82 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GENUS CAREX. 
lin. lata. Spicules ovate, acute : superiores vel omues con- 
tigum; inferiores nunc discrete, apice ssepe subdimidiatim 
masculse. Perigynium late ovatum, brevi-rostratum, 1 T A lin. 
longum, ! x 7 iy lin. latum : vel oblongum, longius rostratum, 1^ 
lin. longum, | lin. latum, basi spongiosum: nunc insolite tur- 
gidum: nervis superne evanidis, marginalibus postice visis: 
marginibus lsevibus obtusis. Achenium -tu~to lm. longum, 
tV _ xo li n - latum, ovatum: basi styli conico-incrassata. 
The form of the perigynium in the Texan plant is narrower, 
more oblong, longer rostrate, resembling that of C. rosea. In the 
Rhode Island specimens, which are fully mature, w r ith the scales 
and bracts often fallen, the perigynium is broadly ovate, with a 
shorter rostrum ; and the ovate spiculse, with frequently appressed 
perigynia, contrast very strongly with those of C. rosea. The pe¬ 
culiar turgid form of the perigynium is especially observable in 
the Rhode Island specimens, and I think Schw. and Torrey allude 
to it in describing the perigynium as “ obscurely triangular.” The 
essential character of C. retrqflexa is in the smooth margins of the 
perigynium, and the longer acute or cuspidate scales. I suspect 
in this androgynous group the form of the perigynium is always 
apt to be modified by the deposition of spongy matter between the 
surfaces in the fu ll y mature state. The Texan specimens are not 
as mature as those from Rhode Island, gathered by Mr. Olney. 
204. C. bromoides (Schkuhr); spica oblonga pallida 
demum straminea vel ferruginea, e spiculis 4-6 vel 8 
contiguis oblongis inaequalibus laxifloris monoicis feemi- 
neis vel masculis, vel androgynis basi vel apice masculis, 
infima saspe subremota bracteata; stigmatibus 2, longis 
gracilibus ; perigyniis lineari-lanceolatis longe rostratis, 
ore integro vel emargiuato antice alte fisso, superne mar¬ 
ginibus scabris plano-convexis, utrinque nervatis mem- 
branaceis basi spongiosis erectis, squama ovato-lanceolata 
acuminata acuta vel mucronata hyalino-albida, nervo viridi 
demum pallide ferruginea subsequilata longioribus.— 
C. bromoides, Schk.f. 176; Willd. 258; Kunth, 377; 
Muhl. 219; Dewey , Sill. viii. 264; Schw. et Tor. 300; 
Darlington , 344; Elliott, 528; Carey, 539; Sartwell, 
Exs. n. 10; Chapman, 533. C. festucaceaP, Elliott, 535. 
(Tab. CCXXYII.) 
Hab. In America septentrionali. British America and 
Rocky Mountains, Torrey. New England to Florida. 
Culmus l-2|-pedalis, acute triqueter, scaber, debilis, quan- 
doque decumbens, basi foliatus. Folia 1 lin. lata, culmo mul- 
tum breviora: radicalia eum subsequantia, graminea, plana. 
Bractece squamseformes: infima setaceo-cuspidata, spicula 
quandoque longior, basi amplectens. Spica 1-2 poll, longa, 
3-5 lin. lata. Spicules ssepius 4-6, insequales; extremse lon- 
giores, 6-9 lin. Ion gag 2 lin. late; inter media; minores ; om- 
nes laxiflorse : distributione staminum variabiles : omnes om- 
nino masculse, vel foeminese, vel androgynse basi vel apice 
parce masculse: ssepe infra spiculam terminalem una vel altera 
minor mascula: reliquse foeminese. Spica mascula brevior, 
6-9 lin. longa. Spicules semper contiguse, ebracteatse. Squa- 
mes conformes. Perigynium lin. longum, Aote’-o h n - 
latum, pallidum, demum olivaceum vel ferrugineum, basi 
demum spongiosum : nervis magis coloratis : ore integro, an¬ 
tice ssepe alte fisso. Achenium fere 1 lin. longum, -p rf lin. 
latum, oblongo-ovatum, basi productum, ferrugineum, basi 
styli incrassata. 
The irregular distribution of the stamens in this species has 
given rise to some discrepancy in the descriptions of those who 
have noticed it. Willdenow says, “ Ab omnibus distinctissima, 
habitu C. elongates simillima. Mascula enirn spica, non, ut in 
reliquis, terminalis, sed sub terminali foeminea inserta; valde ca- 
duca, ut in fructiferis culmis non obvia, huic faciem androgynarum 
specierum dat.” This male spicula however is not always present. 
