CTPERACK^. (sedge FAMILY.) 581 



Una, Boott, is a small Texan form of it.) — Var. MeXdii (Illinois, Dr. Mead), 

 resembles the last, luit has ratlier smaller and i-oiinder sjjikes, thinner wings to 

 the perigynia, and long-tapeiin;;- or rough awn-pointed scales. 



45. C. alata, Turr. Sjiih s 'i - U), jKile, turgkl-ocokl, conXv^wows, moslhj laifje 

 (6"-lU" long); piiiffjiiia dildted orbicidar or obovute, broadii/ icin(/<d, abruptly 

 short-beaked, either heart shaped or wedge-shaped at the base, longer and thrice 

 broader than the lanceolate or ovate acute or rough awn-pointed scale ; Hchenia 

 stipitate. — W. New York (.'^arlwcll) to Virginia and southward. — All these, 

 from No. 38 to the present, run together variously. 



D. Staminate and fHstillale flowers borne in separate {commonhj more or less stalked) 

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

 stantly uppermost, having occasionally more or less fertile flowers intermi.xcd; 

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

 their base or apex : sfir/mas 3 : achenium sharpljj trimvpdar (only usually 2 stigmas 

 and the achenium lenticular in No. 46 -.56, 6.5, 149, 150). Carkx proper. 

 § 1. Perirjijnia without a beak, or scaralj/ any, smooth, not inflated (sligiitly in No. 

 55, 56), terniinatimj in a minute, straight, entire or notched point, glancons-'^rcen 

 when young, becoming whitish, often spotted or tinged with pur|)lc, or 

 occasionally nearly black at maturity: jiislillate scales lilarkish-pnrjile (liarcly 

 brown in No. 55, 56, 61), (jiring a dark appearance to the spikes. 

 * Sterile spikes 1-3, stalked, often with more or less fertile flowers: pistillate 

 spikes 3 - 5, frequent! 11 with sterile flowers at the apex : bract of the lowest spike 

 leaf-like, mostly with dark-colored expansions (auricles) at the base, and 

 very minute sheaths or none. {-Culm and leaves more or less glaucous.) 

 •*- Stigmas 2 {in No. 46 and 47* sometimes 3) : perigynia. lenticular. — AcisTM, 

 *+ Alpine, saxatile: pistillate scales pointless: leaves flat. 

 ■M- Scales awuless, mostly olituse. 



46. C. rigida, Good. Sterile spike solitary ; the Jertile 2-4, cylindrical, erect, 

 rather loosel// flowered, the lower on short peduncles ; lowest bract about the 

 length of the culm, witli rounded auricles ; stigmas 2 - 3 ; perigynia elliptical, with 

 an entire scarcely pointed apex, nerveless, about as long as the obtuse scale ; culm 

 rigid, nearly smooth except towards the top, about the length of the firm erect 

 leaves. (C. saxatilis, Fl. Dan., partly of L.) (Eu.) — Our plant is the 



Var.? Bigeldvii (C. Blgelovii, Torr. C. Washingtonia, Dew), with 3-5 

 longer and laxer fertile spikes, the lowest long-stalked, spreading, and sometimes 

 remote; the sterile or terminal one often fertile at the top; perigynia more or 

 less nerved : perhaps a distinct species. — Alpine summits of the mountains of 

 New England, New York, and high northward. 



++ ++ ]Vot alpine, pahidose: pistillate .<icales awnless, single-nerved. 

 a. Leaves with involule margins when dry ; their sheaths not flbrillo<e. 



47. C. vulgaris, Fries. Sterile spike 1 -3 ; the fertile 2- 4, appro.rimated, 

 oblong, erect, densely flowered, occasionally staminate at the apex, the lowest on 

 a very short stalk ; lowest bract barely the length of the culm, with small 

 blackish rounded auricles; perigynia ovate-ellipti<(d, stalked, nerved especially to- 

 wards the base, with a very short abrupt entire or minutely notched jwint, 

 langer than the obtuse oppressed black acale; culm slender, sharply triangular. 



