CYPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 571 



4. S. paucifl6ra, Muhl. Somewhat downy or smoothish , culms slender 

 (9'- 18' lii^li) ; Iciivcs narrowly linear ; clusters few-flowered, the lower lateral 

 ones when present pedunclcd ; bracts clliate ; stamens 3 ; arhenuim (/lohoae, papil- 

 lose-row /Iwned, white : the disk a narrow ring bearing 3 pairs of minute tubercles. 

 — S. New En'^'laiiil to W. New York (rare), am! more common southward. 



5. S. vertieill^ta, Mulil. Smooth; culms simple, slender (4'- 12' high), 

 terminnted by an interrupted spike of 4-6 rather distant sessile and small 

 clusters ; bracts minute ; leaves linear ; st.imens 1 or 2 ; acheniuiii roiif/h-wrinkkd 

 ivith short elevated ridges, globular-triangular ; the disk obsolete. — W. New 

 York and Penn. to Michigan and southward: rare. — Flant faintly sweet- 

 scented ; achenium small, 'i" long. 



15. CAREX, L. Sedge. (PI. 5, 6.) 



Staminate and pistillate flowers separated {monoecious), either borne together 

 m the same spike landrdipjnous), or in separate spikes on the same stem, very 

 rarely on distinct plants (dinecions) . Scales of the spikes equally imbricated 

 around the axis, eacii subtending a single staminate or pistillate flower. Sta- 

 mens 3, rarely 2. Ovary enclosed in an iiiflateil sac (composed of either one or 

 two inner scales (bractlets) united by their margins), forming a rounded or an- 

 gular bladdery sac {ppricji/niuin), whicli encloses the lenticular, plano-convex, or 

 triangular achenium, .tipped with more or less of the persistent (rarely jointed) 

 base of the style. Sticrmas 2 or 3, long, projecting from the narrow orifice of 

 the perigynium. — Perennial herbs, chiefly flowing in spring and maturing in 

 summer, frequently trrowing in wet places, often in dense tufts. Culms trian- 

 gular, bearing the spikes in the axils of green and leaf-like or scale-like bract.s, 

 and terminal ; commonly with sheaths at the base which enclose more or less of 

 the stalks of the spikes. Leaves grassy, usually ronsh on the margins and keel. 

 .(A classical name, of obscure signification ; derived by some from rareo, to 

 want, the upper s|)ikes being mostly sterile ; and Iiy others from Kfipco, to cut, on 

 account of the sharp leaves.) 



Contributed for the first edition of this work, ami revised for the second, by 

 Joiix C.U5EY, Esq.; with some present additions, from recent discoveries, and 

 a few alterations, chiefly from the subsequent investigations of the late Dr. 

 Fraxcis Boott, pu!)l-i!ied in his magnificent Illustrations of the genus Carex, 

 and from notes furnisHd by Wisi Boott, Esq. 



.^ -iRIDGED SYNOPSIS OF THE SECTIONS. 



A. Spike solitary and terminal, simple, dioecious or androgynous : bracts small, colored and 



scale-like. — (This division, retained fnr the convenience of students, is merely artificial, 

 and combines species having no real natural affinity.) PSYLLOPIIOR.E, Loiseleur. 

 § 1. Spike dioecious, or with a f^'W staminate flowers ut its base. No. 1-2. 

 2 Spike anf!ro;;ynous, staminate at th'3 summit. No. 3-0. 



Spike androgynous, staminate at the base. No. CG and 13S may bo sought here. 



B. Spike solitary, single, androgynous, staminate at the summit : bracts and scales of the fer- 



tile flowers green and leaf-like. Stigmas 3. PIIYLLOSTACHYS, Torr. & Gr. No. 7-9. 



C. Spikes several or numerous, androgynous (occasionally dioecious in No. 11 and 33), sessilcs 



forming compact or mors or less interrupted, sometimes paniculate, compound or decon^ 

 pound spikes. Stigmas 2 VIQNEA, Beauv. 



