Dr. Smith'x Defcript'iom of five new Briti/lj Species of Ciirex. 27 1 



Cu/mus crcStus, pedalis aut fefquipedalis, triqueter, ftriatus, vix fcabcr. 

 Fo/ia eredta, acuminata, marginibus afpera, carina leviufcula. 

 BraSiea foliaceae, eredlx, culmum fuperantes, hand vaginatas, 

 bafi auriciilatas, auriculis magnis, rotundatis, connatis, fufcis, 

 apice pallidis. Spicee cylindricas, obtufiufculae, ereftae; maf- 

 culffi tres aut quatuor, fubfefliles, graciles, glumis obtufifiimis, 

 muticis, glauco-fufcis, margine tenui, fcariofo, niveo ; focmi- 

 nerc d'-ise, longius pedunculata;, crafliores, fuperior apice maf- 

 cula, inferior bafi interdum compofita, glumis ellipticis, obtufii- 

 fimis, muticis, fui'cis, margine fcariofo, albo, carina fiavefcente, 

 obtuf^. Stigmata tria. FruSius glumis multo breviores, obovato- 

 triquetri, dilatati, fere enerves, glabri, virefcentes, apice obtufif- 

 fimi, indivifi. Semen triquetrum, breve, fufcvim, angulis pallidis. 



I cannot but confefs that it was with extraordinary pleafure I de- 

 teiSled a fpecimen of this Carex among many fuppofed varieties of 

 recurva communicated by Profeflbr Beattie ; for I immediately per- 

 ceived its flriking agreement with that long-doubtful figure of 

 Micheli, tab. 32. f. 12, which has been fometimes referred to acuta, 

 fometimes to flriSla, and hitherto found to agree well with no 

 known fpecies. As I believe no one but Micheli has defcribed or 

 diftinguiflied this plant, I have given it his name. His definition 

 above-quoted will be found precifely to accord with it, and I trufl 

 my fpecific chara6ler and defcription will prevent its being miftaken 

 in future. It is moft allied to C. recurva, (which fometimes varies 

 with numerous male fpikes,) but the perfeclly fmooth fruit, fliorter 

 than the glumes, and rather comprefTed, by no means gibbous, 

 clearly diftinguiflies C. Micheliana ; not to mention its greater fize, 

 and ere£l female fpikes, the loXvermofl: of which is liable to be 

 branched at the bafe, as in C. binervis. 



5. Carex ■ 



