t> 
on the Britifh Species of Carex. 135 
The culm of moft grafles has what Linneus terms folia vaginantia. 
Some authors have called leaves of this fort petiolated leayes, but 
I think improperly: they are better defined /heathing leaves, for they 
embrace or inclofe the ftalk at their bafe. This fheath or vagina 
in the Carices ufually bears a regular proportion to the length-of 
the foot-ftalks of the fpikes: I call it, either eguans, when of the 
fame length as the foot-ftalk 5 dimidiata, when half of the length ; 
abbreviata, when of a quarter of the length. 
OH. 2. I have purpofely omitted mentioning the feed, not hav- 
ing as yet been able to examine it in a frefh ftate, in all the fpecies. 
Oëf. 3. Where a.plant is faid to have vaginz, the {pikes are 
neceffarily on foot-ftalks (for the application of that term is to the 
floral leaf embracing the whole or part of the foot-ftalk or pe- 
duncle); and therefore no mention of. that circumftance. is neceks 
fnr in the feveral fpecific defsintions., ! 
" 
— iD 
SYNOPSIS SPECIERUM. 
Spicd unicá fimplici. 
i. C. dioica. Spicà fimplici dioica, capfularum marginibus ferru- 
latis. | | 
z2, C. pulicaris.  Spicà fimplici androgynà fupernè mafcula, cap- 
fulis divaricatis retroflexis utrinque acuminatis. 
3. C. pauciflora Spica fimplici androgyná, floribus feemineis fub- 
ternis remotiufculis patentibus ; mafculo fub-unico terminali. 
* Spicá compofitá androgynas 
4. C. fellulata. Spiculis fubternis remotis, capfulis divergentibus 
acutis : ore indivifo. | 
5. C. curta; 
