.506 cYPERACE.i5. [Cavex. 



species. Bracts Ions, leafy, like those of C. laevigata, but that beneath the upper- 

 most fertile spike is glumaceous and very short. Perigyne like that of C. laevi- 

 gata, but rather smaller and much less spreading or more erect on the much 

 smaller and shorter spikes, far darker coloured, chestnut-bro«n rather than tawny- 

 green, ovate, with a short less deeply cleft beak, the points bein^ less attenuated, 

 the outer or convex face more distinctly angular or gibbous, with more acute late- 

 ral margins, near which last, as in C. laBvigata, runs a strong green rib continued 

 into the beak, before joining which it becomes very prominent, and like the beak 

 itself often beset with a few spines. Nut as to size, shape and colour, in no respect 

 dififerent from that of C. IsevigHta. 



It is nut without some little hesitation that I insert this as the C. hinervis of 

 Smith, as my plant does not quite agree with his description. The fertile spikes 

 are stated to be blackish, the two lowermost not above two or three inches asun- 

 der, and the beak short and broad ; instead of which, in my specimens, the fertile 

 spikes are green, the scales fuscous, with the central green rib edged with while, 

 but it may perhaps turn dark when the fruit is mature. The spikes in my speci- 

 mens are quite simple and very remote ; the scales of the pistillate ones are much 

 more acuminate and mucronate than in E. B., but in all other respects our plant 

 perfectly agrees with the ligure, the two green nerves being very distinctly 

 marked. 



There is unquestionably a close affinity between C. icevigata and C. hinervis, * 

 which last connects as it were the former with C'.distans and C.fulva. The most 

 striking and obvious distinction in C. laevigata, and which can never be overlooked, 

 is the great breadth and comparative shortness of its leaves, after which the pale 

 tawny mostly acute scales of its sterile spike, the greater remoteness of the fertile 

 from the barren spikes and of these last from one another, their more elongated 

 form, more acuminate differently coloured glumes, and longer more drooping 

 peduncles; the rarely compound state of either the sterile or fertile Sjiikes, toge- 

 ther with the differences in the perigyne, will enable the student to distinguish 

 between it and C hinervis beyond the possibility of confounding the two. 



24. C. IcBvigata, Sm. Smooth- stalked Beaked Sedge. " Fertile 

 spikelets remote erect or drooping cylindrical stalked, stalks 

 longer than the elongated sheaths, bracteas foliaceous, all the 

 glumes acuminated or mucronate, fruit ovate triangular striated 

 with a rather long acuminated beak deeply bifid at the point." — 

 Br. Fl. p. 499. E. B. xx. t. 1387. Sm. Linn. Trans, v. p. 273. 

 Schk. Car. t. B.bb. No. 116. 



In bogs, marshes, moist woods, thickets and meadows ; very frequent with us. 

 Fl. May, June. Fr. July. If. 



E. Med. — In a little piece of boggy ground by the roadside on the left hand a 

 few hundred yards before coming to Ninham farm from Ryde, 1838. Very com- 

 mon in several parts of Sandown level, and in moist woods and pastures between 

 Apse and Ninham farms, 1839. In a low marshy spot at Apse castle, sparingly 

 but very tall, 1849. In a very wet boggy copse close adjoining to Prestwood, 

 near Hyde, 1849. Apse-heath withy-bed. Extremely common in damp boggy 



* C. hinervis and C. Icevigata are often found growing together in this island, 

 the lattermost abundantly in very wet, the former in drier, situations, as heaths, 

 &c., but, like its congener, C. hinervis, may be successfully sought for in the wet- 

 test thicket or morass, and C. Icevigata in comparatively dry places. In iheir 

 flowering time there is a considerable difference, C. hinervis being for the most 

 part far advanced before C. Icevigata begins to bloom, which is commonly not 

 until the latter end of May ; whereas the other is seen in flower early in that 

 month, or even at the close of April. This difference in the flowering time is 

 inherent, and not dependent upon situation, since the satne order is observed by 

 the two plants when growing together under precisely similar circumstances. 



