CTPEEACEiE. 565 



differs in its downy fruits. Rootstock creeping. Stems 1 to 2 feet high, 

 with long, narrow leaves ; the leafy bracts are also long and narrow, ahnost 

 as in the loiig-hracted C, but without or almost without sheaths. Male 

 spikelets usually 2 or even 3, the terminal one often 1-^ inches long ; females 



1 or 2, remote from them, nearly sessile, 6 to 9 lines long. Styles 3-cleft. 

 Fruits near 2 lines long, ovoid, shortly beaked, and very downy. 



In wet ditches, and marshes, in northern and central Europe, and Russian 

 Asia, from the Arctic regions to central France and the Alps, and in North 

 America. Not common in Britain, occurring chiefly in Scotland, northern 

 England, and Ireland. Fl. spring. 



31. Hairy Carex. Carex hirta^ Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 685.) 



Rootstock creeping. Stems weak, leafy, 1 to 2 feet high, and, as well as 

 the leaves, more or less haii-y. Lower bracts long and leafy, with long 

 sheaths. Terminal male spikes 1 or 2. Females very distant, cylindrical, 

 rather loose, an inch long or more, much hke those of the ivood C, and the 

 fruits, as in that species, taper into a long beak, but they are always covered 

 with short, spreading hairs. 



In woods and wet pastures, common in Europe and Russian Asia, except 

 the extreme north. Frequent also in Britain, excepting the north of Scot- 

 land. FL spring and early summer. 



32. Pale Carex. Carex pallescens, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 2185, not good.) 

 The general aspect and pale yellowish-green fruiting spikelets are like 

 those of the yellow C, but the fruits are obtuse, without any prominent 

 beak. Stems tufted, leafy at the base, seldom above a foot high. Ter- 

 minal spikelet male, light brown, about 6 Unes long. Female spikelets 



2 or rarely 3, shortly stalked, erect or slightly drooping, oblong, shorter 

 than the male one, and aU near under it. Bracts leafy, with a short, 

 sheathing base, or the lowest scarcely sheathing. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits 

 glabrous. 



In marshy places, extending over Europe and Russian Asia, from the 

 Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and often very common, and in North. 

 America. Said to be frequent in Scotland and Ireland, but certainly less so 

 in England. Fl. early summer. 



33. Iiong-bracted Carex. Carex extensa, G-ooden. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 833.) 

 A tufted, rather slender species, 1 to 2 feet liigh, with narrow, often con- 

 volute, stiiF and erect leaves. Spikelets nearly sessile, and near together at 

 the top of the stem, or only the lower one distant, as in the yellow C, but 

 all oblong and of a brown-green, as in the distant C, although usually not 

 so long, and differing from both in the long, narrow, leafy bracts, the 

 lowest usually much exceeding the stem. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits as in the 

 distant C., ovoid, triangular, strongly nerved, and tapering into a conical 

 beak. 



A seacoast plant, very common round the Mediterranean, and extending 

 up the western coasts of Europe to the Baltic. It is general also round the 

 British Isles. Fl. early summer. 



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