SEDGES, 
99 
26. SEDGE (Carex sp.). 
Sedges of many kinds are abundant in New Zealand, so 
that it is a difficult matter to specify to the inexperienced 
observer exactly what kind is intended. 
The description 
given is that of one of the commoner species of Carex—e.g., 
C. forstert. 
* The plant is commonly mistaken for a erass, but may 
be readily distinguished by the following conspicuous cha- 
racters: In grasses the stem, which in all these plants is 
called a culm,} is usually round 
and hollow except at the joints ; 
the sheaths of the leaves are split 
to the base; while at the junction 
of the blade and its sheath there is 
usually a membranous scale or stipule 
called the ligule.} In sedges, on the 
other hand, the culm is usually 3- 
angled, and is solid throughout; the 
leaf-sheaths are not split, but are 
continuous round the culm; while, 
lastly, there is no trace of a ligule. 
These characteristics are generally 
sufficient in themselves to enable a 
collector at once to decide whether 
a grass-like plant is a true grass or 
a sedge. The floral and fruit cha- 
racters are, further, quite distinct. 
The inflorescence of a Carex con- 
sists of two kinds of flowers, ¢ and 
?, arranged in spikes, commonly, 
however, termed spikelets— which 
are usually borne on one culm. In 
C. forstert there are generally about 
© or 6 of these spikelets, the upper 
one or two consisting of g flowers 
only, those below of 9? flowers, 
with 3 flowers at their upper or 
lower extremities. The plants are 
thus monecious. Each flower is 
placed in the axil of a small dry 
scale-like bract called a glume,§ 
which in most cases has a strong 
Fig. 197. Flowering branch 
of Carex lucida. 
Sn ee ae ee Oe ee Oe a ee 
“The species figured (for convenience of size) is C. lucida. 
In 
C. forsteri the spikelets are from Qin. to 4in, long. 
t Lat. culmus, a stalk, 
t Lat. ligula, a strap or thong. 
§ Lat. glwma, the husk of corn. a 
