38 



the various forms of C. saxatiliSy C. vesicaria and C. monile ; and 

 no doubt C. physocarpa will be found to add confusion to the 

 group. After much study in many places, the arrangement of 

 C. saxatilis proposed in my Synopsis still seems the best for our 

 present purpose. The characters of C, saxatilis may be drawn as 

 as follows : 



A low plant (4 to 8 in. high), the culm often curved, with one 

 staminate spike, and one or two short (seldom over a half inch 

 long and usually shorter) and dark purple pistillate spikes which 

 are either sessile or short-peduncled ; perigynium nearly orbicular, 

 very short and entire-beaked and nerveless. Scotland and North- 

 ern Europe, Greenland and Behring Straits and James Bay, J. 

 M. Macoiin, Its nearest ally is C. compacta, which differs at 

 once as follows : Culm very strict and stout and conspicuously 

 longer than the usually broader leaves, a foot or more high ; 

 staminate spikes often two ; pistillate spikes longer and evenly 

 cylindrical, very compact; lower bract conspicuously spreading. 



Var Grahami, Hooker & Arnott, Brit. FL 8th ed. 510. 



C. Grahavti, Boott, Linn. Trans, xix. 215 (1843), v. s, Hb. 

 Boott. 



C. saxatilis, var. major, Olney, Bot. King's Rep. v. 370 (1871). 



Larger; staminate spikes often two ; pistillate spikes two to 

 three, heavier and longer, the lowest usually long-peduncled ; 

 perigynium less purple or even entirely yellow, much more 

 slender and longer beaked, nerved; scales sharper. Scotland; 

 high mountains of Colorado, Utah, and northward. It is possible 

 that future observers may be able to detect varietal differences 

 between the plants of Scotland and America. The larger forms 

 of the American plant differ considerably from the Scottish, but 

 there are all possible gradations between them. Var. Grahami 

 runs close to forms of C. monile, from which it is distinguished 

 by its short and entire beak, much less prominently nerved perigy- 

 nium, more obtuse scales, and smaller size. 



The following matters of synonymy may be corrected in this 

 connection : 



C, hymenocarpa, Drejer, Revis. Crit Car. Bor. 58 (1841), v. 

 s. Hb. Havn., is not C. compacta^ R. Br., but a boreal form 

 of C. rostrata^ Stokes. . {C, rostrata var. hymefwcarpa, 



