ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GENUS CAREX. 
173 
rarius enerve vel nervis fere obsoletis, ssepe deraum ferrugi- 
neo-punctatum, glabrum, stipitatum, glaucum. Achenium 
1-1 t 2 o lin. longum, x 8 0 —to bn. latum, vel 1 lin. longum, T %- 
ys lin. latum, obloDgo-ovale ; basi styli incrassata, recta vel 
contorta. 
A reference to the Plate will show the variations of this species 
and the degree of its resemblance to C. angustata of North Ame¬ 
rica. So marked is the outward resemblance, that it is impossible 
not to believe the American plant, on more detailed observation, 
will hereafter he regarded as a variety of the European one, dif¬ 
fering in some respects, and especially in colour, as G. lacustris 
does from 0. riparia. There is no absolute test for a specific dif¬ 
ference, and the question of species or variety will depend on 
opinion. I confess to a repugnance of uniting, in the present 
state of our knowledge, forms, especially of different countries, 
that present marked differences, unless the distinctive characters 
are clearly pointed out, and transitions from, one form to another 
duly noted. The question is principally of importance with re¬ 
spect to geographical distribution, and the modifications which 
country or clime may produce upon species. 
In Tab. DLXXXIV. I have given forms which may be re¬ 
garded as typical:—n. 1, from England, and n. 3, from Germany, 
having few male florets on the female spikes ; n. 2, from the 
south of France, and one of n, 3, showing more. The perigynium 
l x 8 o~2 lin. longum, X o-l xx lin. latum, 4-6-nervatum. Achenium 
l xx — rx lin. longum, T 9 ff lin. latum. The analogue is C. angus¬ 
tata , /3, which differs in the smaller size of the perigynium and 
achenium with fewer nerves. 
In Tab. DLXXXV., n. 1 is a specimen from Breslau, sent to 
me by M. Sonder as the “ C. Buckii, Wimmer,” which, except¬ 
ing in colour, is like C. angustata, y, w 7 ith this difference from it 
and all other forms that the male squamse are unusually broad, 
with a round very obtuse apex,—a character, however, which is 
not observable in a smaller specimen. The perigynium is l T u— T 2 7 
lin. longum, lin. latum, ovatum vel ovale, enerve vel antice 
nervis 2. Achenium y/ lin. longum, fere lin. latum, obovatum. 
N. 2, from Saxony, and n. 4, from Montpellier, are analogous to 
O. angustata , typica; in n. 2 the perigynium is 1 T % lin. longum, 
x 6 o lin. latum, obsolete antice 3-nervatum, postice enerve ; n. 3, 
from Sweden,perigynium l/g-lin. longum, lin. latum, ellipticum, 
4-5-nervatum ; achenium 1 lin. longum, T L lin. latum, obovatum ; 
the lower female spike is divergent and vaginate, as in some speci¬ 
mens I have from Ohio of G. angustata. 
I have not observed any notice in authors of the violet colour 
of the inner surface of the perigynium, which is constant in all my 
specimens, except the Breslau and Saxony ones. In Hoppe’s, 
from Germany, it is thus coloured. In a solitary specimen with¬ 
out a habitat, I find a perigynium 2/g- lin. longum, /g- lin. latum, 
intus violaceum. 
405. C. angustata (Boott); spica subelongata viridi- 
ferruginea vel purpurea, e spiculis 3-5 rarius 2-6 cylin- 
dricis, masculis 1—2 rarius 3 ferrugineis contiguis, femi- 
neis 2-3 vel 1-4, superioribus (seepe conspicue) vel 
omnibus apice masculis sessilibus vel infima pedunculata; 
bracteis evaginatis, infima rarius culmurn superante; 
stigmatibus 2 ; perigyniis ovalibus vel ovatis sensim 
rarius abrupte rostellatis vel erostellatis compressis, ore 
integro vel subemarginato, granulatis superne marginibus 
nunc parce denticulatis enerviis vel linita 1-4-nervatis 
glaucescentibus, squama lanceolata obtusa brevioribus 
longioribus vel mquantibus.—C. angustata, Boott, FI. 
