Carex.] cyperace^. 575 



slender subulate bract, which is usually about its own length, and of which the 

 remaining spikes are quite destitute. Sheaths for the most part extremely short 

 or nearly wanting, but the lowest pistillate spike is often furnished wilh a very 

 evident one, ^ an inch or more long. Slaminate spikes mostly 3, sometimes 2, 

 rarely 4, erect, subapproximate, 1 — IJ inch long, very slender, triquetrous, acute 

 (subclavate in flower), sessile, the lowermost sometimes shortly stalked. Glumes 

 oblongo-lanceolate, more or less acute or pointed, purplish brown, with green 

 slightly keeled backs. Anthers linear, yellow, abrupt at the summit, not apicu- 

 late. Pistillate spikes 2 or 3, mostly bearing staminate flowers at iheir summits, 

 remote, sometimes sessile, more frequently on stalks from an inch to 3 or 4 inches 

 long, slender, smooth, compressed, at first erect, but as the fruit advances becom- 

 ing, from its weight, lax, nodding and even pendulous. Glumes as in the slami- 

 nate spikes, but longer, paler, more acute and tapering. Stigmas 3, white, 

 tapering and cylindrical. Perigynes stipitate, greenish yellow or tawny-brown, 

 longer than the glumes, spreading nearly horizontally in several rows, forming a 

 dense cylindrical spike, broadly ovoid or even subglobose, not triquetrous ; much 

 inflated, membranous, shining and glabrous, with several very slender inconspi- 

 cuous ribs, the two lateral ones most evident, attenuated into a rather long and 

 slender deeply cleft beak, the points of which are spreading. Nut small, not 

 nearly filling the cavity, greenish brown, obovoid or obovoid-elliptical, trigonous, 

 the angles paler and bluntish, finely striato-punctate, crowned with the long per- 

 sistent style. 



This species varies a good deal in the breadth and glaucous hue of the leaves. 



36. C riparia, Gwci. Greater Common Sedge. " Barren spike - 

 lets 3 — 5 approximate, with acuminate glumes, anthers tipped 

 with a short awn, fertile spikelets 3 — 4 broadly cylindrical acute 

 sessile or the lower ones stalked, sheaths none, bracteas very long 

 foliaceous, glumes oblong pointed, fruit oblong-ovate with a short 

 beak." — Br. Fl. p. 507. E. B. t. 579. C. crassa, Host. Gram. 

 Aust. i. 68, t. 93. 



j3. Spikes of either sex (the pistillate especially) more attenuate, on long slen- 

 der stalks, pendulous ; staminate spikes for the most part solitary, terminal, 

 drooping, bearing pistillate flowers in the middle. 



On the banks of rivers and ditches, also in marshes and wet meadows. Fl. 

 April, May. 211. 



Abundant in the marsh-ditches behind the Dover, Byde ; and in Centu- 

 rion's copse. By the stream above Alverston mill, in great profusion and 

 luxuriance. 



/3. On a piece of very wet salt-marsh under Chapel-corner copse, at the month 

 of the Wootton river, in plenty, 1846. 



The stoutest though not the tallest of our Carices. Two feet or more in height. 

 Root thick and long, creeping extensively {Sm.) Culm erect, acutely triangular, 

 the edges very sharp, rough near the top, smooth in the lower part. Leaves long, 

 erect, about i an inch wide, bright green and slightly glaucous above, very glau- 

 cous beneath, with a sharp keel and rough cutting edges, reticulated with trans- 

 verse septa. Bracts like the leaves, lower ones long, overtopping the spikes, 

 ending in close short sheaths, the uppermost very short and with scarcely any 

 sheaths. Slaminate spikes 3 or 4, clustered at the top of the culm, triquetrous and 

 acute; their scales like those of the pistillate spikes; remarkable before flowering 

 for their dark purple, almost black, appearance. Anthers yellow, awned. Pistil- 

 late spikes about the same number, remote, the lower ones on long, the upper on 

 very short, stalks, or almost sessile ; their scales with long points, serrated on the 

 edges: the upper spikes are usually partly barren at their extremity. Stigmas 3, 

 white. Perigyne ovate, sessile, strongly furrowed or ribbed, gradually tapering to 

 a broad, short, deeply cleft beak. ■ 



