j f f [ 2044 ]
C A R E X atrata.
Black Carex.
MONOECIA Triandria.
G en . C h a r . Male, Catkin imbricated. Cal. o f one
scale. Cor. none. Female, Catkin imbricated.
Cal. of one scale. Cor. none. Stigmas 2 or 3.
Seed clothed with a swelling tunic.
S p e c . C h a r . Stamens two or three. Sheaths scarcely
any. Spikes ovate, stalked, pendulous; the terminal
one male in the lower part. Fruit compressed.
Root fibrous.
Syn. Carex atrata. Linn. Sp. PI. 1386'. Sm. FI.
B? 'it. 987. Gooden. Tr. o f Linn. Soc. v. 2. 189.
Hulls. 409. With. 105. Hull. 208. Light/.
5 5 5 . Dicks. Dr. PI. 87. FI. Dan. t. 158.
Cyperoides alpinum pulchrum, foliis caryophyllseis,
spicis atris et tumentibus. Scheuchz. Agr. 481. t. I I .
/ • ! ,2 . _ _ _ _
Ct ATHEKED by Mr. G. Don on rocks in Breadalbane. Mr.
Lightfoot says it is frequent on the Highland mountains, and
Mr. Hudson on the Welch ones; but we have reason to think
they did not then distinguish all the species, so well explained
in the present Bishop of Carlisle's excellent paper, especially
his Lordship’s rigida and pulla.
C. atrata is, of course, perennial, flowering in June and
July. It is one of the larger and more conspicuous alpine
species, nor can it be overlooked. The root is fibrous, tufted,
hardly creeping. Stem erect, a foot and more in height, triangular,
striated, scarcely rough-edged, naked except the bottom.
Herbage of a bright grass green. Leaves broad, fiat,
rough-edged, shorter than the stem. Bracteas leafy, with auricles
rather than any sheaths. Spikes mostly 4, on smooth
stalks, ovate, thick and obtuse, soon pendulous, formed of
numerous ovate, acute, very dark scales. The terminal one
consists of several male flowers in its lower part, the upper
ones, as well as all the flowers of the other spikes, being
female, except that stamens are now and then found in the
Same flower with a pistil. The stamens are usually thought
to be 2, but Mr. Sowerby often finds 3. Stigmas always 3.
Fruit elliptical, broad, compressed, yellowish, smooth, ribless,
with a very short notched beak. Seed triangular, short,
brown.