Mr A. Bennett on Carex helvola in Scotland. 361 



Carex helvola, Bhjtt^ in Scotland. By Arthur 

 Bennett, F.L.S. 



(Read 13th May 1886.) 



While examining specimens of Carex curia var. alpicola., 

 to try and clear up the question whether we possess the 

 true C. vitilis, Fries, in Britain, I was much struck with 

 the habit of a specimen so named from Lochnagar, which 

 was sent me some years ago by Mr F. M. Webb, who was 

 then curator of the Edinburgh Herbarium. On dissecting 

 this specimen, and comparing it with my continental 

 Carices, it seemed to match the above named species of 

 Blytt. To make sure, I split tlie specimen, and sent Dr A. 

 Blytt of Christiania half the example, and his answer was 

 very satisfactory :— " The specimen of Carex you sent me 

 belongs, no doubt, to Carex helvola. This specimen is 

 rather scanty, and you ought to look for better ones at the 

 locality where it was found by Professor Balfour. Carex 

 helvola is rather common in the Norwegian highlands, and 

 ought to grow also in the Scotch, the flora of which is so 

 very like ours. It has not been found with ripe seeds 

 with us, and is perhaps a hybrid." 



The specimen was undoubtedly scanty, but unavoidably 

 so. The label of the specimen runs thus : — 



" 1433 b Carex ctirta ^ cdpicola, Wahl. 



C. vitilis, Fries (Bab. Man). 

 Loch-na-Gar. 

 Coll. 11 Aug. 1846. 



Prof. J. H. Balfour. F. M. W." 



Mr N. E. Brown, of the Kew Herbarium, writes me 

 that there are two specimens from " Ben-muic-Dhui," 

 which may be helvola, but he has not yet dissected 

 them. 



There is also a small specimen on a sheet of Carex 

 lagopina in the Edinburgh Herbarium, gathered by Dr 

 Boswell (Syme), which is probably helvola, but it is 

 gathered without roots, and is young. 



I give a few references and its principal continental 



