CYPERACE.E 291 



Stamens 6. Carpels 3 (rarely 4, 5, or 6), divergent, ovate, apiculate, 

 2-seeded. 



Peat-bogs and marshes, especially in the mountain and sub-alpine 

 region ; local. May to July. 



Distribution. — Switzerland (rare), France, Jura, Alps, Central 

 Pyrenees ; Central and Northern Europe ; Russian Asia, N. 

 America. Very rare in Britain. 



CYPERACEiE 



Herbs, often resembling Grasses, but usually stiffer, with solid 

 stems and the sheaths of the leaves closed all round. Flowers in 

 little green or brown spikelets, which are either solitary and terminal 

 or several in a compound cluster, spike, or panicle. Each spikelet 

 is in the axil of a scale-like outer bract, and consists of several scale- 

 like glumes, each containing one sessile flower. Perianth composed 

 of bristles or small scales or none. Stamens usually 3 or sometimes 

 2. Ovary i-celled, the style being divided into 2 or 3 Unear stigmas. 

 Fruit a small, seed-like nut, flattened when the style is 2-cleft, 

 trigonous when it is 3-cleft. 



A large family of at least 2500 species, distributed all over the 

 globe, and especially in moist places and near water. Chiefly 

 represented in the Alps by numerous species of Car ex (Sedge). 



SCIRPUS L. 



Rootstock creeping. Spikelets solitary and terminal or in 

 irregular panicles, heads, or clusters. Glumes imbricate. Perianth- 

 bristles 1-6 or 0, shorter than the glume. Stamens 3. Fruit a 

 compressed or trigonous nut. 



A large genus, widely spread over the globe, many species grow- 

 ing in or near water. Very few attain any height in the mountains. 



Scirpus alpinus Schleich. 



Rootstock creeping and stoloniferous. Stem 5-12 inches high, 

 glabrous Hke the whole plant, very slender, simple, stiff, rough to 

 the touch, trigonous, furnished with several sheaths at the base. 

 Spikelets small, 5-6 mm. long, with 8-12 flowers. Bracts obtuse, 

 yellowish brown, with a central green nerve. Perianth-bristles 

 white. Fruit compressed, trigonous, i mm. long. 



Marshes and borders of mountain lakes, from the plains up to at 

 least 8100 feet, as, e.g. by Lac Savine at Mont Cenis. July, August. 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central, and Western Alps ; Pyrenees, 

 Northern and Western Asia ; N. America. 



Scirpus ceespiiosus L. 



Stem 6-12 inches high, round, stiff, densely tufted, and covered 

 at the base with several imbricated sheaths, the outer ones brown, 



