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MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN* 



[VOL. 10 



and it is referred to L. rufescens. Therefore the varietal name macrocarpa can- 

 not be used for this Japanese material. Oddly enough Ohwi lists L. rufescens 

 var. brevipes as a synonym of L. plumosa var. macrocarpa. This is a much earlier 

 name than macrocarpa, and according- to the rule of priority should have been 

 used for this taxon. In this study the name brt vipes is transferred to L. plumosa 

 and refers to this Japanese material. Numerous other names (varieties and spe- 

 cies) have been used also to refer to this material. These names are a result of 

 the large amount of variability found in the same specimen or throughout a single 

 collection and does not show geographic or ecological differences. 



Very few specimens of this species were available for study; therefore it was 

 i in Possible to determine the total range of variability. However, the recognition 

 of the varieties reflexa and brevipes seems justified. Their different geographic 

 ranges indicate that they are distinct, as do their different morphological char- 

 acteristics. However, it may be more realistic to treat this complex as two or 

 more species if future evidence, based on cytology and breeding experiments, 

 suggest it. 



7. Luzula rostrata Buchenau 



Perennial ; strongly stoloniferous to rarely slightly caespitose ; stolons to 10 

 cm long, less than 1 mm wide, with dark colored scale-like leaves and slender 

 adventitious roots; blades of basal leaves flat, 4-7 mm wide, to 10 (rarely 13) 

 cm long, margins pubescent, apex callose-tipped ; culms erect, 15-25 (rarely 30) 

 cm tall, slender, smooth, bearing 2-3 leaves; sheath closed, pubescent at the throat 

 with long white hairs; blades linear, 3-6 mm wide, to 4 (rarely 5) cm long, 

 tapering abruptly to a callose-tip ; margins sparsely pubescent, not curled; in- 

 florescence terminal, usually compound with a few secondary pedicels ; pedicels 

 erect to slightly nodding, rarely reflexed ; basal bract erect, much shorter than 

 the inflorescence, leaf-like, green, the margins sparsely pubescent, callose-tipped ; 

 other bracts light brown or purple, short ; inner bract at the base of the pedicels 

 usually truncate with a hyaline tip, usually glabrous ; outer bract at the base of 

 each pedicel equalling to much shorter than the inner, acuminate, margins pubes- 

 cent; bracteoles ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, hyaline to light brown or purple 

 with a wide hyaline margin and tip, one third to half as long as the flower ; peri- 

 anth segments similar, equal, lanceolate, entire, not awned, light brown to purple, 

 margins usually hyaline, 2-3.5 mm long; stamens 6 shorter than the perianth, 

 filaments linear white 0.6-1.0 mm long, anthers linear to ovate, vary in length 

 from shorter to longer than the filaments; pistil erect, ovary three angled to 

 round, style filiform 0.5-1 mm long, stigmas 3 erect 1.3-2 mm long, extending 

 above the perianth ; fruit longer than the perianth, to 4 mm long, apex mu- 

 cronate with the persistent base of the style, usually stramineous to light brown ; 

 seeds 1.2 mm long, dark purple to castaneous; caruncle situated on apex and 

 side of the seed, almost as wide as the seed, to as long as the seed, erect to slightly 

 curved. 



1. Sepals 2-2.5 mm long, purple with the hyaline margins very narrow or lacking ; 

 anthers ovate, shorter than the filaments; caruncle erect, usually shorter than the 



1. Sepals over 2.5 mm long, light broAvn to light purple with a wide hyaline margin; 

 anthers linear, usually equal to or longer than the filaments; caruncle curved, usu- 



Key to the Varieties 



seed. 



var. rostrata. 



ally as long as the seed. 



var. jimboi. 



