ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GENUS CAREX. 
85 
subacute. Otter specimens from the same locality verge more 
directly into the usual character of C. baccans, and in all the rigid 
erect inflorescence is of that species. 
Tab. CCXXXyiH. Is a young plant from the Edinburgh gar¬ 
den, showing the divergent inflated perigynium in this early stage 
of development. The colour of the perigynium is yellow, tinged 
with bright red. I have another young specimen from the Leipzig 
Garden, of the same kind in form and colour, sent to me by Kunze 
as “ G. IndicaP 
Tab. CCXXXIX. exhibits the lower spikes from specimens of 
Dr. Hooker from Khasia, showing the dense mass of spiculse with 
their baccate fruit; the branches of the spikes naked or subtended 
by long filiform bracteolas; the spiculm with longer or shorter 
male apices. The middle specimen exhibits the occasional depau¬ 
perate state of the spikes, the lowest reduced to a single spicula. 
The colour of the perigynia is generally olivaceous, though occa¬ 
sionally tinged with red or purple, and none are f u lly mature. 
It will be evident to any one who examines G. baccans and 0. 
myosurus that, while they difter in the extreme forms, they occa¬ 
sionally unite in some characters, exhibiting, as Mr. Darwin would 
say, their descent through modification from a common type. 
208. C. Bengalensis (Roxburgh) ; spica elongata stra- 
minea concolori, e spicis partialibus singulis (arnbitu late 
ovato) duplicato- vel triplicato-decompositis inferioribus 
remotis longe exserte pedunculatis erectis ; spiculis par¬ 
vis oblongis numerosis androgynis apice masculis divari- 
catis, ssepe basi, e squamis sterilibus appressis, attenuatis; 
bracteis inferioribus longe vaginatis culmum superanti¬ 
bus ; stigmatibus 3 ; perigyniis ovalibus obtuse trigonis 
subinflatis sessilibus plus minus longe rostratis rectis vel 
excurvis, ore integro obliquo vel bifido ciliato, valide 
nervosis glabris vel apice scabriusculis, marginibus su- 
perne serratis, olivaceis plerumque purpureo-maculatis 
demum spongiosis, squama late ovata subinde emarginata 
glabra vel ad basin spicularum dorso scabriuscula lineolis 
ferrugineis notata hispido-cuspidata sequilata patenti lon- 
gioribus.—C. Bengalensis, Jloxb. FI. Ind. (Tab. CCXL., 
CCXLI., CCXLII., CCXLIII) 
Hab. In India orientali, in regionibus tropicis et tem- 
peratis Himalaya, Bengali®, et Khasise, alt. 6000 ped. 
Ad Silhet et Khasia, Wallich , Griffith, Dr. Hooker, Dr. 
Thomson. Bhotan, Booth. Nepal, Wallich, n. 3400 h. 
{ex parte). Kumaon, Blinhvorth. Simla, Jacquemont. 
Hongkong, China. 
Culmus 3-pedalis, obtusangulus, validus, he vis, apice gra¬ 
cilis, scaber; pars spicas gerens 15-18 poll, longa. Folia 3-5 
lin. lata. Bractece inferiores latse, culmo longiores. Spices 
partiales 2-4 poll, long®, 1-3 poll. latm. Rachis angulata, 
scaberrima. Spicules 3-7 lin. long®, basi 3 lin. lat®, apice 
plus minus longe lateque mascul® : terminates (ssepe alise) 
basi, e squamis vacuis appressis, steriles et quasi pedicellatse. 
Squames omnes pallide straminese, lineolis ferrugineis notat® : 
masculse nunc plures nunc pauciores, arete vel laxiuscule imbri- 
catse, mucronatse, glabrse: foeminese late ovatse, acutse vel ob- 
tusse, rarius emarginatse, longius cuspidatse, glabrse, una alterave 
solum ad basin spicularum dorso scabriusculse. Perigynium 
pallide stramineum, ssepe magis conspicue intus (dempto ache- 
nio) quam extus purpureo-maculatum, plus minus longe rostra- 
tum; ore (in una eademque spica) vel integro, oblique fisso 
(membrana inter margines usque ad apicem extensa), vel bi¬ 
fido, ciliato; glabrum vel superne inter nervos scabriusculum • 
marginibus rostri serratis ; costato-nervosum, rectum vel ex- 
curvum, papilloso-granulatum, sessile : (vix maturum) 1-^ lin. 
longum, plus T 4 , T lin. latum, acute triquetrum, achenium arete 
vestiens : (senile) 1 T 6: 0 —2 lin. longum, Aj-tv bn. latum, obtuse 
trigonum, turgidum, subinflatum, spongiosum. Achenium 
To~-ro hn. longum, T 4 , lin. latum, ovale vel ellipticum, acute 
triquetrum, pallidum, demum atro-purpureum, faciebus con- 
caviusculis, punctulatum ; basi styli incrassata. 
