CYPERACEAE. 45 



Leaves and sheaths conspicuously cross- 

 veined ; stems spongy at base. C. utriculata. 

 Leaves and sheaths slightly or not at all 

 cross-veined; stems not spongy at 

 base. 

 Perigynia ascending, straight; leaves 



firm. C. monile. 



Perigynia curved, spreading; leaves soft. C. retrorsa. 



Carex liddoni Boott. Culms erect, 30-60 cm. tall, scabrous above; leaves 

 2-4 mm. wide, shorter than the stems; spikes 3-6, ovoid or oblong, pointed 

 at each end, 2 cm. long, all androgynous, pale, sessile, distinct but usually 

 close together; perigynium smooth, broadly lanceolate, 6—7 mm. long, the 

 broad beak exceeding the body in length; scales acuminate, about as long as 

 the perigynia. Infrequent. 



Carex bebbii Olney. Stems slender, erect, 20-60 cm. high; leaves not stiff, 

 2-4 mm. wide, shorter than the stems; bracts setaceous; spikes 3-12, brown, 

 ellipsoid, 5-8 mm. long, closely crowded in an ovoid cluster; scales oblong, 

 acuminate; perigynia ascending, firm, narrowly ovate, 3-3.5 mm. long, exceed- 

 ing the scales, nerveless or faintly nerved; stigmas 2. In low meadows, rare. 



Carex festucacea brevior (Dewey) Fernald. Stems tufted, slender, erect, 

 40-60 cm. high; leaves 2-4 mm. wide, stiff, shorter than the stem; sheaths with 

 a pale marginal band; spikes 3-6, straw-colored, approximate, broadly ovoid, 

 obtuse, 8-12 mm. long, staminate at base; scales obtuse; perigynia spreading, 

 firm, broadly ovate, strongly 7-15-nerved on the outer face, 4.5-5 mm. long, 

 the orifice minutely bidentate; stigmas 2. In rather dry soil, not common. 



Carex bolanderi Olney. Tufted, pale green; stems 20-100 cm. long, rather 

 slender, weak and spreading; leaves soft, smooth, 2-4 mm. wide, shorter than 

 the stems; inflorescence of 4-10 scattered spikes; spikes oblong, 10-15 mm. 

 long, sessile or nearly so; perigynia lanceolate, faintly nerved, 4 mm. long, the 

 body gradually tapering into the nearly equal serrulate deeply 2-toothed beak; 

 scales white, scarious, with a broad green midvein, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate- 

 cuspidate, as long as the perigynia. In moist mountain woods. 



Carex laeviculmis Meinsch. Glabrous throughout, tufted; stems very 

 slender, 30-50 cm. high; leaves numerous, flat, 1-1.5 mm. broad, shorter 

 than the culms; spikes 3-7, sessile, 3-5 mm. long, the lower ones scattered; 

 bract solitary, usually shorter than the inflorescence; perigynia spreading 

 when mature, lanceolate, shortly stipitate, strongly curved, flat above, convex 

 beneath, pale green, short-beaked, faintly 7-nerved on each face; scales 

 ovate, hyaline except the midrib, shorter than the perigynia. In moist shady 

 places in the mountains. 



Carex douglasii Hook. Dioecious; rootstocks creeping, brownish; stems 

 erect, 15-30 cm. high, smooth; leaves pale, 2-4 mm. wide, very tapering, 

 shorter than the stems; bracts slender, usually exceeding the head; heads ovate- 

 oblong, pale brown, 2-3 cm. long, composed of many crowded spikes; peri- 

 gynia 4 mm. long, lanceolate, narrowly margined, stipitate, acuminate, ob- 

 scurely nerved, the smooth beak as long as the body; scales lanceolate, acute 

 or cuspidate, much longer than the perigynia; stigmas 2, very long. Abundant 

 in alkaline soil. 



Carex camporum Mackenzie. (C. marcida Boott.) Stems slender, erect, 

 scabrous, 30-40 cm. high, from stout scaly black rootstocks; leaves pale, 1-3, 

 usually 2 mm. broad, shorter than the stems; inflorescence narrow, 2-4 cm. 

 long, of about 6-12 crowded spikes; spike brown, ovate, 4-7 mm. long; perigynia 

 stipitate, broadly ovate, beaked, bidentate, narrowly margined, minutely 

 serrulate, 2 mm. long; scales ovate, acute to cuspidate, hyaline-margined, as 



