464 CYPERAGE^. 



longer than the oblong-lanceolate acute glumes, beak obscure obliquel}- 



truncate smooth hyaline. 



Woods and copses, from York and Chester to Kent and Somerset ; local in 

 Ireland ; fl. May-June. Rootstock tufted, creeping. Stems 1-2 ft., smooth, 

 3-gonous, leafy. Leaves \-^ in. broad, usually short, pale green, flaccid ; 

 sheaths auricled opposite the blade. Male spikelet 1, -2 in., slender, pale ; 

 female 1^-3 in., lowest long-pedicelled, often flexuous; rachis exposed 

 between the glumes, many-fld. ; bracts leafy, usually shorter than the 

 stems, sheaths long. Glumes small, membranous, white, base enveloping 

 the perigynia, centre pale green. Periyynia ^ in., membranous, green, 

 slightly decurved, narrowed at both ends. Nut narrow-elliptic, 3-gonous, 

 pale. DISTRIB. N. and Mid. Europe, Italy, "W. Asia, N. Africa. 



fttt Periyynia glabrous. Male spikelets" several (rarely one in 56, vesicaria) ; 

 female stout, usually curved and drooping. Bracts leafy, sheaths 0. 



56. C. vesica'ria, L. ; stout, leaves flat, spikelets cylindric, perigynia 

 large spreading conic-ovoid inflated ribbed pale exceeding the lanceolate 

 subacute scarious-tipped glumes, beak stoufc 2-cuspidate smooth. 



Bogs and marshes, from Inverness and Perth southd. ; Ireland ; fl. May-June. 

 Rootstock tufted and creeping. Stems 1-2 ft., scabrid, 3-quetrous. Leaves 

 long, ^-^ in. broad, soft, sheath-edges filamentous. Spikelets many, stout ; 

 male 1-3, 1J-2J in., slender, pale brown, sometimes female at the top; 

 female 1-3 in., shortly pedicelled, inclined or drooping, ^ in. diam. when 

 ripe ; bracts overtopping the stem, sheath 0. Glumes much smaller than 

 the perigynia, narrow, chestnut-brown, midrib pale, tip obtuse ; of the males 

 linear-oblong. Perigynia nearly in., obscurely 3-gonous, nerves faint, 

 dull yellow, shining ; beak rigid, brown, pungent. Nut broadly elliptic, 

 3-gonous, pale, beak long. DISTRIB. Europe (Arctic), N. Africa, N. and W. 

 Asia, N.W. India, Greenland. 



C. VESICA'RIA proper ; stems 1-2 ft., male spikelets 2-3, female large 1-2| in. 

 stout cylindric pale, perigynia elongate ribbed with a slender rigid 2-cuspi- 

 date beak, stigmas 3. VAR. C. involu'ta, Bab., with margins of leaves in- 

 volute, apiculate glumes and narrower perigynia, is intermediate between 

 this and C. ampulla'cea. Hale Moss, Manchester. 



Sub-sp. C. GRAHA'MI, Boott ; perigynia brown less strongly nerved, beak 

 shorter less strongly cuspidate more slender, stigmas 2. Lofty mts. Perth, 

 Forfar. 



Sub-sp. C. SAXAT'ILIS, L. ; stems 4-10 in., male spikelet 1 rarely 2, female 

 small J-J in. ovoid very dark, perigynia ovoid ribs faint or with a short 

 notched or 2-fid beak, stigmas usually 2. C. pul'la, Good., C. vesica'ria 

 var. alpiy'ena, Fries. Scotch alps from Ben' Lomond northd., alt. 2,500 to 

 3,300 ft. DISTRIB. Scandinavia, N. Eussia, N. America. This and (7. 

 dichroa, Anderss., are alpine forms of C. vesica'ria, to which var. Or aha' mi 

 forms a passage. I accept Boott's authority for its being the true saxat'' 

 His of Linnaeus, from the testimony of his Herb., and of his pupil Solander 

 (in Herb. Banks}. The Swedish authorities, however, refer saxat His to 

 riy'ida. 



57. C, ampulla'cea, Good. ; stout, leaves glaucous, margins involute , fe- 

 male spikelets stout cylindric pale, perigynia spreading ovoid inflated ribbed 



