SEDGE FAMILY 131 



species radical and long-peduncled. Lowest bract squamiform or leaflet-like, 

 sheathless or sub-sheathing. Scales often reddish brown tinged, acute to cus- 

 pidate. Perigynia membranaceous, ascending, the body pubescent, at least at 

 the base of the beak, obovoid to elliptic, triangular, 2-keeled, strongly stipitate 

 at the base, abruptly contracted into a cylindric or terete, emarginate to deeply 

 bidentate beak, hyaline-tipped. Achenes normally triangular, the sides concave, 

 closely enveloped, short-apiculate. Style short, jointed with apex of achene, 

 thickish. Stigmas normally 3, long. 



81. C. heliophila Mackenzie. Culms 12-25 cm. high; leaf-blades 1-2 mm. 

 wide; lowest bract squamiform; pistillate spikes 1-2 (rarely 3), subglobose, 

 5-15-flowered; perigynia 3.5 mm. long, 2mm. wide, orbicular in cross-section, the 

 beak deeply bidentate, in age strongly hyaline-tipped. "C, pennsylvanica 

 vespertina Bailey," Fl. Colo. Prairies and plains: Man. 111. Mo. N.M. 

 Colo. Plains Submont. Je S. 



82. C. Peckii E. C. Howe. Loosely cespitose, the culms 1.25-6 dm. high; 

 leaf -blades 3 mm. wide or less; lowest bract short; staminate spike sessile, 3 mm. 

 long or less; pistillate spikes 2-4, subglobose, 2-8-flowered, closely contiguous 

 or the lower a little separate; perigynia oblong-obovoid, 3-4 mm. long, 1 mm. 

 wide, grayish-pubescent, the beak one-fourth the length of the body; scales 

 (except lower) half the length of the perigynia, reddish brown, with broad white 

 hyaline margins. "C. albicans Willd." authors. Open woods: Que. Mass. 

 N.Y. Mich. (Black Hills) S.D. Alaska. 



83. C. umbellata Schkuhr. Densely cespitose; culms up to 1.5 dm. high, 

 much exceeded by leaves; leaf -blades 1.5-3 mm. wide; non-basal pistillate spike 

 usually present, oblong, globose; basal spike oblong; perigynia 2.25-3.25 mm. 

 long, 1.25 mm. wide, rounded-triangular in cross-section, the beak obscurely 

 bidentate, less than half the length of the body; achenes light brown. C. 

 umbellata var. brevirostris Boott. Dry sunny places: Que. Del. Alta. B.C. 

 Plains Submont. Ap-Jl. 



84. C. deflexa Hornem. Loosely stoloniferous; culms very slender, 2-12 

 cm. high; leaf-blades 1-2 mm. wide; staminate spike inconspicuous, 2-4 mm. 

 long, 0.5-1 mm. wide; pistillate spikes subglobose, 2-8-flowered; perigynia 1 

 mm. wide, nearly orbicular in cross-section. Dry soil: Greenl. N.Y. Mich. 

 Sask. B.C. Alaska. Boreal My-Au. 



85. C. Rossii Boott. Rootstock stout; culms wiry, 5-25 cm. high; leaf- 

 blades 1-2.5 mm. wide; staminate spike usually conspicuous, 3-10 mm. long, 1 

 mm. wide; pistillate spikes globose to short-oblong, 2-12-flowered; perigynia 

 up to 3.4 mm. long, 1.25 mm. wide, nearly orbicular in cross-section. Dry soil: 

 Mich. Colo. Calif. B.C. Submont. Subalp. Ap-Au. 



27. DIGITATAE Fries. Culms slender, leafy at the base. Leaf-blades nar- 

 row, the sheaths usually strongly purplish. Terminal spike linear, staminate. 

 Lateral spikes 1-5, approximate, or separated or sometimes radical, oblong to 

 linear, 5-20-flowered in few rows, the peduncles included or exserted. Bracts 

 sheathing, more or less strongly purplish tinged, subspathaceous, the blade 

 absent or rudimentary. Pistillate scales strongly purplish or reddish brown 

 tinged. Perigynia membranaceous, appressed, oblong-obovoid, pubescent to 

 glabrate, triangular, long-tapering into the stipitate base, abruptly contracted 

 into the minute beak, the orifice entire or nearly so. Achenes triangular, closely 

 enveloped. Style-base short, thickened, jointed with the apex of the achene. 

 Stigmas 3, early deciduous. 



86. C. pedunculata Muhl. Densely matted, rather bright green; culms 

 slender, diffuse, strongly purple tinged at the base, 0.7-3 dm. long; leaf-blades 

 2-3 mm. wide; terminal spike long-stalked, usually pistillate at the base; lateral 

 spikes few-flowered, filiform-stalked, spreading or drooping, scattered, some ap- 

 pearing basal; perigynia sharply 3-angled, puberulent or in age glabrate, stipi- 

 tate, tipped with a minute entire beak; scales obovate, purplish, with green mid- 

 rib, abruptly cuspidate. Dry woods: Anticosti Va. la. e B.C. My-Jl. 



