425 
1. Is the American plant identical with the European? Over 
thirty years ago Francis Boott questioned if the American plant is | 
the same as the European C. séellulata (or C. echinata), but no 
monographer since Muhlenberg seems to have eliminated the 
European species from our flora. The plants of the two conti- 
nents are exceedingly similar, and yet there is a facial difference 
between them which is nearly always apparent and often striking. 
Definite specific characters of separation are obscure, and yet I am 
convinced that they exist. The American plant is habitually 
taller than the European, the scales are sharper and usually 
longer, the perigynia are more strongly nerved and more attenu- 
ated or conical, and, above all, it is far more variable. The his- 
tory of American Carex literature is a continuous record of the 
Separation of American and European types. There are probably 
no species common to both countries, except those which are 
; hyperboreal and occur through the Arctic regions of both hemi- _ 
spheres, being found in Greenland. There are other supposed 
identical species, aside from Carex echinata, which, I think, will 
eventually be separated in the two continents. I am satisfied that 
the American species under consideration can never be properly 
understood until it is treated independently of the European 
plant. 
2. Is the American species monotypic? Any acute observer 
would at once see that our so-called Carex echinata contains two 
distinct general types, if the specimens were spread before him; 
and, fortunately, these facial attributes are reinforced by excellent 
specific characters. One type, to which the Carex sterilis of Will- 
denow and the C. scirpoides of Schkuhr belong, is characterized by 
distinctly long-beaked spreading or ascending winged perigynia, 
and loose, bushy yellowish spikes; the other; which has no name, 
is marked. by very short-beaked, small and. nearly wingless peri- 
gynia, which are spongy and more or less cordate at the base and 
which shell off upon the sheet, and by: more rounded or cylindri- 
cal greenish spikes—the terminal one often oblique—in which the 
_ perigynia are strongly divaricate or often bent downwards. And 
aside from these, the stiff and wide-fruited sea-board plant— 
known. as-var. conferta—will be seen to have ample specific char- 
acters. I have, therefore, outlined three species from the material 
