Mackenzie: Notes on Carex 441 



The following specimens also belong here : 



Idaho : Moscow Mt, Latah County, Abrams 6j6, May, 1906. 



British Columbia : Selkirk Mountains, near 5 1 ° 30", Shazv 



77a, Jul; 

 6, 1890. 



Mac on n 36, J 



Alberta : 



J 



^ Carex mediterranea sp. nov. 



A strongly tufted species, the culms 35 cm. or less high, 

 usually about 25 cm., and about twice exceeding in length the 

 leaves, triangular, smooth below, rough on the angles above. 

 Leaves flat, long-acuminate, 2.5-4 mm. wide, typically about 10 

 cm. long, smoothish above, roughened below, especially towards 

 the apex; spikes densely aggregated in a solitary terminal head 

 10-17 mrn - l°ng and about 10 mm. wide, the spikes bearing a few 

 inconspicuous staminate flowers above and ten to many pistillate 

 flowers below, the bracts awl-shaped, long-cuspidate, much shorter 

 than the head ; perigynium ascending or spreading, 3.5 mm. long, 

 2.25 mm. wide, the body ovate, flattened, margined, round-taper- 

 ing at base, tapering above to the serrulate, bidentate beak, which 

 occupies about l /^ of the perigynium, nerveless on the inner sur- 

 face, nerved on the outer ; scales ovate, cuspidate, brownish-hyaline 

 with a green midrib, from slightly shorter to slightly longer than 

 the perigynia and usually a little narrower; achene lenticular, 

 nearly orbicular, 1.5 mm. long, very short-stipitate ; stigmas 2. 



The above species, which is not uncommon from the District 



of Columbia westward to Kansas, has a strong outward resemblance 



to Carex cepJialophora Muhl. and has usually been referred to that 



species, which is also common in the same range. The reference 



of specimens of this plant, however, to Carex Mu/de?ibergii Schkr., 



and even to Carex gravida Bailey, shows that it has given much 



trouble to students and collectors. As a matter of fact its nearest 



I 



relative is Carex Miihlenbergii Schkr., and this last-named species 

 is, of course, exceedingly close to Carex gravida Bailey. In short, 

 the plant may be described as having the aspect, leaves and head 

 of Carex eephalophora, while it has the perigynia and scales of 

 Carex Miihlenbergii. The following key will serve to distinguish 



some of the closely related species of this group : 



Heads short, rarely interrupted, 8-20 mm. long. 

 Scales much exceeded by the perigynia. 



Perigynia ovate-lanceolate or narrower; leaves 2.5-4 mm. wide. 



C. cephalophora . 



