24 J. Carey on the Distortion of the Achenium in Carez. 
was, probably, the early appearance of the distortion; but he 
does not seem to have seen ripe specimens. He also describes a 
Brazilian species, C. procera, with a ‘ mucronate-subaristate” 
scale, of which he says, “Ovarium oblongum, triangulare, ad 
unum latus versus medium emarginato-incisum. Achenium ob- 
lique oblongum, triangulare, ad angulum rectilineum versus me- 
dium emarginato-incisum (semper 2).” This species is altogether 
unknown to me, and Lam indebted to my friend, Dr. Boott, of 
London, for the reference—but, it belongs to a very different 
group from’ those to which I have referred, being tristigmatic, 
and described as “C. riparize et C. paludose similis et affinis.” 
It is not my intention, in these remarks, to speculate upon the 
cause of this malformation, but merely to call the attention of 
botanists to the subject, more especially with reference to C. cri- 
nita, which is so universally diffused thronghout the United 
States. Assuming that the plants with shorter awns, bearing 
perfect and regular achenia, are to be taken as the type of the 
species, | conceive that the very prolonged awn is an irregular 
(morbid?) appearance, consequent, probably, upon the disturbing 
causes, whatever these may be, to which the distorted achenia 
are attributable. Ihave imagined that the lengthened awn might 
be somewhat analogous to the irregular hairs found upon various 
galls, on the leaves and branches of plants. I have not, however, 
been able to detect any appearance of injury from insects, or 
otherwise, in the variety paleacea, which, as I have remarked, 
seems to be the more common form in the Northern States, sand 
is equally robust and vigorous in growth with the regular type 0 
the species. It would be interesting to find a specimen in which 
one or two of the fertile spikes should present the long-awned 
scales, accompanied by the distorted achenia, whilst the remain- 
er were in the normal condition; but this I have never observed ; 
nor yet a regular spike on the paleaceous form of the species. In 
C. stricta, Lam., a species of this group, it is not uncommon to 
find both perigynium and achenium tumid and enlarged, but 
without distortion in the shape of the latter, or prolongation of 
the scale, so far as I have observed. : 
I learn from Dr. Boott, who has seen an authentic specimen, 
that C. paleacea, Wahl. is referable to C. maritima, and it will 
of C. crinita, which, if my views should be confirmed by the 
observation of botanists, may be distinguished as C. crinita, vat. 
morbida. 
