26 T. Holm — Studies in the Cyperaeem. 



gine serrulatis rostratis ore hyalino-lobato abscisso." However, 

 in a subsequent paragraj^h (1. c, p. 24) Drejer calls attention 

 to the fact, that '' in C. f estiva et affinibus os rostri quidem 

 bidentatum est, sed dentes naembrana hyalina diaphana con- 

 junguntur, quse stylo adlmc restante obscuratur ita ut os 

 integrum videatur ; stylo autem reraoto membrana diaphana 

 facile prsetervidetur, quo fit, ut dentes, qui liberi vere non sunt, 

 mere distincti et acutati videantur." Hence that the beak is 

 really not bidentate, but entire on the ventral face bj the 

 presence of a transparent membrane. This very structure of the 

 beak being only " apparently bidentate " we have noticed in all 

 the specimens we have examined from Greenland, Scandinavia, 

 Alaska, Yancouver Island and Rocky Mountains from Colorado 

 northward through Canada, and we see no reason for separ- 

 ating these plants from one another. Nevertheless, a recent 

 author, Rev. G. Kiikenthal, has reached the conclusion that 

 the Greenland and Scandinavian plants are distinct from the 

 North- American C.f estiva Dew, but identical with the South- 

 American C. Madoviana d'Urv. We have seen no specimen 

 of the latter, which the author. Rev. G. Kiikenthal, has 

 described as possessing a " rostrum profunde bidentatum," but 

 this character surely does not apply to the European or Green- 

 land specimens. Mr. C. B. Clarke of Kew has, however, 

 informed us that he prefers to place them all, the South 

 and North-American and European representatives, under C. 

 Madoviana, which is an older name than C.f estiva. 



Olney described Carex Haydeniana"^ as distinct from C. 

 f estiva by the long beak of the utricle, a character which is 

 very striking, but hardly sufficient for separating the plant as 

 a species, unless additional characters be observed. 



We have proposed a new variety ^^ decumhens^'' which is 

 especially characteristic by the decumbent habit of the plant, 

 somewhat suggestive of Carex inciirva, besides that the utricle 

 is much larger than in typical specimens of G. f estiva. This 

 variety decuiribens has only been observed in the alpine region. 



Carex strammiformis Bailey. 



Rhizome loosely caespitose with light brown, persisting 

 sheaths ; leaves relatively broad, flat, scabrous along the mar- 

 gins, shorter than the culm ; culm erect, from 25 to 37^"^ in 

 height, quite stout, trigonous, nearly glabrous, leafy at the base, 

 phyllopodic ; spikes 3 to 4, gynsecandrous, dense flowered, 

 ovoid, sessile, contiguous, forming a compact head about 2^°" in 

 length and I'S"^'" in width ; scales oblong, acute, light brown 

 with green midrib (of 3 veins) and broad, hyaline margins, 



* Clarence King : Report Geol. Explor. 40tli Paral. 1871, p. 366. 



