1804 GLII. CYPERACE^. [Carex, 



Glumes membranous, ovate or lanceolate, more or less aristate, the males 

 narrower, and 1 or 2 empty glumes at the base of the spikelet. Utricle narrow, 

 curved, prominently striate, 1^ to IJ line long including the long acuminate 

 beak. Style-branches 3. — C. indka, F. v. M. but scarcely of Linn. 



Hab.: Eookingbam Bay, Dallachy, and other Doitbeni localities. 



The species is also in Aueiteum (New Caledonia) whence were the specimetis described and 

 figured by Boolt. 



C, Dietrichicr, Bceckel. in Flora, 1875, 1'2'2, from Mackiiy, Amalia Diatricli, is from the 

 character given, probably the same species. 



6. C. gracilis (slender), K. Br. L'vud. 212; Benth. Fl. Austr. vii, 442. Stems 

 slender, 1 to 2ft. high. Leaves long and narrow. Spikelets rather numerous 

 but narrow and ^ to fin. long, erect or scarcely spreading in a narrow simple 

 panicle, mostly androgynous, male at the top, shortly pedunculate and clustered 

 i3 or 3 together, the floral bracts short and subulate, or the lowest much lower 

 down and leaflike with 2 longer peduncles in its axil, one of them bearing 2 or 3 

 spikelets. Glumes lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acute acuminate or shortly 

 aristate. Utricle almost sessile, flattenecl, ovate, very prominently many-nerved, 

 pubescent, with a long beak. — Boott, III. Car. i. 59, t. 151, 155 ; F. v. M. Fragm. 

 viii. 250 



Hab.: Brisbane Itiver, Builerj. 



7. C. contracta (contracted), F. c. M. Fraijm. viii. 258 ; Llenth. F'l. Aunlr. 

 vii. 442. Stems rather slender, 1 to 2ft. long. Leaves long and narrow, the 

 floral leaves or bracts short and subulate or the lowest long and leaflike. 

 Spikelets 3 to 6, all rather distant, erect and sessile, or the lowest shortly 

 pedunculate, the terminal one male, slender, 1 to 2iu. long, the others usually 

 shorter, female or rarely with a few male flowers at the top. Glumes narroAv, 

 obtuse or almost acute, thin and brown or hyaline, with a green centre or midrib. 

 Utricle much flattened, Avith nerve-like margins, ovate or elliptical, about 14 line 

 long, shortly stipitate and contracted into a very short truncate or scarcely 

 2-toothed beak, with 3 or 4 prominent nerves On each face. Style-branches 2. 

 Nut flat, nearly orbicular, much shorter than the utricle. 



Hab.: Stauthorpe to Wallangarra. 



Thi$ species should probably bo better placed as a form of 0. vulgaris, from the Qaeenslfind 

 form of which it seems principally to differ in its pale glumes and scabrous stems. 



8. C vulgaris (common), Friex, var. Gaudichaudiana, Boott, 111. Car. iv. 

 169, t. 567 ; Benth. Fl. A iistr. vii. 442. Stems tufted or emitting creeping 

 stolones, from a few in. to 2 or 3ft. high. Leaves often longer than the stem 

 and usually narrow, the outer sheaths usually without blades and sometimes split 

 up into filaments. —Spikelets 3 to 5, rarely more or fewer, all sessile or the lowest 

 scarcely pedunculate and erect, varying from | to l|in. long, near together or 

 more frequently rather distant, the terminal one and sometimes a second smaller 

 one immediately under it male, the others female or sometimes with a few male 

 flowers at the top. Glumes dark-brown or black, obtuse or very shortly 

 mucronate, often with a green midrib. Utricle very flat, from orbicular to ovate, 

 usually longer than the glume, more or less distinctly several-nerved, obtuse acute 

 or tapering into a short beak. Style-branches 2. — F. v. M. Fragm.. viii. 257 ; C. 

 Gamlichaudiana, Kunth, Enum. ii. 417 ; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 99, 1. 151 A ; C. 

 cmspitosa, R. Br. Prod. 242, and of most early authors. 



Hab.: Brisbane Biver, Bailey. 



Tlie spesies in abundant and widely spread over the temperate regions of the northern 

 hemisphere. Its numerous varieties have been detailed at considerable length by Boott, I.e. 

 The Australian form which is also in New Zealand, though correctly reduced ty Boott to the 

 comprehensive 0, vulgaris, Fries, appears to me nevertheless to be quite as distinct from some 

 of its northern forms as theyare from the special Scandinavian form to which Fries would liuiit 



