Carex. CYPERACE.E. 395 



54. Carex retrorsa, Schwein. Backward-fruited Sedge. 



Sterile spikes 1 - 3 ; fertile usually 4 or 5, oblong-cylindrical ; the upper ones usually 

 approximated and appearing fasciculate, the peduncles short or included ; lowest one distant, 

 with an exserled peduncle ; perigynia ovoid, inflated, reflexed, beaked, bicuspidate, much 

 longer than the lanceolate scale. — Schivein. anal. tab. I. c. ; Dew. Car. 9. p. 67, and \l. t. h. 

 f. 36 ; Schwein. <^ Torr. Car. I. c. p. 366. t. 28 (bis),/. 2 ; Beck, hot. p. 443 ; Kunlh, enum. 

 2. p. 503. C. revcrsa, Sprang, syst. 3. p. 827. 



Culm a foot and a half or two feet higii, triquetrous, slightly rough on the angles. Leaves 

 longer than the culm, about 3 lines wide. Staminatc spikes mostly 2 or 3, sometimes solitary, 

 rarely 4, varying from half an inch to two inches long ; the lower ones often fertile at the 

 base ; the terminal one rarely bearing a few fertile flowers towards the summit : scales oblong, 

 rather acute. Fertile spikes often 5, rarely as many as 6, erect, an inch and a half or two 

 inches long, and about half an inch in diameter ; the 3 or 4 upper ones usually crowded to- 

 gether at the summit of the culm, but sometimes rather distant ; the lowest one commonly 

 several inches below the others, and supported on a conspicuous peduncle. Scale about half 

 the length of the perig^mium, pale brown, with a green keel. Perigynia very numerous, at 

 first spreading horizontally, but finally reflexed, acuminate, beaked, strongly but sparingly 

 nerved. Achenium small, triquetrous, acuminate with the long tortuous style. 



Borders of ponds, and marshy borders of rivulets : frequent. Fl. May. Fr. June. In 

 the young state, and with few spikes, it resembles C. tentaculata. It sometimes also makes 

 an approach to C. lupulina. 



bb. Carex tentaculata, Muhl. (Plate CXLIV.) Long-pointed Sedge. 



Sterile spike solitary ; fertile spikes 2-3, ovoid or oblong-cylindrical, mostly approximate, 

 spreading, the peduncles included ; perigynia crowded, ovoid, ventricose, nerved, acuminated 

 with a very long beak, 2-toothed at the apex, longer than the lanceolate -subulate scale. — 

 Muhl. in Willd. sp. 4. p. 266 ; Schk. Car. t. Ggg.f. 130; Pursh, fl. l.p. 41 ; Muhl. gram. 

 p. 239 (excl. syn. Michx.) ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 543 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 10. p. 34 (excl. syn. Mickr.); 

 Schwein. <^ Torr. Car. I. c. p. 335 ; Beck, hot. p. 438 ; Darlingt. jl. Cest. p. 35. C. ro- 

 strata, Muhl. in Willd. sp. I. c. ; Schk. I. c. t. Hhh. f. 134 j Kunth, enum. 2. p. 496 (not of 

 Michx.), 



Culm 12-18 inches high, triquetrous, leafy, rough on the angles. Leaves bright green, 

 longer than the culm, 3-4 lines wide. Sterile spike on a short peduncle, long and slender ; 

 scales linear-lanceolate, pointed with a long rough bristle. Fertile spikes often only 2, rarely 

 4, approximated or somewhat distant, from three fourths of an inch to two inches in length 

 and half an inch or more in diameter, yellowish green when mature, spreading almost horizon- 

 tally ; the uppermost one sessile ; the others on slightly exserled peduncles. Scales about 

 half the length of the perigynium ; the awn rough. Perigynia spreading, about one third of 



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