CTPERACE^. (sedge FAMILY.) 581 



lina, Boott, is a small Texan form of it.) — Var. MeXdh (Illinois, Dr. Mead), 

 resembles the last, but has rather smaller and rounder spikes, thinner wings to 

 the pcrigynia, and long-tapering or rough awn-pointed scales. 



45. C. oX^tBi, Torr. Spikes 3 - \0, pale, turgid-ovoid, contiguons, moslli/ large 

 (6"- 10" long); perigynia dilated orbicular or obovate, broadly winged, abruptly 

 short-beaked, either heart-shaped or wedge-shaped at the base, longer and thrice 

 broader than the lanceolate or ovate acute or rough awn-pointed scale ; achenia 

 stipitate. — W. New York [Sartwell] to Virginia and southward. — All these, 

 from No. 38 to the present, run together variously. 



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 con- 

 stantly uppermost, having occasionally more or less fertile flowers intermixed ; 

 the lower spikes all pistillate (fertile), or sometimes with staminate flowers at 

 their base or apex : stigmas 3 ; achenium sharply triangular (only usually 2 stigmas 

 and tlie achenium lenticular in No. 46-56, 65, 149, 150). Carex proper. 

 § 1. Perigynia without a beak, or scarcely any, smooth, not inflated (slight]}' in No. 

 55, 56), terminating in a minute, straight, entire or notched point, glaucoiis-gieen 

 when young, becoming whitish, often spotted or tinged with purple, or 

 occasionally nearly black at maturity : pistillate scales blackish-purple (barely 

 brown in No. 55, 56, 64), giving a dark appearance to the spikes, 

 ♦ Sterile spikes 1-3, stalked, often with more or less fertile flowers : pistillate 

 spikes 3 - 5, frequently with sterile flowers at the apex : bract of the lowest spike 

 leaf-like, mostly with dark-colored expansions (auricles) at the base, and 

 very minute sheaths or none. ( Culm and leaves more or less glaucous. ) 

 ■I- Stigmas 2 {in No. 46 and 47' sometimes 3) -. perigynia lenticular. — ActiT^. 

 *+ Alpine, saxatile: pistillate scales pointless: leaves flat. 

 ++ Scales awnless, mostly obtuse. 



46. C. rigida, Good. Sterile spike solitary ; the fertile 2 - i, cylindrical, erect, 

 rather loosely flowered, the lower on short peduncles ; lowest bract about the 

 length of the culm, with rounded auricles ; stigmas 2 - 3 ; perigynia elliptical, with 

 an entire scarcely pointed apex, nerveless, about as long as the obtuse scale ; culm 

 rigid, nearly smooth except towards the top, about the length of the firm erect 

 leaves. (C. saxatilis, Fl. Dan., partly of L.) (Eu.) — Our plant is the 



Var.? Bigel6vii (C. Bigelovii, Torr. C. Washingtbnia, Dew.), with 3-5 

 longer and laxer fertile spikes, the lowest long-stalked, spreading, and sometimes 

 remote ; the sterile or terminal one often fertile at the top ; perigynia more or 

 less nerved: perhaps a distinct species. — Alpine summits of the mountains of 

 New England, New York, and high northward. 



** ■<-► Not alpine, paludose : pistillate scales aimless, single-nerved. 

 a. Leaves with involute margins when dry; their sheaths not fibrillose. 



47. C. vulgaris, Fries. Sterile spike 1 -3; the fertile 2-4, approximated, 

 oblong, erect, densely-flowered, occasionally staminate at the apex, the lowest on 

 a very short stalk; lowest bract barely the length of the culm, with small 

 blackish rounded auricles; perigynia ovate-elliptical, stalked, nerved especially to- 

 wards the base, with a very short abrupt entire or minutely notched point, 

 longer than the obtuse oppressed black scale; culm slender, sharply triangular, 



