ORDER CXL. GRAMINE^E GRASS-FAMILY. 



213 



27. C. lupulina. 



Stout Sedge. 



Barren spike nearly or quite sessile; fertile spikes 24, oblong-ovate, 

 densely flowered, upper approximate, all on short peduncles, except the lowest, 

 which is sometimes on a long, exsert peduncle ; bracts leafy, longer than the 

 culm, sheathing at base; perigynia ovoid, very much inflated at base, smooth, 

 nerved, tapering to a long, 2-toothed, conical beak, much longer than the lan- 

 ceolate, awned glume. Culm stout, 23 ft. high, leafy ; leaves and bracts long 

 and flat, rough on the margin. A very stout species, with large thick spikes, 

 common in swamps. 



28. C. hystericma. 



Yellow-green Sedge. 



Barren spike rarely pistillate at base or summit ; fertile spikes 24, oblong- 

 cylindric, densely flowered, upper one on a short peduncle, the others on long, 

 exscrted, at length drooping peduncles; bracts leafy, longer than the culm, not 

 sheathing at base; perigynia ovoid, much inflated, nerved, smooth, tapering to 

 long, 2-toothed beak, longer than the oblong, mucronate glume. A common 

 species, 12 ft. high, with long and rather broad, yellowish-green foliage. "Wet 

 meadows. 



29. C. scabrata. 



Sough Sedge. 



Fertile spikes 36, cylindrical, somewhat remote, densely flowered, lower 

 ones on long peduncles ; bracts leafy, longer than the culm, not sheathing at 

 base ; perigynia somewhat inflated, ovoid, rough, at length spreading, with a 

 bifld beak longer than the acuminate, somewhat ciliate glume. Culm sharply 

 triangular, very rough, as also the leaves and bracts, 1 2 ft. high. A common 

 species in swamps. 



* * Lower fertile spikes on long, more or less escsert peduncles, very loosely 

 flowered. Perigynia scarcely, if at all, inflated. 



30. C. debilis. 



Slender Sedge. 



Barren spikes very slender, rarely pistillate at summit; fertile spikes 34, 

 filiform, very loosely flowered, somewhat flexuous, nodding, on long, filiform 

 peduncles; perigynia alternate, oblong, 3-angled, somewhat inflated, tapering 

 to a straight, bifld beak twice longer than the ovate-lanceolate, mucronate 

 glume. Culm 3-sided, leafy, with the lower bract long and sheathing, 12 ft 

 high. Plant pale green. 



31. C. plantaginea. Plantain Sedge. 



Fertile spikes 35, oblong, erect, few-flowered, remole, on long, filiform 

 peduncles, all, except the lowest, included within the very short, dark purple, 

 sheathing bracts ; perigynia 3-angled, not inflated, smooth, destitute of a beak, 

 longer than the ovate, mucronate glume. Leaves all radical, very broad, 3- 

 nerved. A common species in woods, distinguished by its very broad leaves 

 and its purple barren spikes and bracts. 



32. C. anceps. 



Wood Sedge. 



Barren spike greenish, short, linear; fertile spikes 2 4, erect, slender, 

 sparsely flowered, uppermost nearly sessile, lower on long, exsert, 2-edged pe- 

 duncles; bracts long, sheathing; perigynia ovoid, 3-angled, smooth, not in- 

 flated, beaked but not bifid, tapering at each extremity, curved obliquely at 

 apex, somewhat longer than the glume ; culm mostly compressed above. A 

 common and quite variable species, growing in woods. The leaves are usually 

 of medium size, but the radical leaves are sometimes very broad, resembling 

 those of the last for which it has been mistaken, though really very different 

 Culm 10' 15' high. 



33. C. digitalis. Slender Wood Sedge. 



Barren spike short, clavate, pedunculate ; fertile spikes narrow-oblong, 5 

 10-flowered, distant, erect, the lowest one nodding, all loosely flowered, and on 

 long, filiform, exserted peduncles; bracts long, leafy, sheathing; perigynia 3- 

 angled, ovate, not inflated, smooth, destitute of a beak, longer than the ovate- 

 lanceolate glume. Culm slender, erect at length procumbent; bracts and 

 leaves very narrow, dark green. A. slender, grassy species, not uncommon on 

 hill-sides. Culm 5' 16' high. 



* * * Lower pistillate spikes on long, exsert peduncles, all densely flowered. 

 Perigynia not inflated. 



34. C. granularis. Meadow Sedge. 



Barren spike sessile, or on a short peduncle ; fertile spikes 2 4, cylindric- 

 oblong, nearly erect, lowest sometimes distant; perigynia roundish-ovoid, 

 nerved, recurved at apex, with a very short entire beak, longer than the ovate, 

 cute glume. A common species with long, leafy bracts, exceeding the culm 

 and yellowish spikes of mature fruit Foliage glaucous. Culm 8' 15' high. 

