T. Holm — Studies in the Cyperacece. * 447 



distribution of the sexes and the form of the inflorescence had 

 with him no weight unless thej were in correlation with other 

 characters which might be considered of biological importance, 

 such as the structure of the perigynium {utriculus). In this 

 way the species of the old section Monostachyw became trans- 

 ferred to various pliostachjous groups as representing " formse 

 hebetatge" of these, and even the Lidicm with their manifold 

 decompound inflorescences, even these he did not feel inclined 

 to preserve as distinct from the others. Only the Vig?iece and 

 Carices gemdnm were recognized, though with the understand- 

 ing that the former should not be restricted to distigmatic 

 species alone, nor the latter to tristigmatic species. 



Characteristic of the Yignem is, thus, not only the more or 

 less dense-flowered, spicate or capitate inflorescence with com- 

 monly both sexes represented in each of the smaller spikes, or 

 the normally two stigmata, but also the peculiar structure of 

 the perigynium, being mostly plano-convex with the margins 

 more or less prominent and the beak being usually slit deeper 

 on the convex face, a structure that is, however, also met with 

 in certain species of the Carices genuince^ for instance among 

 the Stenocarpm. In the Carices genuince the perigynium 

 exhibits three types, one in which the beak is very short, 

 entire or subemarginate, a second in which there is a distinct 

 beak with the oriflce hyaline, two-lobed or irregularly bifid, 

 while in the third type the beak is quite prominent with the 

 apex bifid or even bidentate. 



These three types of perigynium were suggested by Drejer 

 as being sufi&ciently valid for dividing all the genuine Carices 

 in three primary sections, as already indicated in his little 

 book : Revisio critica Caricum borealium. — But this general 

 classification does not, however, seem feasible when we remem- 

 ber the several modifications that are noticeable among the 

 lesser and higher developed types within the minor " greges." 

 On the other hand, we must fully admit the recognition of these 

 characters as being very important, when applied to the cen- 

 tral, specific types of each "grex," and when taken in con- 

 nection with the other characters, which Drejer suggested as 

 f midamental for the establishment of his " greges." He enu- 

 merates, for instance, the consistence of the perigynium, mem- 

 branaceous or spongious, its surface being glabrous or pubescent, 

 the bracts being leafy or scale like, sheathing or merely auricu- 

 late at base, the spikes being erect or drooping, contiguous or 

 remote, and finally the distribution of the sexes ; this last char- 

 acter he considered, however, to be of minor importance, since 

 it appears inconstant in a number of cases. — With these char- 

 acters in mind Drejer classified a number of Carices genuinm 

 in eleven " greges " with diagnoses appended, but as already 



