Caricography. 97 
Culm 6—12 inches high, scabrous above, leafy towards 
the base; leaves linear, shorter below, upper ones long as 
the culm, glaucous and scabrous; spikelets 3—5, alternate, 
the lowest supported by a scabrous bract longer than the 
spikelet ; stamens generally at the base of the upper spike- 
let alone, and decurrent; fruit sometimes rather broad 
ovate, often distinctly cordate at the base and terminating 
in a short bifid scabrous beak, sometimes ovate-lanceolate 
or with a longer beak; staminate scale ovate obtuse; pis- 
tillate scale ovate, shortly acute, sometimes quite obtuse in 
maturity, yellowish white with a green keel, and’ about half 
the length of the fruit. The fruit is diverging and often — 
nearly horizontal when mature. ‘The spikelets before ma- 
turity much resemble those of some species of scirpus,— 
whence the specific name. Stigmas 2. 
In wet places in woods it is often very small, and very 
difficult to be ascertained, when it is in flower. Flowers 
in May,—found in wet situations. 
This species greatly resembles C. stellulata, Schreb. as 
figured by Schk. tab. C. fig. 14, and Muh. asks whether it 
is sufficiently distinct from it. By Schk. and others, they 
are considered different species. The capsules of C. stel- 
lulata, are not cordate at the base, are nearly entire at the 
beak, acuminate, and more diverging. C. scirpoides is very 
distinct from other American species, unless it be C. viri- 
dula, Mx. which, it is hoped, will ere long be better 
known. © 
17. C. Tenera. (Mihi.) 
Spicis sub-quinis obovatis remotiusculis alternis sessili- 
bus inferne attenuatis masculisque, infima bracteata ; 
fructibus ovatis compressis rostratis subalatis nervosis ci- 
liato-serratis, squama oblongo-ianceolata majoribus. 
Culm 15—30 inches high, slender, somewhat 5-sided, 
leafy towards the base, with a slender flexuous rachis ; | 
spikelets 3—5, somewhat clubform and lengthened below, 
pistillate at the apex, of a brownish colour, distant from 
each other about their length, the whole nodding ; pistil- 
late scale about two thirds the length of the fruit and taw- 
ney ; leaves linear-lanceolate, shorter below, and much 
shorter than the culm. In maturity the plant is sub-pro- 
cumbent. The whole plant is light green except the spike- 
lets, which are of a yellowish brown colour like those of 
Vou. VIIJ.—No. J. 13 
