CTPEEACE^. - 563 



high, with rather long leaves. Spikelets usually 4, in a loose spike, the ter- 

 minal one male at the base, the others all female and sessile, or the lowest 

 on a very short stalk. Lowest bract, and sometimes the next also, leafy. 

 Glumes dai-k-browu, mostly pointed. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits of a pale 

 colour, much resembling those of the tufted C, usually as long as or longer 

 than the glumes, rather obtusely angled, and not beaked. 



In bogs, in northern and Arctic Europe, and Russian Asia, and North 

 America, and in the mountains of central Europe. In Britain, only known 

 from an island in Lough Weagh, in Ireland. Fl. July. 



23. Black Carex. Carex atrata, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 2044.) 



Stems loosely tufted, \ to li feet high ; the leaves broad and flaccid, with 

 loose sheaths. Spikelets 3 or 4, black or dark brown, cyhndrical, 8 or 9 

 lines long ; the terminal one with a few male flowers at the base, or u'regu- 

 larly mixed, not aU male as in the Arctic C. ustulata, which closely resem- 

 bles this species in other respects ; the other spikes entu-ely female or nearly 

 so, stalked, erect when yoimg, drooping when ripe. Outer bract leafy. 

 Glumes rather large, pomted. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits dark and sliiniug, 

 flat when young, very acutely triangular when ripe, with a short point or 

 beak. 



A common alpine species, in northern and Arctic Europe, Asia, and 

 North America, and in the great mountain-ranges of central Europe 

 and Asia. Net unfrequent in some of the Scotch Highlands, and found 

 also, but sparingly, on Snowdon in North Wales, but not in Ireland. Fl. 

 summer, rather early. 



24. Dwarf Carex. Carex humilis, Leyss. 

 (C. clandestina, EDg. Bot. t. 2124.) 



Tufts short and very dense, with narrow, radical leaves, broadly sheathing 

 at their base, and considerably longer than the flower-stems. These are 

 from 3 to 5 inches high, with a terminal male spikelet about 9 lines long, 

 and 3 or 4 much smaller female ones, placed at intervals along the stem al- 

 most from its base, and, although stalked, scarcely protruding from the 

 white, scarious sheaths of the leafless bracts ; the glumes of both the male 

 and female spikelets are also scarious on the edges. Styles long and 3-cleft. 

 Fruits ovoid, obtuse, more or less ribbed, and shghtly downy. 



On downs and stony wastes, chiefly in hmestone districts, in central and 

 southern Europe, extending eastward far into south Russian Asia, and 

 northwards into most of the calcareous districts of France and Germany. 

 In Britam, only in Wilts, Somerset, Gloucester, and Hereford counties. 

 Fl. spring. 



25. Fingered Carex. Carex digitata, Lmn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 615.) 



A densely tufted species, 6 inches to a foot high, with short leaves. Male 

 spike about 6 lines long, and really terminal although exceeded by the 

 upper female spike, which is placed close under it ; there are also 2 or 3 

 other female ones rather lower down, all shortly stalked, longer than the 

 male and more or less spreading, so as to give the whole spike a digitate 

 appearance ; the flowers in each spikelet at some distance from each other. 

 Bracts brown and sheathing, without leafy points or only a very short one. 

 Styles 3-cleft. Fruits obovoid and minutely downy. 



