98 CYPERACEAB (SEDGE FAMILY) 



with broad obtuse scales: perigynium short, nerveless, with entire bea)f,,ex< 

 ceeding the scale. — In the higher Rooky Mountains of British America, and 

 extending south into Wyoming. , 



28. Carex acutina Bailey, Mem. Torr. Bot. Club 1: 52. 1889. Stemis erect, 

 4-5 dm. high, smooth or rough above, leaves flat and thin, about as long as the 

 stem: the lower 1 or 2 bracts flat and leaf -like, about equaling the stem', the 

 margins mostly serrate: spikes 4-5, the upper 1 or 2 staminate, all approxi- 

 mate and sessile or the lower short-peduncled, 3-5 cm. long: perigynia thin 

 and soft, yellowish, somewhat inflated, the small beak entire, shorter, or 

 longer and broader than the obtuse or muticous scale. [C rhomhoidea Holm, 

 Am. Joum. Sci. 16: 35. 1903 (?).] — On stream banks and lake shores-, Colo- 

 rado to Oregon. 



29. Carex variabilis Bailey, Mem. Torr. Bot. Club 1: 18. 1889. Glaucous, 

 mostly low, 3-5 dm. high, stout: culm sharply angled, roughish on the angles: 

 leaves rather broad: spikes 3—4, short and stout, borne near the top of the 

 culm, erect, the lower one or two conspicuously attenuated at the base, and 

 appearing clavate; the upper sessile, lower peduncled: bracts leaf -like and 

 broad, the lower one or two equaling or exceeding the culm: perigyniuni'small 

 and broadly ovate, abruptly and very shortly beaked, nerveless, beak entire," 

 green or whitish, conspicuously broader and usually shorter than the obtuse 

 or muticous black scale. C. aperta divaricata. — Wet places; Colorado to 

 Montana and Idaho. 



++ ++ Culms 1-4 dm. high: leaves more or less involute when dry. 



30. Carex Bigelovii Torr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. 1 : 67. 1824. Culms mostly stout, 

 sharp-angled, smooth except near the top, longer than the narrow leaves: 

 staminate spike one: pistillate spikes 3-5, slender, lax, loosely flowered at the 

 base, the lower peduncled and often remote, black-purple or fuscous-purple: 

 perigynium narrow, mostly elliptic, almost pointlesSj entire at the orifice, veiry 

 faintly nerved towards the base, shorter or rarely a little longer than the acute 

 or acutish dark purple scale. C. vulgaris hyperborea. — Alpine regions; Colo- 

 rado, northward and westward. 



31. Carex rigida Gooden. Linn. Trans. 2: 193. 1794. Leaves 4 mm. broad, 

 flat: staminate spikes sometimes 2, usually 1: pistillate spikes 3-5, short and 

 thick, 5-20 mm. long, erect, approximate or the lowest sometimes remote and 

 shortly peduncled, dark purple; avu-icles very prominent: perigynium obovate 

 or nearly circular, nerveless, shortly beaked, pale below, usually more or less 

 purple above, commonly shorter than the dark, acute scale. C. vulgaris 

 alpina. — Same range as the last. 



32. Carex scopulorum Holm. 1. c. Plant rather stout, from a dense and 

 woody root, 3-6 dm. high: leaves very broad for the group, deep green, con- 

 spicuously pointed, shorter than the culm: staminate spike usually 1, mostly 

 short-peduncled: pistillate spikes 2-4, sometimes contiguous or partially 

 scattered, oval or oblong, 1-4 cm. long, the two lowest usually on slender 

 peduncles 3-5 cm. long, the others sessile or nearly so: lowest bract leaf -like 

 and equaling or exceeding the culm: perigynium compressed-trigonous, ovate 

 or round-ovate in outline, pale and more or less discolored or even covered 

 with purple dots (or rarely almost yellow), produced into a very short and j 

 entire beak, mostly shorter than the obtuse or muticous purple scale : stigmas 



2 or 3. C. vulgaris in pait. {C.Tolmiei a,ndva.Ts.) — Colorado to Montana and 

 west to the coast States. 



§ 11. Staminate spike one, short, either pistillate above or not conspicuous 

 (except in No. 33): pistillate spikes none to several, short and thick, mostly 

 dark-colored, commonly aggregated (often only approximate), sometimes stamr 

 inate at the base: perigynium biconvex or very obtusely 3-angled, with a very 

 short entire or emarginate beak, or beakless: stigmas 2 or 3. — Melanostach- 

 YAE Tuckm. Mostly mountain or boreal species, distinguished by the' 

 aggregated spikes and inconspicuous or androgynous terminal spike and 

 nigrescent color 



