CYPERACE^E. ( SEDGE FAMILY.) 581 



lina, Boott, is a small Texan form of it.) Var. ME,\DII (Illinois, Dr. Mead}, 

 resembles the last, but has rather smaller and rounder spikes, thinner wings to 

 the perigynia, and long-tapering or rough awn-pointed scales. 



45. C. alata, Torr. Spikes 3-10, pale, turgid-ovoid, contiguous, mostly large 

 (6" -10" long); perigynia dilated orbicular or obovate, broadly winged, abruptly 

 short-beaked, either heart shaped or wedge-shaped at the base, longer and thrice 

 broader than the lanceolate or ovate acute or rough awn-pointed scale ; achenia 

 stipitate. W. New York (Sartwell) to Virginia and southward. All these, 

 from No. 38 to the present, run together variously. 



D. Staminate and pistillate flowers borne in separate (commonly more or less stalked) 

 simple spikes on the same culm; the one or more staminate (sterile) spikes con- 

 stantly uppermost, having occasionally more or less fertile flowers intermixed ; 

 the lower spikes all pistillate (fertile), or sometimes with staminate flowers at 

 their base or apex : stigmas 3 : achenium sharply triangular (only usually 2 stigmas 

 and the achenium lenticular in No. 46-56, 65, 149, 150). CAREX proper. 

 1. Perigynia without a beak, or scarcely any, smooth, not inflated (slightly in No. 

 55, 56), terminating in a minute, straight, entire or notched point, glaucous-green 

 when young, becoming whitish, often spotted or tinged with purple, or 

 occasionally nearly black at maturity : pistillate scales blackish-purple (barely 

 brown in No. 55, 56, 64), giving a dark appearance to the spikes. 

 * Sterile spikes 1-3, stalked, often with more or less fertile flowers: pistillate 

 spikes 3 - 5, frequently with sterile flowers at the apex : bract of the lowest spike 

 leaf-like, mostly with dark-colored expansions (auricles) at the base, and 

 very minute sheaths or none. ( Culm and leaves more or less glaucous. ) 

 - Stigmas 2 (in No. 46 and 47* sometimes 3) : perigynia lenticular. ActsTM. 

 +* Alpine, saxatile : pistillate scales pointless : leaves flat. 

 tn- Scales awnless, mostly obtuse. 



46. C. rigida, Good. Sterile spike solitary ; the fertile 2- 4, cylindrical, erect, 

 rather loosely flowered, the lower on short peduncles ; lowest bract about the 

 length of the culm, with rounded auricles ; stigmas 2-3; perigynia elliptical, with 

 an entire scarcely pointed apex, nerveless, about as long as the obtuse scale ; culm 

 rigid, nearly smooth except towards the top, about the length of the firm erect 

 leaves. (C. saxatilis, Fl. Dan., partly of L.) (Eu.) Our plant is the 



Var.? Bigeldvii (C. Bigelovii, Torr. C. Washingtbnia, Dew.), with 3-5 

 longer and laxer fertile spikes, the lowest long-stalked, spreading, and sometimes 

 remote ; the sterile or terminal one often fertile at the top ; perigynia more or 

 less nerved : perhaps a distinct species. Alpine summits of the mountains of 

 New England, New York, and high northward. 



*+ *+ Not alpine, paludose: pistillate scales awnless, single-nerved. 

 a. leaves with involute margins when dry ; their sheaths not flbrillose. 



47. C. VUlgaris, Fries. Sterile spike 1-3; the fertile 2-4, approximated, 

 oblong, erect, densely-flowered, occasionally staminate at the apex, the lowest on 

 a very short stalk ; lowest bract barely the length of the culm, with small 

 blackish rounded auricles; 'perigynia ovate-elliptical, stalked, nerved especially to- 

 wards the base, with a veiy short abrupt entire or minutely notched point, 

 longer than the obtuse oppressed black scale; culm slender, sharply triangular, 



