(SEDGE FAMILY.) 517 



4-Stiamas 2 (in No. 42 sometimes 3) : perigynium lenticular. 

 *+ Scales awnless, mostly obtuse. 



42. C. rigida, Good. Sterile spike solitary; the fertile 2-4, cylindrical, 

 erect, rather loosely flowered, the lower on short peduncles; lowest bract about the 

 length of the culm, with rounded auricles; stigmas 2-3, mostly 2; perigynia el- 

 liptical, with an entire scarcely pointed apex, nerveless, or very obscurely nerved, 

 about as long as the obtuse scale ; culm rigid, nearly smooth except towards the 

 top, about the length of the firm erect leaves. (C. sax a tills, Fl. Dan., not of 

 L.) Var. BIGELOVII has 3-5 longer fertile spikes, the lowest on a long stalk, 

 spreading and sometimes remote. (C. Bigelovii, Ton: C. Washingtonia, Dew 

 C. nigra, Schtv. $* Torr., not of All.) Alpine summits of the mountains of N. 

 New England and New York, and high northward. (Eu.) 



43. C. t5rta, Boott, Mss. Sterile spikes 1-2, commonly 1 ; fertile 3 - 4, 

 elongated, narrowly-cylindrical or sUyhily club-shaped, loosely few-flowered at the base, 

 occasionally more or less staminate at the apex, the lower on smooth slender 

 stalks, at first erect, finally spreading or drooping ; bracts with oblong auricles, or very 

 slightly sheathing, the lowest about the length of the culm, the rest bristle-shaped, 

 shorter than their respective spikes ; perigynia elliptical, short-stalked, tapering to 

 a distinct point, with a minutely notched or jagged membranaceous orifice, very- 

 smooth, nerveless, or with 2-3 indistinct short nerves, the tips spreading or ob- 

 liquthj recurved at maturity, scarcely exceeding the narrow obtuse scale ; achcnium 

 broadly obovate, much shorter than the perigynium ; culm vtry smooth, leaves 

 slightly rough on the margin only. (C. verrucosa, Schvcein. C. acuta, var. 

 sparsifiora, Dew. 1 ?) Rills and wet banks, N. New England, New York, &c., 

 and along the mountains from Penn. southward. Culm rather slender, 15' -2 

 high, usually with 3 slender and nodding fertile spikes. It is well distinguished 

 by its smoothness, and by the spreading empty tips of the perigynia. 



4\ C. VUlgaris, Fries. Sterile spike 1, rarely 2; the fertile 2-4, approx- 

 imated, oblong, erect, densely -flowered, occasionally staminate at the apex, the 

 lowest on a very short stalk ; lowest bract about the length of the culm, with 

 small blackish rounded auricles ; perirjynia ovate-elliptical, stalked, nerved especially 

 towards the base, with a very short abrupt entire or minutely notched point, 

 longer titan the obtuse oppressed black scale ; culm slender, nearly smooth, except 

 at the top. (C. caespitosa, Good 8f Amer. auth., not of L. C. Goodenovii, Gay.) 

 Banks of streams, Nc\v England to Wisconsin and northward. Grows in 

 small patches (not in dense tufts like No. 46), and varies in height from 3' to 

 18', with narrow leaves shorter than the culm. From the last it differs in the 

 short thick spikes, and erect perigynia, and in the auricles of the bracts ; and 

 from the next, in the shape and nerves of the perigynium, and in the shorter, 

 black, appresscd scale. (Eu.) 



45. C. aperta, Boott. Sterile spikes 1-2, oblong-cylindrical, acute ; fer- 

 tile 2-4, oblong, erect, the uppermost approximate and sessile ; the lower distant and 

 short-stalked, staminate at the apex, or often entirely fertile ; lowest bract about 

 the length of the culm, with oblong brown auricles, or very slightly sheathing, 

 the upper bristle-shaped, shorter than the spikes ; perigynia roundish-ovate, stalked, 

 without nerves, covered with very minute transparent dots, and sometimes very 



