112 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GENUS CAREX. 
curvata. Antherce (polline effuso) cinerese, spiraliter tortse.— 
Racheola ligulata intus perigynium ssepe adest. 
The specimens figured are,— 
Tab. CCCLI. From Wahu or Owhyhee, from Nufctall. In one 
of the florets was a racheola, and the penultimate female spike 
has a small branch at base. These specimens contrast in size with 
the one figured by Meyer. I have others from the same locality 
3g- inches high, with leaves only half a line in width. 
Tab. CCCLII. A specimen from Port Hamilton, Korea, with a 
radical lower spike and normal achenium. 
Tab. CCCLIII. From Port Hamilton, with broad leaves. 
Tab. CCCLIY. From Loochoo; the bracts longer than the 
culm. 
A C. pumila, Thunb. (C. littorea, Labill.), satis distincta, 
perigyniis obtuse triquetris bicuspidatis, margine scabris; 
squamis longe ligulato-hispido-aristatis; culmo altiore; nec 
vaginis foliorum culmum arctissime circumvolventibus; nec 
radice longe repente. 
I can see nothing essentially distinct in the specimens of this 
species from its various remote localities. The achenium is 
generally more or less indented or distorted, occasionally abortive 
from the imperfect development of its nucleus. There is such an 
evident transition in the breadth of the leaves, that I have not 
thought it necessary to make the leaves a ground for varieties. 
Meyer’s figure represents them as too flaccid. Steudel describes 
the female squamae as muticoe, by an oversight. 
268. C. riparia (Curtis) ; spicis ssepias 6-7 cylindricis 
densifloris erectis remotis, masculis 3-5 ferrugineis, 
foemineis 2-8 rarius 4 crassis olivaceis, superioribus 
seepe apice masculis sessilibus, infima basi attenuata, 
nunc longe exserte pedunculata nutante; bracteis late 
foliaceis evaginatis, vel infima plus minus vaginata 
saepe culmum superante ; stigmatibus 3 ; perigyniis lan- 
ceolato-conicis vel obtuse trigonis rostratis bifurcatis 
crebre nervosis glabris olivaceis coriaceis, squama ovata 
cuspidata ferruginea saepius longioribus.—C. riparia, 
Curtis, FI. Lond., etc.; Mulil. 259 ; Flliott, 554. C. la- 
custris, Willd. 306 ; SchJc. fig. 152 ; Kunth, 489 ; Sclav, 
et Tor. 369 ; Torrey, Cyp. 423 ; Dewey, x. 43 ; Carey, 
530 ; Sarlwell,Exs. n. 131. C. exaltata ,Peterm.; Steudel, 
237. C. Chilensis, Brongn,, Kuntli, 420. C. vacillans, 
Steudel, 235. C. incrassata, Schlecht. linncea, x. 119; 
Kunth, 490 ; Steudel, 238. (Tab. CCCLV.) 
Hab. In America Sept, et Merid., Canada to Florida. 
Chili, D’ Urville; Techier, n. 439. Montevideo, St. ITilaire. 
Brazil, Gaudichaud. 
Culmus 2-3-pedalis, triqueter, validus, basi vaginis foliorum 
reticulato-fissis tectus; pars spicas gerens 1-18 poll, longa. 
Folia 3-5 lin. lata, reticulatim nodosa. Bradea infima in- 
terdum vaginata. Spicce masculce |-3 poll, longse, extrema: 
longiores, 2—2| lin. late. Spicce fceminece 2-3 poll, longse, 
4-6 lin. late. Perigynium 2 1 2 s —3^ lin. longum, -tV-1 b n - la¬ 
tum, bifurcatum, dentibus plus minus longis. Achenium 
1 li n . longum, K lin. latum, ellipticum, utrinque acu- 
tum, triquetrum, flavidum, basi styli curvata. 
O. Icicustris differs in no essential respects from the C. riparia 
of Europe and Asia. There is scarcely a single character in the 
one that may not be found in the other. C. Icicustris is generally 
paler, with longer and narrower perigynia, the squamse shorter 
and less cuspidate, and the vaginae of the lower leaves more uni¬ 
formly reticulate. But there is nothing constant in these cha¬ 
racters in either plant. 
I find, in 35 specimens of G. riparia, Curt.: 
1 with 3 spikes. 