'Willdenow had not seen the entire male spike. Muhlenberg says, 
“ Spica suprema inferne mascula, cseteris 4 et pluribus feemineis : 
mediis interdum masculis.” Torrey says, “Suprema superne 
staminifera, cseteris pistilliferis vel androgynis inferne vel superne 
staminiferis.” And again, he says, “ Sometimes the upper spike- 
let is sterile below, the others with sterile florets both above and 
below: generally there are but about two sterile florets on the 
summit of each spike : occasionally an entire sterile spike occurs.” 
Carey says, “ Some of the central spikes wholly fertile.” Dar¬ 
lington says the same. Carey adds, “ occasionally dioicous.” El¬ 
liot (p. 536) says the male florets are sometimes on the summit 
of the spikes, or occupy nearly the whole of the middle spikes. My 
authority for both his species is Mr. Curtis. 
My own observation accords rather with that of Muhlenberg, 
except that he does not notice the separate male spike, which I 
think is found on the same root with the androgynous one. 
Willdenow describes the female spikes as “ incluse subpeduncu- 
latis.” I have seen nothing to justify this remark beyond the 
separate spike I have figured with a foliaceous remote bract, having 
the rudiment of a female spike within its elongated sheathing base. 
Tuckerman, I think, correctly, associates this species with G. 
JDeweyana. In the form of its perigynium, and in its long gracile 
stigmata, it is like the C. longicruris of India. 
205. C. desponsa (Boott); spicis 5-7 cylindricis densi- 
floris erectis rubro-ferrugineis concoloribus, terminali 
rarius mascula, reliquis vel omnibus apice masculis vel 
infima interdum omnino foeminea, summis sessilibus con¬ 
tiguis proximis inserte inferioribus longe exserte pedun- 
culatis, basi attenuatis remotis; bracteis vaginatis folia- 
ceis, inferioribus culmo brevioribus vel longioribus; stig¬ 
matibus 3 ; perigyniis ellipticis triquetris longe rostratis, 
ore bilobato demum alte fisso, marginibus acutis superne 
serratis utrinque nervatis lucidis glabris, squama ovata 
acuta vel truncata vel emarginata valide liispido-cuspidata 
trinervi subsequilata longioribus (Tab. CCXXYIII.) 
TIab. In India Orientali, in regione temperata montium 
Khasise, alt. 5-6000 ped., Dr. Hooker and Dr. Thomson. 
Culmus 2-3-pedalis, basi validus, la;vis, inter spicas scaber, 
basi rudiraentis foliorum vaginisque rubro-purpureis tectus; 
pars spicas gerens 9-15 poll, longa. Folia 2-2| lin. lata, 
culmo longiora vel breviora, plana, supra tuberculato-asperata, 
firma. Bractees vaginate, foliaeese, spicis longiores : infima 
nunc culmo longior. Vagina infima 1-2 poll, longa. Pedun- 
culus infimus 1^-6 poll, longus. Spices 1-21 poll, longse, 3-3£ 
lin. late : infima rarius basi spicula brevi composita. Squames 
conformes, nisi masculse supremse acute muticse. Perigynium 
3 lin. longum, lin. latum : ore bilobato, obtuso, ad margines 
albo, hyalino. Achenium 1 T \- lin. longum, A. bn. latum, 
ellipticum, triquetrum, basi styli sequali (supra basin tumida) 
apiculatum. 
Ad C. Boryanee formas depauperatas accedit. Differt laciniis 
rostri lobatis, obtusis, intus membranaceis, nec perigyniis 
punctatis. 
It belongs to the Hymenochlence of Drejer. 
206. C. myosunis (Nees); spica longissima plus minus 
composita laxa castanea vel fusco-purpurea, e spicis par- 
tialibus pluribus, inferioribus laxissimis remotis basi ra- 
mosis longe exserte pedunculatis; spiculis elongatis 
gracilibus stepe curvatis apice subdimidiatim caudato- 
masculis basi demum laxifloris, summis 3-5 simplicibus 
alternis remotis, inferioribus in ramis plus minus com- 
positis longis insidentibus; raebi superne filiformi nu- 
tante; bracteis inferioribus latis culmo longioribus longe 
