1)2 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



G to 12, roundish-ovate, the lower ones usually compound, male at 

 the apex and female below, a few of the lower ones Avith short seta- 

 ceous bracts. Glumes of the female flowers lanceolate-ovate, acumi- 

 nate-cuspidate, fawn-coloured with a green midrib, shorter than the 

 fruit. Fruit subsessile, spreading, yellowish- or brownish-olive, ovate- 

 triangular, truncate at the base, plano-convex, with 3 long and nume- 

 rous short ribs on the back, and numerous short ribs on the face, 

 gradually acuminated into a rough edged bifid beak as long as the rest 

 of the fruit. Style thickened upwards ; stigmas 2. Nut pale red- 

 dish-brown, broadly ovate, plano-convex. 



In marshes and wet woods, and especially by the sides of brackish 

 ditches or pools. Common, and generally distributed in England. 

 Confined to the coast in Scotland, where it is more rare, and does not 

 extend to the extreme north. Not common in Ireland, and chiefly 

 found in the neighbourhood of the coast, and apparently more common 

 on the east than on the west side of the island. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Stems numerous, 18 inches to 3 feet high or more, with the faces 

 concave and the angles very rough towards the apex. Leaves j^ inch 

 broad or more. Spike 1 to 8 inches long.- Fruit -^ inch long. 



Great Sedge. 



French, Carex compacie. German, Fuchshraune Segge. 



SPECIES XIV.— C AREX MURICATA. Linn. 

 Plate MDCXXIV. 



Kootstock densely ctespitose, without elongated stolons. Stems 

 slender, rather wiry, erect or arching, trigonous or triangular, rough 

 in the upper part. Leaves shorter than the stem, narrowly linear, nearly 

 flat, rough on the margins towards the apex, deep green, not glaucous. 

 Spikes compound or slightly decompound, oblong or cylindrical, 

 continuous or interrupted below, Avith a bract at the base having a, 

 foliaceous point commonly much shorter than the spike. Spikelets 

 3 to 12, roundish-ovoid, simple (or rarely compound), male at the 

 apex, female below, only the lowest with a foliaceous bract. Glumes 

 of the female flowers ovate, acute or cuspidate, straw-coloured 

 or very pale green, shorter than the fruit. Fruit sessile, sjireading, 

 olive-brown or greyish-green, ovate-oval, attenuated at the base, 

 plano-convex, with numerous short faint ribs on the back, and a few 

 very short ones on the face, ralher gradually acuminated into a deeply 



