CYPERACEAE 



349 



19. C. grracillima, Schw. Spikelets about 4, slender and linear, 

 nodding; perigynia oblong, obtuse and slightly oblique at apex, 

 longer than the oblong mucronate scale. 



VERY SLENDER CAREX. 



Culms 18 inches to 2 feet high, slender but mostly erect, leafy. Upper leaves 

 equalling the culm ; Imoer ones abbreviated, and often with purple sheaths. Spiles- 

 lets % of an inch to 2 inches long, generally 4 near the summit, and sometimes 

 an additional lateral one, about % of the terminal one staminate below. 

 Sab. Moist meadows, and woodlands : frequent. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



3. Perigynia slightly inflated, ribbed, not beaked, often hairy, ifie upper spikelet 

 androgynous, and clavate by being staminate below; the rest att pistillate. 



20. C. aestivalis, Curtis. Spikelets 3 to 5, very slender, loose- 

 flowered, somewhat erect, 4he lower and uppermost one peduncu- 

 late, the intermediate ones subsessile ; lower bracts foliaceous, the 

 upper ones setaceous; perigynia trigonous-ovoid, acutish at base 

 and apex, obsoletely nerved, smooth, twice as long as the ovate 

 obtuse (or sometimes mucronate) scale ; sheaths of the lower leaves 

 pubescent. 



SUMMER CAREX. 



Culms 12 to 18 inches high, very slender, triquetrous, striate, smooth. Leaves 6 

 to 12 or 15 inches long, sometimes overtopping the culm, narrow, striate, scabrous 

 on the margin. Spikelets 1 to 2 inches long, the lower florets distant ; pedunde of 

 the lower, and upper one, half an inch to an inch in length. 

 Hob. Slaty hills, near West Chester : not common. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. Specimens of this were collected, June 17, 1828, by DAVID 

 TOWNS END, Esq. and myself, during an herborizing excursion on 

 Pokono mountain, in this State, we supposing them, at the time, 

 to be a variety of O. gracillima, I gave some to the late Rev. Mr. 

 SCHWEINITZ who placed them in his Herbarium, under the name 

 of C. Darlingtoriii,^-&s I learn from my friend, Dr. PICKERING. 

 The species was afterwards found, by D. TOWNSEND, on the slaty 

 hills, near West Chester ; and also by the Rev. M. A. CURTIS, and 

 Dr. GRAY, on the mountains of North Carolina. The last named 

 gentleman published a description of it in SILLIMAN'S Journal of 

 Science, Vol. 42. p. 28v 



21. C. Virescens, MM. Spikelets 2 to 4, mostly 3, oblong, 

 erect, on short peduncles ; perigynia ovoid, roughly pubescent, 

 rather longer than the ovate mucronate scale. 



GREENISH CAREX. 



Culms 1 to 2 feet high, rather slender, leafy. Leaves tapering to a filiform point, 

 erect, overtopping the culm, pubescent; sheaths villous, those at the base of the 

 culm often dark purple. Spikelets % of an inch to near an inch in length, all 

 approximated, all except the terminal one entirely pistillate, nearly sessile, with 

 each a lance-linear foliaceous bract at base. 

 ffab. Borders of woods, and hill sides : frequent. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



22. C. triceps, MX. Spikelets mostly 3, rarely 4, ovoid-oblong, 

 approximated ; perigynia roundish-ovoid, obtuse, smooth, about as 

 long as the ovate abruptly acuminate scale. 



C. hirsuta. Wittd. $ Fl. Cestr. ed. 2. p. 32. 



