Carex. 



CYPERACEjE. 



371 



** Spike androgynous. 

 t Stigmas 2. 



2. Carex exilis, Dewey. Slender Sedge. 



Spikes solitary, androgynous and staminate below or dioecious, densely flowered, simple ; 

 perigynia finally spreading or recurved, ovate-lanceolate, biconvex, serrulate on the margin, 

 a little longer than the ovate acute scale. — Dew. Car. I. c. 14. p. 351. f. 53 ; Torr. Cyp. 

 p. 387; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 419. 



Culm 10-15 inches high, triangular, very slender, slightly rough on the angles above. 

 Leaves setaceous, much shorter than the culm. Spike from half an inch to an inch long; 

 the upper part usually fertile, with the fruit spreading ; the lower part contracted and often 

 elongated, consisting of closely imbricate staminate scales. Sometimes the whole spike is 

 sterile ; but the fertile is seldom or never without some staminate flowers at the base. Stigmas 

 2. Perigynium coriaceous, about li line long, acute, 2-toothed at the apex. 



Borders'of mountain lakes, in Essex county ; also on the borders of salt meadows, near 

 Sagharbor, Long Island (Dr. Knieskern). Fr. June - July. A neat and well characterized 

 species. 



ft Stigmas 3. 



3. Carex pauciflora, Light/. Few-jlowered Sedge. 



Spike simple, few - flowered ; staminate flower mostly solitary; perigynium lanceolate- 

 subulate, terete, reflexed ; scales caducous. — Lightf. fl. Scot. 2. p. 543. t. 6. f. 2 ; Schk. 

 Car. t. A. f. 4 ; Schwein. Torr. I. c. p. 298 ; Beck, hot. p. 431 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 424. 

 C. leucoglochin, Finn. f. suppl. p. 413 ; Torr. Cyp. p. 404 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 10. p. 42. 



Culm triangular, 3-8 inches high, nearly smooth. Leaves mostly subradical, narrowly 

 linear, somewhat convolute. Spike of about 4 fertile flowers. Sterile flower solitary, with a 

 lanceolate scale. Perigynium large for the size of the plant, pale yellow, entire at the orifice, 

 about twice the length of the oblong-lanceolate scale. Stigmas 3. Achenium oblong-cylindrical. 



Sphagnous swamps, northern and western counties. 



4. Carex polytrichoides, Muhl. Bristle- stalked Sedge. 



Culm setaceous ; spike simple, oblong-linear, few-flowered ; perigynium oblong, alternate, 

 obtusely triangular, somewhat emarginate, entire at the apex, twice as long as the ovate scale. 

 —Muhl. in Willd. sp. 4. p. 213 ; Schk. Car. t. li'i.f. 138 ; Pursh, fl.l.p.29; Muhl. gram, 

 p. 230 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 9. p. 258 ; Schwein. Torr. I. c. p. 296 ; Beck, hot. p. 431 ; 

 Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 27; Torr. Cyp. p. 404 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 423. C. leptalea, Wahl. 

 act. Holm. 1803. p. 139. C. microstachya, Mich.fl. 2. p. 169. 



Culm 9-15 inches high, very slender, triquetrous. Leaves mostly subradical, setaceous, 

 shorter than the culm. Spike sterile at the summit ; the staminate flowers 4-7, with oblong 

 rather acute scales. Fertile flowers 3-8. Scales acute or obtuse. Perigynium smooth, 

 green, slightly nerved. 



Low grounds, and in woods : abundant. Fl. May. Fr. June. 



47* 



