218 T. Holm — Studies upon the Cyperacece. 



cious, so that the distribution of the sexes does not here con- 

 stitute any valid character. There is, indeed, no difference, as 

 regards the entire inflorescence, between these, the dioecious 

 forms on the one side and the Phyllostachym^^ the Physoce- 

 phalw and the Leptocephalce on the other ; the characterization 

 must be sought in the texture of the utriculus alone. And if 

 we compare them with the heterostachjous species, the princi- 

 pal difference depends merely upon the number of female 

 flowers developed. 



It seems as if the homostachyous species, with decompound 

 inflorescences, form a group well distinct from all the other 

 Carices^ by the singular arrangement of the two sexes in the 

 same lateral or terminal inflorescence. In these species the 

 lateral peduncles are so short that they are hardly visible and 

 the ochrea is generally suppressed. But if we place Carex 

 cladostachya among these, the Homostachym, we will then 

 have a highly developed type with the inflorescences on long 

 peduncles and the ochrea distinct. This species shows a tran- 

 sition to the HeterostachyoB by its decompound inflorescences, 

 but while this secondary ramification is only abnormal to the 

 heterostachyous species, it is typical to C. cladostachya and its 

 allies. 



The structure and position of the antho-prophyllon in the 

 genus Carex becomes, therefore, of great importance, when we 

 study the inflorescence, and it affords good characters in dis- 

 tinguishing the species from a systematic point of view. In 

 considering the sections and the groups of this large genus, it 

 appears as if the characteristics can not be drawn very acute if 

 we merely look upon the composition of the inflorescence. 

 The characters taken from the structure and shape of the utri- 

 culus may, on the other hand, help to unite a number of spe- 

 cies into very natural groups. The color of utriculus and of 

 the scale-like bracts is often used as an additional character, 

 but is, however, not reliable. We will point out that the 

 color of these organs often depends upon the climatic condi- 

 tions under which the species occur, viz. : they are often bright 

 colored, purplish or deep brown, in the northern and the 

 alpine forms, while in the southern and most of the sylvan 

 forms they are pale, hyaline or light green. 



Bibliography, 



1. Adanson, Jean B. Families des plantes. Paris, 1163. Pars 2, p. 28. 



2. Baillon, H. L'appendice de I'achame du Carex Fraseriana ; Bull, mens de 

 la soc. Linn. Paris, 1885, p. 490. 



3. Brown, Robert. Prodromus Florae Novse-HoUandise, p. 42. 



4. Brown, Robert, General remarks, geographical and systematical, on the 

 Botany of Terra Australia. London, 1814; Miscell. botan. works of R, Brown. 

 London, 1866, p. 54. 



