524 CYi'ERACEJE. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



nerves. Copses and hill-sides, New England to "W. New York and Pennsyl- 

 vania. Very closely approaching the next; perhaps only a variety cf it. 



78. C. digitalis, Willd. Fertile sjiihs lii-(u--i>t,U>nr/ t lucscly G - 9-Jlou-< n d, 

 on long stalks, the lowest sometimes drooping; A uns and // -, dnik 

 green; pcrigynia smaller than in the last. (C. oligocarpa, Schw. fr Torr., not of 

 Schk. C. Vanvleekii, Schw.) Copses and hill-sides, New England to Michi- 

 gan, and southward. A low species, 6'- 12' high, growing in tufts, with numer- 

 ous culms and long grassy leaves. 



* # # Sterile spike short, linear ; fertile sjrikes 2-4, erect; the 1-2 uppermost 

 commonly near the hase of the sterile, on an included stalk ; the rest on ex- 

 serted stalks, with long sheathing bracts resembling the /((ires; the uppermost 

 exceeding the erect culm : periyynia with obtuse angles, about the length of the 

 scale. OLIGOCAKP.E. 



79. C IsixsiSorn, Lam. Fertile tpikes slender, loosely Jlowered on a ziqzag 

 rhachis ; perigynia ovoid, narrowed at each end. (C. aneeps, Willd. $- cd. 1.) 

 Var. STRiATULA has the spikes oblong, more densely flowered, and the perigynia 

 obovoid with a shorter point. (C. striatuhi, Michx. C. conoidea, ^fuld., not of 

 Schk. C. bland a, Dew.} Var. PATULIF6LIA, Dew., has the radical leaves very 

 broad (l ; - !'), many-nerved, with a rather longer point. (C. plantaginea, Schk. t 

 notofZ/aw.) Open woods and copses; common. A very variable speciwu, 

 as to the breadth of the leaves and length of the spikes ; the culms are usually 

 flattened or 2-edged above. An intermediate form occurs, with the broad leaves 

 and slender spikes of var. patulifolia, but having the obovoid shortly pointed 

 fruit of var. striatula, differing in the latter respect from the plant figured as C. 

 plantaginea by Schkuhr. 



80. C. Oligocarpa, Schk. Fertile spikes small, 3 - 8-Jlowercd ; the jmnt 

 of the perigynium sliglitly oblique, not recurved ; style very short, thickened towards 

 the base ; leaves rough only on the edge, sheaths smooth. (C. Sartwelliana, Gay.) 

 Woods, Connecticut to Illinois and Kentucky. Culm slender, 8' -12 

 long; the fertile spikes '-' in length. 



81. C. HitctlCOCkiana, Dew. Fertile spikes very loosely 3 - ^-flowered; 

 sheaths and ripper side of the leaves roughly pubescent. Woods, New England to 

 Illinois and Kentucky. Culm l-2 high, stouter -than the last, with very 

 scabrous sheaths. The fruit is also larger (2^" long) ; but in other respects the 

 plants are similar. 



$ 5. Perigyjiia without a beak, smooth or downy, not inflated, obovoid-triquetrous, 

 with ii minute obliquely bent white and mcmbranaceous point, reddish-brown 

 or olive-colored at maturity : bracts reduced to colored sheaths, or irit/i <i short green 

 prolongation : leaves all radical, narrow or bristle-shaped. DIGITATE. 



82. C. eburiiea, Boott. Sterile spike solitary; the f-rtile 3-4. 

 about 5-flowered, ajipro.ciintitnl and elevated on long stit/kx ahow the staminatr spike : 

 the lowest sometimes a little remote ; perigynia obscurely nerved, smooth and 

 shining, rather longer than the broad and obtuse membranaceous whitish scale. 

 (C. alba, var. setifolia, Dew.) Limestone rocks, N. X- \\ Kuuhuid tc Kentucky, 

 and northward. A delicate species, 4' -10' high, with bristle-shaped leaves, 



