1G8 ENGLISH ROTANY. 



In both these species the male spike is trigonous before the anthers 

 appear. The difference between the anthers of C. paludosa and C. 

 riparia appears to be constant. 



Greater Pond Sedge. 

 Frencli, Carex dcs rives. German, Ufer-Segge. 



SPECIES LXin.— CAREX AMPULLACEA. Good. 



Plate MDCLXXX. 



Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. VIII. Tab. CCLXXVn. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2757. 



Rootstock extensively creeping, the branches elongate, producing 

 tufts of stems and barren shoots at the apex, and short stolons. Stem 

 erect, leafy only at the base, rather slender, somewhat wiry, very bluntly 

 trigonous, smooth up to the lowest spike. Leaves as long as or longer 

 than the stem, very firm, linear, channelled, not keeled, rough on the 

 margins towards the apex, glaucous and strongly ribbed above, bright 

 green beneath. Male spikes 2 or 3 (rarely 1 or 4), the uppermost one 

 sessile, narrowly cylindrical, acute, with rathei; long oblong or lanceolate- 

 oblong subobtuse reddish-brown or orange-broAvn glumes usually with 

 green midribs and narrow white scarious margins. Female spikes 2 or 

 3, more rarely 1, rather remote, the lowest one rather shortly stalked, 

 the upper ones shortly stalked or subsessile, at first erect, afterwards 

 slightly drooping or arching-pendulous, rather thickly cylindrical, 

 obtuse or abruptly pointed, very dense, very many-flowered. Bracts 

 not sheathing, foliaceous, the lowest one with a long fohaceous lamina 

 exceeding the male spike. Glumes of the female flowers very nar- 

 rowly lanceolate, subacute or shortly mucronate, purplish-brown, with 

 narrow green midribs and concolorous margins, shorter and much 

 narrower than the fruit. Fruit ultimately squarrosely spreading, 

 stipitate, roundish-ovate or broadly oval-ovate, abruptly acuminate, 

 ovoid or subglobose, scai'cely trigonous, greatly inflated and bladder- 

 like, faintly ribbed, with the marginal ribs stronger than the others, 

 glabrous, shining, pale yellow, tinged with green or brown, abruptly 

 narrowed into a rather short slightly deflexed smooth 2-toothed beak 

 about one-thii'd the length of the rest of the fi-uit. Stigmas 3. Nut 

 pale yellow ("brown," Gren. & Godr.), roundish-obovate, trigono- 

 triquetrous, very loosely covered by the perigynium. 



In ditches and the water at the margins of lakes, and in wet 

 meadows. Genei-ally distributed. Common in the north, extending 

 to Orkney and Shetland. Abundant in Ireland. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Early Siunmcr. 



