276 CYPERACEAE, [ Carex. 
45. C. Chathamica Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xlvii (1915) 55.—Culms 
18-24 in. high; stout, smooth, erect, triquetrous. Leaves shorter than the 
culms, scarcely sheathing at the base, flat, smooth, +in. broad or more, 
d-nerved above, striate beneath with a conspicuous midrib, margins 
thickened and finely scabrid. Spikelets 7, simple or very rarely compound, 
1-24 in. long ; the 8 uppermost male, slender, closely placed ; the remainder 
female or with a few male flowers at the top, erect, distant, the lower ones 
with long peduncles. Bracts long, leafy. Glumes linear-lanceolate, acute 
or acuminate, membranous, produced into a short mucro, 1-nerved, chest- 
nut-brown with a pale centre. Utricles shorter than the glumes, turgidly 
biconvex, strongly 2-nerved, dark-brown, smooth and shining, shortly 
stipitate, suddenly narrowed above into a short smooth bidentate beak. 
Styles 3. 
CHATHAM IsLANDS: Swampy ground; W. &. B. Oliver / 
I have only seen two very indifferent specimens, for the loan of which I am 
indebted to Mr. Petrie. 
46. C. trifida Cav. Ic. v (1799) 41, t. 465—A very tall and stout 
species, forming dense tussocks 1-2 ft. diam. Culms stout, erect, 2-4 ft. 
high, obtusely trigonous, quite smooth, thickened at the base, copiously 
leafy. Leaves very large, overtopping the culms, 3-6 ft. long, 44 in. 
broad, sheathing at the base, keeled, rigid, striate ; margins scabrid. Spike- 
lets 6-12, very large and stout, 3-5 in. long, 4-2 in. broad; upper 2-4 male, 
rather closely placed, sessile or nearly so; lower 4-6 female, farther apart, 
shortly stalked, the lowest often compound; bracts long, leafy. Glumes 
linear-oblong or lanceolate, deeply bifid, membranous, chestnut-brown ; 
midrib produced into a long hispid awn. Utricle shorter than the glumes 
or almost equalling them, stipitate and attenuate at the base, oblong- 
obovoid, turgid, obsoletely trigonous, strongly nerved, rather abruptly 
contracted into a 2-toothed beak. Styles 3. Nut obovoid-oblong, trigonous. 
—Raoul Choix (1846) 40; Hook. 7. #l. Antarct. 1 (1844) 89; Fl. Nov. Zel, 1 
(1853) 284; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 3816; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. 
xvi (1884) 439; Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 833; Kukenth. in Pflanzenr, Heft 38 
(1909) 731; Cheesem. Vasel. Flora Macquarie Is. (1919) 32. C. imerassata 
Sol. ex Boott Lil. Car. iv (1867) 138. 
SoutH Istanp: Mar!borough—Queen Charlotte Sound, Banks and WSolander. 
Canterbury—Akaroa, Ravul, Otago-—Near Dunedin, Buchanan / Lindsay, Petrie / Blatt 
Hill, 7. Kirk! Duskv Sound, Lyall. Srewartrisnanp: Petrie/ Tur Snarss, Avck- 
LAND AND CAMPBELL ISLANDS, ANTIPODES ISLAND, MAcouARIe Isuanp: Not uncommon. 
Sir J. D. Hooker, T. Kirk! A. Hamilion |] Se arest ECac.e@ Tt sree agp 
Also in temperate South America, irom Chile to Fuegia and the Falkland Islands. 
The large size, stout habit, and numerous massive spikelets readily distinguish it from 
any other species found in New Zealand. 
47. C. breviculmis Rk. Br. Prodr. (1810) 242.—Culms short, tufted, 
erect or spreading from the base, 1-6in. high. Leaves very much longer 
than the culms, spreading, 7'9-3’5 in. broad, flat, grooved ; margins slightly 
scabrid above. Spikelets 2-5, small, green, approximate, }4in. long; 
terminal one male; remainder all female, sometimes with male flowers at 
the top, erect, sessile or the lowest very shortly pedunculate ; bracts long, 
narrow, leafy. Glumes laxly imbricate, ovate, pale-green, membranous ; 
midrib stout, produced into a long hispid awn. Uftricles shorter than the 
glumes, stipitate, narrow-elliptic, trigonous, faintly many-nerved, green, 
pubescent, narrowed upwards into a short pyramidal beak. Styles 3. 
