C AREX. 



CYPERACE.E. 



409 



84. Carex plantaginea, Lam. Plantain-leaved Sedge. 



Sterile spike solitary, pedunculate (dark purplish brown); fertile 3-4, on exserted or 

 included peduncles which arise from leafless (mostly colored) sheaths, loosely flowered; 

 perigynium ovoid-elliptical, acute at each end, triquetrous, smooth, striate, the point somewhat 

 recurved, entire, longer than the ovate cuspidate scale. — Lam. enc. 3. p. 398; Michx. fl. 2. 

 p. 173 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 42 ; Dew. Car. I. c. 7. p. 273, 11. p. 155, and 19. t. N. /. 46 ; 

 Schwein. § Torr. Car. 1. c. p. 342 ; Kunth, enum. 2. p. 452. C. latifolia, Schk. Car. 1. 

 p. 104. t. U. /. 70 ? ; Wahl. in act. Holm. 1803. p. 156. 



Culm 8-20 inches high, smooth, triquetrous. Leaves all radical, deep green, shorter than 

 the culm, from half an inch to an inch broad, with three of the nerves usually much stronger 

 than the others, smooth and flat. Sheaths leafless, generally of a dark purple color, but some- 

 times green, in the young state almost concealing the culm, each terminating in a short cusp. 

 Sterile spike oblong, elevated on a peduncle which is an inch or more in length. Scales ovate- 

 lanceolate, rather obtuse. Fertile spikes mostly 4, sometimes 5, oblong, few- (3 -8-) flowered: 

 peduncles of the upper ones nearly enclosed ; of the lowest, exserted. Scales varying from 

 one half to the entire length of the perigynium, purplish brown with a green keel. Perigynium 

 about 2i lines long, green ; the orifice entire and open. Achenium obovoid, triquetrous, 

 smooth. Style continuous. 



Shady rocky ravines, in good soil : rare. Fl. April - May. Fr. End of May. A well 

 characterized species, being easily distinguished by its leafless sheaths ; but the broad-leaved 

 form of C. anceps is often mistaken for it. 



85. Carex Careyana, Torr. (Plate CXLV.) Carey's Sedge. 



Sterile spike solitary, oblong ; fertile 2-3, oblong, few-flowered, loose , the uppermost 

 close to the sterile spike, lower ones distant, on exserted peduncles ; perigynium ovoid, acu- 

 minate, the point nearly straight, triquetrous, smooth, nerved, attenuated at the base, entire 

 at the orifice, nearly twice as long as the ovate mucronate scale. — Dew. Car. I. c. 30. p. 60. 

 t. Bb. /. 88 ; Torr. Cyp. p. 415 ; Kunze, sappl. t. 27. 



Culm 15-18 inches high, erect, triquetrous, smooth, somewhat leafy. Radical leaves 

 4-7 lines wide, dark green, strongly nerved : leaves of the culm narrower and much shorter. 

 Sterile spike about half an inch long, nearly sessile or (when the uppermost spike is abortive) 

 elevated on a peduncle : scales light chestnut-color, oblong, obtuse. Fertile spikes half an 

 inch in length, 4 - 8-flowered, and rather distant on the rachis ; upper one with the peduncle 

 either included or exserted. Scales pale reddish brown, with a green keel. Perigynium nearly 

 2\ lines long, acute at each end ; the point nearly straight. Achenium oval, triquetrous, light 

 brown. Style slightly articulated near the base. 



Shady dry woods, Auburn ( /. Carey, Esq.). Fl. Early in May. Nearly allied to C. 

 plantaginea, and also approaching C. digitalis. This handsome species has been found also 

 in Ohio, by W. S. Sullivant, Esq. 



[Flora — Vol. 2.] 52 



