508 CYPERACE^E. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



sessile, the lowest distant and long-peduncled ; perigynia small, globose-ovate, 

 contracted into a minute mostly recurved entire or emargiuate point, longer 

 than the ovate obtuse or barely pointed scale. Meadows and blinks of 

 streams, Florida, and northward. Culms 6' -12' high. Leaves and bracts 

 broadly linear, 3-uerved. 



51. C. conoidea, Schk. Sterile spike long-peduncled; fertile spikes 

 2-3, oblong or cylindrical, densely many-flowered, remote; perigynia small, 

 oblong-ovoid, obtuse, striate with impressed nerves, smooth and shining, equal- 

 ling or the lower shorter than the ovate pointed or short-awned scale. 

 Mountains of North Carolina, and northward. Culms 6'- 12' high. Leaves 

 and bracts linear. Spikes g'-f long, the lowest loug-peduucled. 



52. C. tctailica, Schk. Sterile spike short-peduncled; fertile spikes 

 1-3, linear-cylindrical, remote, loosely flowered ; perigynia obovate, narrowed 

 at the base, contracted into a short beiit point, longer than the ovate acute or 

 short-awned scale. Mountains of North Carolina, and northward. Culms 

 1 high. Leaves and bracts narrowly linear. 



53. C. Meadil, Dew. Sterile spike mostly long-peduncled, slender; fer- 

 tile spikes 1-3, oblong (4" -8" long), closely flowered; perigynia obovate, 

 abruptly contracted into the entire orifice, barely longer than the oblong acute 

 broadly margined scale; culm 6' -12' high; leaves narrow-linear, shorter 

 than the culm. Mountains of Georgia, and northward. 



54. C. polymorpha, Muhl. Sterile spikes 1 or 2, short, long-pedun- 

 cled: fertile spikes 1 or 2, remote, erect; perigynia oblong-ovate, minutely 

 granular, entire at the white oblique orifice, longer than the ovate, mostly ob- 

 tuse, brownish purple scale; culms l-l high; leaves short, erect. Low 

 grassy meadows, North Carolina (Curtis), and northward. 



55. C. oligocarpa, Schk. Sterile spike short-peduucled ; fertile spikes 

 mostly 3, loosely 4 - 8-flowered ; perigyuia thick, finely striate, oblong, with 

 a straight or slightly spreading point, shorter than the ovate long-awned 

 white scale; style very short; culms 10' -15' high; leaves narrow-linear. 

 North Carolina (Curtis), and northward. 



t t Perigynia smooth, 3-anyled, with a recurved or spreading point: lowest 

 peduncles elongated and often recurved. 



} Bracts leafy : scales white. 



56. C. laxiflora, Lam. Sterile spike pednncled, exceeding the bracts; 

 fertile spikes 2-3, remote, linear, loosely 8- 12-flowered ; perigynia oblong- 

 obovate, tapering into a smooth spreading entire beak, longer than the oblong 

 mucronate scale. Plant more or less glaucous. Culm 10'- 15' high, usually 

 compressed-3-angled above. Leaves linear or lanceolate, tender. Sheaths 

 smooth. 



Var. striatula. Culms, leaves, and especially the sheaths, rough ; sterile 

 spike sessile or nearly so, shorter than the bracts; fertile spikes 3-5, rather 

 closely 12- 20-flowered, the 2-3 upper ones commonly approximate; peri- 

 gynia obovate, abruptly short and bent-pointed. Dry open woods and mar- 

 gins of fields; common, and varying greatly in the form of the perigynia and 

 width of the leaves. 



