t io 99 ]
C A R E X prascox.
Vernal Car ex.
MONOECIA Triandria.
Gen. Char. Male, Catkin imbricated. Cal. of i
fcale. Cor. none. Female, Catkin imbricated
Cal. of one fcale. Cor. none. Stigmas 2 or 3.
Seed clothed with a fwelling tunic.
Spec. Char. Sheaths fhort, nearly equal to the
flower-ftalk. Spikes ovate, rather cluttered.
Glumes tipped with a fmall point. Fruit roundith,
downyj
Syn. Carex prascox. Sm. FI. Brit. 994. Gooden.
Tr. of Linn. Soc. •o. 2. 170. With. 97. Hull. 20 6.
Relh. 367. Sibth. 29. A llo t . 265.
C. faxatilis. Hudf. 408.
Gramen cyperoides vernum minimum. Raii Syn. 421.
D r y paftures, heaths, and expofed fituations abound with
this Carex, which is rendered confpicuous in the fpring by
its numerous tufted yellow antherse. It is the earlidt of its
genus, in this country as well as iq Germany. The name of
frescox was fir ft given, we believe, by the celebrated Profeffor
Schreber, for Linnaeus never determined this fpecies, and
our Britilh botanifts erroneouflv confidered it as either the
faxatilis or montana of the illuftrious Swede.
Its perennial root creeps, and branches out into feveral leafy
tufts. The ftem afcends obliquely to the height of from 3 to
6 inches, and is firm, triangular, fmooth and naked. Leaves
radical, fhort, rigid, acute, recurved, roughifh, efpecially at the
edges. Bra&eae eredt, often wanting; their {heaths fhort,
dilated upwards. Male fpike obovate, and rather obtufe,
efpecially when the antherae are not expanded. Glumes
elliptical or ovate, thofe of the female florets more particularly
pointed. Female fpikes about two, ereft, near together, on
fhortilh ftalks. Fruit roundifh, or fomewhat pear-fhaped,
downy, green tipped with brown, fcarcely fo long as the
glumes. Stigmas three. Seed whitilh, triangular.