 In wet meadows. 



35. C. pallescens. Pale Sedge. 



Barren spike sessile, or on a short peduncle ; fertile spikes 23, oblong' 

 ovoid, approximate, somewhat nodding at maturity ; perigynia elliptic-obovato, 

 somewhat nerved, obtuse, about as long as the ovate glume. Culm and leaves 

 pale green, somewhat pubescent ; bracts leafy, the lower one often undulate on 

 the margin. A common species, 6' 10' high, in wet meadows. 



36. C. conoidea. 



Shining Sedge. 



Barren spike on a long peduncle ; fertile spikes 2 8, oblong, lower remote ; 

 bracts leafy and sheathing, not longer than the culm ; perigynia oblong-conic, 

 nerved, smooth, entire at apex, usually somewhat longer than the sharply acute 

 or mucronate glume. A species with bright green foliage, common in mea- 

 dows. Culms 6' 10' high. 



F. Staminate spikes several, terminal. 



37. C. retrorsa. 



Bent Sedge. 



Barren spikes 1 3, often pistillate at base ; fertile spikes 4 6, oblong-cylin- 

 dric, erect; upper approximate ; lower remote, on a long, exserted peduncle, 

 sometimes somewhat branched at base ; all densely flowered, with long and 

 leafy bracts; perigynia much inflated, nerved, ovoid-globose, spreading, and at 

 length reflexed, tapering to a 2-forked beak, much longer than the lanceolate 

 glume. A rather stout, leafy species, not uncommon on the edges of ponds and 

 marshes. Culms 12 ft. high, rigid, nearly smooth. 



38. C. lanuginosa. 



Woolly Sedge. 



Barren spikes 2 3 , uppermost pedunculate ; lower shorter, sessile ; fertile 

 spikes 13, cylindric, erect densely flowered, with long, leafy bracts, much ex- 

 ceeding the culm ; perigynia woolly, somewhat inflated, ovoid, nerved, obtusely 

 3-angled, with a short, 2-toothed beak ; teeth sharp, very hairy. Culms with 

 flat leaves and bracts. A common species in wet grounds, growing 12 ft. 



high. 



39. C. filiformis. 



Narrow-leaved Sedge. 



Barren spikes 2 3 ; uppermost pedunculate ; lower shorter, sessile ; fertile 

 spikes 1 3, ovoid, or oblong-ovoid, densely flowered ; bracts filiform, longer 

 than the culm ; perigynia ovoid, densely woolly, scarcely recurved, with a very 

 short, 2-toothed beak, about equal to the ovate, acute glume ; leaves and bracts 

 filiform involute. A common species in marshes, remarkably distinguished by 

 its very long, filiform, involute leaves and bracts. Culms 10' IS' high, slender. 



40. C. lacustris. 



Lake Sedge. 



Barren spikes 1 4 erect; uppermost pedunculate ; fertile spikes 23, ob- 

 long-cylindric, erect, remote, on short peduncles, or sessile ; bracts long and 

 leafy, much longer than the culm ; perigynia ovate-oblong, somewhat inflated, 

 nerved, with a short, straight, thick beak, with 2 spreading teeth, a little longer 

 than the oblong, mucronate glume. A stout species, 2 4 ft. high, with broad 

 leaves. Common in marshy grounds and along rivers. 



41. C. ampullacea. 



Smooth Sedge. 



Barren spikes 2 4, oblong, cylindric, remote, sessile, or on short peduncles; 

 rarely nodding ; bracts leafy, longer than the culm ; perigynia roundish-ovoid 

 rarely oval, much inflated, conspicuously many-nerved, tapering to a short, 2- 

 toothed beak, longer than the lanceolate glumes, which are sometimes awnless, 

 sometimes tipped with a rough awn of various lengths ; culm obtusely triangu- 

 lar, smooth ; foliage glaucous. A variable species common in marshy grounds, 

 23 ft. high ; most abundant at the North. 



42. C. bullata. 



Club Sedge. 



Barren spikes 23, slender, erect ; fertile spikes 12, mostly 1, approximate, 

 oblong-cylindric, sessile, or on short, smooth peduncles ; perigynia much in- 

 flated, ovoid, spreading, nerved, tapering to a long, rough beak, much longer than 

 the lanceolate, obtusish glume. A rather common species in wet grounds, with 

 narrow leaves and bracts, distinguished by the short and thick usually solitary 

 fertile spikes. Culms 12 ft high. 



ORDER CXL. Gramlnese. Grass-family. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 



A. Spikelets \-flowered, -with 2 glumes and 2 paleot, or less. 

 * Glumes absent, or both very minute. Palese 2. 



1. LEERSIA. Flowers perfect. Palese all awnless. 



2 ZIZAMA. Flowers monoecious, paniculate ; upper branches with fertile 

 flowers and awned paleze; lower with barren flowers and awnless palete. 



