500 Swiss Habitat ofQdrex Gaiidhiikna Hoppe. 



to lead him to the richest spots, proposed to become the com- 

 panion of some of my herborisations ; and, as the Carices 

 had formed his favourite study, we were naturally led to the 

 peat grounds and marshes. The Schwarzenegg is situated 

 at about two leagues n. e. of Thun, at an elevation of proba- 

 bly 2500 ft. above the sea, and is chiefly covered with fir 

 forests, interspersed with large open spaces of deep wet peat, 

 which is dug for fuel. On this spot the Carex heleonastes was 

 first found on June 1. 1830, covering the bottom of a ditch 

 or drain about 2 ft. wide, and IJft. deep, the soil of which 

 is always saturated with water, the surplus of which passes 

 off to a deep watercourse at a short distance : the ditch in 

 question skirts the edge of a fir forest at the distance of about 

 30 yds. or 40 yds. Not being satisfied as to the identity of 

 the plant, numerous specimens were distributed, by M. Guth- 

 nick and myself, to our various friends in both France and 

 Germany, without any intimation of our opinion as to its 

 species ; all those who had access to the chief collections 

 pronounced it nem. con, to be C. heleonastes ; Dr. Hoppe (a 

 botanist of great authority for the genus) confirming his 

 opinion by the transmission of an original specimen from the 

 herbarium of Ehrhart, by whom the species was established. 

 This circumstance is merely mentioned to show that reliance 

 may be placed on the correctness of the determination. 



iCdrex Gaudinmna Hoppe.'] On June 7. 1830, an un- 

 known Carex was met with near the edge of the small lake of 

 Amsoldingen, about a league from Thun : specimens of this 

 also were distributed, and produced a variety of opinions too 

 long to be detailed : plants in a living state were demanded 

 by many; and, after having been studied from fresh specimens 

 both wild and cultivated, it was pronounced to be an unde- 

 scribed species, and named by Dr. Hoppe Carex Gaudlmdna, 

 in honour of the late M. Gaudin of Nyon, author of an in- 

 valuable Flora Helvetica. Dr. Hoppe's notice of the plant 

 was published in thei^/or«, a small periodical work, in German, 

 printed at Ratisbon, and in the number dated April 28. 1832, 

 he gives the following character : — 



" Cdrea: (Vigfiea) Gaudi?iikna. C. stigmatibus binis; spica 

 terminali mascula vel pseudo-androgyna, lineari-oblonga; 

 foemineis duabus, sessilibus, approximatis, ovatis, paucifloris; 

 fructibits ovato-oblongis, apice bifidis, acuminatis, squama 

 ovata longioribus ; caule tereti, glabro; foliis linearibus, ca- 

 naliculatis; radice stolonifera." The species is inserted by 

 Gaudin in the Appendix to his Flora^ published shortly before 

 his death ; and, having two or three individuals still in London, 

 eg leave to place them also in your hands. 

 6. Davies Street, Berlrlcy Scpiare.^ Jnne 21. 1834. 



