T. Holm — Studies in the CyperacecB. 481 



dense head, and the perigynia vary from ovate to suborbicular, 

 broadly winged and prominently veined ; in C. Liddonii the 

 very heavy spikes and large perigynia, which are many-nerved 

 and with prominently serrulate-winged margins, make this 

 species very distinct from 0. jpetasata. In regard to the 

 geographical distribution C. jpetasata has been found in Alaska, 

 but only in a few localities ; furthermore and apparently fre- 

 quent in the mountains of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, 

 in the Alpine regions ; it occurs, also, in British Columbia, 

 Alberta, Assiniboia, Vancouver Island, Montana, Wyoming, 

 Utah and Colorado ; it seems to be rare in Colorado, and is 

 there confined to the highest peaks above timber-line. 



Carex Barbarce Dew. 



Through the kindness of Mr. M. L. Fernald the writer has 

 had the opportunity to examine probably the only specimen 

 extant from Dewey's own material of this very rare species, 

 deposited in Wm. Boott's herbarium, now incorporated in the 

 Gray herbarium at Cambridge. It is an immature specimen, 

 but labeled by Dewey himself : " C. Barbara, Santa Barbara, 

 Xew Mexico," and the principal characteristics are easily rec- 

 ognized to be in conformity with the diagnosis, as this was 

 written by Dewey.* Subsequent authors have not, however, 

 paid due attention to the original diagnosis, for instance, the 

 peculiar structure of the squamse, and the result has been that 

 Carex Barbara of to-day comprises several distinct species, 

 among which Dewey's C. Schottii and C. dives nob. While 

 thus the specimen, which we have examined, is immature, the 

 diagnosis plainly shows that Dewey based his description on 

 more perfect and mature specimens ; if not he would have said 

 so, for he was careful enough to state in his diagnosis of C. 

 Schottii that the perigynia were either wanting or immature. 

 To deal with immature specimens of Carices especially is a 

 most difficult task, but, in the present case, we have a well 

 written diagnosis beside a specimen labelled by the author him- 

 self. It seems very strange that so much confusion should 

 arise in regard, to the identity of this species, since the group 

 of Carices to which it belongs is rather poor in representatives, 

 and, as stated above, so very distinct from that to which the 

 other plants belong, which erroneously have been referred to 

 C. Barbarce. From reading Dewey's diagnosis there is abso- 

 lutely no doubt that his Carex is a member of the ^Eorasta- 

 chyce, and related somewhat to C. Schottii and C. magnifica, 

 which he distributed under this name though without append- 

 ing a diagnosis. Most of the species which subsequent authors 



* Emory's Eeport U. S. and Mex. Bound. Survey, p. 231, 1858. 



