102. C. crus-córvi, Shuttlew. Stout, glaucous, 2–3° high; culm rough, at least above; leaves flat and very wide; head much branched and compound, 3–6´ long; perigynium long lanceolate, the short base very thick and disk-like, the roughish and very slender beak thrice the length of the body or more, 3–4 times the length of the inconspicuous scale.—Swamps, S. Minn. to Neb. and Ky., and southward; rare northward.
[*] 11.—[+] 3. Multiflòræ.
[++] Spikes conspicuously panicled.
103. C. decompósita, Muhl. Stout, exceedingly deep green, 1½–3° high, in stools; culm very obtusely angled, almost terete below; leaves firm, channelled below, longer than the culm; head 2–4´ long, the lower branches ascending and 1–2´ long; perigynium very small, round-obovate, few-nerved, hard and at maturity shining, the abrupt short beak entire or very nearly so; scale acute, about the length of the perigynium.—Swamps, N. Y. to Mich., and southward; local.
[++][++] Spikes in a simple or nearly simple head.
[=] Leaves very narrow (1´´ broad or less), becoming more or less involute.
104. C. teretiúscula, Gooden. Slender but mostly erect, 1½–2½° high, in loose stools; culm rather obtuse, rough at the top, mostly longer than the leaves; head 1–2´ long, compact or somewhat interrupted, narrow ({1/4}´ wide or less); perigynium very small, ovate and truncate below, bearing a few inconspicuous short nerves on the outer side, stipitate, firm and at maturity blackish and shining, the short beak lighter colored; scale chaffy and acute, about the length of the perigynium.—Swales, N. Eng. to Penn., and westward; common. (Eu.)—Var. ramòsa, Boott. More slender; head mostly longer, the upper portion often somewhat nodding, the spikes scattered and the lowest ones often slightly compound. N. Y., and westward; common.
[=][=] Leaves broader and flat (occasionally involute in n. 106).
a. Scales very sharp, mostly rough-tipped.
1. Perigynium large (2´´ long or more), nerveless on the inner face.