348 CYPERACEAE. 



168. Carex muricata L. Lesser Prickly 

 Sedge. (Fig. 838.) 



Carex muricata L. Sp. PI. 974. 1753. 



Bright green, culms slender, erect or reclining, 

 roughish, at least above, i-2j^ long. Leaves i"- 

 \yi ff wide, shorter than the culm, bracts very short 

 and subulate; spikes 5-10, 4-io-flowered, all clus- 

 tered into an oblong head, or the lower i or 2 

 somewhat distant; perigynia ovate or ovate-lanceo- 

 late, 2" long, i" wide, smooth, shining, nerveless, 

 ascending when young, spreading or radiating 

 when mature, not reflexed, tapering into a rough- 

 edged 2-toothed beak as long as the body; scales 

 ovate or ovate-oblong, green or brownish, acute, 

 somewhat shorter than the perigynia; stigmas 2. 



In meadows and fields, eastern Massachusetts to 

 southern New York, Ohio and Virginia. Naturalized 

 from Europe. June-Aug. 



169. Carex sparganioides Muhl. Bur-reed Sedge. 



Carex sparganioides Muhl.; Willd. Sp. PI. 4: 237. 



1805. 



Rather dark green with nearly white sheaths, 

 culms stout or slender, rough, sharply 3-angled, 2- 

 3 tall. Leaves broad and flat, 2^ // -4> // wide, 

 shorter than or sometimes overtopping the culm, 

 the lower very short; spikes 6-12, oblong or sub- 

 globose, 2X // ~4 // in diameter, several-many-flow- 

 ered, the upper aggregated, the lower 2-4 com- 

 monly separated, sometimes compound and sub- 

 tended by bristle-like bracts; perigynia flat, ovate, 

 \*/t ff long, i /x wide, spreading or radiating, pale, 

 narrowly wing-margined, rounded at the base, usu- 

 ally few-nerved on the outer face, the rough 2- 

 toothed beak one-fourth to one-third the length of 

 the body; scales ovate, hyaline, acute or cuspidate, 

 about one half as long as the perigynia; stigmas 2. 



In woods and thickets, Massachusetts to Ontario and 

 Michigan, south to Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri. 

 Ascends to 2100 ft. in Virginia. June-Aug. 



170. Carex cephaloidea Dewey. Thin-leaved Sedge. (Fig. 840.) 



Carex muricata var. cephaloidea Dewey, Am. Journ. 



Sci. ii : 308. 1826. 

 Carex cephaloidea Dewey, Rep. PI. Mass. 262. 



Similar to the preceding species, culms slender 

 or rather stout, erect but not stiff, rough above, 2- 

 3 tall. Leaves flat, 2 // -4 // wide, thin and lax, 

 somewhat shorter than the culm; bracts bristle- 

 form, usually short, sometimes wanting; spikes 4- 

 8, subglobose, aggregated but commonly distinct, 

 in an oblong cluster ^"-\'- > " long, the staminate 

 flowers terminal; perigynia ovate or ovate-lanceo- 

 late, greenish brown, nearly 2" long, i" wide, as- 

 cending, nerveless or faintly few-nerved, tapering 

 into a rough 2-toothed beak one-fourth to one-third 

 as long as the body; scales ovate, white, membran- 

 ous with a green midvein, short-cuspidate or awued, 

 about one-half as long as the perigynia; stigmas 2. 



In dry fields and on hills, Massachusetts to Pennsyl- 

 vania, Illinois, Michigan and Wyoming. May-July. 