4 
8 
11 
10 
1 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
4 with 2 male. 
10 „ 3 „ 
14 „ 4 „ 
3 „ 5 „ 
2 with 2 female. 
15 „ 3 „ 
13 „ 4 „ 
1 „ 5 „ 
1 „ 6 
In 1 all the spikes were female. 
1 the terminal spike was basi mascula. 
2 the terminal spike was basi et apice mascula. 
10 the upper female spike was apice mascula. 
2 the 2 upper female spikes were apice masculse. 
5 all the females -were apice masculse. 
2 the lower females were basi composite. 
1 the lower female had a peduncle 8 inches long. 
The lower bract occasionally with a vagina •§—2 poll. long. 
The perigynium 2 T 3 g—3 lin. long., 1^- lin. lat. 
The achenium 1-lyV bn. long., T w _ to bn. lat., ellipticum vel 
obovatum, basi styli curvata vel contorta flavidum. 
In 38 specimens of C. lacustris, W.: 
6 with 5 spikes. 
12 „ 6 „ 
15 „ 7 „ 
3 „ 8 „ 
2 „ 9 „ 
11 with 3 male. 
19 „ 4 „ 
8 „ 5 „ 
1 with 1 female. 
17 „ 2 „ 
15 „ 3 „ 
5 „ 4 „ 
In 9 the upper female was apice mascula. 
2 the 2 upper females were apice masculse. 
2 the 2 lower females were basi compositse. 
2 the lower female had a peduncle 8 inches long. 
The lower bract occasionally with a vagina -j—1 poll. long. 
The perigynium 2 t 9 q— 3-V lin. long., ^ 1 lin. latum. 
The achenium l]V"ro bn. long., ^ lin. latum, ellipticum, fla- 
vidum, basi styli curvata. 
With relation to the reticulated vaginse, I observe them in a 
Swedish specimen from Wahlenberg. Lang (Car. Germ, et Scand.) 
p. 140, in describing O. riparia says, “ Yaginse reticulato-fissse.” 
Ledebour (FI. Altaica, 221) says, “Yaginse in filamenta reticu¬ 
latim connexa lacerantur.” Steudel (Cyp. 237) inserts the 
“ C. exaltata, Petermann,” from Saxony (which is evidently G. ri¬ 
paria) and says, “ Vaginse demum reticulato-fissse.” Torrey (Cyp. 
423) says, “ G. lacustris is distinguished by its strongly-nerved 
fruit, with a more acutely bifid mouth.” But I see no difference 
in the two plants in these respects ; and Treviranus (in FI. Rossica) 
remarks, under G. riparia, “ Fructus valide nervosus cum rostro 
peracute bifido, quo C. lacustrem a C. riparia distingui vult 
cl. Torrey, non minus insigniter in planta Germanica observatur.” 
Kunth (under C. lacustris) says, “ Nescio quomodo a C. palu- 
dosa, Good., distinguenda.” It differs as much as C. riparia does. 
C. paluclosa is always a smaller plant, with an ovate compressed 
perigynium, with an emarginate mouth, and more prominent 
nerves, and stigmas 3-2; more nearly approaching in aspect the 
O. stricta, Good. 
I am indebted to M. Spach for the opportunity of examining 
the G. Chilensis, Brongn., which certainly has 3 stigmas; and to 
M. Sonder, of Hamburg, for a specimen of C. vacillans, Steud. I 
have not seen any specimen of what Dewey (Sill. 49, 1845) con¬ 
siders the O. riparia of New England, etc., but I am not surprised 
at his finding it in the States, since I agree with Schkuhr (p. 84) 
and Schlechtendal (Linnsea, 1835) in considering G. lacustris as 
inseparable from O. riparia. 
The only authentic specimen that I have seen of O. incrassata, 
Schlechtendal, is in Herb. Hooker, differing in no respect from 
the usual forms of G. riparia. Schlechtendal describes the male 
spikes occasionally to be 10, which is double the number I have 
ever seen. 
269. C. alpina (Swartz); spicis 3-4 rarius 2-5 parvis 
confertis aurantiaco-purpureis, terminali basi mascula 
majore, reliquis foemineis subrotundis vel ovalibus obtu- 
sis sessilibus vel infima pedunculata saepe remota ; brac- 
tea foliacea auriculata rarius vaginulata spicam superante 
