JUNCUS TENUIS WILLD. IN NORTH WALES. 203 



as far as Argentina, and across the continent from Newfoundland 

 to Vancouver Island. 



2. As already pointed out by Mr. Bennett, its habitats are more 

 various than the European ones. The following are a few quoted 

 from American floras, or from specimens in the British Museum or 

 Kew Herbaria: — "Low grounds," "roadsides," "meadows and 

 damp pastures," " boggy pastures," "old roads in woods," "ditches 

 and river -sides," &c. 



8. The following records of altitude show that, after making 

 allowance for difference of latitude, it has a greater vertical range 

 there than in Europe : — Colorado, hot springs, 5500 ft. {Jones, spec. 

 in Brit. Mus.). Black Hills, Dakota, 3500 ft. {Hi/nberq, spec, in 

 Kew Herb.). San Luis Potosi (22^ N. lat.), G000-8000"ft. {Parnj 

 d Palmer, spec, in Kew Herb.). S. Mexico, 7500 ft. {JjioL Centr. 

 Amer. Bot. iii. 399). 



4. The most striking fact of all is the great variability of the 

 plant in America. Engelmann [But. Works, 251) shows that this 

 variability is exemplified "in the size of the plant (from a few 

 inches to two feet), m the size and fulness of the inflorescence, and 

 in the size and development of the one, two, or even three spathes." 

 This author describes two varieties, viz., secundus and congestus. 

 Watson [Geol. Survey Calif. Bot. ii.) states that the latter var. is the 

 prevalent form of the plant on the Californian coast. In addition 

 to these, a third var. {platycaulos Fr. B.) is described from S. America. 

 All the above observations seem to point out America — probably 

 N. America — as the home of J. tcmiis, and the great difference 

 between its mode of distribution there and in Europe strengthen 

 the conviction that in the latter continent it is a recent arrival. 



In 1878 Cheeseman recorded the plant from New Zealand 

 [Trans. New Zeal. Inst. ii. 433). He says the plant was " abundant 

 in some marshy ground not far from the bank of the river, but, 

 curiously enough, during the hurried examination I was able to 

 make of the Wairoa district I did not observe it either higher up or 

 lower down the river, although suitable localities are sufliciently 

 abundant." In the same note the author seems inclined to accept 

 the plant as indigenous, but in a subsequent paper on the naturalized 

 plants of Auckland [Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvii. 293) he gives five 

 localities, and adds, " I am now inclined to consider the species as 

 an importation (Europe)." It may be added that J. involucratus 

 T. lurk [Trans. X. Z. Inst. 1877, 550), from South Island, has been 

 reduced by Buchenau to J. tennis. 



In the Botany of the Challenger, 154, a rush brought from 

 Tristan-da-Cunha, the specimens of which were imperfect and 

 which had been collected in boggy pastures, is named -/. tristanianus 

 Hemsley, and regarded as endemic. This also is said by Buchenau 

 to be nothing more than J. tenuis. If this is correct (and botanists 

 who see the specimen in the Kew Herbarium will probably agree 

 with the reduction), the interesting question arises whether the 

 plant is a recent introduction here also. We know that Cerastiuin 

 triviale, Oxalis corniculata, Senecio vulgaris, Rumex Acetosella, and 

 several others, have succeeded in establishing themselves on the 



