 spikes 3-8, longer than thick, narrowed at the base, slightly obovoid, 4-5 mm. thick, yel- 

 lowish brown or greenish : scales lanceolate, acute, about equalling the perigynia, but nar- 

 rower : perigynia ascending, ovate, brown, about 3 mm. long, strongly several-nerved on 

 the outer face, fewer nerved on the inner, wing-margined, the tapering rough 2-toothed 

 beak shorter than the body. 



In dry fields, New Brunswick to Manitoba, North Carolina and the Indian Territory. Summer. 



112. Carex mirabilis Dewey. Larger than the next preceding species. Stems and 

 scapes slender, 5-13 dm. long : leaf-blades 2-5 mm. wide : spikes larger, as thick as long 

 or thicker, 6-8 mm. in diameter, rather greener, rounded at the base : perigynia spread- 

 ing, ovate-lanceolate, much longer than the scales, narrowly margined, the beak about as 

 long as the body. 



In dry soil, New Brunswick to Manitoba, Georgia and the Indian Territory. Summer. 



113. Carex tenera Dewey. Stems and scapes 2-6 dm. tall, slender, the latter erect, 

 or the summit nodding, roughish above : leaves shorter than the scape ; blades usually less 

 than 2 mm. wide, tapering to a very long tip : spikes 4-6, oval, obtuse, greenish brown, 

 8-10 mm. long, commonly much contracted at the base : scales lanceolate, about as long as 

 the perigynia, but much narrower : perigynia ovate to ovate-lanceolate, strongly several- 

 nerved on both faces, wing-margined, the tapering rough beak more than as long as the 

 body. 



In wet soil, common along brackish marshes, Maine and Ontario to Virginia and Louisiana. Spring. 



114. Carex festucacea Willd. Stems and scapes 3-12 dm. tall, the latter nearly or 

 quite smooth : leaves erect ; blades 2-4 mm. wide, shorter than the scape : spikes 3-8, 

 green-brown, oblong or nearly globular, clustered, 4-8 mm. in diameter : scales acute or 

 rather obtuse : perigynia orbicular or very broadly ovate, broadly wing-margined, about 3 

 mm. in diameter, several-nerved on both faces, the roughish beak about the length of 

 the body. 



In dry or moist soil, New Brunswick to Assiniboia, Florida and Kansas. Spring and summer. 



115. Carex alata Torr. Stems and scapes 3-10 dm. tall, the latter roughish above : 

 leaves shorter than the scape ; blades 2-4 mm. wide : spikes oblong or oblong-conic, green- 

 brown, 10-16 mm. long, 8-10 mm. thick, usually little separated, bractless, or the lower 

 one subtended by a short bract : scales lanceolate, acuminate, scarcely over 0.5 mm. wide : 

 perigynia orbicular or obovate-orbicular, very broadly winged, 4-5 mm. in diameter, 

 faintly few-nerved or almost nerveless, the short beak not more than ^ as long as the body : 

 achenes distinctly stipitate. 



In moist soil, New Hampshire to Pennsylvania and Florida, mostly near the coast. Spring. 



116. Carex Brittoniana Bailey. Glabrous. Stems tufted, together with the scapes 

 4-6 dm. tall, rather stiff : leaves overtopped by the scape ; blades smooth or nearly so, 3-6 

 mm. wide : spikes 3-5, contiguous at the top of the scape, sessile, 1.5-2 cm. in diameter, 

 rusty or whitish-rusty, subtended by linear-filiform bracts : scales acute, shorter than the 

 perigynia : perigynia numerous, crowded, 8-10 mm. long, broadly winged, each contracted 

 into a long toothed beak, the body rather broader than long. 



On damp prairies, Texas. Spring and summer. 



117. Carex reiiiformis (Bailey) Small. Stems and scapes slender, 3-7 dm. tall, 

 rough above : leaves several ; blades 1.5-3 mm. wide, smooth or slightly rough-margined, 

 overtopped by the scape : spikes 4-6, usually 5, approximate, longer than thick, 6-10 mm. 

 long, not dense at maturity, silvery green : bracts slender or filiform, usually longer than 

 the spikes, the lower ones sometimes 2.5 cm. long: scales ovate or ovate-lanceolate, much 

 shorter than the perigynia, acute : perigynia ascending, 3-4 mm. long, the body, at least, 

 broader than long, normally reniform or nearly so by the broad wing, the beak shorter 

 than the body : achenes sessile. [C. straminea var. reniformis Bailey.] 



In alluvial soil, Mississippi and Louisiana. Spring and summer. 



118. Carex albolutescens Schwein. Stems and scapes 3-5 dm. tall, stout : leaves 

 shorter than the scape ; blades 2-4 mm. wide : bracts filiform or wanting : spikes 3-8, ob- 

 long, usually narrowed at both ends, silvery green when young, becoming brownish, 8-12 

 mm. long, clustered : scales lanceolate, acuminate : perigynia broadly ovate, not twice as 

 long as wide, broadly winged, strongly nerved on both faces, about 4 mm. long, the 

 roughish beak about as long as the body : achenes sessile. 



In wet soil, abundant along salt meadows, New Brunswick to Pennsylvania, Florida and Ala- 

 bama. Spring and summer. 



