-•^ 



560 THE SEDGE FAMILY. 



tinguished under the name of C teretiuscula (Eng. Bot. t. 1065), has the 

 panicle ahnost contracted into a spike of about an inch, but much more 

 slender than in the /ox C, and the fruit, although the longitudinal ribs are 

 scarcely prominent, is very convex, not flattened as in the latter species. 

 This variety is also connected vrith the more common state of the panicled C. 

 by numerous intermediate forms, often considered as an intermediate species 

 under the name of C. paradoxa (Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2896). 



13. Fox CareiE. Carex vulpina, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 307.) 



A stout, tufted plant, 2 to 3 or even 4 feet high, vrith rather broad but not 

 very long leaves, ending in a fine point, and a sharply-triangular stem, with 

 broader sides than in the panicled C. Spikelets numerous, green or pale- 

 brown, densely crowded into a terminal spike of 1 to 2 inches, always more 

 or less compound and interrupted at the base, but the branches never elon- 

 gated. The outer bracts of the lower clusters of spikelets have a fine leafy 

 point. The individual spikelets are ovoid, many-flowered, aU male at the 

 top. Styles 2-cleft. Fruits much flattened, spreading when ripe, with a 

 green rather broad beak. 



In marshes and wet meadows, tlu-oughout Europe and Russian Asia, ex- 

 cept the extreme north, and in North America. Frequent in England and 

 Ireland, more scarce and chiefly a coast plant in Scotland. Fl. early 

 summer. 



14. Prickly Carex. Carex muricata, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1097.) 



A much smaller plant than the two last, seldom attaining a foot in height, 

 with rather narrow leaves shorter than the stem. Spikelets about 6, rather 

 short, brown or shining green, all mixed, having a few male flowers at the 

 top of each, either all simple and crowded in a terminal spike of about an 

 inch, or the lower ones rather more distant and sometimes shghtly com- 

 pound. Outer bracts mostly terminating in short, fine points. Styles 

 usually 2-cleft. Fruits rather large, 2 lines long when ripe, pointed and 

 spreading as in the star-headed C. 



In marshy and gravelly pastures, throughout Em-ope and Russian Asia, 

 except the extreme north. Not uncommon in England, Ireland, and south- 

 ern Scotland. Fl. early summer. 



The grey C. (C. divulsa, Eng. Bot. t. 629) appears to be a mere variety of 

 this species, grovring in less open situations, with longer stems and leaves, 

 and paler, more distant spikelets, forming an interrupted spike of 2 or 3 

 inches ; the lowest spikelet occasionally compoimd, with a rather long, leafy 

 outer bract. It is then distinguished from the elongated S. by the shorter 

 nearly globular spikelets without any male flowers at the base, and the fruits 

 much less flattened. 



15. Sand Carex. Carex arenaria, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 928.) 

 Rootstock creeping often to the length of many feet, emitting small tufts 

 or single stems from a few inches to 1 or 1^ feet in height and leafy at the 

 base. Spikelets rather large, ovoid, all simple and sessile, crowded 8 or 10 

 together in a terminal spike of 1 to 2 inches, or 1 or 2 lower ones occasion- 

 ally more distant. Outer bracts all glume-like, or the lowest with leafy 

 4)oints. Male flowers often numerous in the upper, and especially in the 



