Carex. ] ; LXXXVIII. CYPERACE &. 499 
In woods and wet pastures, common in Europe and Russian Asia, 
except the extreme north. Frequent also in Britain, excepting the 
north of Scotland. Fl. spring and early summer. 
32. C. pallescens, Linn. (fig. 1142.) Pale C.—The general aspect 
and pale yellowish-green fruiting spikelets are like those of C. flava, but 
- the fruits are obtuse, without any prominent beak. Stems tufted, 
leafy at the base, seldom above a foot high. Terminal spikelet male, 
light brown, about 6 lines long. Female spikelets 2 or rarely 3, shortly 
stalked, erect or slightly drooping, oblong, shorter than the male one, 
and all near under it. Bracts leafy, with a short, sheathing base, or the 
lowest scarcely sheathing. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits glabrous, 
In marshy places, extending over Europe and Russian Asia, from the 
Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and often very common, and in 
North America. Frequent in Scotland and Ireland, but certainly less 
soin England. fl. early summer. 
33. C. extensa, Gooden. (fig. 1143). Long-bracted C.—A tufted 
rather slender species, 1 to 2 feet high, with narrow, often convolute 
stiff and erect leaves. Spikelets nearly sessile, and near together at 
the top of the stem, or only the lower one distant, as in C. flava, but 
all oblong and of a brown-green, as in C. distans, although usually not 
‘so long, and differing from both in the long, narrow, leafy bracts, the 
- lowest usually much exceeding the stem. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits as in 
C. distans, ovoid, triangular, strongly nerved, and tapering into a conical 
beak. . 
Very common in brackish marshes round the coasts of Hurope, ex- 
tending to the Baltic, temperate Asia, and North and South America, 
It is general also round the British Isles. Fl. early summer. 
34, C. flava, Linn. (fig. 1144). Yellow C.—Usually densely tufted 
and leafy, seldom attaining a foot in height, and acquiring frequently 
a. yellowish hue, especially the fruiting spikelets. Leaves flat. Male 
terminal spikelet 6 to 9 lines long. Females 1, 2, or 3, sessile or shortly 
stalked and very near the male, and often one much lower down on a 
longer stalk; all erect, ovoid or oblong, or when ripe nearly globular. 
Bracts all leafy and sheathing at the base. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits 
ovoid, distinctly nerved, with a prominent beak, always very spread- 
ing or reflexed. 
In turfy bogs and marshy pastures, very common in Europe and tem- 
perate Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and in North 
America. Generally diffused over Britain. Fl. spring and summer. It 
varies much in the distance of the lower spikelets from the upper ones, 
and in the size of the fruits; but the small-fruited forms with short 
beaks (C. @deri, Khrh.) are very inconstant in their characters, 
35. C. distans, Linn. (fig. 1145). Dzstant C.—Stems more or less 
tufted, slender, 1 to 2 feet high, with flat but rather narrow leaves, 
much shorter thanthestem. Spikelets few and far apart; the terminal 
one male (sometimes with a small one close under it), the others female, 
oblong-cylindrical, 4 to 1 inch long, stalked, but often appearing sessile 
from the stalks being enclosed in the long sheaths of the leafy bracts. 
Glumes brown. Styles 3-cleft. Fruits usually rather dark-green, but 
sometimes yellowish, erect, rather strongly nerved or ribbed, tapering 
into a rather long beak. 
In marshes and wet moors, or sometimes in drier pastures, especially 
