SEDGE FAMILY. 



Silvery Sedge. (Ffc. (4. 



U.ve.abou. 



177. Carex canescens L. 



rex canescens L. Sp. PI. 974. 1753. 

 Pale green and somewhat glaucous, culms slender, 

 erect, roughish above, io'-2j tall. Leaves flat[ 

 %"-i" wide, shorter than the culm ; bracts very short 

 or none, or the lowest occasionally bristle-form and 

 longer than its spike; spikes 4-9, short -oblong or sub- 

 globose, sessile, densely many-flowered, 2 ^"-5" 

 lon.n. about 2" in diameter, scattered or the upper 

 I.-IOM.- together; staminate flowers basal; perigynia 

 oval or ovate-oval, silvery green or nearly white, 

 faintly few-nerved, ascending, blunt-edged, rather 

 than \" long, about y t " wide, rough ul. 

 d with a minute entire beak; scales hyaline, 



.te, acute or obtuse, slightly shorter than or as long 



the perigynia; stigmas 2. 



In swamps and bogs, Newfoundland to British Cnlinii 

 bia, south to Virginia, Michigan, Colorado and <>n-n<,n 

 Ascends to 4200 ft. in Virginia. Also in Europe and 

 Asia. May-July. 



178. Carex brunnescens (Pers.) Poir. Brownish Sc<iv^. 



Care.r cur/a var. hm, 

 C. canescens var. //>/, 

 C. brunnfSCfHi l'..ir in I.ani 



Rather dark green, not glaucous, culm* deader. tin*. 

 erect, roughish above, 8'-i8' Ull. Leave* i" wide or 

 less, shorter than the culm; lower bract bristle-form 

 and longer than its spike, or short, or none; spike* 4-*, 

 subglobose or short -oblong, few-flow rml. rarely 

 2%" long, scattered, or the upper close togr- 

 nate flowers i.as.il; pvrigynia 



brown, smaller than those of the preceding specie*, 1 

 than i" long, tip]>ed -.vith a m.tniie^t beak about i 

 fourth as long as the I>->1 y; scales ovate. 

 brownish, about equalling the perigynia; stigma* a. 



? wet ^'^- m "- ll - v at hi h *'"**** Lahtador to 



British Columbia. New Y-ik ... 



southern AlleKhenies. and the Rinkv Mountain* v 



Europe. Ascends to 661 f t 



Carex brunnescens gracthor Rrittoa 

 Care.v canescens var. rulgaris Bailey, Bot. Gaz. 13: 86. 1888. N 



Culms nearly filiform, weak, often spreading; spikes 4 Mlc.v -proding. lofrr- 



beaked. Range of type, mostly at lower altitudes. Perhaps a di-iim-i -; 



179. Carex Norvegica Willd. Nonvay 

 Sedge. (Fig. 849.) 



Carex Non'egica Willd.; Schk. Riedgr. 50. 1801. 



Bright green, culms slender but stiff and erect, 

 slightly scabrous above, 6'-i6' tall. Leaves i " wide 

 or less, shorter than the culm; bracts very short or 

 wanting; spikes 3-6, brown, oblong or subglobose, 

 scattered or rather close together, densely many- 

 flowered, $"-(>" long, about 2" in diameter; stami- 

 nate flowers basal, very numerous at the bottom of 

 the upper spike; perigynia ascending, about i" 

 long, elliptic, blunt-edged, narrowed at both ends, 

 brownish, finely many-nerved, tipped with a very- 

 short rough beak; scales ovate or oval, brown, ob- 

 tuse, rather shorter than the perigynia; stigmas 2. 



Along salt meadows, Maine to Anticosti. Reported 

 from Minnesota. Also in Europe. Summer. 



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