184 



CYPERACEAE (SEDGE FAMILY) 



Spikelet x 2. 

 Achene x 10. 



255. E. melanocarpa, 

 Spikelet X 2. 

 Achene x 10. 



256. E. albida. 



conical tubercle, which is hardly equaled by the 3-6 slendei 

 bristles. Wet pine-barrens, etc., Ct. to Fla. FIG. 254. 



18. E. melanocarpa Torr. Tufted, from a short thick caudex ; 

 254. E. Torreyana. culms flattened, grooved, wiry, erect (2.5-7 dm. high), the close 

 basal sheaths with truncate mucronate tips; 

 spikelet cylindrical-ovoid, thick, obtuse, 

 densely many-flowered (7-15 mm. long) ; 

 scales closely many-ranked, roundish-ovate, very obtuse, 

 brownish, with broad scarious margins; achene glossy, obo- 

 void-top-shaped, obtusely triangular, the broad summit entirely 

 covered by the flat depressed tubercle, which is raised in the 

 center into a short abrupt triangular point ; bristles often 

 obsolete; achene soon blackish. Wet sand, Mass, to Fla. ; 

 also n. Ind., where the culms are sometimes proliferous at 

 tip (Hill), (Bermuda.) FIG. 255. 



19. E. albida Torr. Tufted, from a slender creeping 

 culms slender, wiry, striate, 1-4 dm. high, the basal 



sheaths with very oblique tips ; spikelet cylindric-ovoid, blunt, 4-9 

 mm. long ; scales obtuse, whitish to light brown, with narrow scari- 

 ous margin ; achenes smooth, not glossy, trigonous- 

 pyriforui, 1 mm. long, contracted below the conic- 

 deltoid pale tubercle, and usually exceeded by the 

 reddish bristles. Damp chiefly brackish soil, Md. 

 to Fla., etc. (Mex., W. I.) FIG. 256. 



20. E. tricostata Torr. Rootstock stout and 

 tough ; culms flatfish (2-6 dm. high) ; spikelet soon 

 cylindrical, densely many-flowered (6-18 mm. long) ; 

 scales ovate, very obtuse, rusty brown, with broad 

 Achene xio' scarious margins ; achene obovoid, with 3 prominent 257 ' E - trico8te ta- 



angles, minutely rough-wrinkled, crowned with a Spikele 

 short-conical acute tubercle ; bristles none. N. Y. to Fla. FIG. 257. Achen < 



21. E. tnuis (Willd.) Schultes. Culms almost capillary, erect from running 

 rootstocks, 4-angular (0.5-7 dm. high), the sides concave ; spike- 

 let ellipsoidal, acutish, 20-3Q-flowered (3-10 mm. long) ; scales 

 ovate, obtuse, chestnut-purple, with a broad 

 scarious margin and green keel, the outer 2 or 

 3 mm. long ; achene plump, obovoid, roughish- 

 wrinkled, 1-1.3 mm. long, crowned with a small 

 depressed tubercle, persistent after the fall of 

 the scales ; bristles J as long as the achene or 

 none. Nfd. to Man., and southw. June-Aug. 

 FIG. 258. 



22. E. acuminata (Muhl.) Nees. Similar; 

 rootstock generally stouter and stiffer ; culms 

 flat, striate, tufted, usually coarser ; scales 259 - E - 

 lance-ovate, the uppermost acute. (E. compressa Spikelet x 2. 

 Sulliv.) Wet places, oftenest in calcareous soil, N. Y. and 

 Ont., southw. FIG. 259. Perhaps a variety of the last. 



23. E. nitida Fernald. Perennial, from slender rootstock ; 



culms capillary, 4-angled, striate, 2-8 cm. high ; spikelet ovoid, 

 acutish, 2.5-4. 5 mm. long, 1.5-2.5 mm. thick, 8-20-flowered ; scales 

 elliptic-oblong, with rounded tips, purplish-brown, with greenish 

 ribs and very narrow scarious margins, the lowermost 1-1.2 mm. 

 long; achenes whitish-straw-color, narrowly obovoid, sharply 

 260 E nitida tri ff onous i verv minutely (under a lens) roughened, 0.7-1 mm. 

 " long, the very narrow crown-like tubercle with a short point in 

 the middle. Springy spots, valley of the Ottawa R., Can. (J. 

 Macoun). Early June. FIG. 260. 



24. E. intermedia (Muhl.) Schultes. Culms capillary, striate-grooved, 

 densely tufted from fibrous roots, diffusely spreading or reclining (0.2-4 dm. 



258. E. wnuis. 

 Spikelet x 2. 

 Achene x 10. 

 Cross-section of 

 culm x 5. 



Achene x 10. 

 Cross-section of 

 culm x 5. 



Spikelet x 2. 

 Achene x 10. 



