552 CYPEBACE.E. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



the tubercle, plumose below the middle. Dry sandy ridges near the toast, 

 Florida. July -August. The leaves, like those of the preceding species, 

 have a joint-like contraction near the middle. 



3. R. oligantha, Gray. Culms (6' -12' high) and smooth leaves bristle- 

 like, reclining; corymb terminal, of 3-6 large (4" long) ovate-lanceolate 

 whitish stalked spikes; nut oval, lenticular, faintly wrinkled ; tubercle dilated 

 at the base, conical, flat ; bristles longer or shorter than the nut, plumose be- 

 low the middle. Low open pine barrens, Florida to North Carolina. June - 

 July. 



2. RHYNCHOSPOKA proper. Bristles of the perianth 3-20, smooth, 

 scabrous, or hispid. 



* Nvt transversely wrinkled or uneven: bristles denticulate or his/rid upward. 

 *- Bristles shorter than the nut. 



4. R. rariflora, Ell. Culms and leaves bristle-form; corymbs 2-3, re- 

 mote, spreading; spikes few and scattered, ovate; nut broadly obovate, bicon- 

 vex, strongly wrinkled, twice as long as the 6 fragile bristles; tubercle flat, 

 broadly conical, J as long as the nut. Low grassy pine barrens. June- 

 July. Culms 1- 1$ long, commonly reclining. Spikes pedicelled. 



5. R. Torreyana, Gray. Culms erect, slender, nearly terete ; leaves 

 narrowly linear or bristle-form; corymbs 1-3, remote, erect; nut obovate, 

 flat, about twice as long as the 6 bristles ; tubercle compressed-conical, dilated 

 at the base, the length of the nut. Wet ground, South Carolina, and north- 

 ward. July. Culm l-3 high. Corymbs many-flowered and somewhat 

 spreading, or few-flowered and capitate. 



6. R. cymosa, Nutt. Culms (2 -3 high) 3-angled ; leaves narrowly 

 linear ; corymbs mostly 3, distant, open or contracted ; spikes ovate, clustered, 

 light brown; scales mucronate; nut broadly obovate, biconvex, faintly wrin- 

 kled, twice as long as the 3-6 bristles; tubercle broadly conical, compressed, 

 i as long as the nut. Var. GLOBULARIS. Smaller (6'- 15' high) ; corymbs 

 reduced to few globose-ovate dark brown clustered spikes ; nuts smaller, and 

 deeper furrowed. Low ground, Florida, and northward. June- July. 



7. R. compressa, Carey. Culms stout, 3-angled (2-3 high) ; leaves 

 linear, rigid; corymbs 3 -5, remote, spreading; spikes ovate, numerous, in 

 dense bracted clusters; scales acute; nut obovate; the flat or somewhat de- 

 pressed sides strongly wrinkled and pitted, twice as long as the 6 bristles; 

 tubercle conical-beaked, with the dilated base wider than the nut. Margins 

 of pine barren ponds, Florida. June -July. Kadical leaves numerous, 1 

 long. 



<- - Bristles equalling or lonrjer than the nut (in No. 9 variable). 



8. R. stenophylla, Chapm. Culms and leaves setaceous ; corymbs 1 - 

 2, small, erect; spikes 5-7, distinct, lanceolate-oblong; nut obovate, biconvex, 

 strongly wrinkled, twice as long as the conical-beaked tubercle; bristles 6, 

 slender, nearly as long as the nut and tubercle. Low grassy pine barrens, 

 Florida. June -July. Culms tufted, 1 long. 



