ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GENUS CAREX. 
59 
143. C. alta (Boott); spica pallida elongata lanceolata 
e spiculis pluribus (16-20) androgynis basi masculis ob- 
longis simplicibus sessilibus, superioribus contiguis, infe- 
rioribus plus minus remotis longissime bracteatis ; stig- 
matibus 2 ; perigyniis ellipticis rostellatis bidentatis pla- 
no-convexis marginatis serratis utrinque medio nervatis 
spongiosis pallidis, squamam ovatam acuminatam vel 
mucronulatam pallidam subsequantibus.—C. alta, Boott, 
Lin. Trans, xx. 130. C. Brizopyrum? Kunze, 169, 
t. 43. (Tab. CLIII.) 
Hab. In Java, Dr. Horsfield. 
Culmus 3-4-ped., lsevis vel apice inter spiculas scabriuscu- 
lus, superne nudus, inferne foliatus, basi reliquiis foliorum fibra- 
tis tectus. Folia l-H lin. lata, plana, culmum subsequantia. 
Bractea; inferiores foliacese, elongatse: infima spicam longe 
superans : superiores basi dilatatse, setacese, spiculis breviores. 
Spica 4-5 poll, longa, 4 lin. lata. Spicules 5-7 lin. longse, 2 
lin. latte: superiores (infra terminalem ) abbreviate, congestse, 
inferiores deorsum plus minus remote : infima quandoque 
1-| poll, distans. Perigynium H lin. longum, \ lin. latum, 
ad latera superne crasse spongiosum, marginatum, serratum. 
Achenium 4 lin. longum, lin. latum, stipitatum. 
This species is allied to G. remote, L. Judging from the figure 
of 0. brizopyrum of Kunze, I should doubt any specific difference 
existing between it and C. alta, especially as the composition of 
the lower spiculse is not constant in O. brizopyrum. In Dr. Hors- 
field’s specimens the spiculse are simple, as they are in four of 
the five spikes figured by Kunze. The achenium is not more 
than a third of the length of the perigynium, which laterally is of 
a thick spongy substance, as in G. remote, from which it differs in 
its more numerous crowded elongated spiculse and longer bracts. 
144. C. gracilis (Brown); spica oblonga vel elongata 
ferruginea composita, e spiculis 5-12 pluribusve oblongo- 
cylindricis laxifloris androgynis apice masculis omnibus 
(vel superioribus solum) simplicibus, inferioribus inae- 
qualiter exserte pedunculatis remotis bracteatis geminatis 
ternatisve ssepe compositis, infima subinde solitaria ; stig- 
matibus 2; perigyniis late ovalibus compressis rostratis 
bifidis conico-stipitatis striato-nervatis scabris fusco-fer- 
rugineis membranaceis, squama ovata acuta mucronata 
vel aristata vel obtusa mutica ferruginea latioribus lon- 
gioribusque.—C. gracilis, Brown, Trod. 242 (1810). 
C. lachnosperma, Wallich, Cat. 3379 (ex parte) ; Nees, 
apud Wight, Contr. 124; Kunth, Cyp. 505 (excl. de¬ 
script. auctoris, quae C. hebecarpam, Mey., pingif). C. 
flexilis, Don, FI. Nep. 42 (non Badge). C. lenta, Don, 
Lin. Trans, xiv. 327 ; Spreng. Sys. iii. 811 ; Kunth, Cyp. 
418. C. Commersoniana, Kunth, Cyp. 391. (Tab. 
CLIV., CLY., and Yar. /3, Tab. CLVI. Tab. CLIV. 
Fig. 1, spec, e Nova Hollandia, Herb. Brown; Fig. 2, 
e Nepalia, ILerb. Wallich. Tab. CLV., spec, ab Ins. 
Mauritius, ILerb. Commerson.) 
Hab. In Australia, Port Jackson, Brown. Ins. Mau¬ 
ritius et Bourbon, Commerson, etc. In montibus sub- 
tropicis Himalaya, Punjab, Fleming; Nipal, Wallich; 
Kumaon, Boyle, n. 103. Peninsula Ind. Or., Pulny 
Mountains, Wight. In Zeylania, Thvaites. 
