OLASS XXI. ORDER III. ] CAREX. 1175 
English Botany, t. 1235.—English Flora, vol. iv. p. 110.—-Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 339.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 289. 
Root fibrous, tufted. Stem erect, from one to two feet high, ob- 
tusely angular, striated, smooth, except occasionally roughish at the 
top, leafy. eaves linear, with a long tapering point, rough on the 
margins and keel, sheathed, the ligula oblong, membranous. racteas 
leafy, the lower ones long, the upper short, and with the sheath pro- 
portionately so. Barren spikelet terminal, linear, oblong, the scales 
brown, oblong, obtuse, with a pale mid-rib, terminating in a short 
often rough point, fertile spikelets three to five, erect, ovato-oblong, 
crowded, the upper spikelets often approximating, and nearly sessile, 
but the lower ones distant, with the peduncles longer than the 
sheaths of the bractea. Scales ovate, obtuse, dark brown, with a pale 
mid+zib, terminating in a short rough mucronated point, shorter than 
the fruit. 2 ruit ovate, triquetrous, smooth, dark shining brown, with 
a rather broad bifid beak, smooth, or rarely roughish, convex at the 
back, and obsoletely ribbed, but with two distinct marginal green 
ribs. Stigmas three. 
Habitat.—Dry heaths and moors ; frequent. 
Perennial ; flowering in June. 
This is nearly allied to C. distans, from which it is sometimes very 
difficult to distinguish, and often the only marked character is in the 
green ribs of the fruit. The spikelets are sometimes compound, bear- 
ing barren flowers towards the top. It is variable in size, sometimes 
not a foot high, and at others more than two feet. 
43. C. leviga'ta, Smith. (Fig. 1425.) Smooth stalked beaked Carex, 
Barren spikelet terminal, solitary, with linear oblong mucronate 
scales ; fertile three or four, remote, cylindrical, densely flowered, the 
lower one with a long peduncle, drooping; bracteas leafy, with elong- 
ated sheaths; stigmas three; fruit ovate, triquetrous, striated, with a 
rather long acuminated bifid beak, rough, longer than the lanceolate 
mucronate scales; stem smooth; leaves broadly linear, with an ob- 
long ligule , root fibrous. 
English Botany, t. 1887.—English Flora, vol. iv. p. 122.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 386.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 291. 
fioot tufted, fibrous. Stem erect, from two to three feet high, ob- 
tusely triangular, smooth, striated, leafy below. Leaves broadly 
linear, rather short, erect, a bright green, smooth, except on the 
margins and keel towards the point, sheathed, with an oblong brown 
membranous ligule. Barren spikelets solitary, rarely two, terminal, 
with pale brown linear oblong scales, the mid-rib pale, terminating in 
a point, fertile three or four, oblong, obtuse, densely flowered, cylin- 
drical, the upper ones nearly sessile, the lower ones more remote, on 
slender peduncles, longer than the sheaths of the leafy bractea, and 
sometimes drooping. Scales dark brown, lanceolate, with a pale mid- 
