i8o ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



end of August the yellow is quite apparent on the grow- 

 ing plant. Here and there on our hills there is a form 

 with curved stems, single male spikelets, and single sessile 

 small ovate female spikelets, which always remains green 

 when dried. I sent this to Kukenthal ; and he determined 

 it as var. dicJiroa, Blytt, although Dr. B. White and I always 

 looked on it as C. saxatilis x C. flava. 



Var. compacta (R. Br.), Dew. This description suits a 

 form growing in the eastern ravine of Ben Lawers, and on 

 Carn nan Sac, Glenshee. Its perigynium is very broadly 

 ovate and inflated, so much so that when the specimens are 

 taken from the drying-press you find that the perigynia on 

 either side have all been crushed in, the female spikelet being 

 so compact that there is not room for them to flatten out 

 with pressure. This form is always found in wet but well- 

 drained situations, and has much darker and more shining 

 perigynia than is usual with the type. 



Var. glomerata, mihi. I wish to mention another much 

 more distinct form than any of the above, a form which it 

 seems to me has been passed over as small plants of 

 C. atrata, to which in facies it closely approaches, as may be 

 seen from the following description : Rootstock shortly 

 creeping, with light brown and bright purple-coloured leafless 

 sheaths at the base, the barren shoot and that of the follow- 

 ing year's curved upwards from the base, leaves narrow and 

 shorter than the stem, strict, slightly keeled, margins revolute 

 with angular points, edges rough, stems stout 15-25 cm. high, 

 bluntly triangular, scarcely rough at the top (thus far it is 

 practically C. saxatilis}. Spikelets 3-4 bluntly ovate-oblong, 

 upper spikelet very shortly stalked, next sessile near its 

 base, next shortly stalked, lowest on a long stalk, so that 

 they are all crowded ; terminal spikelet may be all male, or 

 all female, or partly both, and stamens are often seen on the 

 other spikelets ; lower bract leaf-like, not sheathing ; glumes 

 lanceolate, acuminate, dark purple with a lighter tip and 

 slender midrib, visible only on some of the glumes ; peri- 

 gynia yellowish at the base, purple above, broadly ovate, 

 slightly inflated, veinless except at sides ; neck and bifid 

 beak distinct ; stigmas two. 



I have seen this form on Ben Lawers, Creag Mhor, 



