CYPERACEAE. 



73. Carex virescens Muhl. Downy Green 

 Sedge. (Fig. 743.) 



Carex virescens Muhl.; Willd. Sp. PI. 4: 251. 1805. 



Culms very slender, erect or somewhat reclining, 

 rough above, 6 / -i8 / tall. Leaves light green, pubes- 

 cent, especially on the sheaths; spikes 2-5, very short- 

 stalked, erect or nearly so, oblong-cylindric, densely 

 many- flowered, 4 // -io // long, about i^" m diameter, 

 the terminal one staminate below; perigynia 3-sided, 

 broadly oval or ovoid, rather less than \" long, as- 

 cending, densely pubescent, few-nerved, green, beak- 

 less, the orifice entire; scales oblong-ovate, cuspidate 

 by the excurrent inidvein, scarious-margined, slightly 

 shorter than the perigynia; stigmas 3. 



In dry woods and thickets, Maine and Ontario to Michi- 

 gan, south to North Carolina and Missouri. Ascends to 

 2000 ft. in Pennsylvania. June-July. 



74. Carex costellata Britton. Ribbed Sedge. (Fig. 744.) 



Carex costata Schwein. Ann. Lye. N. Y. i: 67. 1824. 



Not Presl. 1819. 

 Carex virescens var. costata Dewey, Am. Journ. Sci. 



9: 260. 1825. 

 C. costellata Britton, Bull. Torr. Club, 22: 223. 1895. 



Similar to the preceding species, but taller and 

 more spreading; culms slender, i-2^ long. 

 Leaves i%"-2" wide, pubescent, especially on 

 the sheaths, shorter than the culm, the upper one 

 and the similar lower bract sometimes overtop- 

 ping the spikes; spikes 2-5, narrowly cylindric, 

 many-flowered, rather loose, Y^-i 1 /^ long, 1%" 

 in diameter, erect or slightly spreading, the termi- 

 nal one staminate below, the lower one commonly 

 filiform-stalked; perigynia oblong, densely pu- 

 bescent, narrowed at each end, strongly several- 

 ribbed, i" long, rather more than y z /f thick, 

 beakless, the orifice entire; scales ovate, scarious- 

 margined, acuminate or cuspidate, shorter than 

 the perigynia; stigmas 3. 



In woods, Maine and Ontario to North Carolina, where it ascends to 4000 ft. June-Aug. 



Carex triceps Michx. Hirsute Sedge. (Fig. 745.) 



Carex triceps Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 170. 1803. 



Carex hirsuta Willd. Sp. PI. 4: 252. 1805. 



Carex triceps var. hirsuta Bailey, Mem. Torr. Club, i: 



35- 1889. 



Light green, culms slender, rough above, erect 

 or reclining, 6'-$% long. Leaves i // -2 // wide, 

 pubescent, at least on the sheaths, shorter than the 

 culm, the lower bract similar; spikes 2-5, oblong 

 or oblong-cylindric, dense, erect, sessile or very 

 nearly so, 3 // -8 // long, 2j^ // -3^ // in diameter, 

 usually clustered at the summit, the terminal one 

 staminate at the base; perigynia oval or obovoid, 

 flattened, not inflated, green or greenish-brown, 

 few-nerved, imbricated, usually pubescent when 

 young, when mature X // ~~ I// l n g> beakless, the 

 orifice minutely notched or entire; scales o\-ate, 

 scarious-margined, cuspidate or short-awned, rather 

 shorter than the perigynia; acheneelliptic-obovoid, 

 its summit not bent; stigmas 3. 

 In woods, fields and swamps. Massachusetts to southern Ontario and Michigan, south to Vl<>ritl:i 

 and Texas. Ascends to 2500 ft. in Virginia. April-Aug. 



