138 H. G. SIMMONS. [sec. arct, exp. fram 



below it, and also the staminate spike (or spikes) may have feminine 

 flowers at the base. 



Scales of the pistillate spikes dark brown, (sometimes light, scareous 

 at the top) rather abruptly contracted in a short point. Scales of the 

 masculine spikes more obtuse, also dark brown and with lighter points. 



Utricles membraneceous, inflated, in drying getting more or less 

 crumpled and collapsed; shiny, dark auburn or hghter at base; with a 

 very short pedicel and above abruptly contracted to a very short, 

 minutely two-toothed beak. The short, rounded, nearly obovate utricles 

 of C. memhranopacta form a distinct character from -C. pulla, which 

 has them widest near the base and gradually tapering upwards, and 

 also from C. rotundata, which has them rather elliptic. Stigmas ge- 

 nerally three as in G. rotundata, occasionally two. 



The description of the plant in question which is given by Britton 

 & Brown I, p. 296, agrees on the whole well with the specimens I have 

 seen only it must be remembered that those authors have probably 

 studied specimens from more southern localities, while mine were from 

 its northern limit. The fig. 685, like so many others of the 111. Fl., is 

 so little characteristic or partly wrong, that it would be better left out. 

 However, I think that the statements about the distribution may be 

 relied upon, except when Greenland is drawn into its area. I have not 

 been able to find a single specimen of C. memhranopacta in the Copen- 

 hagen herbarium, where large collections of C. pulla and C. rotundata 

 are to be found. In northwestern Greenland it may, perhaps, still be 

 found, as it seems not improbable that it might have reached over 

 there as well as a number of other american species. The plant which 

 Macoun, 1. c, p. 573, mentions as C. memhranopacta, seems to differ 

 somewhat from the arctic one, but is probably not specifically different 

 from it. 



G. memhranopacta grew generally in swamps and along brooks, 

 often in company with 0. aquatilis var. stans. It was in flower about 

 the beginning of July and fruited abundantly. 



Occurrence. Hayes Sound region: Twin Glacier Valley (868); 

 Lastraea Valley (857); Bedford Pim Island, Rice Strait side (1254). 

 South coast, found only in the archaean district, entirely missing in 

 the lime- and sandstone region to the west: Western valley in Fram 

 Fjord (1602); Harbour Fjord, Big Valley (2342), Lake Valley (2229), 

 wet ledges of the "green patch" at the anchorage (2241, 4002). 



Distribution: Arctic American Archipelago (the following spe- 

 cimens seen: Port Bowen (Jas. Ross), Kingnite (Taylor), Kickertine, 



