66 85. CYPERACE.E. 



eacli of which appears to have been occasionally mistaken 

 for the i^resent species. According to Jones (Tour) B. 

 compressus grows on Goonhilly downs, in the Lizard, 

 Cornwall; but no other botanist has found it there, so far 

 as I am aware ; and I saw Schoenus nigricans in the 

 Lizard, without finding B. compressus. The Flora Ba- 

 thoniensis, confirmed by Mr. R. Withers, is my only other 

 authority for the province of the Peninsula. For each of 

 the other provinces there are two or more authorities, un- 

 til we arrive at that of the Mersey, for which we have only 

 anonymous authority ; the Author of the Flora of Liver- 

 pool enumeratuig localities for B. compressus, but not 

 informing us on whose botanical testimony they are to be 

 received ; thus leaving us in the dark on the most impor- 

 tant item of the information ; namely, upon whose know- 

 ledge or ignorance of botany the alleged facts are to be 

 credited. I visited one of the four localities reported ano- 

 nymously in the Flora of Liverpool, and found Blysmus 

 rufus, not B. compressus, on the spot indicated. Still, 

 the B. compressus is a plant so liliely to occui- in Cheshire 

 or Lancashire, that I enter the Mersey province in the 

 line of Area, on the uncertain indication now mentioned. 

 For a like reason the Lake province also is retained, al- 

 though depending on old and indifferent authority. In 

 Lightfoot's Flora Scotica are two very suspicious localities 

 for B. compressus, copied into Hooker's Flora Scotica 

 without question or doubt expressed, namely, " Dumbar- 

 ton Castle, near the river side," and " in marshy places 

 by the sides of Lochs in Islay." These two West High- 

 land localities seem more likely to belong to B. rufus. 

 But B. compressus certainly grows near Edinburgh, and 

 is thus truly a native of Scotland. I know not whether 

 any of the few stations mentioned in the Flora of Berwick 

 are within the Scottish county, or all of them in North 



