448 WieGAND: Some Notes on JUNCUS 
my recent paper on this group, however, specimens from near the 
northern limit of the species show a distinct flattening of the leaves 
and therefore a transition toward /. ¢enuzs. But in addition plants 
from much further south appear in the herbaria from time to time 
having the leaves nearly if not quite as much expanded as in any 
of the closely related forms. These are very confusing to the stu- 
dent who understands /. dichotomus in the old way, and it seems 
best to separate them under a distinct name. Since they are so 
exactly similar to /. dichotomus in all other respects, and because 
we know very little regarding how far this condition is due to en- 
vironment, they have been considered as a variety rather than as a 
distinct species. 
The forms under consideration are therefore to be understood 
somewhat as follows : | 
Juncus picnotomus EIl. 
Differs from /. tenuis and _/. Dudleyi in the peculiar olive-green 
color of the dried plant; but especially in the reddish-brown or 
purple basal sheaths, and the darker inflorescence ; from /. ¢euuts 
also in the firm subcartilaginous rounded auricles, not scarious 
and prolonged; and from /. Dudleyi in the less cartilaginous 
auricles and normally more expanded inflorescence. 
Juncus dichotomus platyphyllus var. nov. 
Leaves expanded and flat, otherwise as in the typical form. 
Massachusetts to Texas, along the coast. On Staten Island a 
form occurs only six inches high or less and with densely tufted 
leaves 1-2 inches long. 
Some specimens representing this variety are the following in 
the Herbaria of Columbia University and the New York Botanical 
Garden : 
Massachusetts, near Boston (B. D. Greene, 1829). 
New York, Staten Island, old field near New Dorp (Britton). 
Virginia, Hutton’s Branch (Britton and Vail) ; Nansemond Co. 
(Britton and Small, May 27, 1893, type). 
North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Bladen Co. (W. W. Ashe). 
Mississippi, Starkville (S. M. Tracy). 
CORNELL UNIVERSITY. 
