Cheeseman. — Revision of the N.Z. Species of Carex. 419 



Geographical Distribution. — Under the remarks on each species I have 

 briefly indicated the geographical range, so far as it is known to me ; but it 

 will be well to give a summary here. Of the 40 species admitted, 25, or 

 almost exactly three-fifths, are peculiar to the country. Of the 15 that are 

 found elsewhere, 11 are recorded from Australia and Tasmania. Nine of 

 the species are found in Europe, all of which, curiously enough, also inhabit 

 North and West Asia, and North America. Seven are natives of Southern 

 or Eastern Asia ; six of temperate North and South Africa ; while four or 

 five have been recorded from extra-tropical South America. The annexed 

 table will show the distribution of each species at a glance. It is remark- 

 able that most of the species with androgynous spikelets are found out of 

 New Zealand, while in the section with unisexual spikelets nearly all are 

 endemic. 



The distribution of the species within the colony is given as fully as 

 possible, although there is much room for improvement. On the West 

 Coast of the South Island they have hardly been collected at all, and 

 almost nothing is known of those inhabiting the elevated central districts 

 of the North Island. I have, therefore, not attempted to draw up any 

 general conclusions on this point, feeling sure that such would require con- 

 siderable modification within a short time. 



Before passing to the strictly systematic portion of this paper, I have to 

 express my obligations to many kind friends and correspondents for assist- 

 ance in preparing it. My thanks are specially due to Mr. D. Petrie of 

 Dunedin, who has liberally supplied me with full suites of specimens of the 

 Otago species, accompanied by many valuable notes. I am also indebted 

 for specimens and information to Mr. G. M. Thomson, Mr. H. Tryon, Mr. 

 T. Kirk, Mr. J. Buchanan, and others. My most grateful thanks are due 

 to Sir J. D. Hooker for his unwearied kindness in comparing my specimens 

 with those in the Kew herbarium. Sir F. Mueller has liberally forwarded 

 a complete series of the Australian species, which has been of much service 

 to me. For specimens of the European forms I am indebted to Mr. A. W. 

 Bennett of Croydon, Dr. J. Miiller of Geneva, and Dr. Levier of Florence, 

 while I have to thank Mr. Canby and Mr. Martindale for many of the 

 American species. 



In conclusion, it is my wish that this paper may be looked upon simply 

 as an attempt to revise and re-arrange the New Zealand species of Carex, 

 based upon the additional information that has been obtained since the 

 publication of Sir J. D. Hooker's " Handbook." The preparation of a more 

 detailed monograph of the species would have been premature, until the 

 country has been more completely explored, and the species more generally 

 and exhaustively studied, 



