Carex.]
CYPERACEÆ.
807
| Stout or slender, 6–18 in. Leaves flat, grassy. Spikelets 4–6, brownish-green, compacted into a lobed spike ¾–1 in. long. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, winged, narrowed into a long beak | 17. C. leporina. |
| Section III. Spikelets distinct, usually stalked, unisexual; the male spikelets constantly uppermost, rarely mixed with female flowers; the lower spikelets all female or with a few male flowers at the base or apex. | |
| * Styles 2. Nut lenticular or biconvex, not trigonous. | |
| † Female spikelets with the male flowers (when present) at the top of the spikelet, very rarely below. Utricles much compressed, conspicuously nerved; beak very short, with an entire or very minutely 2-toothed mouth. | |
| Culms 3–14 in. Spikelets 3–5, ¼–¾ in. long, sessile or the lowest very shortly stalked. Glumes obtuse. Utricles minutely granular-papillose | 18. C. Gaudichaudiana |
| Culms 1–2 ft. Spikelets 4–8, 1–3 in. long, the lower ones stalked. Glumes mucronate or even aristate | 19. C. subdola. |
| Culms tall, stout or slender, 1–4 ft. Basal leaf-sheaths transversely fibrillose. Spikelets 8–24, 1–4 in. long, geminate or ternate or quinate, long-stalked and pendulous. Glumes aristate | 20. C. ternaria. |
| Culms slender, 6–18 in. Basal leaf-sheaths not transversely fibrillose. Spikelets 4–6, ½–1½ in. long, solitary or the upper geminate. Glumes scarcely mucronate. Utricle not granular-papillose | 21. C. Sinclairii. |
| †† Female spikelets with the male flowers (when present) at the base of the spikelet, very rarely at the top. Utricle plano-convex or unequally biconvex, beak obviously 2-toothed. | |
| a. Terminal spikelet always mixed with female flowers. | |
| Culms laxly tufted, 9–18 in. Leaves broad, ⅙–¼ in. Spikelets 4–8, stout. Utricles elliptic, sharply serrate above | 22. C. Raoulii. |
| b. Terminal spikelet very rarely mixed with female flowers. | |
| Culms slender, 1–2 ft. Spikelets 4–7, ½–1 in. long. Glumes orbicular-ovate, obtuse. Utricles densely packed, spreading when ripe, unequally biconvex; margins smooth | 23. C. dipsacea. |
| Culms filiform, 6–18 in., often elongating and prostrate in fruit. Spikelets 3–5, ½–1 in. long, approximate. Utricles plano-convex or nearly so, obscurely nerved; margins serrate above | 24. C. testacea. |
| Culms rather stout, 4–8 in., much overtopped by the leaves. Spikelets 3–6, closely approximate, ⅓–1 in. long. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, strongly nerved, unequally biconvex; margins usually smooth | 25. C. Wakatipu. |
| Culms laxly tufted, 6–18 in. Leaves short. Spikelets 2–4, male very stout, clavate. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex, strongly nerved, purplish-black | 26. C. devia. |
| Culms very slender, 6–18 in., often elongating in fruit. Leaves long, flat, keeled. Spikelets 4–8, ½–2 in. long, narrow; male slender. Utricles narrow-elliptic, turgid, obscurely nerved; margins smooth | 27. C. lucida. |
