928 



THE SEDGE FAMILY. 



rica. Said to be frequent in Scotland and Ireland, but certainly less 

 so in England. Fl. early summer. 



33. Long-bracted Carex. Carex extensa, Gooden. 

 (Fig. 1125.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 833.) 



A tufted, rather slender species, 1 to 

 2 feet high, with narrow, often convo- 

 lute, stiff and erect leaves. Spikelets 

 nearly sessile, and near together at the 

 top of the stem, or only the lower one 

 distant, as in the yellow C, but all ob- 

 long and of a brown-green, as in the dis- 

 tant C, although usually not so long, 

 and differing from both in the long, nar- 

 row, leafy bracts, the lowest usually 

 much exceeding the stem. Styles 3- 

 cleft. Fruits as in the distant C, ovoid, 

 triangular, strongly nerved, and taper- 

 ing into a conical beak. 



A seacoast plant, very common round 

 the Mediterranean, and extending up 

 the western coasts of Europe to the 

 Baltic. It is general also round the 

 British Isles. Fl. early summer. 



Fig. 1125. 



M. Yellow Carex. Carex flava, Linn. (Fig. 1126.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1294, and C. (Ederi, t. 1773.) 



Usually densely tufted and leafy, seldom attaining a foot in height, 

 and acquiring frequently a yellowish hue, especially the fruiting spike- 

 lets. 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 

 1 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 spreading or reflexed. 



In turfy bogs and marshy pastures, very common in Europe and 

 Eussian Asia* from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and in 



