178 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



There is a fair quantity of this on our hills ; and it is no 

 doubt often taken for the form alpigena. On Beinn Laoigh 

 it grows in the same marsh with Grahami ; on Beinn Heas- 

 garnich, where I have not seen Grahami, it grows mixed 

 with C. saxatilis. I have no doubt var. Grahami would soon 

 become C. vesicaria if it were grown at a low elevation ; but 

 I am not so sure about this form ; it looks so different when 

 growing on the hill beside var. Grahami. Yet I would not 

 be surprised if, after a few years' growth at a lowland lake- 

 side the forms proved to be identical. 



Var. alpigena, Fries. This is another very doubtful form. 

 My having got the vars. Grahami and intermedia, and fairly 

 typical C. saxatilis, sent me from the Continent as this form, 

 shows we are not much worse than our northern friends ; 

 and I do not think we are much helped by the description 

 given by Kukenthal in this case. That a Carex may be 

 found so commonly with both " 3 and 2 stigmas " as to 

 warrant this being entered as part of the description, rather 

 upsets my ideas of specific differences. For my own part, I 

 am inclined to so name a form which agrees very closely 

 with that described by Kukenthal in all but the three stigmas. 

 This form is found at higher altitudes even than C. saxatilis, 

 and as a rule on rock ledges, where, if growing fairly dry. 

 the spikelets take on a very dark blackish shining appear- 

 ance, the perigynia always remaining lighter at the base, not 

 so abruptly tapering to the comparatively long neck as in 

 C. saxatilis, but with a very evident bifid beak, very like the 

 beak of C. rostmta. I have never seen this form with more 

 than two stigmas. 



I have always looked on this as the alpigena of Fries ; 

 and if it is not, then I am very doubtful if we have got such 

 a plant on our hills ; and as may be seen from what I have 

 said above, it is very questionable if the form is at all well 

 known on the Continent. I must, therefore, differ from 

 Kukenthal, and say that if he intends to recognise var. 

 alpigena, Fries, as a good variety he must place it under 

 C. saxatilis, it having two stigmas ; otherwise there is no 

 difference so far as I can see between his admitted vars. 

 Grahami and alpigena. 



C, saxatilis, L. I note that Kukenthal reduces this to a 



