Carex. 



CYPERACE.E. 



385 



34. Carex virescens, Muhl. Green-spiked Pubescent Sedge. 



Spikes mostly 3, oblong or oblong-cylindrical, approximated, erect, all on short peduncles, 

 terminal one staminate at the base , the others fertile, with subulate or foliaceous bracts at 

 the base ; perigynium triangular-ovoid, obtuse, strongly nerved, roughly pubescent, rather 

 longer than the ovate mucronale scale ; leaves and sheaths pubescent. — Muhl. in Willd. sp. 

 4. p. 251 ; Schk. Car. t. Mmm. /. 147 ; Muhl. gram. p. 233 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 9. p. 259 ; 

 Schwein. <§• Torr. Car. I. c. p. 321 (and var. costata) ; Beck, bot. p. 436 ; Darlingt.Jl. Cest. 

 p. 32 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 429. C. costata, Schwein. an. tab. I. c. p. 67. 



Culm 1-2 feet high, slender, erect or reclining, leafy, triquetrous, rough above. Leaves 

 about 2 lines wide, pale green. Spikes sometimes 4 or only 2, half an inch to three fourths 

 of an inch long ; the terminal one with a few staminate flowers at the base. Fertile scales 

 whitish, with a green keel. Perigynium green, flattened on the inside, tumid and obtusely 

 angular in front, marked with several strong nerves or ribs, roughly pubescent, nearly entire 

 at the orifice. Achenium obovate-triquetrous, crowned with the continuous style. 



Woods and hill-sides. Fl. May. Fr. June. C. costata, Schwein., is only a luxuriant 

 6tate of this species, and can hardly be considered as even a variety. 



35. Carex gracillima, Schwein. Slender Nodding Sedge. 



Spikes usually 4, linear, slender, rather loosely flowered, distant, on filiform nodding 

 peduncles , the uppermost one androgynous, staminate below , the others all fertile ; peri- 

 gynium oblong, triangular, obtuse, smooth, entire, longer than the oblong mucronate scale. — 

 Schwein. an. tab. I. c.p. 66 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 8. p. 98. I. J.f. 28 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 33 ; 

 Kunth, enum. 2. p. 454. C. digitalis, Schwein. Torr. Car. I. c. p. 324. t. 27. /. 1 (not 

 of Willd.) ; Beck, bot. p. 436. 



Culm 12-18 inches high, triquetrous, nearly smooth, leafy. Leaves about 2 lines long. 

 Spikes 1 — 14 inch long ; the lowest one with a leafy bract at the base of the peduncle ; the 

 two next with subulate bracts : terminal one about one half staminate. Sterile scales linear- 

 lanceolate, scarcely mucronate : fertile scales about one half the length of the perigynia, 

 whitish, wi'h a green keel, distinctly mucronate. Perigynium green, inconspicuously nerved, 

 membranaceous ; the orifice slightly oblique. Achenium oblong- obovate, triquetrous ; the 

 persistent style continuous. 



Moist meadows : common. Fl. June. Fr. July. A graceful species. 



36. Carex Formosa, Dew. Shoivy Sedge. 



Spikes mostly 4, oblong, distant, on nodding peduncles, the uppermost staminate below, 

 the others all fertile ; perigynium oblong, smooth, triangular, somewhat inflated, rather acute 

 at each end, slightly 2-toothed at the apex, twice as long as the ovate acute scale. — Dew. 

 Car. I. c. 8. p. 98. t. B. /. 6 ; Schw. $ Torr. Car. I. c. p. 325 ; Beck, bot. p. 436 ; Torr. 

 Cyp. p. 409 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 430. 



[Flora— Vol. 2.] 49 



