176 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



acute or obtuse, commonly pale, but dark brown in the variety ; 

 pistillate spikes 2--4-, ovoid, sessile, the upper 2 contiguous, the 

 other distinct, densely 3-8 flowered, each with a scale-like bract, 

 the lowest often bristle-tipped, or rarely leaf like ; perigynia tri- 

 angular-oval, pubescent, with a long slender base, contracted 

 above into a narrow, oblique, bifid beak, usually about the length 

 of the body; scale ovate- 3blong, pointed, whitish, barely tinged 

 with brown, as long as the perigynium. 



Commonly in dry places but sometimes in low wet soil. Com- 

 mon. May, June. 



The species is easily recognized by its weak reclining or pros- 

 trate stems, contiguous or approximate pistillate spikes and short, 

 narrow, sessile, staminate spike. 



Yar. distincta Howe n. var. Light or glaucous green ; stam- 

 inate spike linear ^" wide, 2"-5" long; pistillate spikes distinct, 

 2"-5" apart, the lowest with a green bract 2-4 times the length 

 of the spike, 3-5 flowered ; perigynia obovoid, minutely pubescent, 

 with a rather short, straight or oblique bifid beak, about the 

 length of the acute white scale. 



This variety seems to be intermediate between the type and C. 

 Novae-Anglise. 



Yar. colorata. Differs from the type only in its dark purple 

 scales, which give a much darker color to the spikes than in the 

 type. Common in Westchester county. It is C. varia Muhl. var. 

 colorata Bailey in the Manual. 



89. Carex Novae-Angliae Schw. 

 Stolonif erous ; stems 4'-12' high, slender, diffuse or erect, 

 slightly rough above the middle, usually purple and a little 

 fibrillose at the base ; leaves mostly shorter than the culm, ^"-1" 

 wide, flat, erect or spreading, rough-margined, bright green ; 

 staminate spike linear, 3"-6" long, Y w^ide, short-peduncled or 

 subsessile, light brown ; pistillate spikes 1-3, ovoid, densely 

 flowered, the upper 2 contiguous, or sometimes 3" -6" apart, 

 sessile or the lower one on a short pedicel, each with a scale-like 

 awned bract longer than the spike, the lowest distant, con- 

 spicuously stalked, subtended by a green filiform bract nearly or 

 fully equaling the culm ; perigynia triangular obovoid, slightly 

 pubescent, tapering to a sliort base and abruptly contracted 



