45 



alterations is, that about ten of the species desciibed in recent bota- 

 nical works have been inserted merely as varieties. 



While agreeing with Reichenbach in dividing this large and natural 

 genus, the subgenera have not been made to depend on the number 

 of stigmas, because by that arrangement C. csespitosa, C. saxataiis, 

 &c., are placed along with the species which have compound andro- 

 gynous spikes, and C. pauciflora and rupestris are likewise separated 

 from the species with simple solitary spikes. In the general classifi- 

 cation, the system of Fries has therefore been followed ; but in the 

 arrangement of the species some alterations have been made. The 

 usual mode of arranging the British species with glabrous fruit and 

 terminal barren spikes appeared to the author exceedingly vague, and 

 liable to many exceptions on account of the difference in the number, 

 form, and direction of the spikes, even in the same species. He has 

 therefore re-arranged them according to the nature of the bracts and 

 fruit, as will be seen from the subjoined table : — 



Subgenus Vignea (of Reich, in part) : spikes simple, solitary or 

 compound, androgynous. 



A. Spikes simple, solitary ; Monostachyze, Fr. 



B. Spikes compound, androgynous ; Homostachyae, Fr. 



I. Bracts not foliaceous, spikelets fertile below ; Hyparrhense. 



1. Root creeping. 



2. Root fibrous. 



II. Bracts long and foliaceous ; Bracteosae. 

 III. Bracts not foliaceous, spikelets fertile above ; Acroan-hense, 



Subgenus Carex (Heterostachyae, Fr.) : spikes simple, distinct^ 

 the terminal ones ban-en or androgynous, the rest fertile. 

 I. Spikes unisexual, achenes biconvex, stigmas two; Distig- 



maticae. 

 II. Terminal spike androgynous, fertile above, stigmas three ; 



Tristigmaticge Mesoarrhenae. 

 III. Spikes unisexual, achenes trigonous, stigmas three; Tri- 

 stigmaticae Acroarrhense. 



1. Fruit smooth, bifid; bracts without sheaths. 



2. Fruit smooth, entire ; bracts sheathing. 



3. Fruit smooth, bifid ; bracts sheathing. 



4. Fruit pilose, deeply bifid. 



5. Fruit pilose, entire or nearly so ; bracts foliaceous. 



6. Fruit pilose, entire ; bracts membranous, sheathing. 



