CYPERACEAE 345 



Culms 1 to 2 feet high, slender, rough above, leafy toward the base. Leaves 

 narrow, linear, at first longer, finally shorter than the culm. Spikelets 2 to 6, 

 usually 4, the lower ones somewhat distant, the upper ones a little crowded ; 

 perigynia somewhat distichously and loosely arranged ; brad at the base of the 

 lowest spikelet glume-like, lanceolate, terminating in a scabrous awn. 

 Sab. Swamps, and low grounds : frequent. Fl, May. Fr. July. 



2. Spikelets staminate at summit. 

 f Perigynia small, with a short 2-toothed beak. 



3. C, Ylllpinoidea, MX. Spikelets 8 to 12, clustered in an 

 oblong interrupted compound spike; perigynia broadly ovate, ab- 

 ruptly acuminate, finally diverging, rather shorter tlian the ovate 

 cuspidate scale. 



C. multiflora. Muhl. $ Fl. Cestr. ed. 2. p. 29. 

 VULPINA-LIKE CAREX. 



Culms about 2 feet high, leafy. Leaves lance-Hnear, channelled, the upper 

 ones taller than the culm ; sheaths tranversely rugose opposite the leaves. Spike 

 2 to 3 inche-i long ; spikdets crowded into clusters a little separated from each 

 other ; bracts under the spike, and principal dusters, often long, and leaf-like, 

 those at the base of the spikdets, short and setaceous. 

 Hob. Swamps, and low grounds : frequent. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



t fPerigynium on short pedicels, not margined, with along tapering 2-toothed beak, 

 yellow at maturity. 



4. C. stipata, Muhl. Spikelets 6 to 12 or 15, aggregated, the 

 lower ones often distinct ; perigynia tapering from a truncate base, 

 much longer than the ovate scale. 



CROWDED CAREX. 



Culms 1 to 3 feet high, rather stout and succulent, leafy. Leaves about as long 

 as the culm (longer while young), broadish lance-linear ; sheaths striate, some- 

 what loose. Spike 1 to 2% inches long, densely compound. Spikdets sessile, with a 

 subulate bract at the base of each, all shorter than the spikelets, except tho 

 lower one. 

 Hob. Swamps, and low grounds : frequent. FL April. Fr. June. 



f 1 1 Perigynia sessile, more or less margined) with, a short 2-toothed beak, greenish at 

 maturity. 



5. C. sparsranioides, Muhl. Spikelets 6 to 10, ovoid, the 

 upper ones crowded, the lower distinct and more or less distant ; 

 perigynia ovate, acuminate, nerveless, about twice as long as the 

 ovate mucronate scale. 



SPARGANIUM-LIKE CAREX. 



Culms about 2 feet high, leafy toward the base. Leaves about as long as the 

 oulm, those at base short; sheaths loose, often whitish. Spike 1% to 3 inches 

 long. Bracts lance-linear, sometimes longer than the spikelets. 

 Hob. Swampy low grounds: frequent. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



6. C. cephalophora, Muhl. Spikelets 3 to 6, densely crowded 

 in a short ovoid head ; perigynia ovate, somewhat nerved outside, 

 scarcely longer than the ovate subaristate scale. 

 HEAD-BEARING; CAREX. 



