ILLUSTRATIONS 
or 
THE GENUS CAREX. 
1. C. Thomson! (Boott); spica elongata cylindrica 
pallida, e spiculis androgynis apice masculis pluribus 
(30-50) ovatis sessilibus omnibus arete contiguis vel 
demum inferioribus longe foliaceo-bracteatis subremotis 
composita; stigmatibus 2; perigyniis ovatis plus minus 
acuminato-rostratis, ore obliquo bidentato, plano-convexis 
utrinque nervosis, marginibus acutis serratis, viridibus 
demum pallidis ferrugineo-punctatis, squamam ovatam 
acuminatam cuspidatam margine late albo-hyalinam fer- 
rugineo-punctatam subsequantibus vel ea longioribus. 
(Tab. I.) 
Hab. In regionibus tropicis Khasise, Drs. Thomson et 
Hooker! et Himalayas, alt. 1-4000 ped., a Bhotan, 
Booth! ad Kumaon, Dr. Thomson /—In rupibus flu- 
viorum crescens. 
Csespitosa. Rhizoma lignosum, reliquiis foliorum filamen- 
tosis nigris coronation, fibris radicalibus pallidis longis desi- 
nens. Culmus validus, rigidus, 6-9-poll., las vis, obtusangulus, 
vaginis foliorum fere usque ad apicem tectus. Folia 1-2 lin. 
lata, culmo duplo lougiora, rigida, basi vel omnino involuta, 
supra, prsecipue ad margines, ferrugiueo-punctata. Vagina 
intus membranacea, apice ciliolata, punctata. Bract,ecu 1-3 
inferiores foliacese, elongatse: infima interdum spica triplo lon- 
gior : supremse squamseformes, cuspidate. Spica rigida, erecta, 
1 l—'U poll, longa, 3 lin. lata. Spiculce inferiores 4 lin. longse, 
2 lin. lata;: supremse minores. Perigynium 1 rio-I-i'V lin. Ion- 
gum, -to—jV lin. latum, ad basin spiculse latius, vix rostel- 
latum, versus ejus apicem angustius, sensim acuminatum, in 
rostrum attenuatum, ore minimo clauso. Achenium lin. 
longum, 4 bn. latum, late ovale, obtusum, plano-convexum, 
demum subcompressum, fusco-olivaceum, lucidum. 
This very distinct species was discovered by Dr. Thomson, in 
Kumaon, in May 1845, and I have named it after him. Dr. 
Hooker found it in the rivers of Sikkim, and in the Tambur Biver 
of East JSTipal, growing among stones, from which it was difficult 
to extricate it. I am indebted to Mr. Nuttall for specimens found 
by Mr. Booth “ above Gromeree in Bhootan.” 
It is remarkable for the number of its spiculce, and for the fer¬ 
ruginous spots or lines, most copious on the perigynia, but visible 
on the scales, leaves and their vagina, and bracts. The culm is 
covered by the sheathing leaves almost to the base of the spike. 
It is allied to O. mibigena, Don, in the nervation of the perigynia, 
and its foliaceous bracts. 
2. C. nubigena (Don); spica ovata oblonga vel cy¬ 
lindrica pallida, e spiculis 5-12 pluribusve ovatis sessi¬ 
libus androgynis apice masculis, superioribus congestis 
nudis, inferioribus sgepe compositis subremotis longe 
bracteatis; stigmatibus 2-3; perigyniis lanceolatis vel 
ovatis sensim in rostrum acuminatis bifidis margine ob- 
tusiusculis glabris, vel acutis plus minus serratis utrin¬ 
que crebre nervatis pallidis interdum leviter ferrugineo- 
punctatis, squama oblon go-ovata acuta vel cuspidata 
albida nervo viridi vel pallide ferruginea margine kyalina 
subaequilata longioribus.—C. nubigena, Don, Prod. FI. 
Nepal. 42! Lin. Trans, xiv. 326! (1825); Nees, apud 
Wight, Contr. 120; Kunth, Cyp. 385! (Tab. II.) 
Hab. In montibus temperatis Indite totse, alt. 6- 
12,000 ped. Zeylania, Gardner! Nilgliiri, Wight! 
Ivhasia, Hooker! et Thomson! In Himalaya tota a 
Bhotan ! ad Rajaori! 
Culmus ^-I^-ped. vel altior, obtusangulus, laevis vel apice 
uno angulo (rarius omnibus) scabro. Folia lineam lata, ssepius 
conduplicata. Bractece inferiores 2-4 elongatse, spica lon- 
giores, infima interdum 9-10-poll. Spica ^-2^ poll, longa, 5 
lin. lata. Spiculce omnes simplices, apice extremo parce mas- 
culse, contiguse, vel inferiores ssepe compositse, subremotse. 
Perigynium 1^-2^,, lin. longum, T %-—fL_ lin. latum. Achenium 
—A- lin. longum, ^ lin. latum, ovale vel suborbiculatum, 
lucidum, basi styli apiculatum (stig. 2), compressum, bicon- 
vexum (stig. 3), obtuse trigonnm, faciebus convexis. 
This species is common throughout India. Though normally 
with two stigmas, yet three are occasionally observable with a tri¬ 
gonous achenium. It varies in the smoothness or roughness of 
the culm and margins of the perigynium even in the same speci¬ 
men, but the ferruginous dots on the perigynium seem to be pe¬ 
culiar to certain localities. In the Ceylon, and in some of Dr. 
Hooker’s specimens, the terminal spicula is sometimes sterile, or 
male. The nervation of the perigynium, long bracts, and involute 
leaves at once distinguish it from C.foliosa, Don ; and the longer 
culm, shorter spike, fewer spiculse, and more deeply bifid perigy¬ 
nium, with occasionally three stigmata and a triquetrous achenium, 
distinguish it from C. Thomsoni, which is also peculiar in its place 
of growth, being firmly attached by its ligneous rhizome to rocks 
in the bed of running streams. 
3. C. foliosa (Don); spica oblonga vel cylindrica pal- 
B 
