MACKENZIE: NOTES ON CAREX 531 
along the Pacific coast from San Francisco to Vancouver Island. 
It furnishes the basis for the reports of the occurrence of Carex 
umbellata on the Pacific coast, and specimens of it are probably 
also responsible for the large perigynia at times attributed to that 
species. This plant, which I am calling Carex brevicaulis, has 
pistillate spikes maturing 1-4 strongly pubescent perigynia and 
the culms are little fibrillose at base. Carex geophila on the other ° 
hand has pistillate spikes maturing some 5-15 puberulent peri- 
gynia and the culms are extremely fibrillose at base. 
Several distinct species have been referred to Carex umbellata 
Schk. The genuine plant is distinguished by its deep green narrow 
erect leaves, the old reaching an extreme width of 2.5 mm., and 
the width of the young ones at fruiting time averaging about 1.5— 
1.75 mm. The cuspidate pistillate scales are normally lanceolate 
or narrowly ovate-lanceolate, and usually do not entirely conceal © 
the lower part of the perigynia. The long-beaked perigynia 
are 3 mm. long or more and short-pubescent, and the beak is 
markedly bidentate. 
In parts of the country, especially in the north and west, the 
place of Carex umbellata is often taken by a closely related species, 
the perigynia of which are smaller (3 mm. long or less) and have a 
short (0.5 mm. long) shallowly bidentate beak. The scales are 
ovate and vary from acutish to cuspidate, and in the basal spikes 
tend strongly to conceal the lower part of the perigynia. This 
plant is the var. brevirostris Boott; the C. abdita of Mr. Bicknell. 
My own experience is that this species occurs in limestone districts 
and that Carex umbellata is a species not found in such districts. 
A closely related species ranging from Missouri to Texas has also 
been separated. 
Thoroughly distinct is the coastal plant described by Professor 
Fernald as var. tonsa (Proc. Am. Acad. 37: 507. 1902), and by 
Mr. Bicknell raised to specific rank (Bull. Torrey Club 35: 492. 
1908). While the long glabrous perigynia make it well marked, 
the wide stiff spreading leaves referred to by Mr. Bicknell are 
even more characteristic, and in the field distinguish the plant 
at a distance from Carex umbellata when growing with it. Carex 
tonsa is an abundant ea in parts of the pine barren country 
of New Jersey. 
