921 



strong stipitate point of attachment, which is a continuation of the 

 convex surface, with strong nerves all round, which extend down the 

 stipe." The figure of the perigynium given above, is a profile view 

 from a sketch by Mr. Wilson. The sketch was made from a fruit 

 of Mr. Moore's Irish plant in the possession of Mr. Wilson. 



The difference in the outline of the nuts of the two species is suffi- 

 ciently shown by the figures ; there is considerable resemblance be- 

 tween the perigynia of the two when viewed in front, the most obvious 

 difference consisting in the broadly winged and cloven beak of the 

 one and the serrulated emarginate beak of the other. When however 

 the perigynia are viewed in profile, a most striking dissimilarity is ob- 

 servable : in C. paradoxa the lower part being inflated with the inner 

 face gibbous, while in C. paniculata the inner face is nearly flat. It 

 will be seen that the nut scarcely differs in outline from that of C. tere- 

 tiuscula. For an account of the discovery of this beautiful Carex in 

 Yorkshire, and a notice of its mode of growth in that locality, I beg to 

 refer to Mr. Spruce's note, (Phytol. 842). 



Seeing then that these two species are so subject to variation in the 

 character of their inflorescence, we surely cannot feel surprized if we 

 find that their natural ally, C. teretiuscula, is also variable in this re- 

 spect, as indeed it is, although in a less degree. Some specimens 

 now before me have their spikelets densely aggregated into a short 

 roundish head ; in others the compound spike is more or less elon- 

 gated, even to above an an inch in length : but amid all these varia- 

 tions in the inflorescence, this species is well distinguished from its 

 ally, C. paniculata, both by the fruit and the form of the stem, which, 

 in the latter, has three acute angles with the interstices flat, while the 

 angles of the stem in C. teretiuscula are obtuse, with a projecting line 

 in the centre of two of the sides : thus a transverse section of the one 

 presents an acutely triangular outline, while in the other the outline 

 is roundish. In the form of the stem and general habit C. paradoxa 

 bears a considerable resemblance to C. teretiuscula, but the two are 

 strikingly distinguished by the very different forms of their fruit. And 

 here perhaps it may not be out of place to mention that while they re- 

 tain their general specific characters, I have found both the perigy- 

 nium and nut of C. teretiuscula to be subject to greater variations of 

 form and outline than those of either of the two species named above. 

 These variations I am inclined to think may be attributed to the fruit 

 being examined in different stages of maturity. The nut, in what is 

 generally considered its normal form, has a turbinate outline, as re- 

 presented in Mr. Leigh ton's figure ; but I have as often found it to 



