* / t 580 ]
c A R E X acuta.
Slender-fp.ik.ed Car ex.
M 0 N CE C IA Triandria.
Gen. Char. Male, Catkin imbricated. Cal. o f 1 fcale.
Cor. none. Female, Catkin imbricated. Cal. of
1 fcale. Cor. inflated, permanent. Seed triangular,
inverted with the corolla.
S p e c . C h a r . Stigmas two. Spikes cylindrical, flen-
d e r ; the female ones drooping when in flower,
eredt in fruit. Corolla pointed, entire.
Syn. Carex acuta. Gooden. Tr. of Linn. Soc. v. 2,
203. With. 109. Linn. Sp. PI. 1388, a. FI. '
Suec. 334, ß . Hudf. 413, ß.
C. gracilis. Curt. Lord. fa ß . 4. t. 62. Relh. 357.
Sibth. 32.
Gramen cyperoides majus anguftifolium. Rail Syn.
417.
-C 'Q .U A L L Y common with the laft in fimilar fituations,
flowering in May, being according to Mr. Curtis’s obferva-
tions a week or two later than that. This is certainly what
Linnaeus intended for C. acuta in both editions of his Species
Plantarum, whatever he might at different periods erroneoufly
refer to it befides; we therefore agree with Dr. Goodenough
in retaining that name for it, without intending any difappro-
bation of Mr. Curtis’s denomination, for there is no end of
changing authentic printed names for the better.
The root creeps very far. The ftem in watery places is as
tall as C. riparia, but much fhorter in meadows, and in every
cafe much more flender (as well as the leaves), very fharply
triangular, rough on the edges; its fummit droops in a flowering
ftate, but foon becomes ere<ft. The leaves are of a fine
green. Spikes cylindrical, flender; the male 2 or 3, with
lanceolate bluntifh brown fcales marked with a green rib.
The upper female fpikes are often terminated by male flowers.
Scales of the female flowers linear, fharpifh. Stigmas only two,
white. Permanent corolla entire and clofed at the fummit.