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. O. pallescens, Linn. (fig. 1142.) Pale G. — The general aspect 

 and pale yellowish-green fruiting spikelets are like those of G, 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 

 so in 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 0. flava, but 

 all oblong and of a brown-green, as in G. 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 

 G. distans, ovoid, triangular, strongly nerved, and tapering into a conical 

 beak. 



Very common in brackish marshes round the coasts of Europe, 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 (7.— 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 (G. (Ederi, Ehrh.) are very inconstant in their characters. 



35. C. distans, Linn. (fig. 1145). Distant G. — Stems more or less 

 tufted, slender, 1 to 2 feet high, with flat but rather narrow leaves, 

 much shorter than the stem. Spikelets few and far apart ; the terminal 

 one male (sometimes with a small one close under it), the others female, 

 oblong- cylindrical, J 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 



