20. Carex Leavenworthii Dewey. Leavenworth's Sedge

Fig. 887

Carex Leavenworthii Dewey, Am. Jour. Sci. (II.) 2: 246. 1846.

C. cephalophora var. angustifolia Boott, 111. 123. 1862.

Similar to the preceding species but smaller, culms very slender or almost filiform, erect or spreading, roughish above, 6'-20' tall. Leaves much narrower, 1/2"-\\" wide, mostly shorter than the culm; bracts of the lower spikes short and bristle-form or wanting; spikes 4-7, androgynous, only the lower distinguishable, densely crowded in a short oblong head 4"-7 1/2" long, similar to that of C. cephalophora but usually smaller; perigynia orbicular-ovate, broadest near base, 1"-1 1/4" long and 5/8"-7/8" wide, narrowed into a 2-toothed beak, one-fourth length of body; scales ovate, acute or short-cuspidate, much shorter and narrower than the perigynia; stigmas 2.

In meadows, Ontario to. District of Columbia, Iowa, Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. May-June.

21. Carex Gravida Bailey. Heavy Sedge

Fig. 888

Carex gravida Bailey, Mem. Torr. Club 1: 5. 1889.

Light green, culms slender, 1 1/2°-3° tall, sharply 3-angled, erect, rough above. Leaves flat, 1 1/2"-7" wide, equalling or shorter than the culm; sheaths loose, conspicuously septate-nodulose, as are lower part of blades, the whitish part membranous, little if at all transversely rugulose; ligule prominent; bracts inconspicuous; spikes androgynous, several, in an oblong or ovoid-oblong dense head 3/4'-1 1/2' long, pale, subglobose; perigynia flattened, spreading, dull green or light brownish-tinged, broadly ovate or suborbicular, 1 1/2"-2" long, 1"-ii" wide, rounded at the base, narrowed into a 2-toothed beak, scarcely one-third as long as the body, several-nerved on the outer face or nerveless; scales ovate-lanceolate, dull green or brownish-tinged, acute to short-awned, about as long as the perigynia; achenes with suborbicular face, 1" wide; stigmas 2.

Ohio to North Dakota, south to Kentucky, Missouri and Indian Territory. May-July.

22. Carex Cephaloidea Dewey. Thin-Leaved Sedge

Fig. 889

Carex muricata var. cephaloidea Dewey, Am. Jour. Sci.

11: 308. 1826. Carex cephaloidea Dewey, Rep. PI. Mass. 262. 1849.

Dark green, with green and white mottled sheaths; culms slender or stoutish, erect but not stiff, very rough above, 2°-3° tall. Leaves flat, 2"-4" wide, thin and lax, somewhat shorter than the culm, the lower part septate-nodulose as are the loose membranous occasionally transversely rugulose sheaths; bracts usually not developed; spikes 4-8, androgynous, subglobose, aggregated in an oblong cluster 9'-20" long; perigynia ovate or ovate-lanceolate, deep green, nearly 2" long, 1" wide, ascending, sharp-edged, nerveless or faintly few-nerved, tapering into a rough 2-toothed beak about half as long as the body; scale ovate, membranous, short-cuspidate or awned, about one-half as long as body of the perigynium; stigmas 2.

Woods and thickets, New Brunswick to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Local. May-July.