Carex.~\ 
CVI. CYPERACEiE. 
499 
11. Carex Linn. Carex. Sedge. 
Spikelets several-flowered ; flowers imperfect, the two kinds 
in the same or in different spikelets. Glumes imbricated on 
all sides. — Barren fl. Stam. rarely 2. Fertile fl. Perigynium 
of one piece, urceolate, enclosing the pistil. Style 1 . Stigmas 
2 — 3. Achene compressed or triquetrous, very rarely (in C. 
viicroglochin ) with an hypogynous bristle, included within the 
persistent perigynium (which is therefore in this genus sup- 
posed to form the external part of the fruit'). — Name : supposed 
to be derived from gearr, Celtic, hence tcttpui in Greek, to cut 
or shear ; in allusion to its sharp-angled leaves and Stems. 1 
i. Spikelet solitary, terminal. Stigmas 2. 
* Dioecious. 
1. C. dioica L. (creeping separate-headed C .) ,• spikelet simple 
dioecious, fruit mostly ascending ovate shortly acuminate rough 
at the margin upwards, leaves and terete stem slightly scabrous, 
rhizome creeping. E. B. t. 543. 
Spongy bogs. 2/.. 5,6. — About 6 inches high. 
2. C. * Davallidna Sm. (prickly separate-headed C.) ; spikelet 
simple dioecious, fruit ovate much acuminate recurvato-deflexed 
rough at the margin upwards, leaves and slightly angled stem 
more or less scabrous, root tufted. E. B. t. 2123. 
Lansdown, near Bath ; now lost hy drainage. Kincardineshire. 
H-. 6. — Stem 6 — 12 inches high. In Swiss specimens the stem 
towards the apex is more angled than in the last species, but fre- 
quently not more scabrous. In both the achene is obovate, tipped 
with the persistent base of the style, compressed. The claim of this 
species to be considered a native has been deemed doubtful by many, 
it being supposed that C. dioica has been mistaken for it. This is 
probable, but equally so that it has been passed over for C. dioica, 
if indeed the two species be truly distinct. In the late Mr. Brodie’s 
1 In this difficult genus, the species with glabrous fruit and terminal barren 
spikelets require to be entirely rearranged, many of them not strictly agreeing with 
the characters of the sections to which they are referred. Thus, some of those 
placed in the section with single barren spikelets have occasionally as many as 3, 
and a few of those of the section with 2 or more such spikelets exhibit frequently 
only one. The length of the fertile spikelets is also uncertain ; and their being 
stalked or sessile, erect or drooping (even although we refer only to the lowermost 
one), are characters equally subject to variation in the same species. The pu- 
bescence of the fruit is not always to be lelied on. The number of the stigmas is 
generally constant, but occasionally we have seen only two in species which are 
described as having always thrpe. The form of the achene varies considerably in 
the same species, but usually within certain limits ; its surface, as to the marking, 
appears to us to lie almost the same in every British species, being minutely and 
closely dotted with impressed points, afterwards, when ripe, almost quite smooth, 
and never rough with raised points or papillae. Some valuable remarks on several 
of the species and their arrangement, have been made by Mr. John M' I.aren iu 
the Botanical Gazette, voL iii. p. 17. 
