Carcx.~\ CLXXII. CTPERACE^. (C. B. Clarke.) 713 



abounds in spikes wholly male, whereas iu C. linearis the spikes are fern., at top 

 male. But in K. trinervis there occur fern, spikes shortly male or barren at top, 

 and these exactly resemble spikes of C. linearis. The only diagnostic difference 

 appears to be that in K. trinervis, the bracteole (homologous with utricle of Carex) 

 is split on the posticous face nearly to its base so that the nut is partially protruded ; 

 in C. linearis the beak of the utricle is split on the posticous face nearly (not quite) 

 to its base, so that the nut is completely inclosed in the utricle. The habit of C. 

 linearis is entirely that of a Kobresia, and the two genera touch at this point. 



Var. (3. elachista ; stems (with nearly ripe fruits) scarcely 2 in., leaves exceeding 

 stems, spikes in fruit ^ in., very slender all bisexual 2-4-uutted. W. Nepal, alt. 

 11-12,000 ft., Duthie (n. 6091). This looks like a distinct species; but there is 

 little of it, and except in size no distinction between it and C. linearis has been 

 discovered. 



37. C. vidua, Boott ms. ; spike 1 in. linear, style-branches 3, utricle 

 (including beak) oblong-ellipsoid glabrous without nerves, beak as long as 

 nut with a slit on posticous face extending \ length of beak. 



SIKKIM ; Lachen, alt. 13,000 ft., J. D. H. 



Glabrous. Stems 6 in., rigid, clustered, at base covered by dark-chestnut shining 

 fimbrillate sheaths. Leaves nearly as long as stems, setaceous. Spikes seen wholly 

 fern., about in. broad, denser, more rigid, than iu C. linearis. Fern, glumes ovate, 

 obtuse, brown, yellow -backed, lowest hardly aristate. Utricle with beak |- in. 

 long; utricle proper obovoid, scarcely longer thp.n the obovoid, nut passing imper- 

 ceptibly into au ovoid compressed beak of same length and width, scabrous on margins, 

 top obtuse. A strange plant marked by B^ott " dioica,"the 1 spikes seen have some 

 sterile glumes at top. 



38. C. rara, Soott in Proc. Linn. Soc. i. 284, & in Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 xx. 139, & Garex, L 44, t. 109 ; rhizome very short slender, stems and leaves 

 very slender, spike |-| by i- in. dense, style 3-branched, utricle ovoid- 

 pyramidal many-ribbed glabrous. Thw. Enum. 354 ; Boeck. in Linnxa, 

 xxxix. 36. 0, nana, Boott in Mem. Amer. Acad. N. S. vi. 418, & Ccircx, iv. 

 139, t. 449, fig. 2. C. capillacea, Benth. Fl. Austral, vii. 438 (scarcely of 

 Boott). 



BHOTAN, Griffith. KHASIA HILLS, Griffith, alt. 6000 ft., C. -B. Clarke. CEYLON, 

 alt. 6000 ft., Thwatt-es, DISTEJB. Japan, Borneo, Austral. 



Glabrous. Stems 4-20 in., tufted. Leaves often half as long as stems, setaceous. 

 Spikes nearly all bisexual, terminal male portion shining ferruginous, very narrow. 

 Fern, glumes ovate, obtuse, 3-nerved, shorter than utricles. Utricle in fruit close, 

 spreading at right angles, with no linear tip to beak or a most minute subrecurvcd 

 mucro, strongly closely ribbed without glands, or in Khasi examples sometimes with 

 fewer weaker ribs and scattered large glands between (= the Japan C. nana, Boott). 



39. C. capillacea, Boott Carex, i. 44, t. 110; rhizome 0, stems and 

 leaves capillary, spike 55- by tV~s in- dense, style 3-branched, utricle ovoid- 

 P3 7 ramidal many-ribbed glabrous. Boeck. in fjinntea, xxxix. 37. 



SIKKIM, alt. 9-12,000 ft., J. D. Hooker, &c. BHOTAN, Griffith. DISTRIB. 

 Japan. 



Stems 4-10 in., tufted. Smaller in all its parts than C. rara, but I see no other 

 difference. The Australian plant called by Bentham C. capillacea has leaves and 

 spikes as wide as 0. rara, and I refer it to rara accordingly ; it might be all treate I 

 as one. 



Sect. 5. INDICT. Terminal spike fern, at base male at top ; or, when spikes 

 very numerous many male at top, terminal (1 or few) sometimes wholly male. 



