390 CYPERACE^. Carex. 



*♦ SUgmas 3. 

 t Perigynium injlaied, with a more or less elongated beak. 



44. Carex oligosperma, Michx. Few-fruited Serlge. 



Slaminate spike solitary, slender, pedunculate ; fertile spikes one or two, ovoid, distant, 

 bractcate, few-flowered, the lower one on a short [leduncle ; perigynium ovoid, obtusely 

 triangular, somewhat inflated, nerved, smooth, the beak short, entire at llie orifice or minutely 

 2-toothed, rallicr longer than the ovate acute scale. — Michx. Jl. 2. p. 174 ; Torr. Cijp. p. 421 ; 

 Kunih, enum. 2. p. 499 ; Boott, I. c. 2. p. 220. C. Oakesiana, Dew. Car. I. c. 14. p. 351. 

 t. Q. /. 55 ; Kunih, I. c. 



Culm 1 J - 2 feci high, triangular, slightly rough on tiie angles. Leaves light green, linear, 

 becoming involute when old, erect and somewhat rigid : bracts elongated, with short sheaths. 

 Staminate spike 1 - 1 J inch long, very slender ; the scales closely imbricated, oblong, obtuse. 

 Fertile spikes mostly 2, but often solitary, about half an inch Icng : scales liglit brown, usually 

 a little shorter iban the perigynium, but sometimes equalling it in length. Perigynium 2j- 

 lines long, obtuse at the base, acuminate and pointed with a siiorl beak, brownish when mature. 

 Achenium triquetrous, smooth, acuminate with the rigid continuous style. 



Borders of small lakes in Essex county. Fl. June. Fr. Early in August. Found also 

 on the White mountains, and in the northern parts of British America. 



45. Carex bullata, Sclik. Irrftated Sedge. 



Staminate spikes 2 - 3 ; feriile mostly 2, oblong-cylindrical, on exserled peduncles, erect 

 or somewhat nodding ; perigynia globose-ovoid, inflated, erect, smooth, strongly nerved, the 

 summit tapering into a long beak which is 2-forked at the extremity and a little hispid, about 

 twice as long as the lanceolate acute scale. — Schk. Cur. 2. p. 85. t. Uuu. /. 166 ; Piiish, 

 jl. 1. p. 45 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 9. p. 71 ; Schioein. tSf Torr. Car. I. c. p. 3(i7 , Torr. Cyp. 

 D. 421 ; Beck, hot. p. 444 ; Kunih, enum. 2. p. 496. C. cylindrica, Schwcin. an. tab. I. c. 

 (not of Tuckerm). 



var. cylindracea : fertile spikes elongated, cylindrical, more densely flowered ; perigynium 

 ovoid, the beak nearly smooth. — Dew. Car. I. c. 11. p. 315 ; Torr. <^ Gr. in Terr. hot. 

 report for geol. surv. 1840. C. bullata, /3., Torr. Cyp. p. 422. C. monile, Tuckerm. I. c. 

 p. 20 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 49. p. 47. t. 1. /. 116. 



Culm 1 J -25 feet high, triquetrous, rough above, leafy. Leaves about 2 lines wide, longer 

 than the culm. Staminate spikes mostly 3, slender and elongated ; the scrdes lanceolate, rather 

 acute, closely imbricated. Fertile spikes often solitary (rarely with a third few-flowered one 

 at the base of the lowest slaminate spike), Ih - 2h inches long, ralher thick, nearly erect : 

 lower one with a peduncle half an inch to an inch or more in length ; the upper one on a short 

 peduncle ; ihe scales mostly about half as long as the perigynia, but sometimes about two 

 thirds as long. Perigynia one third of an inch long, much inflated, strongly nerved ; the beak 

 long and slender, somewhat hispid (in ,S. smoothish), distinctly 2-forked. Achenium trique- 

 trous, with a long and usually tortuous continuous style. 



