86. C. vària, Muhl. Erect, mostly strict, 6–15´ high, tufted and somewhat stoloniferous; culms variable in length, often twice longer than the leaves; staminate spike 3´´ long or less; pistillate spikes closely aggregated, or rarely somewhat loosely disposed but never scattered, all strictly sessile, green; radical spikes none; lower bract usually present; perigynium longer-pointed than in the last, about the length of the sharp scale. (C. Emmonsii, Dewey.)—Banks and dry woods; frequent.—In var. coloràta, Bailey, the scales are purple. Mostly southward.
[=][=] Staminate spike very prominent (or in the variety of n. 89 very small, but the leaves broad); radical spikes none.
a. Scales smooth.
87. C. Nòvæ-Ángliæ, Schwein. Very slender and soft, erect, stoloniferous, 6–8´ high; culms little longer than the very narrow leaves; staminate spike exceedingly narrow (3–8´´ long by about ½´´ wide), mostly minutely peduncled; pistillate spikes 2, or rarely 3, the upper one near the base of the staminate spike, the lower very short-peduncled and removed ½–1´ and subtended by a leafy bract which nearly or quite equals the culm, both rather loosely 3–6-flowered; perigynium very narrow, often nearly oblanceolate, small, very thinly hairy, the beak sharp and prominent; stigmas often 2.—Mountain swamps of W. Mass., and Mt. Desert, Maine (Rand); rare.
88. C. Pennsylvánica, Lam. A foot high or less, erect, strongly stoloniferous, forming large patches; leaves narrow and more or less involute, dark or dull green, mostly nearly as long as the culm; staminate spike ½´ (rarely ¾´) long, usually dull brown or brown-purple, sessile or very nearly so; pistillate spikes 1–3, contiguous or the two lower rarely ½´ apart, all sessile and usually dark-colored, the lowest bract very short or at least rarely prominent; perigynium short- or round-ovate, hairy.—Dry fields; our commonest species.
89. C. commùnis, Bailey. Habitually taller and stricter, 8–18´ high, in small tufts, never stoloniferous; leaves proportionately shorter, broad (about 2´´), flat and pale; staminate spike mostly longer, often short-peduncled and usually paler; pistillate spikes 2–4, scattered on the upper part of the culm, green or tawny, the lowest one or two sometimes peduncled and often with prominent leafy bracts. (C. varia, last ed.)—Dry hill-sides; common.
Var. Wheèleri, Bailey. Mostly greener, 3–14´ high; leaves soft and flat and much shorter than the culm; staminate spike ¼´ long or less, very narrow, sessile and oblique; pistillate spikes mostly closer together.—Knolls in woods, Ionia Co., Mich. (Wheeler), and Alcona Co. (Bailey); Middletown, Conn. (Barratt), and Cheshire Co., N. H. It has much the aspect of n. 86, but is readily distinguished by the broad leaves and more scattered spikes.
b. Scales rough-cuspidate.
C. præ̀cox, Jacq. Rather stiff, the culm sometimes curved, 3–10´ high; leaves flat, shorter than the culm; staminate spike prominently clavate, mostly sessile; pistillate spikes 2–3, all contiguous, sessile or the lowest very short-peduncled and subtended by a bract scarcely as long as itself, all oblong or short-cylindric, the lowest about 6´´ long; perigynium triangular-obovoid, the very short beak entire or erose, thinly hispid-hirsute, about the length of the scale.—Fields, E. Mass. (Nat. from Eu. early in the century.)
[++][++] Part or usually all of the culms much shorter than the leaves.