Cheeseman. — On the Genus Carex. 415 



probably not at all rare in the middle and southern portions 

 of the South Island. Some of Mr. Petrie's specimens differ 

 from mine in having reddish or reddish-brown culms and 

 leaves ; but this feature is common in many of our species, 

 and is so variable and inconstant that it cannot be used even 

 as a varietal distinction. 



Carex uncifolia, Cheeseman. 



Add to the localities Mount Pisa, Otago, from whence I 

 have specimens collected by Mr. Petrie. I have also gathered 

 it on Mount Peel, in the Nelson Provincial District. Attains 

 a somewhat larger size than that given in my description. 



Carex petriei, Cheeseman. 



This species also extends northwards into the Nelson Pro- 

 vincial District, and is of comparatively common occurrence 

 on the Mount Arthur plateau. I find that the glumes are not 

 always so pale in colour as I supposed, and in exposed locali- 

 ties are quite a full chestnut. 



Carex comans, Berggren. 



C. cheesemanii, Petrie, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xv., 358. 



In my " Eevision " I hinted that Mr. Petrie's C. cheesemanii 

 would probably prove to be a variety of C. comans, and further 

 investigation has fully convinced me that that is the case. 

 What I take to be the true plant of Dr. Berggren occurs in 

 several localities near New Plymouth, and only differs from 

 Mr. Petrie's specimens in the pale-green colour, shorter 

 culms, shorter stalks to the spikelets, and rather narrower 

 perigynia ; and I have many specimens from Nelson and Can- 

 terbury quite intermediate in character. The plant from Lake 

 Tekapo, mentioned in my "Eevision," is much stouter, with 

 shorter culms and strict erect leaves, and has much broader 

 perigynia. It has a very distinct appearance, and may be 

 entitled to specific rank, but for the present I prefer to place 

 it under C. comans as var. stricta. I have a form of C. testacea 

 which approaches it in habit, but the shape of the perigynia 

 and number of styles at once separate the two plants. 



Carex litorosa, Bailey, " Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical 



Club," vol. i., p. 72. 



C. littoralis, Petrie, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xv., 358 (1882). 

 Non C. littoralis, Schweiuitz (1825). 



Several years ago Mr. Arthur Bennett, a well-known 

 student of the genus Carex, pointed out to me that Mr. 

 Petrie's name of G. littoralis had been preoccupied as far 

 back as 1825 for a North American species published by 

 Schweinitz. I retained the name in my " Eevision " because 



