566 
CXII. CYPEKACEiE 
perennial herb ; stems 2-10 in., erect. Leaves shorter than the 
stem, very narrow, all basal. Glumes §- in., in a single terminal, 
very slender spike, |-1^ in. long ; upper ones containing male 
flowers, the lower a spikelet of one female and one male or a 
female only. Bristles none. Stamens 1-3. Style 3-branched. Nut 
narrowly oblong, partially enclosed in the persistent glume ; beak 
long, protruding, often ultimately recurved. 
Fagoo. — N.W. Himalaya, 8000-10,000 ft. 
12. CAREX. From the Greek keiro, to cut ; the leaves of 
many species having sharp, saw-like edges. — A genus of about 
1,400 species inhabiting nearly all regions. 
Herbs, mostly perennial, usually glabrous except the utricles ; 
stems tufted, erect or nearly so, more or less angular. Leaves 
usually crowded at the base of the stem. Bracts long or short. 
Spikelets short, usually several combined in a terminal spike, if in 
more than one spike the lower ones stalked and often distant 
forming an interrupted spike or sometimes a loose or dense 
panicle ; both spikelets and spikes may consist wholly of male or 
wholly of female flowers or partially of both. Glumes imbricate 
all round the axis, the mid-rib frequently projecting as a bristle- 
like point. Flowers 1-sexual, male and female always in separate 
glumes. Male flowers : stamens 3, rarely fewer. Female flowers : 
ovary enclosed in a bag-like bract or utricle with an opening in its 
contracted top through which the 2- or 3-branched style protrudes. 
Nut flattened or 3-sided, enclosed within the persistent utricle. 
Style 2-branched. Nut flattened. 
Spikes ovoid, | in. long, sessile. 
Utricle winged on the upper half .... 
Utricle not winged. 
Nerves of utricle many, prominent 
Nerves of utricle none or few and obscure . 
Spikes linear, 1 -2 in. long, stalked. 
Beak of utricle much shorter than the body. Glume 
ovate ......... 
Beak of utricle about as long as the body. Glume 
lanceolate, long-pointed . . . . . 
Style 3-branched. Nut 3-sided. 
Spikes numerous, in a large panicle, the uppermost 
ones male at the top. 
Spikes oblong, crowded ...... 
Spikes linear, distant 
Spikes 2-8. 
Uppermost spike female at the top, male at the 
base, rarely wholly male .... 
Uppermost spike wholly male. 
Leaves linear. 
Margins of female glumes brown or chestnut. 
Mid-rib of glume prolonged. 
Tip of glume acute . 
Tip of glume notched or truncate 
5. C. Bochebruni. 
1. C. nubigena. 
2. C.foliosa. 
3. C. brunnea. 
4. C. longicruris. 
6. C. condensata. 
7. C. meiogyna. 
8. C. psycrophila. 
9. C. setigera. 
. 11. C. carcliolepis. 
