74 CYPERACEAE. 



scales white, scarious, with a broad green midvein, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate- 

 cuspidate, as long as the perigynia. 

 In moist woods, common. 



Carex laeviculmis Meinsch. Glabrous throughout, tufted; stems very 

 slender, 30-50 cm. high; leaves numerous, flat, 1-1. S mm. broad, shorter than 

 the stems; spikes 3-7, sessile, 3-5 mm. long, separate, the lower ones distant; 

 bract solitary, usually shorter than the inflorescence; perigynia spreading when 

 mature, lanceolate, shortly stipitate, strongly curved, flat above, convex 

 beneath, pale green, short-beaked, faintly 7-nerved on each face, 2.5 mm. long; 

 scales ovate, obtuse, brownish, hyaline except the midrib, shorter than the 

 perigynia. 



In moist shady places in the mountains. 



Carex canescens L. Loosely tufted, pale, somewhat glaucous; stems 15-50 

 cm. high; leaves flat, soft, 2-4 mm. wide, mostly shorter than the stems; spikes 

 4-9, subglobose to cylindric, sessile, usually scattered in a loose inflorescence; 

 perigynia oval to ovate, usually serrulate toward the tip, short-beaked; scales 

 ovate, hyaline, shorter than the perigynia. 



In moist places. 



Carex brunnescens (Pers.) Poir. Tufted; stems slender, 15-50 cm. high, 

 green; leaves flat, 1-3 mm. wide, shorter than the stem; spikes 3-7, small, 

 4— 10-flowered, scattered or approximate; lower bract bristle-like; perigynia 

 ovoid, serrulate above, distinctly beaked, spreading when mature; scales ovate, 

 brownish, shorter than the perigynia. 



In open rather dry places in the mountains. 



Carex stellulata Good. Tufted; stems very slender, 30-90 cm. high; 

 leaves narrow, 1-4 mm. wide, mostly shorter than the stems; inflorescence 

 narrow, of 3-9 usually scattered spikes; spikes green, 12-40-flowered, the peri- 

 gynia soon strongly reflexed; perigynia narrowly ovate, spongy at base, faintly 

 nerved on the inner face, the margin thin but narrow, 3—4 mm. long; scales 

 brownish, ovate, acute, shorter than the perigynia. 



In shady woods along streams; varies much in the size and proximity 

 of the spikes. 



Carex athrostachya Olney. Stems tufted, 30-60 cm. tall; leaves 2-3 mm. 

 wide, shorter than the stems; inflorescence a dense ovoid straw-colored head 

 composed of 5-20 crowded spikes, these staminate below; lower bracts 2-5 cm. 

 long, exceeding the head; perigynia lanceolate, spongy at base, the long beak 

 2-toothed, its margins serrulate; scales acuminate, about equalling the peri- 

 gynia. 



Rare in our limits but common east of the Cascade Mountains. Reported 

 from Victoria, British Columbia, Macoun. 



Carex pachystachya Cham. Stems tufted, 30-90 cm. tall; leaves flat, 

 flaccid, 3-4 mm. broad, shorter than the stems; inflorescence a dense ovoid 

 head 10-12 mm. long, composed of 6-12 crowded sessile brownish spikes; 

 perigynia spreading, ovate-lanceolate, flat, about 4 mm. long, the beak bi- 

 dentate, serrulate on the thin margins; scales acutish, equalling the perigynia. 



Very common in wet meadows. 



Carex preslii Steud. (C. multimoda Bailey.) Very similar to C. pachy- 

 stachya but the head less dense, one or more of the lower spikes clearly separate 

 or if crowded the head oblong; perigynia indistinguishable. 



Common in wet places up to 1500 in. altitude. First collected by Haenke 

 at Nootka Sound, British Columbia. 



Carex feta Bailey. Stems slender, 60-80 cm. high; leaves flat, 1-2 mm. 

 wide, shorter than the stem; spikes 3-8, oblong, 5-10 mm. long, distinct; 



