Carex
(from keiro, to cut; the leaves of many species have their margins minutely serrated, which cause them to cut the hand if drawn rapidly along them). Sedge. ORD. Cyperaceae. A very large genus of perennial grass-like herbaceous plants, of which upwards of sixty are natives of this country. Inflorescence paniculate, irregularly clustered, spicate or racemose. Stems usually leafy. They are of the easiest possible culture in ordinary garden soil. Propagated by seeds, or by divisions. By far the greater number of this genus possess no horticultural beauty whatever, and are only suitable for naturalising near lakes, &c. Some are grown in pots for table decoration, and make beautiful plants for that purpose.
C. baccans (berried). Inflorescence paniculate. Ripe perigynia varying from coral red to iustrous purple. h. 2ft. to 4ft. A noble species, from Tropical and Sub-tropical Himalaya.
C. Grayi (Gray's). fl., fertile spikes two, or rarely one, consisting of fifteen to thirty flowers, forming globose heads, the ripe perigynia projecting in all directions. July. h. 3ft. North America, 1879.
C. intumescens (swollen). fl., spikes usually five to eight-flowered; ripe perigynia projecting outwards and upwards. June. h. 1 1/2ft. North America.
C. paludosa (marsh). fl., fertile spikes cylindrical, obtuse. May. l. very broad, keeled, rough; bracts very long, foliaceous. h. 2ft. Britain. (Sy. En. B. 1668.)
C. pendula (pendulous). fl., fertile spikes very long, pendulous, cylindrical. May. l. broad; sheaths elongated, nearly equal to the flower-stalks. h. 3ft. to 5ft. Britain. (Sy. En. B. 1660.)
C. pseudo-cyperus (Cyperus-like). fl., spikes on long footstalks, cylindrical, pendulous. June. l. 1/2in. broad; bracts very leafy. Stems 2ft. to 3ft. high, acutely triangular. Britain. One of the best marked and most beautiful of the genus. (Sy. En. B. 1685.) C. riparia (river-bank). fl., fertile spikes scarcely pedunculated, broadly cylindrical, acute; scales of the sterile spikes acuminated. May. l. broad; bracts very long, foliaceous. Britain. The variegated form of this is well worth growing in borders or among Ferns. (Sy. En. B. 1679.)
C. sylvatica (sylvan). fl., fertile spikes filiform, rather slender, slightly drooping; sheaths half as long as the flower-stalks. May and June. l. narrow. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Britain. (Sy. En. B. 1665.)