

SEDGE FAMILY 325 



Carex Linne 1753 Sedge 

 (Lat. carex, sedge, perhaps from Gr. keirein, to cut, from the sharp leaves) 



PL 45, fig. 1-17. 



Spikes (spikelets) pistillate, staminate or both pistillate and staminate, 

 solitary or in racemes, panicles or dense clusters; perianth none, staminate 

 flowers with 3 stamens, pistillate flowers a single pistil with style and 2-3 

 stigmas within a bract or perigynium, achene 3-angled or lens-shaped ; flow- 

 ers monoecious or dioecious, solitary in the axil of the scale ; leaves 3- 

 ranked ; stems mostly 3-angled ; grass-like perennials, usually from a root- 

 stock. 



1. Spike single, terminal, staminate above, pistil- 

 late below, except in dioecious plants 

 a. Stigmas 3 



(1) Perigynia horizontal and spreading or re- 



flexed when mature, mostly lanceolate 



(a) Leaves flat; rootstock creeping, the 

 stems mostly in rows C. nigricans 



(b) Leaves inrolled ; stems tufted, the root- 

 stocks matted C. pyrenaica 



(2) Perigynia erect or ascending, not hori- 

 zontal 



(a) Perigynia rough or hairy 

 x. Spike buff, staminate and pistillate ; 



perigynia roughened ; stems tufted C. filifoHa 

 y. Spike purple-brown, staminate or pistil- 

 late ; perigynia hairy ; with creeping 

 rootstocks C. scirpoidea 



(b) Perigynia entirely smooth 

 x. Scales 1-3 cm. long, leaf-like, hiding 



the large green perigynia C. durifolin 



y. Scales not large and leaf-like, less than 

 1 cm. long 

 (x) Stems 2-6 in. high; spikes or 

 perigynia brown 

 m. Perigynia erect when ripe, hidden 



by the scales ; at 11-14000 ft. C. rapestris 



n. Perigynia spreading and visible 



when ripe; at 7-10000 ft. C. obtnsdta 



(y) Stems 8-16 in. high; perigynia, and 

 spikes usually green 



