218 



wild with delight over the plants. These central islands would 

 seem to be a centre also for Begonias^ as I have already stated, 

 and for the Convolvttli which are found near the sea level. They 

 are in great abundance of species, of various colors and sizes of 

 flowers. The natives of the country show a little taste for the 

 beautiful in small patches of flowers near their dwellings, but the 

 flowers are usually marigolds, single balsams and everlastings, 

 with now and then some showy malvaceae. Rice forms the 

 principal food plant, but in these central islands of light soils, In- 

 dian corn, Hungarian grass or something much like it, and 

 Sorghum are much raised. Cotton is also cultivated, of three 

 species, one native, one from China, and the other the one found 

 among the Indians of South America, and probably brought over 

 from there by the Spaniards. Coffee and cocoa are also culti- 

 vated since the fall in the price of sugar has made its cultivation 

 unprofitable." 



Carex umbellata, Schkuhr. 



NOTES ON CAREX. XIL 



It often happens that the limits of well known species are de- 

 termined by herbarium specimens rather than by the plants as they 

 grow. Fragments and imperfect specimens are inexcusable when 

 the plant grows at our doors. Even Carex innbellata, well known 

 from the time Muhlenberg began his studies of our sedges at the 

 close of the last century, has not yet been clearly defined. Nor 

 does the present writer assume to make a complete characterization 

 in this note, but rather to designate two common forms of the 

 species. It has never been possible to arrive at definite conclu- 

 sions from the scrappy materials of herbaria, but this year I have 

 had the privilege of seeing the two forms growing in profusion. 

 Briefly stated, the two forms are these : i. A very low and com- 

 pact form with the spikes all closely clustered near the surface of 

 the ground ; 2. A looser and taller form with many of the pe- 

 duncles elongated, and becoming true culms. Muhlenberg col- 

 lected the former plant and sent it to Willdenow. It v/as divided 

 with Schkuhr, who named it Carex umbellata, figuring it in 

 his Riedgraser. Specimens are now to be seen in Schkuhr's 

 herbarium at Halle, and Willdenow's at Berlin. It is not certain 

 that the latter form has been named, although I propose to use 



