904 



THE SEDGE FAMILY. 



3 species, the broad-leaved C. (E. latifolium), with leaves flattened the 

 greater part of their length ; the slender C. (E. gracilc), with very 

 slender leaves, and few, almost erect spikelets ; and the narrow-leaved 

 C. (E. a ngusli folium), with intermediate leaves and more numerous 

 spikelets. Other characters, derived from the smoothness or rough- 

 ness of the peduncles, or from the length of the cottony bristles, do not 

 appear to be near so constant as has been supposed. 



VIII. KOBEESIA. KOBRESIA. 



Perennial herbs, with grass-like leaves, radical or sheathing the 

 stems at the base. Spikelets sessile in a' terminal spike, simple or 

 rarely branched at the base, with a glume-like bract under each spike- 

 let. In each spikelet the lowest glume encloses an ovary with a long 

 trifid style, the next one or rarely two glumes enclose 3 stamens, and 

 there is often a small rudimentary glume or awn terminating the axis. 

 Some spikelets have only one glume enclosing an ovary, and some, near 

 the end of the spike, have only one glume with 3 stamens. 



Besides the British species the genus comprises one or two from the 

 continent of Europe. 



1. 



Sedge-like Kobresia. Kobresia carieina, Willd. 

 (Fig. 1092.) 



(Sclicenus monoicus, Eng. Bot. t. 1410.) 



A low, Carex-like plant, forming dense 

 tufts seldom above 6 inches high ; the 

 leaves radical or sheathing the stems at 

 the base, spreading, and much shorter 

 than the stem. Spikelets 4 or 5, short 

 and brown, closely sessile in a short 

 terminal spike. In each spikelet the 

 lower flowers are female, consisting with- 

 in the glume of an ovary with a 3- cleft 

 style. The upper spikelets of the spike 

 and usually one terminal flower of the 

 lateral spikelets are males, consisting of 

 3 stamens within the glumes. Some- 

 times the lower spikelets are slightly 

 compound or branched. 



In moors and wet places, in the moun- 

 tains of northern and central Europe, 

 and in the Caucasus. In Britain, only 



Fig. 1092. 



