cyperace^e. (sedge family.) 587 



Counties, New York, to Illinois, Michigan, and northwestward. — Variable, 

 4'- 12' high; the taller forms resembling the next; but the perigynium is less 

 round and with fewer and more indistinct nerves, the bracts do not exceed the 

 culm, and the staminate spike is long-peduncled. 



++ •*-+ Staminate spike nearly sessile: periyynium turgid, many-nerved, greenish. 



72. C. granularis, Muhl. Sterile spike mostly shorter than the approx- 

 imate uppermost of the 3 or A fertile ; these cylindrical, dense, the lowest remote and 

 slender pediwcled, sometimes from near the root; perigynia globular-ovoid, con-< 

 tracted into a short often slightly bent point, longer than the pointed scale ; 

 plant pale, glabrous; bracts long, exceeding the culm. — Wet meadows: common. 



73. C. Torreyi, Tuckerman. Sterile spike overtopping the 2 or 3 ovoid 

 contiguous nearly sessile fertile spikes ; perigynia obovate, strongly nerved, the very 

 obtuse or retuse summit abruptly tipped with a very short cylindraceous beak- 

 like point, longer than the ovate mostly acute or pointed scale; culm, lear.es, 

 and short sheuthless bracts downy (C. abbreviata, Schw., Boott.) — Bethlehem, 

 Pennsylvania, Schweiuitz, New York? and high northward. — Probably over- 

 looked from its close external resemblance to the next; but it is very distinct. 



* * Staminate spike sessile, or short-stalked (except in No. 75) : pistillate spikes 

 2-5, erect, all on more or less exserted stalks ; bracts longer than the culm 

 (except in No. 75) : perigynia very obtuse, with an abrupt and minute or 

 almost obsolete point, green and somewhat pellucid at maturity: pistillate 

 scales tawny, fading to white. — Pallescentes. 



74. C. pallesceilS, L. Fertile spikes 2-3, ovoid, densely flowered, approxi- 

 mate; perigynia obovoid-oblong, obscurely nerved, about the length of the scale. — 

 Var. unduiAta is a mere state with the lower bract at the base transversely 

 wavy-lined. (C. undulata, Kunze.) — -Meadows, New England to Penn. and 

 northward. — Plant 8' - 18' high : culm and leaves slightly pubescent. (Eu.) 



75. C. COnoidea, Schk. Staminate spike on a long stalk ; fertile 2-3, oblong, 

 closely frowned, the lower distant ; perigynia oblong-conical, with impressed nerves, 

 slightly oblique at the summit, rather longer (or sometimes shorter) than the 

 sharply pointed or awned scale; bracts not exceeding the culm. (C. tetanica, 

 Schw. Sf Torr., not of Schk.) — Moist meadows : rather common. 



76. C. grisea, Wahl. Fertile spikes 3-6, oblong, rather loosely flowered, re- 

 mote, or the 2 upper contiguous and the lowest distant; perigynia oblong, rather 

 longer than the broadly ovate abruptly strongly awned scale (the awn rough- 

 hispid ; style bulbous-thickened ; leaves light green, flat, rather broad. (C. laxi- 

 flora, Schk., not of Lam.) — Moist grounds : rather common. 



77. C. flaccosperma, Dew. Differs from the preceding in having the 

 flaccid leaves paler or glaucous; spikes longer, cylindrical (about 1' long), with 

 more numerous flowers, usually more distant, their bracts shorter; perigynia 

 larger (2" -3" long), laxer, turning brownish, twice or thrice the length of the 

 short-pointed or short-awn -pointed scale; style not thickened. (C. grisea, var. 

 miitica, of former ed. Prof. Dewey now proposes to change the name to xan- 

 thosperma, because flaccosperma is a hybrid word and " yellow-fruited " was 

 meant. But the fruit is not yellow, and the original name has been adopted 

 by Boott and Steudel.) — Low grounds, Penn. and New Jersey, Knieskern (a 

 aubious form), and common southward. 