Bor. Amer. 218; Dewey ; Wood's Bot. 756. C. acuta, 
Dr. 11, 265 ; Torr. M.on. 361; Fll. 537. C. stricta, 
Torr. Gyp. 400; Carey , 518; Dari. FI. Ast. 347; Chap¬ 
man, 535. (Tab. DLXXXVI.-DLXXXVIII.) 
Hab. In America septentrionali.—Canada to Caro¬ 
lina. Rocky Mountains. Columbia River. 
Culmus 2-21-pcdalis, acute triqueter, scaber, firmus, stric- 
tus, basi vaginis foliorum reticulato-fissis ; pars spicigera 
3|-9 poll, longa. Folia 1-1 ^ lin. lata, stricta, carinata, culmo 
breviora. Bractea infima culmo brevior vel paulo longior. 
Var. a. typica ; spiculis ferrugineis elongatis (sgepe 
3-3-q pollices longis) 1-1 g lin. latis linearibus plerumque 
omnibus apice masculis, basi attenuates ; perigyniis q-q- 
1-fo l™- longis, yq lin. latis, subinde enerviis, superne 
marginibus saepe parce dentatis, squama lanceolata la- 
tioribus brevioribus vel aequantibus. (Tab. DLXXXYI.) 
Hab. Ohio, Bullivant. 
Yar.; spiculis brevioribus, 1-2^-poll.; perigyniis ma- 
joribus lqqy lin. longis, q-q lin. latis, squama longio¬ 
ribus. 
ITab. Common in the States. Oregon. 
Yar. B ; spiculis 5-6, masculis 2 rarius 3 ferrugineis, 
femineis viridi-purpureis, y-2 pollices longis, 3 lin. latis, 
sessilibus, superioribus apice conspicue masculis, inferio- 
ribus femineis, infima clavata, subinde basi spicula brevi 
composita ; bractea infima rarius culmurn aequante ; 
perigyniis ovatis spiraliter octofariis, lq% lin. longis, q-y- 
lin. latis, antice 2-4- postice 1-2-nervatis, brevi vel vix 
rostellatis, ore integro, glabris, squama purpurea vel fusco- 
ferruginea margine albo-hyalina obtusa vel acuta latiori- 
bus longioribus brevioribus vel aequantibus.—C. stricta, 
Deivey, 11, 269 ; Wood’s Bot. 756 ; Sarhoell, Exs. n. 54. 
(Tab. DLXXXVII.) 
Hab. New York. Nebraska. 
Achenium x 9 o lin. longum, X 6 X lin. latum, obovatum, casta- 
neum; basi styli incrassata, nunc contorta. 
I have observed a long, contorted, filiform racheola terminated 
by a long solitary stigma. The perigynia are often distorted 
by a larva. 
Yar. y; spiculis pallidis plerumque 5 rarius 3-7, mas¬ 
culis 1-2 rarius 3, femineis apice masculis vel inferiori- 
bus omnino femineis, infima basi attenuata pedunculata; 
bractea ssepius culmurn superante; perigyniis late ovali¬ 
bus vel ovatis sensim plus minus rostellatis, ore intesro 
plerumque glabris enerviis vel 2-3-nervatis, squama pal- 
lide castanea latioribus longioribus vel brevioribus.—C. 
strictior ,Dewey; Wood’sBot. 755; Sartwell, Exs. n. 55. C. 
salina, Sartwell, n. 57; Kniesturn. (Tab. DLXXXVIII.) 
This form is generally much distorted by larvm; one of the 
morbid achenia is figured at/**. I have observed a filiform 
racheole occasionally, and in one perigynium two achenia. 
Hab. New England to New Jersey and westward. 
Tab. DLXXXVI. 
n. 1. A specimen from Ohio, Bullivant. 
n. 2. Columbia River, Scouler. 
Tab. DLXXXVII. New York, Sartwell, n. 54. 
Tab. DLXXXVIII. Rhode Island, from Olney. 
As Dewey, in Wood’s Bor., has adopted the name I gave this 
species in the Flor. Bot. Americana, I have the less hesitation in 
using it, if it is to be retained as a species; for, admitting the 
plant to be the original C. stricta of Lamarck, it is hopeless, at 
least in Europe, to apply that name to any other than Good- 
enough’s species, which has generally a stouter and smoother 
culm ; longer, broader, more flaccid, glaucous leaves ; shorter 
