170 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



bracts leafy, about twice the length of the spikes ; perigynia 

 ovoid, acutely angled, closely nerved, with a recurved, entire or 

 notched beak, 1^" long, a little longer than the pointed brown 

 scale. 



Woods, hillsides and ravines. Common. June. 



This species is easily recognized by its broad pale or glaucous 

 leaves, conspicuous leaf-like bracts and short, loose, few flowered 

 spikes . 



79. Carex plantaginea Lam. 



Stems l°-2° high, slender, erect, at length spreading or pros- 

 trate, smooth ; basal bracts 4-7, acute, dark purple; lea vrs shorter 

 than the culm, \'-V broad or more, smooth, prominently 3-ribbed ; 

 staminate spike subclavate, acute at each end, \' in length, its stalk 

 h"-\li" long, with dark purple scales ; pistillate spikes 3 -4, 3-10 

 loosely flowered, ^'-f ' long, distant, erect on included peduncles, 

 or the lowest subradical on an exserted stalk l'-2' in length; 

 bracts -^"-M' long, acuminate or bristle-tipped, purple, with dark 

 purple sheaths i -1' long or more ; perigynia triangular ovate, 

 finely nerved, with a short recurved beak. 2*-2i" long, a little 

 exceeding the ovate, acute, purple-pointed scale . 



Shaded banks, hillsides, copses and open woods. Infrequent. 

 May, June. 



This is a very distinct species, recognizable at a glance by its 

 broad radical leaves and its purplish sheaths, bracts and scales. 



80. Carex pedunculata J!/i<A^. 



Stems 3'-12' long, slender, diffuse, smooth ; basal bracts purple 

 with acute green points; leaves flat, 1"-1|-" wide, rough beneath, 

 stiff, longer than the culm ; staminate spike cylindrical or ovoid, 

 sessile, obtuse or acute, 2"-3'' long, with dark purple scales; fertile 

 spikes 2 -4, t-% subdensely flowered, slightly staminate at the 

 apex, 2"~4" in length, the uppermost sessile at the base of the 

 sterile spike, the others subdistant on stalks ^'-1' long, suberect 

 or spreading, radical spikes numerous, prostrate on filiform 

 peduncles 2'-6' long; bracts inconspicuous, green, about the 

 length of the sheaths ; perigynia triaagilar-obovate, minutely 

 downy or smooth, with a long tapering base and a short recurved 

 minutely notched beak, smaller than the broadly obovate awned 

 or cuspidate purplish scale. 



