210 Transactions. 



unrivalled. Great expectations were therefore aroused as to the value 

 and importance of his work, and it may at once be said that these have 

 been fully realised. For the first time, botanists have been supplied with a 

 systematic account of the CaricoidecB arranged with due regard to the 

 aflfinities of the species, containing full and precise descriptions on modern 

 lines, and with ample details of geographical distribution and other neces- 

 sary factors. It appears to me that there are three reasons why New Zea- 

 land botanists are indebted to Dr. Kukenthal : First, for showing how far 

 our species of Caricoidece are allied to those found in other parts of the 

 world, and what their relative positions are ; second, in disposing of several 

 dubious points of nomenclature that could only be authoritatively settled 

 by reference to the botanical collections and libraries of the Northern 

 Hemisphere ; third, in giving the opinions of a botanist of wide training 

 and experience, fully accj[uainted with the whole order, on the delimitation 

 of the species. With respect to the first two of these, both of which are for 

 the most part beyond the scope of inquiries that can be made in the 

 Dominion, New Zealand botanists will gladly accept Dr. Kukenthal's con- 

 clusions. In regard to the third, which brings to the front the perennial 

 difficulty of what constitutes a species — or, in other words, involves matters 

 of opinion rather than matters of fact — the case is somewhat different ; and 

 I may be pardoned for presenting a few lines of explanation respecting some 

 points on which I cannot quite agree with the learned author. 



One of the chief merits of Kukenthal's memoir is that it is prepared 

 on emineiitly safe and conservative lines. In this respect it is a pleasing 

 contrast with some recent systematic work published in both Europe 

 and America. But occasionally this conservatism appears to have been 

 stretched too far. Taking the genus Carex, for instance, Kukenthal admits 

 669 species. But as far back as 1885 Bentham estimated the number of 

 valid species at considerably over 500, and since then several hundreds 

 have been described. Mr. C. B. Clarke has alone published over 150, and 

 Dr. Kukenthal more than 80 ; while other authors are responsible for a 

 considerable number. Several recent estimates have placed the number of 

 valid species at from 800 to 1000. With regard to the New Zealand species, 

 Dr. Kukenthal enumerates 13. This is 10 less than the number adopted in 

 my " Manual of the New Zealand Flora." The difference has been caused 

 by — (1) imiting C. appressa, C. virgata, and C. secta in one species under 

 the name C. appressa ; (2) by combining C. Forsteri, C. Cockayniana, and 

 C. semi - Forsteri in the single species C. Forsteri ; by merging C. Bu- 

 chanani with C. lucida, C. Solandri with C. dissita, and C. ruhicunda 

 with C. Petrici ; (4) by altogether omitting C. Sinclairii, C. plesiostachys, 

 and C. ventosa. These are somewhat sweeping changes, involving a reduc- 

 tion of species that will hardly meet with the approval of New Zealand 

 l)otanists as a whole. In the following notes I propose to discuss in some 

 detail the chief alterations proposed. But before doing so I should like to 

 say that no student of the New Zealand species of Uncinia and Carex can 

 afford to be without a copy of Dr. Kukenthal's memoir. It is not only 

 accurate and reliable, but contains much new matter, and many evidences 

 of careful and painstaking research. 



Uncinia Sinclairii, Boott. 



Dr. Kukenthal considers this to be identical with -the Fuegian U. rnacro- 

 lepis, Decne. et Hombr. in D'Urville Voy. au Pole Sud, 3, t. 6, f. A, and if so 

 Docaisne's name will take precedence. I have not seen South American 



