ENGELMANN—NORTH AM. SPECIES OF JUNCUS. 433 
What constitutes a species.—The specific character lies not 
judgment, different investigators will arrive at different con- 
clusions. Some species, to be sure, vary very little, and will, 
by every botanist, be recognized as distinct from a e 
and as indivisible; such are, e. g., J. sili iformis, J. militaris, 
J. stygius, J. repens ; but other species exercise the botanists 
considerably, some forms being held distinct by some, while 
t 
especially J. pallescens, J. scirpoides, J. nodosus, and J. 
‘anadensis, all belonging to the group yan I have 
no doubt that some botanists, especially such as have not the 
means of comparing the pet ering quantity of cp tag 
forms now before me, will my views in this respect to 
contracted, but careful Ev cgacon in the field will, I ‘ide, 
bear me ou 
see these preliminary remarks I submit a list of our 
rth American Junci and their principal varieties, as I 
ead them, followed by an account of their geographi- 
cal distribution. 
Systematic Arrangement. 
GENUS JUNCUS, Lin. 
Scus-Genus I. JUNCUS. 
I, Juncr cenvint, caule aphyllo basi vaginis apayiis seu rarius fo- 
lia ipso eauli similia gerentibus stipato 
A. Glomerulifiori. 
1. J. acutus, Lin., California, New Jersey. (?) g 
ianus, Scheele (J. matte: Auct. Am.), New § 2 
Jersey to Texas. Ey 
B. Singuliflori. 
a. ape panicula plus minus composita. 
segeriac capsulis ovatis seu ob- 
ovatis 
1. Folii 
3. J. compressus, H. B. K., California, Mexico. 
a veehen Q 
* Hexandri. = 
4. J. Breweri, n. sp., California. 8 
5. J. Balticus, Det ard. = 
8. littoralis, coast of New England to. the Mississippi. 2 
. montanus, Western deserts and ~_ 
Sub-species J. Pacificus, Pacific co 
