CARKX CYPERACE^ 695 



lar: tubercle triangular-subulate, flat, % as long as the achene. In bogs, 

 Oregon to Alaska, Newfoundland and Florida. 



9 CAREX L. Sp. 972. 



Perennial herbs with triangular stems, linear 2-ranked leaves 

 and monoecious, dioecious or androgynous flowers borne in termin- 

 al solitary or racemed spikes, each usually subtended by a leaf- 

 like bract. Perianth none or rarely represented by a single bristle. 

 Staminate flowers of 3 stamens with filiform filaments, usually 

 all in the terminal spike. Pistillate flowers of a single pistil 

 with a style and 2 or 3 stigmas, borne on a very short axis in the 

 axil of a sac-like bractlet or second bractlet called the perigynium 

 .which completely encloses the 3-angled, lenticular or rjlano- 

 convex achene. 



SUBGENUS i EUCAREX Cosson Fl. Paris, 744. Staminate 

 flowers in one or more terminal spikes, sometimes with pistillate 

 flowers at the base or apex. Pistillate flowers in distinct and 

 simple mostly peduncled spikes. Cross-section of the perigynium 

 circular, obtusely angled or prominently trigonous in outline. 

 Style mostly 3-parted and the achene triangular or triquetrous. 



TRIBE i PHYSOCARP^E Drejer Symb. Car. 10. Spikes few to 

 many, distinct, densely flowered. Perigynium mostly straw-color 

 at maturity, papery in texture, more or less inflated, smooth, 

 nerved, tapering into a beak as long or longer than the body. 

 Stigmas mostly 3. 



1 PAUCIFLOR^: Tuckerman Enum, Meth. 7. Spike andro- 

 gynous, the pistillate flowers at the base, few. Perigynium green- 

 ish, linear-lanceolate, several times longer than the scale. 



C. pauciflora Lightf. Fl. Scot. 545, t. 6. Glabrous: stems erect or 

 assurgent, very slender, 4 inches to 2 feet high : leaves very narrow, shorter 

 than the stem, the lowest reduced to toothed sheaths : scales inconspicuous, 

 lanceolate to ovate, deciduous: perigynium scarcely inflated, 3-4 lines 

 long, about % line in diameter, tapering from below the middle into a 

 slender or almost subulate beak, strongly reflexed : stigmas 3. In bogs, 

 Washington to Alaska, Newfoundland and Pennsylvania. 



2 VESICARLE Tuckerman 1. c. 13. Staminate spikes com- 

 monly 2 or more. Pistillate spikes usually long-cylindrical and 

 dense. Perigynium smooth and shining, much inflated, at ma- 

 turity straw-color or sometimes purple, beaked and conspicuously 

 2-toothed, usually prominently few-nerved. Stigmas 3. 



C. utricnlata Boott Hook. Fl. ii, 221. Glabrous: stems stout, erect, 

 2-4 feet high : leaves elongated, the upper mostly exceeding the stem, 2-6 

 lines wide, the midrib prominent: bracts leaf-like: Staminate spikes 2-4> 

 linear, peduncled, the lower sometimes pistillate at the top: pistillate 

 spikes 2-4, densely many-flowered, or sometimes looser near the base, 2-6 

 inches long, the lower short- peduncled, the upper sessile or nearly so, 

 sometimes staminate at the summit: scales lanceolate, the lower awned 

 and slightly longer than the perigynium, the upper acute: perigynium 

 ovoid, light green, 2-3 lines long, narrowed above to a sharp 2-toothed 



