Carex.] CVPERACE^E. 451 



simple ; perigynia brown, shining, ribbed only at the back, where 2-4 main 

 ribs diverge from the base and then converge under the beak. Nut obpyri- 

 form, biconvex. — Disteib. Europe (Arctic) (excl. Greece), Canaries, Hima- 

 laya, N. America, N. Zealand. — C. Ehrhartia'na,HopTpe (C. pseudo-paradox 1 a, 

 Gibs.), with more numerous stems and a larger more interrupted spike, 

 found near Manchester and Birmingham, seems hardly a variety. 



12. C. murica'ta, L. ; slender, spikelets few in spikes or slender 

 panicles, bracts or setaceous, perigynia spreading elliptic-ovoid smooth 

 longer than the acuminate glumes, beak broad serrulate 2-fid. C. spica'ta, 

 Huds. 



Marshes, copses, &c, from Caithness, Elgin, and the Clyde southd. ; Ireland ; 

 Channel Islands ; fl. May-June. —Densely tufted, stolons short. Stems 1-2 

 ft., wiry, 3-gonous, scaberulous above. Leaves shorter than the stem, narrow, 

 fiat. Spike very variable. Spikelets green, squarrose. Perigynia narrowed 

 below, sessile, faintly ribbed, beak deeply 2-fid. Nut brown, plano-convex, 

 base of style clavate. — Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, N. Asia, Himalaya, 

 N. America. 



C. murica'ta proper; stems erect, spike more continuous, glumes brown with 

 green keels, beak serrulate. — Drier places. — A v&r.pseudo-divul'sa is recorded 

 from Malvern Links ; it is intermediate between murica'ta and divul'sa, the 

 spike being interrupted below. It grows with murica'ta in W. Suffolk. 



Sub-sp. C. divul'sa, Good. ; more slender, stems curved, spike elongate much 

 interrupted, perigynia less spreading narrower and glumes paler, beak lest* 

 serrulate.— Moist places, from York and N. Wales southd., Channel Islands. 



13. C. vulpi'na, L. ; stout, leaves broad flat, spike subcylindric 

 bracteate, perigynia spreading ovoid truncate below obscurely ribbed 

 equalling the ovate awned pale brown glumes, beak long serrulate 2-fid. 

 Marshes, copses, and saline ditches, from Elgin and the Hebrides southd. ; 



Ireland ; Channel Islands; fl. June. — Eootstock tufted, stoloniferous. Stems 

 many, 3-quetrous, leafy, angles scabrid, faces convex. Leaves J-| in. 

 Spikes 1-3 in., variable, squarrose ; bracts setaceous, spreading, conspicuous. 

 Glumes pale brown, midrib green, awn short scabrid. Perigynia compressed, 

 ribs variable in stoutness. Nut ovoid, brown. — Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, 

 Siberia, N. America. 



*** Spikelets male at the base, rarely at the top also, distant, alternate (rarely 

 close in 14, echina'ta). Bracts often long and foliaceous. 



14. C. echina'ta, Murr.; slender, leaves narrow, spikelets 3-5 sub- 

 globose squarrose, bracts small, perigynia broadly ovoid plano-convex 

 striate exceeding the ovate acute glumes, beak broad notched scabrid. C. 

 stellula'ta, Good. 



Moors and bogs, N. to Shetland ; ascends to near 3,000 ft. in the Highlands 

 Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. May-June.— Rootstock densely tufted. Stems 

 6-18 in., 3-gonous, minutely scabrid above, stolons 0. Leaves channelled 

 shorter than the stem. Spikes |-1 in., usually very pale ; upper spikelets 

 more slender. Glumes green or with pale brown sides. Perigynia olive- 

 green, sessile, base rounded, lateral ribs stout, facial faint. Nut lenticular 

 pale olive.— Distrib. Europe (Arctic), N. Africa, N. Asia, N. America 

 — Var. C. Gry'pos, Schk. ; glumes with two broad red-brown bands. Perth 



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