572 CYPERACEiE. (SEDGE FAMILY.) 



§ 1. Spikes approximate, witli staminate and pistillate flowers variously situated. No. 10-12. 



2. Spikes pistillate below, staminate at the summit. No. 13-23. 



3. Spikes pistillate above, staminate at the base. No. 29-45. 



D. Staminate and pistillate flowers borne in separate (commonly more or less stalked) simple 

 spikes on the same culm ; the one or more staminate (sterile) spikes constantly upper- 

 most, having occasionally more or less fertile flowers at base or apex ; the lower spikes 

 all pistillate (fertile), or sometimes with staminate flowers at the base or apex. Stigmaa 

 3 (or only 2 in No. 46, 53, 65, 150, &c.). CAREX proper. 



* Perigynia with merely a minute or short point, scarcely ever prolonged into a beak. 



§ 1. Perigynia not inflated (slightly so in No. 55, 56), smooth, nerved or nerveless, with a 

 minute straight point, glaucous -green, becoming whitish, or more or less spotted or 

 tinged with purple. Scales blackish-purple or brown. Staminate spikes 1-3, or the ter- 

 minal spike androgynous and staminate at the base, the rest all fertile. No. 46-64. 



2. Perigynia slightly inflated, smooth, nerved, obtuse and pointless, or with a straight or 

 oblique point. Scales brown, becoming tawny or white. Staminate spike solitary (ex- 

 cept sometimes in No. 71) or androgynous and pistillate above, the rest all fertile. No. 

 65-81. 



3. Perigynia slightly inflated, hairy (in No. 83 smooth at maturity), nerved, with a minute 

 straight point. Terminal spike androgynous, pistillate at the apex, the rest all fertile. 

 No. 82, 83. 



4. Perigynia not inflated, smooth, regularly striate, with a short, entire, obliquoly bent or 

 recurved point, remaining green at maturity. Staminate spike solitary. Bracts green 

 and leaf-like (except in No. 84). No. 84 - 91. 



5. Perigynia not inflated, smooth or downy, not striate, with a. minute, obliquely bent, 

 white and membranaceous point, reddish-brown or olive-colored at maturity. Terminal 

 spike all staminate or with 2-3 fertile flowers at the base ; the rest all fertile, or with a 

 few sterile flowers at the apex. Bracts reduced to colored sheaths, or with a short green 

 prolongation. No. 92, 93. 



* * Perigynia with a distinct beak, either short and abrupt, or more or less prolonged. 



6. Perigynia not inflated, hairy, with a rather abrupt beak, terminating in a membrana- 

 ceous notched or 2-toothed orifice. Bracts short : culms mostly low and slender ; leaves 

 all radical, long and narrow. Staminate spike solitary. No. 94-101. 



7. Perigynia slightly inflated, hairy or smooth, with a short beak terminating in an entire 

 or slightly notched oriflce. Bracts long and leaf-like : culms tall and leafy. Staminate 

 spike solitary {in No. 102 pistillate at the summit): fertile spikes erect (except in No. 

 102). No. 102, 103. 



8. Perigynia slightly inflated, smooth and shining, green, few-nerved or nerveless, with a 

 straight tapering beak terminating in 2 small membranaceous teeth. Staminate spike 

 solitary (often androgynous in No, 107) : fertile spikes all on slender and pedulous 

 stalks. No. 104-110. 



9. Perigynia slightly inflated, smooth, nerved, with a tapering somewhat serrulate beak, 

 terminating in 2 distinct membranaceous teeth ; becoming tawny or yellow at maturity. 

 Staminate spike solitary. No. Ill- 115. 



10. Perigynia slightly inflated, rough or pubescent, rarely smooth, with an abrupt straight 

 beak. Staminate spikes usually two or more. No. 116-119. 



11. Perigynia moderately inflated, smooth or pubescent, conspicuously many-nerved, with 

 a straight beak terminating in 2 rigid more or less spreading teeth. Staminate spikes 

 1-5. No. 120-127. 



12. Perigynia much inflated, smooth, conspicuously many-nerved, with a long tapering 2- 

 toothed beak. Staminate spike solitary. No. 128-136. 



13. Perigynia much inflated, obovoid or obconic, smooth, few-nerved, with an extremely ab- 

 rupt, very long, 2-toothed beak, tawny or straw-colored at maturity, horizontally spread- 

 ing or deflexed. Terminal spike staminate, or androgynous and fertile at the apex. 

 No. 137-138. 



14. Perigynia much inflated, smooth, shining and straw-colored at maturity, with a taper- 

 ing and more or less elongated 2-toothed beak. Staminate spikes 2-5. No. 139 - 151. 



