1900] Fernald, — Some northeastern species of Scirpus 19 
observing, however, that * I have seen no North American specimens 
of this plant except those in Michaux's herbarium, which I did not 
examine with sufficient accuracy for determining whether they are 
identical with the S. sy/vaticus of Europe." Thus in view of Torrey's 
note it seems that there was little left at that time to stand for the 
Linnean A. sy/vaticus in America. 
In the first edition (1848) of the Manual, Dr. Gray gave no re- 
cognition to any American form of this group but the well-marked .S. 
atrovirens, Muhl. In the second edition (1856), however, S. sy/va- 
"cus was clearly described with a 3-cleft style and six bristles, but the 
range given was “ N. New England and northward,” and S. atrovirens 
was included under it as a variety. ‘This disposition of the plants was 
followed until the fifth edition (1867) when S. azrovirens was rein- 
stated as a species and the range of S. sywaticus was given as “ Base of 
the White Mountains, New Hampshire ( Oakes), and northward.” In 
a note Dr. Gray then added that “.S. microcarpus, Presl., S. lenti- 
cularis, Torr., apparently a form of S. sywaticus with a 2-cleft style 
and flat achenium, approaches our northwestern borders." Shortly 
thereafter, apparently in 1868, finding, as his pencil note indicates, 
that the Oakes specimen from the “ base of the White Mountains " had 
lenticular achenes and four bristles, Dr. Gray marked upon the sheet 
“not Scirpus sylvaticus, L., but S. microcarpus." This seems to have 
been the first recognition of a plant in the east with these characters, 
so well known in the northwestern species. 
Bóckeler, in his monograph, two years later (1870), included 
Scirpus sylvaticus as a North American plant, but of S. Zenficu/arrs, 
Torr., he made the variety digynus " citing no specimens. 
In the sixth edition (1889) of Gray's Manual, Bóckeler's varietal 
name was taken up for the northeastern plant which in former editions 
had passed as true S. sy/vaticus, S. microcarpus, Presl, being cited 
as a synonym: the name S. sy%waticus was at the same time rightly 
applied to a conspicuous plant which is common from Massachusetts 
southward, but which for some unaccountable reason seems to have 
escaped earlier recognition. 
Prof. Britton was apparently the first to give Scirpus sylvaticus and 
the common plant of northern New England and Canada, with its 2- 
cleft style, recognition as a distinct species. In 1892, in his list of 
the species of Scirpus, he considers the northeastern plant identical 
t Bóckeler, Linnaea xxxvi. 727. 2 Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sci. xi. 74. 