Culmus r sub-3-ped., gracilis, (rigidus, acutangulus, lsevis, 
inter spicas scaber,)basi)foliatus; pars spicas gerens 7-12 poll, 
longa. Folia 1-1 lin. lata, culmo breviora, firma, plana, basi 
involuta. Bractece inferiores foliacese, culmo breviores : supre- 
mse setacese. Vaginas 3-12 lin. longse, striatse, scabrse, intus 
vel summse omnino ferruginese. Pedimculi insequales, 6 lin. 
ad 31 poll, longi, capillares : superiores inserte inferiores longe 
exserte vaginati, scabri: infimus inferne vaginulis muticis, 
ssepe sterilibus, vel monostacliyis intructus. Spiculae insequa¬ 
les, 6-10 lin. longse, basi 2 lin. latse; apice setacese, imbricato- 
masculse sub 3 lin. longo; laxiflorse : a se 8 lin. ad 5 poll, re- 
motse : omnes vel superiores solum simplices : inferiores gemi- 
natse vel ternatse, ssepe compositse : vel infima solitaria. Squamae 
foeminese latiores, patulse, acutse, vel prsecipue inferiores mu- 
cronatse vel aristatse, rarins obtusse, muticse. Perigynium 1 T 9 T) 
lin. longum, -fj lin. latum, utrinque nervatum, antice pluriner- 
vium, scabrum. Acliemum T 9 - 0 lin. longum, fp lin. latum, 
ovale, lenticulare, flavidum. 
/3. minor-, spiculis ovatis densifloris, rostro breviori. 
(Tab. CLVI.) 
Hab. Ins. Bourbon. Boivin, n. 935 (Herb. Mus. 
Paris). 
I see no specific characters by which I can distinguish the New 
Holland from the East Indian, Ceylon, Mauritius, and Bourbon 
specimens. The perigynium of the former is rather smaller (llo 
liu. long.), and the scales are obtuse and mutiern, but I observe 
the same occasionally in the Indian and Mauritius plant. In one 
of Dr. Wallich’s specimens, in a young state, the lower peduncle 
has a spicula arising from each of its two vaginulse, and is thus 
racemose ; while in another, equally young, the peduncle is gemi¬ 
nate, and the vagiuulse on one are sterile. I observe one of these 
fertile vaginulae on the peduncle of one of the two specimens I 
have seen from New Holland. They are absent in Dr. Wight’s 
specimen. I have no doubt that a more accurate knowledge of 
the species will show that the inflorescence, in more luxuriant spe¬ 
cimens, approaches in some degree that of G. longicruris, Nees, in 
which the longer peduncles of the fascicles have simple or gemi¬ 
nate spiculse issuing from alternate vaginulse. It is more com¬ 
pound in Tab. CLY. than in the New Holland and Nipal speci¬ 
mens. In one specimen of Dr. Royle’s all the spiculse are simple. 
We observe the same variation in C. Glieroheensis, Schw., which 
was originally described aud figured with simple spikes; and 
before I was aware of the tendency of certain species to vary in 
this respect, I described a specimen of the same plant, with gemi¬ 
nate and ternate spiculas, under the name of G. Christyana, iu the 
Boston Journ. of Nat. Hist. 
I am indebted to M. Spach for authentic specimens of the G. 
Commersoniana, Kunth, one of which is figured in Tab. CLV., 
and also for the var. /3 minor, from the Island of Bourbon, Boivin, 
n. 935, figured in Tab. CLYI. The short ovate and more compact 
spiculse, with the often abbreviate rostrum, led me to think at 
first it was distinct, but I can see no essential characters to dis¬ 
tinguish it. The rostrum varies in length. The emargination of 
the lower female squama is accidental, and by no means constant. 
I have not seen specimens of G. brunea, Thunberg, from Japan, 
but I suspect that it may be fimnd inseparable from the G. gracilis, 
Br., as I believe G.pumila, Th., is from G. littorea, Labill. (G. TJr- 
villei, Brongn.! fide spec.! ex Herb. Mus. Paris). 
145. C. longicruris (Nees); spica prselonga castanea 
duplicato-fasciculata; fasciculis sub-]. 2 vaginalis, supe¬ 
rioribus inserte pedunculatis approximate, inferioribus 
exsertis remotis bracteatis elongatis magis compositis e 
pedunculis 3-4 setaceis insequalibus nutantibus, breviori- 
bus spiculas simplices alternas, longioribus simplices ge- 
minatas ternatasque gerentibus; spiculis permultis inse» 
qualibus oblongis cylindricisque androgyniis apice mascu¬ 
lis laxifloris; stigmatibus 2, longissimis; perigyniis ellip¬ 
ticis longe rostratis subbificlis plano-convexis glabris mar- 
ginibus incurvis serratis leviter nervatis stipitatis casta- 
neis membranaceis, squama lanceolata acuta striata cas- 
