Vb [ 629 J
C A R E X divulfa.
Grey Carex.
M O N CE C IA Triandria.
Gen. Char. Male, Catkin imbricated. Cal. of one
fcale. Cor. none. Female, Catkin imbricated.
Cal. of one fcale. Cor. inflated, permanent.
Seed triangular, invefted with the corolla.
Spec. Char. Spike twice compounded, elongated,
often branching at the bafe ; the lower fpikelets
remote j the uppermoft cluttered. Seeds nearly
eredt.
Syn. Carex divulfa. Gooden. Tr. Linn. Soc. v. 2. 160.
With. 93. Hull. 205. Sibth. 28. Abbot. 203.
C. canefcens. Hudf. 405. Relh. 331.
Gramen cyperoides fpicatum minus, fpica longa
divulta feu interrupta. Raii Syn. 424.
Cj AREX divulfa, like moft of its family, grows in moitl
places, and more particularly in fhady fituationsj hence its
pale greyith-green hue, which has given rife to the Englifli
name. The fpecimen here delineated was found by the late
Mr. Rayer, between Rochefter and Gravefend, flowering in
May. It is not one of the moft common kinds.
The root is perennial, fibrous, not creeping. Stem a foot
or more in height, weak, and partly reclining, triangular, with
lharp rough angles. Leaves feveral, fheathing, rough, taller
than the Bern, with white membranous lacerated theaths and
ftipulae. Spike eredt, elongated, interrupted, often branched
at the bottom. Spikelets alternate, bra&eated, nearly fefiile,
upright, ovate 5 the lower ones remote; the upper clofe together.
The lower flowers in every fpikelet are female, the
upper male. Scales of a rufty brown, with a green keel and
white edge, fharply pointed. Antherae very acute. Style-
fhort, thick, with two long downy ftigmas.
This had long been taken for the C. canefcens of Linnaeus,
till the arrival of his herbarium in England thewed them to
be very different. The defeription of Ray leaves no doubt of
its being his plant above quoted, but Dillenius in the third
edition of the Synopjis having added a wrong reference to
Loefel, his error has been laid to the charge of Ray, as in
many other inftances.