I have a specimen from Dr. 'Wallich collected by Mr. Bruce in 
the Juntea Hill, Khasia, the perigynia in which are not mature, 
and which from their acutely triquetrous form, closely investing 
the achenium, contrast with those in the specimens of Griffith, 
which are old, turgid, and subinflated. I have examined also a 
very extensive suite of specimens collected by Hooker and Thom¬ 
son, which are intermediate in point of age, and I cannot detect 
any essential difference. No dependence can be placed on the 
greater or less number of the male florets, or on the smoothness 
or roughness of the perigynium, or on the character of its orifice. 
I believe the normal state of the orifice is entire, obliquely cut, 
though in the same spike you observe it distinctly bifid. The same 
is seen in the spathella or proliferous perigynium at the base 
of the spiculse. The existence of sterile squamae at the base of 
the spiculse is not constant. "When present, they give a rigid as¬ 
pect to them, as if supported on short pedicels. In some of 
Griffith’s specimens they are generally absent, and in those spe¬ 
cimens which have the male apex of the spiculse long and broad, 
the resemblance to O. condensatci, Nees, is striking. Whether the 
two plants are specifically distinct I have doubts. The colour of 
C. Bengalensis is lighter; the partial spikes never geminate; the 
upper squamse smooth, and the perigynium is smoother, with 
stronger nerves and a longer rostrum. An authentic specimen of 
Roxburgh is in Herb. Banks. 
The specimens figured are,— 
Tab. CCXL. A specimen from Dr. Hooker from East Nepal, 
with simpler inflorescence, the perigynium and spathella showing 
what I believe to be the normal state of the orifice: one of the 
perigynia is morbidly enlarged; the purple spots are often in¬ 
distinct. 
Tab. CCXLI. A specimen from Dr. Hooker from East Nepal, 
with the perigynium spotted. That at b. and c. is from the 
younger specimen from the Juntea Hill, the perigynium closely 
investing the achenium. 
Tab. CCXLII. A specimen from Griffith from Khasia, with the 
inflorescence more composite, the spiculse with more numerous 
male florets; the rostrum longer, sometimes smooth, and a ra- 
cheola visible. 
Tab. CCXLIII. A specimen from Hongkong, China, more 
rigid in habit, with turgid vaginae to the bracts, and bracteolae to 
the branches of the spikes ; the orifice of the perigynium oblique 
and entire, as is often the case in the Indian specimens. The 
nerves of the perigynium and the ferruginous spots, especially ob¬ 
servable on its inner surface, and the equal base of the style, sepa¬ 
rate it from G. Indica, L. It is probably the O. valida of Nees, 
and perhaps G. cruciata, Wahl. Act. 149 (not of Nees). 
209. C. raphidocarpa (Nees); spica elongata viridi-fer- 
ruginea, e spicis partialibus 4-5 ambitu oblongo-ovato 
subduplicato-pinnatis composita, inferioribus remotis 
longe exserte pedunculatis, rnediis geminis, rachi pilosa; 
spiculis latis squarrosis confertis basi flosculis foemineis 
pluribus; bracteis vaginatis culmo brevioribus subtus 
vaginisque pilosis ; stigmatibus 3 ; perigyniis patentibus 
vel recurvatis ellipticis triquetris longe rostratis, ore ob¬ 
liquo integro demum plus minus bifido, pallidis superne 
ferrugineis maculatis nervatis glabris vel ad margines 
sparsim pilosis, squama ovata acuta brevi hispido-aristata 
lineolis ferrugineis notata glabra latioribus plus cluplo 
longioribus.—0. raphidocarpa, Nees, apud Wight, 122. 
(Tab. CCXLIY.) 
Hab. In montibus Pulney, Penins. Ind. Or., Wight. 
Culmus 2|-pedalis, validus, firmus. Folia 3-4 lin. lata, 
