ABSTRACTS. 



1. Cyperacese-Caricoideae, by G. Kiikentlial (Das Pflanzenreich, iv, 20, 

 Leipzig, 1909, 824 pp., 128 figs.). 



This important work is of great interest to New Zealand botanists, since it deals 

 with the difficult genera Uncinin and Cnrex. The author had not only Euro]iean 

 herbarium specimens at his disposal, but, so far as New Zealand was concerned, niany 

 from the collections of Cheeseman, Petrie, and Cockayne, the acttial lierbarium numbers 

 being cited in most instances. 



The following summary of the work seeks to show the jirincipal differences between 

 the author's treatment of the New Zealand forms and that of Cheeseman in the " IMauual 

 of the New Zealand Floi'a." It should be borne in mind in estimating these differences 

 that, as Cheeseman has very truly said (Manual, p. 798). " The New Zealand species 

 [of Uncinia] are highly variable, and most difficult of discrimination. U. purpurata, 

 ccespitosa, riparia, rwpestris, and filifortnis present an almost imbroken series of forms, 

 and I doul)t if any two observers would arrive at the same conclusions respecting them 

 even if they worked on the same material." 



Genus Uncinia, Pers. 



Uncinia is divided into two subgenera — Eu-Uncinia, Kiikenth., and Pseudocarex, 

 Kiikenth. — the former being subdivided into the sections Platyandrce, C. B. Clarke, 

 and Stenandrce, C. B. Clarke, to the latter of which all the New Zealand species belong, 

 and which differs froni the former in the niembraneous and often deciduous glumes, 

 filiform filaments, and genei-ally glabrous utricles. The species, and also those of Carex, 

 are arranged below in the same consecutive order as given by Cheeseman. Where a 

 species is not cited it is to be understood that no change of any moment has been made. 



1. Uncinia Sinclairii, Boott. 



This becomes U. macrolepis, Decne., which was previously considered synonymous 

 with U. LecJderiana, Steud. Its distribution is FuegiaJ^and South^Island of New Zea- 

 land. 



2. U. tendla, R. Br. 



The type is found only in Tasmania and Victoria. The New Zealand plant is 

 described as var. /3 longifriictus, and differs irom the type (as Cheeseman had also 

 shown) in the utricles being nearly twice as long, and exceeding the 3-nerved glumes. 



.S. U. nervosa, Boott. 



This is given as a .synonym of U. rupestris, Raoul, which latter is the jirior name, 

 the U. rupestris of Cheeseman and others being referred to U. Hookeri, Boott. which the 

 author reduces to a variety of U. riparia, R. Br. Two varieties of U. rupestris, Raoul, 

 are desciibed — viz. : var. /3 capillacea, Kiikenth., var. nov., which is said to be U. fili- 

 formis of most New Zealand collectors, and has filiform culms and leaves, narrow spikes 

 and ])aler glumes than the type, and utricle scarcely 4 mm. long ; and var. y planijoUa, 

 Kiikenlli.. vai'. nov., with flat leaves 1-1-5 mm. broad, and spikes narrower tliau tlie 

 ty))e. Both varieties are endemic, but (the type occurs also in Tasn^ania. 



4. U. compacta, R. Br. 



Besides the ty^ie, three varieties are described — var. ^ divaricata (Boott), Hook, f., 

 which has eulnis often 20 cm. tall, spikes 7-9 mm. broad, and glumes paler and more 

 acute than the type and many-iierved on the back ; var. y Clarkei (Petrie), Kiikenth., 

 which is the var. Petrie, C. B. Clarke, in Cheeseman's Manual ; and var. 5 elorignta, 

 (J. B. ( !larke, this latter being confined to Amsterdam Island. 



The type is found in Tasmania. Kerguelenland, Amsterdam Island, and New Zea- 

 land ; var. divaricatn is endemic, and var. Clarkei extends to Victoria, ajid. besides the 

 Soutii Island of New Zealand, is found in Maccjuarie Island, 



