44 Rhodora [Marcu 
of specimens bearing pertinently upon the records of this species. 
One sheet of two rather robust plants had been received from Dr. 
George Smith, as collected by himself in Delaware County, Pennsyl- 
vania in 1867. The label, in his own hand, reads “ Scirpus debilis 
Pursh.” This identification has been crossed out and in the hand 
of Dr. Britton has been written above, and initialed, “ mucronatus, 
L. N. L. B.” A second sheet contains several robust fruiting culms 
stuck through a slit label, bearing in C. E. Smith’s hand the data: 
“Scirpus mucronatus, Del. Co., Pa.” At the bottom of the label 
Porter has written, “ A robust specimen of Scirpus debilis. T. C. P.” 
and “mucronatus” has been crossed through. The third specimen 
consists of a rather robust clump in ripe fruit accompanied by Porter’s 
label: “Scirpus debilis Pursh, Lincoln, Chester Co., Pa., Sept. 6, 
1887.” There seems to have been, first, a “?” pencilled after the 
determination, then “ mucronatus?” written in pencil below the origi- 
nal name, and finally “mucronatus L.” inked in ! Except for the 
rather noticeable robustness of these Porter plants they appeared to 
differ in no way from Scirpus debilis, and even in stature they were 
well within recognized limits of the species. 
Examination of the Eurasian material of Scirpus mucronatus in the 
Academy Herbarium, the perusal of descriptions and following of 
keys in several European treatments was soon quite convincing that, 
although superficially somewhat resembling our American S. debilis, 
in technical characters this was a very different plant. 
The Smiths — Charles, George and Aubrey — as well as a number 
of other Philadelphia botanists of their time were all closely associated, 
commonly collected specimens in duplicate and exchanged copiously. 
From former experience with records from these collectors it was felt 
that there would be within easy reach and personal examination in 
Philadelphia a still further series of specimens no doubt similar to the 
material at New York upon which Dr. Britton had based his record. 
In the search for material verifying old records from the Philadelphia 
area the Herbarium of the University of Pennsylvania is one of the 
sources of first appeal. In the present case the evidence proved to be 
exceptionally complete and satisfactory. There are two sheets of 
plants here from the Aubrey H. Smith Herbarium bearing on the 
present question. The sheet of chief interest contains two specimens 
(which may have been one clump): one with about ten well developed 
culms, the other with two or three, some measuring 6 dm. or more in 
