738 JUNCACEZ:. [Luzula. 
L. campestris is widely distributed in temperate and montane districts in 
most parts of the world, and is everywhere excessively variable. In arranging 
the New Zealand forms I have mainly followed Buchenau’s paper on ‘“‘ Luzula 
campestris and its Allied Species,’’ printed in Oesterr. Bot. Zeitsch. 1898. It is 
necessary for the student to bear in mind that the characters given for the 
varieties are those of prominent forms only, that intermediates between all of 
them are plentiful, and that aberrant states are not uncommon. 
7. L. racemosa, Desv. Journ. Bot. i. (1808) 162; var. 
Traversii, Buchen. Monog. Junc. 133.—Stems densely tufted, very 
variable in size, usually from 6 to 12in., but sometimes attain- 
ing 18in. and occasionally dwarfed to 4in., slender, often attenu- 
ate above. Leaves radical and a few cauline, all much shorter 
than the stem, 1-6 in. long, rarely more, ;4,-+ in. broad at the base 
and from thence gradually tapering upwards, apex subulate, not 
obtuse as in the forms of L. campestris; margins flat or involute, 
ciliate with long hairs. Inflorescence terminal, erect or nodding, 
compound, of several short and dense spikes either all congested 
into an ovoid head, or the lower 1 to 3 distinct and sometimes 
peduncled. Lower bracts foliaceous, often overtopping the in- 
florescence ; upper membranous, with very broad white margins 
and apices, densely ciliate with long hairs. Flowers small, 4, in. 
long. Perianth-segments equal, or the outer slightly longer, 
lanceolate, awned, pale-chestnut with white and silvery margins. 
Stamens 38, rarely more. Capsule equalling the perianth, ovoid- 
globose, trigonous, mucronate, pale- or dark-chestnut, sometimes 
almost black. Seeds oblong-ovoid, ferruginous. 
Var. ulophylla, Buchen. in Oe4sterr. Bot. Zeitsch. 1898.— Stems small, 
slender, 3-6in. high, rarely more. Leaves very narrow, straight or curved, 
convolute, margins and backs densely covered with a scurfy coating of white 
woolly hairs. Heads ovoid-globose or cylindrical, small, +-4in. long; bracts 
pale. Capsule dark-chestnut. 
Souru Istanp: Nelson— Mountains above the Wairau Gorge, 7. F. C. 
Marlborough—Mount Mouatt, Kirk! Canteroury—Broken River Basin and 
Upper Waimakariri, Kirk! T. F'. C., Cockayne! Mount Cook district, 7. F. C. 
Otago—Mount Pisa, Mount Kyeburn, Ola Man Range, Mount Ida, Petrie! 
Mount EHarnslaw, Cockayne! Var. ulophylla: Clarence Valley, T. F. C.; 
Castle Hill, Cockayne! Lake Wanaka, Petrie ! 2000-5500 ft. December-— 
February. 
Probably an abundant mountain-plant, but it is often confounded with 
varieties of L. campestris with congested inflorescence. From all these it can 
be readily distinguished by the tapering leaves ending in an acute subulate 
point quite unlike the obtuse and often swollen leaf-tip of L. campestris; also 
by the spiciform clusters, and by the broad bracts with white membranous 
margins densely ciliate with long hairs. Buchenau’s var. wlophylla appears to 
me to be quite as distinct as many species generally accepted by authors, and 
I am not acquainted with any intermediate forms. But the genus is so over- 
loaded with synonymy that I leave it as it is for the present. The typical state 
of the species extends along the Andes from Mexico to Chili. 
