Hawaiian Species of Car ex — KRAUSS 
251 
genic structure, but the variations encount- 
ered in every species examined (see illustra- 
tions) have been considerable-— not only in 
different individuals but in different sections 
of the inflorescence of the same individual. 
An effort has been made to keep intact the 
groups which form natural units, even though 
there is considerable variation within them. 
Acknowledgments: Appreciation is due 
Dr. Harold St. John, Chairman of the De- 
partment of Botany, University of Hawaii, 
for guidance during the investigation. Miss 
Inger Achten is responsible for most of the 
illustrations, which add much to the useful- 
ness of the work. I also wish to thank the 
directors of the various herbaria who lent 
material for the study. The cooperating in- 
stitutions are listed under the Taxonomic 
Treatment. The effectiveness of the study is 
to a great degree the result of the work of 
many collectors. 
DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS 
The distribution of the genus is world- wide 
and the range of many species includes sev- 
eral continents. Not only have a vast num- 
ber of species evolved in the genus but these 
species have become adapted to a very wide 
range in habitat as well. The majority are 
found in areas of more than average moist- 
ure but many survive in regions with suffi- 
cient rainfall to support grassland vegetation 
only. Certain of the Hawaiian carices do well 
in both wet forest and dry grassland, i.e., 
Car ex macloviana DTJrv. and Car ex wahu- 
ensis var. rubiginosa R. Krauss. Others in the 
islands are restricted to limited habitats; 
Carex montis-eeka Hillebd. and Carex katrni- 
ensis R. Krauss are strictly high-bog plants. 
Local distribution of the species and varie- 
ties is illustrated in the maps. The discussion 
following the species description gives the 
probable affinity and region of origin for 
each. In as many cases as possible the plants 
were compared with specimens collected in 
the type locality in other parts of the world. 
The following tabulation indicates the geo- 
graphic affinities of the Hawaiian species. 
Japan and East Asia 
Carex Meyenii Nees — Hawaiian endemic 
Carex wahuensis var. Meyeri Franch. and 
Sav. (the type variety) — Hawaiian en- 
demic 
Carex wahuensis var. rubiginosa R. Krauss 
— variety, Hawaiian endemic 
Australia 
Carex Nealae R. Krauss— -Hawaiian en- 
demic 
Pacific North America 
Carex macloviana var. subfusca (W. Boott) 
Kiikenth. 
Carex pluvia R. Krauss — Hawaiian en- 
demic 
Carex pluvia var. koolauensis * R. Krauss 
— Hawaiian endemic 
Carex alligata * F. Boott — Hawaiian en- 
demic 
Carex alligata var. Degeneri * R. Krauss 
— Hawaiian endemic 
Carex kauaiensis R. Krauss — Hawaiian 
endemic 
Carex Svenonis Skottsb. 
Worldwide 
Carex montis-eeka Hillebd. — Hawaiian 
endemic 
’These species and varieties are presumed to 
have originated in the islands from the ancestral 
stock of the species immediately above them. 
Apparently original introductions of spe- 
cies to the Hawaiian Islands have come from 
all of the major land masses bordering the 
Pacific. Species found in the nearest archi- 
pelagos, however, are missing in Hawaii. 
Others from more distant land masses are 
well established here. The random origin 
from east, west, and south, and the limited 
number of species present, indicate infre- 
quent establishment over long periods of 
time. It is the studied opinion of the author 
