564 THE SEDGE FAMILY. 



In the woods of limestone mountains, in central and southern Europe 

 and temperate Eussian Asia, extending northward into Scandinavia. Rare 

 in Britain, and only in the hUly districts of western and north-central 

 England. Fl. spring. 



26. Vernal Carex. Carex prsecox, Jacq. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1099.) 



Near the pill-h.eaded C. and the downy C, but with shorter, stiffer leaves ; 

 the inflorescence is less compact than in the former, more so than in the 

 latter, and the bract of the lowest spikelet forms a short sheath with a small 

 leafy point. The male spikelet is larger, and the glumes more obtuse, but 

 with a distinct fine point. Emits rather small, shortly beaked, covered with 

 a minute down. 



In dry pastm-es, and heaths, common in Europe and Russian Asia, except 

 the extreme north, and naturalized in North America. Generally distri- 

 buted over Britain. Fl. s'pring. 



27. Mountain Cares. Carex montana, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2924. C. collina, Brit. Fl.) 

 Very near the pill-headed C, but the bracts have scarcely any leafy points ; 

 the female spikelets are shorter, with much darker glumes ; and the fruits 

 are twice as long, vnth acute angles, and are rather hairy than downy. 



In pastures and heaths, with the vernal C., in central and southern 

 Europe and western Asia, and extending northward into Scandinavia. In 

 Britain, said to have been found in Sussex , and near Chepstow, in Mon- 

 mouthshire. Fl. spring. 



28. Pill-headed Carex. Cares pilulifera, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 885.) 



Stems 6 inches to a foot high, forming broad and sometimes loose tufts, 

 but scarcely creeping at the base. Leaves shorter than the stem, weak and 

 flexible. Female spikelets 2 or 3, short and compact, close under the ter- 

 minal male one. Bracts leafy, usually short, without sheaths. Glumes 

 brown, more or less pointed. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits small, obovoid or 

 nearly globular, scarcely beaked, covered with a minute dovni. 



In hilly pastures, and moors, generally distributed over Europe, and the 

 same, or a closely aUied species, across Russian Asia and in North America. 

 Fl. early summer. 



29. Downy Carex. Carez tomeutosa, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 2046.) 



Eootstock creeping. Stems erect, slender, a foot high or more. Leaves 

 nan-ow, erect, much shorter than the stem. Terminal male spikelet about 

 an inch long ; females 1 or 2, at some distance from it, oblong, erect, and 

 nearly sessUe, rather more than \ inch long, compact, with small brown 

 glumes. Lower bract leafy, without any sheath. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits 

 small, ovoid or nearly globular, not beaked, downy. 



In moist meadows, in central and southern Europe, extending eastward 

 to the Caucasus, and northward to the Baltic. In Britain, only known 

 from a single locality near Merston, in Wiltshu-e. Fl. early summer. 



30. Slender Carex. Carex filiformis, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 904.) 

 The habit is near that of the distant C. or of the long-hracted C, but it 



