272 T. Holm — Studies in the Gyperaceai. 



The rhizome is horizontal and creeping in G. lejocarpa, but 

 cespitose in the other ; the leaves are flat and straight in the 

 former, but almost filiform and "circinate" in the other; the 

 utricle has a hyaline bidentate beak in G. circinata, but a 

 merely truncate in the other. As regards the distribution of 

 the sexes, the spike was found to be androgynous in all the 

 specimens, several hundreds, which we have examined of G. 

 circinata ; in G. lejocarpa, on the other hand, we have found 

 specimens that were truly dioecious, and others in which the 

 spike was androgynous, the latter being quite scarce. The 

 number of stigmas varies in both, and we observed two and 

 three in the same spike of C. circinata, three being, however, 

 the commonest ; in G lejocarpa we noticed two stigmas in only 

 two specimens. 



In making our first disposition of these species we did not 

 hesitate to place them among the " Carices genuinm" not 

 only on account of the number of stigmas being mostly three, 

 but especially because the external structure and coloration of 

 the spike suggested affinities to certain species of Garex proper 

 rather than of Vignea. However it is often very difficult to 

 decide where to place some of these little, monostachyous 

 species, and one is often most inclined to consider the number 

 of stigmas as much more important than it really is. The 

 distigmatic monostachyae are thus generally placed among the 

 " Vignem" as representing small sections of their own, as, for 

 instance, the Gapitidigerw of Rev. G. Kiikenthal, to which 

 are referred G nardina, C. capitata, C. pidicaris, and others, 

 yet the G. nardina of the Roelcy Mountains in Colorado has 

 most often three instead of two stigmas, and as we have stated 

 above a similar variation exists also in both C. circinata and G. 

 lejocarpa. We should prefer to compare the structure of 

 utriculus besides the shape and relative size of the scales and 

 bear in mind that the formerly so-called " Psyllophoraz " in 

 most cases may be referable to the higher developed " greges " 

 not only among " Carices genuinse," but also among "Yigneae," 

 as illustrated by Drejer and Boott in various instances. And 

 in regard to our two Alaskan species, no Caricologist can pos- 

 sibly deny that their spikes, considered by themselves, show a 

 striking resemblance to those of G. sempervirens Vill. and its 

 allies. We have, also, but so far in vain, tried to establish 

 some connection between them and C. nigricans, G. pyre- 

 naica, G. macrostyla and G. pidicaris / the affinities of these 

 species with their deciduous squamae and reflexed utricles 

 may, perhaps, be sought among some of the higher forms 

 with squarrose spikes. 



In our further disposition of G. circinata and G. lejocarpa 

 we have considered them as "formal hebetatm " of that section 



