82 I. M. JOHNSTON 



Careful observation of this plant in the field has convinced us that it has 

 no right to the rank of species. Numerous times we have observed it grade 

 into S. minus as we ascended the mountains. The greater size, the only 

 character which separates this plant from S. minus, is undoubtedly due to its 

 more favorable habitat, and hence is a very poor character for a species. 



We do not believe that S. californicum and S. glabrum can be maintained 

 distinct. In the field it was found that they were connected by a good series 

 of intermediate forms. Smith (U. S. Dept. Agr. Div. Agrost. Bull. 18: 9), 

 followed by Abrams (Fl. Los Ang. 57. 1917), separates S. glabrum from S. 

 californicum by its glabrous culms, leaves and sheaths. We found so much 

 variation in pubescence that we are unwilling to use the character or amount 

 of pubescence as a specific or even varietal character. Hitchcock (Jeps. Fl. 

 Cal. 187) separates the two plants by assigning to S. californicum entire 

 glumes and to S. glabrum bifid or occasional bifid glumes. This means of sep- 

 arating the two plants is even less satisfactory than the presence or lack of 

 pubescence. As would be expected, there is no sharp line between plants 

 having "glumes entire" and those having "glumes, or some of them, bifid." 

 As an extreme case we can mention a plant collected at the mouth of North 

 Fork San Antonio Canon which after a careful dissection proved to represent 

 both species! Of the six heads on the plant two of them had all the glumes 

 entire while the rest had the "glumes, or some of them, bifid"! (Nos. 1304, 

 1500.) 



CYPERACEjE 



Scirpus microcarpus Presl. Frequent in marshy ground in the chaparral belt; 

 rare in the pine belt, where it is confined to the lower most portions. 



Eleocharis montana R.& S. Moist ground at Native Son Mine, alt. 5000 ft. Lower 

 Transition Zone. (No. 1631.) 



Carex (Primocarex) multicaulis Bailey. Occasional under the pines but much 

 more abundant on moist shaded canon sides in the Upper Chaparral Belt. 

 (No. 1426.) 



Carex (Eucarex) aurea Nutt. var. celsa Bailey. (C. Hassei Bailey.) Abundant in 

 springy ground throughout the Upper Transition Zone. Always growing 

 with Sisyrinchium. 6000-8250 ft. alt. (Nos. 1391, 1413.) 



Carex (Eucarex) brevipes W. Boott. Found in varying quantities from the upper- 

 most portions of the Transition Zone to Baldy Summit. Usually growing in 

 large patches on dry ground under the pines but on Baldy Summit it grows 

 in the shelter of rocks. Most abundant in the region centering about Kellys 

 Cabin. Determined by Mr. K. K. Mackenzie. (No. 1496.) 



Carex (Vignea) agrostoides Mackenzie. Common in springy ground in the upper 

 parts of Icehouse Canon. A few plants were collected at 7000 ft. alt in Cold- 

 water Fork Lytle Creek. Both stations are in the Upper Transition Zone. 

 Det. K. K. Mackenzie. (Nos. 1505, 2005.) 



Carex (Vignea) subfusca W. Boott. Coldwater Fork Lytle Creek, alt. 7000 ft.; 

 side-canon of Prairie Fork, alt. 7000 ft.; Kellys Cabin, alt. 8250 ft. Locally 

 abundant at all three stations all of which are in the Upper Transition Zone. 

 (Nos. 1393, 1503.) 



