516 CYrERACE r .. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



38. C. acttista, "Boott. *S/>//.vs 4 - 10, approximate or rather distant, ovate 

 OF at length club-shaped (straw-color or pale chestnut) ; jifrii/i/nia ovate uith a 

 tapering beak, slightly winged, rather obsrurcft/ turret?, especially on the upper side, 

 equalling t/te scale in length and breadth. Rhode Island (Gluey), New York 

 (S. T. Carey, $<:.), Lake Superior (C. G. Loritig, Jr., with the smaller form), 

 and northward. Much like some forms of the next, hut the spikes more chaffy, 

 the pcrigynia tapering into a longer beak. 



39. C. fcstiicacca, Sehk. fyihi's G - 8-, obovoid or dub-dittpcd, the lower 

 distinct ; pefigynia ovate, ncerrowly winged, with a short beak, longer f/uui (lie ontte 

 lanceolate scale; achenium sessile, hroadly oval. Var. TENERA has (3-5) 

 smaller spikes, which are more distant on the slender, flex nose, sometimes nod- 

 ding stem. (C. tenera, Dew.} Var. MIRABILIS has (6-8) rounder approx- 

 imate spikes, with fewer staminate flowers, and the perigynia somewhat spread- 

 ing. (C. mirabilis, Dew.) About fields and fences ; rather common, especially 

 northward. A stiff and rigid species, often of a pale-green appearance, except 

 the first variety, which has commonly brownish heads, and a weak stem. 



40. C. ftjetiea, Muhl. Spikes 4-10, ovoid, approrimate., the lower rarely 

 compound, of a qiaiicous-yreen color; perigynia antic, n'/>/</e'l, it-lilt a short beak, 

 scarcely longer than the oblong and blwntish white scale; achenium on a short 

 stalk, oval. Salt or brackish marshes, on the' sea-coast, Rhode Island (Olney) 

 to Virginia, and southward. Much like the last, from which it differs princi- 

 pally in the color of the spikes, and in the constantly erect and more broadly- 

 margined perigynia. The culm is smooth and stout. 



41 C. Straminca, Schk. S/rikcs (about 6), roundish-ovoid, approximate ; 

 perigynia orbicular-ovate, much compressed, broadly and membranaceously winged, 

 with a short abrupt beak a little longe'r than the lanceolate scale ; achenium 

 nearly sessile, oval. Borders of woods and in fields; rather common. The 

 larger forms have a remarkably wide wing, often brown on the margin, giving a 

 variegated appearance to the soft and flaccid spikes. In the smaller forms tho 

 heads are fewer (3-4) and more rigid, owing to the narrower wings of the 

 perigynia. 



I>. Staminate and pistillate fl.owers borne, in separate (commonly more or less 

 stalked) simple spikes on the same culm ; the one or more staminate (sterile) spikes 

 constantly uppermost, having occasionally more or less fertile flowers intermixed 

 the lower spikes all pistillate (fertile), or sometimes with staminate flowers at th 

 base or apex : stir/was 3 : aclu niuin x/tarply triangular (only 2 stigmas and thd 

 achenium lenticular in No. 42-51 and 58). CAREX Proper. 



$ 1. Perigyiiia irithout a leak, smooth, not inflated (slightly in No. 51), terminating 

 in a minute, straight, entire or notched point, glaucous-green when young, be- 

 coming whitish, often spotted or tinged with purple, or occasionally nearly 

 black at maturity : pi xtil.lt it?. .sw/A.s blackiti/i.-j>i(rj'>lt>. (brown in No. 51 and 57), 



giving <> (hi//,: <ij>f)i<<rnn<T In lite. ;.:' 



* Sterile. >;/>/7v\ ] -.'!, .s/f///W, often with more or less fertile flowers: pistillate 

 spikes 3-5, /m//^////// with nturile. Jlo/rers (it the cijie.r : bract of the lowest spike 

 leaf-like, with dark-colored expansions (auricles) at the base, and V;?ry miituto 



sheaths, or none. (Culm and liiv:< more or ANN < 



