566 THE SEDGE FAMTLT, 



• 34. Yellow Carex. Carex ilava, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1294, and C. (Ederi, t. 1773.) 



Usually densely tufted and leafy, seldom attaining a foot in height, and 

 acquiring frequently a yellowish hue, especially the fi-uiting spikeleta. 

 Leaves ilat. Male terminal spikelet 6 to 9 lines long. Females 1, 2, or 3, 

 sessile or shortly stalked and very near the male, and often 1 much lower 

 down on a longer stalk ; all erect, ovoid or oblong, or vrhen ripe nearly glo- 

 bi-Jar. Bracts all leafy and sheathing at the base. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits 

 ovoid, distinctly nerved, with a prominent beak, always very spreading or 

 reflexed. 



In turfy bogs and marshy pastures, very common in Europe and Russian 

 Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and in North America. 

 Generally diffused over Britain. Fl. spring and summer. It varies much 

 in the distance of the lower spikelets fi-om the upper ones, and in the size 

 of the fruits ; but the sniaU-fruited forms with short beaks, often distin- 

 guished under the name of C. (Ederi, are very inconstant in their characters. 



35. Sistant Cares. Carex distans, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1234.) 

 Stems more or less tufted, slender, 1 to 2 feet high, with flat but rather 

 narrow leaves, much shorter than the stem. Spikelets few and far apart ; 

 the terminal one male (sometimes with a small one close under it), the 

 others female, oblong-cylindrical, i to 1 inch long, stalked, but often ap- 

 pearing sessile from the stalks being enclosed in the long sheaths of the 

 leafy bracts. Glimies brown. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits usually rather dark- 

 green, but sometimes yellowish, erect, rather strongly nerved or ribbed, 

 tapering inoo a rather long beak. 



In marshes and wet moors, or sometimes in drier pastures, especially 

 near the sea, in Europe and western Asia, from the Mediterranean to Scan- 

 dinavia, and in North America, although not an Arctic plant. Common in 

 Britain. FL summer. It varies much m the length 'of the stalks of the 

 lower spikelets and in the prominence of the ribs of the fruit. The follow- 

 ing are the principal varieties, which are often considered as species : — 

 •.a. Tawny distant C. (C. fulva, Eng. Bot. t. 1295, and C. speirostachya, 

 Suppl. t. 2770), with short, pale-coloured spikelets, and a rather long beak 

 to the fruit. 



b. Starved distant C. (C depauperata, Eng. Bot. t. 1098), with only 4 or 

 5 fruits to the spikelet, but each one larger, somewhat inflated, with a veiy 

 long beak. 



c. Two-nerved distant C. {C. binervis, Eng. Bot. t. 1235), with darker 

 spikelets and more angular fruits. 



d. Smooth distant C. {C. Icevigata, Eng. Bot. t. 1387), hke the last, but 

 the slender green spikelets often 1 to 1^ inches long, much like those of the 

 toood C, but erect, not drooping. 



36. Dotted Carex. Carex punctata, Good. 



Very much like the common seacoast form of the distant C, of which it 

 may be a mere variety ; but the fruits appear to be entirely without longi- 

 tudinal ribs, except the 3 angles, which are slightly prominent. 



Indicated here and there in various parts of the area of the distant C, 

 and has been found in two or three locahties on the west coast of England. 

 FL summer. 



