306 T. Holm — Studies in the Cyperacece. 



late spikes mostly mucronate ; perigynium glabrous through- 

 out, faintly nerved on the inner face, nearly sessile, roundish 

 in outline and terminated by a very distinct, bidentate beak. 



California : Above Donner Pass in Placer County, in a 

 subalpine meadow, where snow-drifts lie late, and usually 

 near granite rocks, collected by Mr. A. A. Heller, August, 

 1903 (No. 7187). 



In the specimens of this new variety the rhizome is densely 

 matted with ascending shoots and covered by dark, brownish 

 fibers from the old leaf -sheaths. The leaves are very broad, 

 but much shorter than the culms. The heavy, deep-brown 

 spikes remind of small cones, hence the name li strobilantha" 

 and there is quite a variation in respect to their number, posi- 

 tion and the distribution of the sexes. We noticed the follow- 

 ing instances in 26 specimens : 



2 staminate and 3 pistillate spikes in 14 specimens. 

 1 " " 3 " "5 " 



o' ft "4 " " 2 " 



1 a a a u u o a 



9 " li 9 IC " 1 " 



o a " S li " 1 i( 



3 " " 1 androgynous " 1 " 



In some specimens the pistillate spikes were borne on very 

 long peduncles overtopping the terminal, and several of these 

 were observed to be more or less decompound. — The structure 

 of the perigynium is very characteristic and differs essentially 

 from that of the typical plant, which, as described by W. 

 Boott,* is : " oval to lanceolate," " slenderly nerved, slightly 

 serrate on the upper margins, longer and broader than the 

 scale." The accompanying figures of the perigynia show the 

 distinction very plainly, a distinction, however, which appears 

 to the writer as merely varietal. 

 Brookland, D. C., May, 1905. 



- S. Watson : Botany of California, vol. 2, p. 250, 1880. 



