CAREX PULICARIS. FLEA CAREX.
CAREX pulicaris ; spica simplici androgyna pauciflora, fructibus distantibus oblongo-lanceolatis acu-
minatis rectis reflexis, stigmatibus duobus.
CAREX pulicaris. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1380. Gooden, in Tr. o f Linn. Soc. ml. 2. p. 142. Huds. Angl.
p. 402. Lightf. Scot. p. 5 4 3 .' With. Bot. Arr. ed. 4. ml. 2. p. 86. FL Dan. 1 . 166. Boffin.
Germ. ed. 2. ml. 1. A II. p. 189. Willd. Sp. PI. ml. 4. p. 213. Smith FI. Brit. p. 965.
Engl. Bot. t. 1051. Decand. FI. Fr. ed. 3. ml. 3. p. 101. FI. Gall. Syn. p. 139. Host
Gram. Austr. ml. 4. p. 75. Pers. Syn. PI. ml. 2. p. 535. Ait. Hort. Kew. ed. 2. ml. 5.
p. 238. Hook. FI. Scot. P . I. p. 261.
GRAMEN cyperoides minimum, seminis deorsum reflexis puliciformibus. Flea-grass. RaiiSyn.p. 424.
Dan. Loppestcer. Dut. Vloozadige cyperbies. Fr. Laiche pulicaire. Germ. Flohried. Span. Carex de Semillä
comopulga. Swed. Loppstarr. Welsh. Chwain Hesgen.
Class a n d Or d e r . MONOECIA TRIANDRIA.
[N a tu r a l O r d e r . CYPERACEÆ, Juts., Decand., Brown, Hook.] -
G e n . Ch a r . .F/ominamentoimbricatodispositi.—Masc. Cal. Gluma univalvis. Cor. nulla.— Foem. Cal. Gluma
univalvis. Cor. monophylla, urceolata, ventricosa. Stigmata duo vel tria. N u x triquetra, corolla persistente
tecta.
G e n . C h a r . Flowers arranged in an imbricated catkin.—Ma l e . Cal. Glume one-valved. Cor. none.—
Foem. Cal. Glume one-valved. Cor. monophyllous, urceolate, ventricose. Stigmas two or three. N u t triquetrous,
covered by the »persistent corolla.
Ra d ix perennis, subrepens, fibrosa ; fibris ramosis,
-fuscis.
Cu lmi nunc solitarii, nunc plures ex eadem radice,
teretes, graciles, glabri, inferne ' foliosi, floriferi
palmares, fructiferi spithamæi e t ultra.
Folia culmo plerumque breviora, capillaria, canalicu-
lata, glabra, vel minutim scabriuscula, basi va-
ginata.
SPICA solitaria, terminalis, androgyna, superne mascula,
gracilis, interne fceminea, pauciflora: Masc.
Squamæ ovato-oblongæ, fuscæ, dorso linea viridi
notatæ ; Stamina tria (2 Host.): Föem. Squamæ
oblorigo-ovatæ, fuscæ, dorso linea viridi, margine
membranaceo, scarioso; Germen oblongo-acumi-
natum ; Stylus exsertus ; Stigmata duo, pubes-
centia.
Fructus oblongo-lanceolatus, glaber, basi apiceque
præcipue attenuatus, intense fuscus, dorso con-
vexus, facie planus, primum erectus, demum re-
flexus : Semen ellipticum, stylo terminatum.
Root perennial, somewhat creeping, fibrous; the fibres
v branched and brown.
Culms sometimes springing singly, sometimes several
together, from the same root, rounded, slender,
glabrous, leafy below, the flowering ones'about
four, the fructiferous ones o f 8 inches and more
in height.
Leaves generally shorter than the culm, capillary/'
channelled, glabrous, o f minutely scabrous,
sheathing at the base.
S p ik e solitary, terminal, androgynous, above male-
flowered and slender, beneath bearing a few female
flowers: Male Scales ovato-oblong, brown,
marked on the back with a green line; Stamens
three (2 Host.): Female Scales oblongo-ovate,
brown, having a green line on the back, their
margin membranaceous, scariose; Germen ob-
longo-acuminate; Style exserted; Stigmas two,
downy.
Fr u it oblongo-lanceolate, glabrous, chiefly attenuated
at the base and apex, of an intense brown, convex
on the back, plane on the face, first erect,
afterwards reflexed: Seed elliptical, terminated
by the style.
Fig. ]. Male, and fig . 2. Female flower. Fig. 3. Fruit. Fig. 4. Seed.—A ll more or less magnified.
There are but two British species of single-spiked androgynous Carices, the present one and the C. pauciflora ;
the latter being distinguished by its much narrower and pale yellowish fruit with three stigmas.
The name pulicaris is here most aptly applied, the fruit when ripe hanging downwards, having much the same
appearance as if many of those active little creatures which givq rise to the appellation had alighted and settled
upon the stalk. • . . , _ .
This is one of the species of Carex which is of most frequent occurrence; it being found abundantly m wet
and marshy situations throughout Great Britain.
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