CYPERACE.E. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 607 



many-nerved, retuse, the beak short and straight, equalling or exceeding the 

 mostly cuspidate scale. Supposed to have been collected, a half-century ago, 

 in N. Y. by Torrey, and in Penn. by Schweiuitz. It occurs in the Rocky 

 Mountain region, and high northward. 



* 6. DACTYLOSTACHY^E. -t- 1. Oliyocdrpce. 

 +* Sheaths smooth. 



65. C. COnoidea, Schkuhr. Slender but strict, 1-1| high; staminate 

 spike long-peduncled or rarely nearly sessile ; spikes 2-3, scattered, short- 

 stalked or the upper one sessile (the lowest frequently very long-stalked), ob- 

 long (rarely 1' long) and rather loosely flowered, erect ; perigynium oblong- 

 conical, impressed-nerved, gradually narrowed to a point, the orifice entire ; 

 scale loosely spreading and rough-awued, equalling or exceeding the perigyn- 

 i um . Moist grassy places, N. Eng. to 111., and southward ; rare westward. 



66. C. oligocarpa, Schkuhr. Diffuse, 10-18' high; bracts flat and 

 spreading; staminate spike sessile or stalked; spikes 2-4, scattered, stalked 

 or the uppermost sessile, loosely 2 - 8-flowered, erect ; perigynium small, hard, 

 finely impressed-nerved, abruptly contracted into a conspicuous mostly oblique 

 beak, the orifice entire ; scale very loosely spreading and rough-awned, longer 

 than the perigynium. Dry woods and copses, W. New Eng. to Mo., and 

 southward; rare westward. Often confounded with small forms of n. 58. 



M- -M- Sheaths pubescent. 



67. C. Hitchcockiana, Dewey. Erect, l|-2 high; spikes 2-4, all 

 more or less peduncled, very loosely few-flowered, erect ; perigynium trian- 

 gular-ovate, many-striate, the strong beak prominently oblique, shorter than 

 the rough-awned scale. Rich woods, W. New Eng. to 111., and southward lo 



Penn. and Ky. ; frequent. 



* 6. ->- 2. Laxifldrce. 



M. Sheaths green. 

 = Perigi/nium mostly obscurely triangular, the beak very prominent. 



68. C. laxiflbra, Lam. Slender but mostly erect, 1-2 high; leaves 

 rarely over 2" wide, rather soft ; staminate spike peduucled or at least con- 

 spicuous; pistillate spikes 2-4, scattered, peduncled or the upper one sessile, 

 loosely flowered, cylindric or sometimes reduced to short-oblong, erect or the 

 lower loosely spreading ; perigynium obovate, conspicuously nerved, the short 

 entire beak much bent or recurved ; scale thin and white, blunt or cuspidate, 

 mostly shorter than the perigynium. Grassy places, throughout ; common. 

 Exceedingly variable. Var. VARIANS, Bailey. Mostly stouter than the type^, 

 the leaves broader; pistillate spikes -*-!' long, the two upper more or less 

 contiguous to the staminate spike and sessile or nearly so ; bracts leafy and 

 prolonged. Copses and grassy places, throughout ; common. Counterfeits 

 var. patulifolia. Var. STRIATTLA, Carey. Diffuse; pistillate spikes rarely 

 over % long, the upper sessile and aggregated about the inconspicuous stami- 

 nate spike, the lowest usually long-exserted. Grassy places, throughout ; very 

 common. Var. LATirdLiA, Boott. Rather low; leaves -Abroad or more; 

 staminate spike sessile or very nearly so ; pistillate spikes cyliiidric and loose, 

 the upper one or two contiguous ; bracts very broad. Deep rich woods, E. 

 Mass. (Deane) to Penn. and Mich. ; common westward. Var. PATULir6LiA, 



