RETORT OF THE STATE BOTANI8T 



133 



a setaceous or filiform bract 2>"-2V long; perigynia ovate-acumi- 

 nate or lanceolate, with a thick, spongy base, nerveless, tapering 

 into a smooth-margined bifid beak, a little longer than the ovate 

 obtuse or pointed brown scale, refiexed at maturity ; achenium 

 broadly ovate, apiculate. 



Separated from the last by its more rigid culms, its more aggre- 

 gate spikelets, and by its smooth-beaked fruit. 



Open woods and fields. Infrequent. June. It occurs chiefly 

 in the southern central and western parts of the State. It is rare 

 or wanting in the northern and eastern parts. 



Spikelets pistillate above, staminate at the base. 



Leaves mostly narrow, soft and spreading, shorter than the 

 culm; spikelets 3-8, approximate or more or less distant, 

 (capitate in 15), silvery-green ; perigynia plano-convex, ovate, 

 somewhat coriaceous or thickened at the base, turning silvery or 

 brownish when mature ; bracts scale-like or bristleform. 



Spikelets commoDly 10-30-flowered or more ... canescens. 



Spikelets commonly 2-5 flowered 1 



1 Spikelets aggregated in a dense head tenuiilora. 



1 Spikelets not aggregated 2 



2 Leaves less than 1" wide trisperma. 



2 Leaves more than 1" wide Deweyana. 



14. Carex trisperma Dew. 



Stems l°-2° high, very slender, spreading, sometimes prostrate, 

 smooth ; leaves shorter than the culm, about \" wide, smooth 

 except the margins, flat, soft and thin ; spikelets 2-3, the 2 upper 

 i'-V apart or all 1-2^' distant, the lower with filiform bracts 

 $ '-2J' long, the highest sometimes with a setaceous bract 3"-5 tf in 

 length, 2-i flowered ; perigynia oblong-ovate, prominently finely 

 nerved on both sides, thick or coriaceous, suberect, terminating 

 in a short entire beak ; scale oblong-ovate, pointed or obtusish, 

 usually shorter than the perigynium, achenium elliptical, the base 

 tapering. 



Swamps and wet places. Common. June, July. 

 A form is sometimes found in sphagnous swamps with almost 

 filiform leaves. 



