398 Transactions. — Botany. 



vol. ii., p. 56). I wholly concur in his remark on the stamens. 

 Bentham, in his " Flora Australiensis," enumerates twenty-one 

 species. Of these he gives only five as Australian, disallowing 

 sixteen. Many of them were also described and figured by 

 eminent botanists. He also says, "In their typical forms 

 the five Australian species are very distinct, but they are all 

 so variable, and connected by so many intermediates, that I 

 have found it very difficult to distribute satisfactorily the 

 numerous dried specimens before me. It is not impossible, 

 however, that a careful study of living plants in their native 

 country may disclose more positive characters to distinguish 

 even twice as many more or less permanent forms" (I.e., 

 vol. vii., p. 14). In this remark I fully believe, and have 

 acted upon it in examining and describing my two species, 

 both from living specimens. And, later still, in " Index 

 Kewensis," out of forty described species therein brought 

 forward, only thirteen are allowed to stand. I may further 

 observe that D. intermedia, Endl. (or our northern New 

 Zealand plant), w T as pretty common at the north, among fern 

 (Ptcris esculenta), in the dry hilly grounds, and on margins of 

 woods ; but I have never seen it here. D. nigra I have only 

 seen in two localities here south in thirty years; and this 

 plant now described by me, Mr. Hill says he had never seen 

 before. 



Order XI. Cyperacejs. 



Genus 14. Carex, Linn. 



1. C. smaragdina, sp. nov. 



A low densely caespitose flaccid glabrous dark-green species 

 of very peculiar aspect. Eoots numerous, wiry, short. Culms 

 10in.-l4in. long, J^in. wide, very slender weak flat striate, 

 with 2-3 short leaves near base, spread all around flat on the 

 ground together with the leaves forming a circle. Leaves 

 one-third length of culms, narrow linear acuminate, grass- 

 like, j^in. wide, minutely serrulate at tips (sub lens), slightly 

 and distantly so below, generally 3 together with 3 sheaths 

 at and near base, sheaths with netted veins, their tips obtuse 

 and apiculate. Spikelets usually 3, sometimes (but rarely) 5, 

 very close together, forming a small head or cluster, sessile, 

 subquadrangular, stout, £in.-Jin. long, 2-3 lines wide ; 

 bracts 2, unequal, 3in. and LJin., leaf-like, very narrow, the 

 smaller one filiform, thin ; glumes broadly ovate, acuminate, 

 white with dark-gi-een central nerve, tips serrate. Utricle as 

 large as the glume, broadly ovate-lanceolate, plano-convex, 

 green without and at margins below, pale-fawn within, many- 

 nerved, nerves prominent, beak produced, sharply bicuspi- 

 date; stigmas 2, long, roughish, much curved, brown. 

 Anther (?) linear, acute, serrulate at tip. 



