688 CYPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 



Synopsis of Sections and Groups. 



§ 1. CAREX proper. Stamiuate flowers forming one or more terminal linear or club-shaped 

 spikes (often pistillate at base or apex). Pistillate flowers usually in distinct and sim- 

 ple mostly peduncled spikes. Cross-section of perigynium circular, obtusely angled, or 

 prominently triangular in outline. Style mostly 3 parted and acheue triangular or 

 triquetrous. 



* 1. Pliysocarpse. Perigynium mostly straw-colored at maturity, papery in texture, usu- 



ally more or less inflated, smooth (sometimes hairy in n. 6), nerved, tapering into a beak 

 as long as or longer than the body ; spikes few to many, distinct, comjiactly flowered ; 

 stigmas 3 (2 in n. ] 0). 



■<- 1. Paucifioros. Perigynium greenish, linear-lanceolate or almost needle shaped, not in- 

 flated, strongly deflexed at maturity, several times longer than the inconspicuous scale ; 

 spike androgynous, the pistillate flowers at base, few. — Sp. 1. 



■>- 2. Lupv.iiivi:. Perigynium green or greenish-tawiiy or sometimes yellow, more or less 

 inflated (except in n. 2-4), long, usually very turgid at base, mostly erect or nearly so, 

 very gradually attenuate to a long slenderly toothed beak exceeding the scale ; spikes 3 

 or more, the stamiuate mostly 1 and stalked, the pistillate often sessile, usually short 

 and thick, often becoming dark colored in drying. — Sp. 2-S. 



— 3. Vesicarice. Perigynium smooth and shining, much inflated, at maturity straw-colored 



or sometimes purple, beaked and conspicuously short-toothed (entire in n. 10), usually 

 prominently few-nerved, much, shorter than in •<- 2 ; stamiuate spikes commonly 2 or 

 more ; pistillate spikes as a rule long and densely cylindrical. — Sp. 9 - 16. 



— 4. PseudocypercK. Perigynium less inflated, more conspicuously nerved or even costate, 



and with more or less setaceous or awned teeth ; scale usually awned ; spikes mostly 

 nodding or spreading, comose in appearance, greenish, greenish-yellow, or ochroleucous. 



— Sp. 17-19. 



■«- 5. Sqiiar'-osce. Perigynium obconic or obovoid, squarrose in exceedingly dense short 

 spikes. — Sp. 20, 21. 



* 2. Trachychlsense. Perigynium mostly thick and hard in texture, often scabrous or 



hirsute, straight-beaked ; pistillate spikes compactly flowered, mostly large, erect or 

 nearly so ; stamiuate spikes 1 or more ; stigmas 3. Generally large and coarse. 



•»- 1. Shortianre. Terminal spike androgynous, stamiuate below ; perigynium small, sca- 

 brous, nearly beakles •, entire. — Sp. 22. 



1- 2. Anomalm. Terminal spike all stamiuate ; pistillate spikes long and cylindrical, mostly 

 dense ; perigynium broad and short, short-beaked, the orifice very slightly notched or 

 entire, mostly granulate. — Sp. 23. 



•1- 3. Hirtce. A heterogeneous group, distinguished from -^ 2 by the longer and more deeply 

 cut beak (slightly toothed m n. 24), and by the hairy perigynium (smooth in n. 25). — 

 Sp. 24 - 27. 



•1- 4. PalvAlosce. Staminate spikes 2 or more, long-stalked ; the pistillate 2- several, usually 

 all peduncled, long and heavy, loose-flowered, erect or nodding ; perigynium large, thick 

 in texture, strongly nerved, mostly smooth, usually conspicuously beaked. Coarse 

 species. — Sp. 28, 29. 



* 3. Microrhyncliae. Parallel with * 2 ; di.stinguished in general by the much smaller 



and nearly or entirely beakless and mostly entire-mouthed perigynium, which is much 

 thinner in texture ; stigmas 2 or 3, Paludose and alpnie species, of various habit, mostly 

 with colored spikes, often in dense tufts or tussocks 



■•- 1. Atratce. Terminal spike clulvshaped and androgyiious with the staminate flowers be- 

 low (very rarely all staminate in n. 32); pistillate spikes mostly short and dark-colored, 

 erect or drooping ; stigmas 3. — Sp. 30-32. 



4- 2. RigidcB. Mostly stiflT, with short erect closely flowered spikes, an entirely staminate 

 terminal spike, dark colored scales, and bracts with purple or black auricles at base ; 

 stigmas 2 or 3. — Sp. 33, 



•*- 3. Acutcr. Mostly larger and more slender, usually paludose, with green or light-colored 

 large and long spikes ; stigmas 2<3 in u. 39). Distinguished from ••- 2 mainly by habit. 



— Sp. 34-39. 



