582 CYPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 



nearly smooth, except at tlic top. (C. acuta, var. vulgaris, Z. C. caispitbsa, 

 of authors.) — "Wet banks, &c. Xew England to Wisconsin anil northward. — 

 Grows in small patches (not in dense tufts like No. .")0), and varies in height 

 from 3' to 18', witli narrow leaves shorter than tiie cuhn. (ICu.) The follow- 

 ing may be appended. 



47". C. limula, Fries ? Fertile spikes less approximate or rather remote ; 

 their bracts stiriKissiiiij the culm (at least the lowest) and with rougher margins; 

 leaves longer and more numerous at the base of the rougher cuhn ; ixritjijiiia 

 nerveless; stirjiuas often 3: otherwise like C. vulgaris. — E. New England, near 

 Boston, TT'. JJoutt, who rather doubtfully identifies it with the Lapland plant. 

 The specimens in Herb. Succ. Norm, differ iu their flat leaves, and narrower, 

 longer, and even pointed scales. (Eu.) 



48. C. aquatilis, Waid. Sterile spikes commonly 2-3; the frtilc 3-'i, 

 cylindrical, inclining to club-shaped, erect, densehj-Jlowered, sessile, or the lower on 

 very short stalks ; bracts hmj, 1-2 lowest exceeding the. cidm ; periyijnia ohovate- 

 ellipticul, stalked, nerveless, with a very short entire point al)Out the length of the 

 lanceolate scale ; culm smooth, not much exceeding the pale-green glaucous 

 leaves. — Margins of lakes and rivers. New England to Wisconsin, and north- 

 ward. —Robust, 2°-3° high ; the thick fertile spikes l'-3' long. (Eu.) 



b. Leaves with more or less revolule manjius when drij ; sheaths at length JihriUose, 

 i. e. iclien old splitting up or resolved more or less into slaukr parallel or loosely 

 reticulated fibres. 



49. C. torta, Boott. Sterile spikes 1 -2, commonly l,/('/-^7e 3-4, p/on9«^t'rf, 

 nariowlg-rijlindrical or slightly cltih-sha/ied, loosely few-flowered at the base, occasion- 

 ally more or less staminate at the apex, the lower on smooth slender stalks, 

 spreading or droeiping; bracts with oblong auricles, or very slightly sheathing, the 

 lowest about tlie length of the culm, the rest bristle-sh.iped, shorter tlian their 

 rcsjjcctivc spikes ; perigynia elliptical, short-stalked, tujieriiig to a distinct point, 

 ■with a minutely notched or jagged membranaceous orifice, very smooth, nerve- 

 less, the empty ti/is spreading or olilirjuely rceurveel at maturity, scarcely exceeding 

 the narrow obtuse scale; aclieniuin broadly obovatc, much shorter than the 

 perigynium ; culm very smooth, leaves siiort, slightly rough on the margin only. 

 (C. acuta, var. sparsiflora. Dew. ?} — Kills and wet banks, N. New England, New 

 York, &e., and along the mountains from Pcnn. southward. — Well marked by 

 "Is smooth flaccid culm (12' -18' high), soft and short grassy leaves, and the 

 tortuous empty apex of the perigynium. 



50. C. aperta, Boott. Sterile spikes 1 - 2, oblong-cylindrical, acute ; /cr- 

 <ile 2-4, oliloug, erect, the uppermost approriwnte anel sessile; the lower distant and 

 sliort stalked, staminate at the apex, or often entirely fertile ; lowest bract about 

 the length of the culm, with oblong brown anricles, or very slightly shcatliing, 

 the upper bristle-shaped, shorter than the spikes ; perigynia roundish-ovate, stalked, 

 without nerves, covered with very minute transparent dots, and sometimes very 

 slightly rough at the apex, ivith an abrupt very short notched orifice, broader and 

 much shorter than the lanceejl ate pointed brown seede ; culm shar])ly triangular, smooth 

 below, exceeding the rough shar])-pointed leaves. — Wi^ t meadows, Khode Lsland 

 and Mass, to Illinois and far westward. — ^ Culm 1°- 2° high, with commonly 



