590 CTPERACEuE. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



perigynia oval-triangular, narrowed to each end, the point either strongly or 

 sometimes slightly recurved. — A most polymorphous species ; very common 

 in open woods, copses, &c. The leading forms were collated by Dr. Boott as 

 follows. — The typical form taken by him (0. striatula, Michr.) has the leaves 

 long and narrow (2" - 4" wide), spikes about 1' long and loosely flowered ; peri- 

 gynia with a slightly recurved or almost straight point, their scale except the 

 lowest nearly pointless ; sterile spike mostly conspicuous and long-peduncled. 



— Var. styloflexa, Boott. (C. styloflexa, Dew. C. fusiformis, CJiapman.) 

 Slender, the weak filiform culms 1° - 2^° long ; fertile spikes 2-4, short, 5-10- 

 flowered, the lowest on a long setaceous peduncle ; bracts mostly shorter than 

 the culm ; perigynia more tapering or triangular-fusiform, the point commonly 

 recurved. New Jersey ( C. F. Austin), Penn. (Prof. Porter), and southward. 



— Var. plaxtagi'nea, Boott (var. patulifolia of former edition. C. planta- 

 ginea, Schk.), has the root-leaves 5"- 7" broad, otherwise as in the typical form. 



— Var. intermedia, Boott (C. anceps, Willd., Schk:), includes various slender, 

 narrow-leaved forms, with loosely-flowered spikes, but otherwise as the next. 

 — Var. blasda (C. blanda, Dew. C. laxiflora, var. striatula, Ed. 2), includes 

 narrow-leaved forms, 6' -18' high, with the sterile spike usually short or 

 club-shaped and nearly sessile ; the fertile oblong and dense, the uppermost 

 approximate ; bracts much surpassing the culm ; perigynia obovate with a short 

 abruptly bent point; scale usually awn-pointed. — Var. latif6lia, Boott, has 

 a broadly and very sharp-angled culm, and very broad leaves and bracts 

 (8" -15" wide), inconspicuous sterile spike, the fertile ones cylindrical and 

 loosely flowered, but the broad perigynium much longer than the truncate or 

 abruptly short-pointed scale. 



i- ■*- Perigynia densely striate, or as if finely wrinkled rather than nerved, of a firm 

 texture, obscurely triangular, with a callous orifice : style thickened above the base: 

 scale with the somewhat 3-nerved keel extended into a stout rough aum or point. 



90. C. oligoearpa, Schk. Fertile spikes small, 3 - 8-flowered ; the 

 point of the perigynium straight or slightly oblique, not recurved; leaves 

 rough only on the edpe ; sheaths smooth. (C. Sartwelliana, Guy.) — Woods, 

 W. New England to Illinois and Kentucky. — Culm slender, 6'- 12' long. 



91. C. Hitcheoekiana, Dew. Fertile spikes very loosely 3- 5-flowered ; 

 apex of the perigynium recurved ; sheaths and upper side of the leaves roughly 

 pubescent. — Woods, New England to Illinois and Kentucky. — Culm l°-2° 

 high, stouter, and fruit larger than in the last. 



§ 5. Perigynium without a beak, smooth or downy, not inflated, obovoid-triquetrous, 

 with a minute obliquely bent white and membranaceous point, reddish-brown 

 or olive-colored at maturity : bracts reduced to colored sheaths, or with a short 

 green prolongation : leaves all radical, narrow or bristle-shaped. — Digitate. 



92. C. eburnea, Boott. Sterile spike solitary ; the fertile 3-4, erect, about 

 5- flowered, approximated and elevated on long stalks above the staminate spike : the 

 lowest sometimes a little remote; perigynia obscurely nerved, smooth and shin- 

 ing, rather longer than the broad and obtuse membranaceous whitish scale. 

 (C. alba, var. setifolia, Dew.) — Limestone rocks, N. New England to Kentucky, 

 and northward. — A delicate species, with very slender culms, 4'- 10 high, and 



