CYPERACE^). 



933 



North America. Abundant in Britain generally, although in the north 

 less so than the carnation C. FL early summer. 



41. Wood Carex. Carex sylvatica, Huds. (Fig. 1133.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 995.) 



Stems weak, tufted, leafy, 1 to 2 feet 

 high. Leaves and leafy bracts flaccid, 

 the latter with long sheaths. Terminal 

 spikelet male, about an inch long. Lower 

 spikelets 2 to 4, or rarely more, all fe- 

 male or occasionally one or two of the 

 upper ones partially or even wholly 

 male, the females distant, cylindrical, 

 loose-flowered, about an inch or rather 

 longer, on slender stalks, and at length 

 more or less drooping. Glumes green, 

 narrow, and very pointed. Styles 3- 

 cleft. Fruit glabrous, ribbed, tapering 

 into a long beak. 



In woods, common in Europe and 

 Russian Asia, except the extreme north, 

 although in the south it is rather a 

 mountain plant. Frequent in Britain, 

 except the north of Scotland. Fl. early 

 summer. 



42. Thin-spiked Carex. Carex strigosa, Huds. (Fig. 1134.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 994.) 



Yery near the wood C, but the fe- 

 male spikelets are much longer, and 

 more slender, usually above 2 inches 

 long, the flowers at some distance from 

 each other, the peduncles much shorter, 

 almost concealed in the long sheaths of 

 the bracts. Glumes green and lanceo- 

 late. Fruits tapering to a point, but 

 not into a long beak as in the wood C. 



In mountain woods, dispersed over 

 central Europe ; extending from France 

 and Denmark to the Caucasus, but no- 

 where very common. Occurs in many 

 parts of England and Ireland, but not 

 in Scotland. Fl. early summer. It is 

 probable that varieties of the wood C. 

 are often mistaken for it. 



Fig. 1134. 



