U. Sinclairii, Boott ex Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl 309.—Rhizome stoloniferous. Culms 2–9 in. high, rather stout, smooth, subrigid, erect or curved, obtusely trigonous, leafy towards the base. Leaves shorter than the culms or equalling them, flat, grassy, 1/12–1/10 in. broad; margins scabrid. Spike rather stout, dense, narrow-oblong, ½–1 in. long; male portion very short, narrow; bract wanting. Glumes ovate, obtuse or the lowest subacute, pale whitish-green with broad scarious margins, many-nerved on the back. Utricles equalling the glumes or rather longer than them, ovate-lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, triquetrous, nerved, scabrid towards the tip, margins ciliate; bristle yellowish, twice the length of the utricle. Nut elliptic-oblong, trigonous.—C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 394; Kukenthal in Bot. Centralbl. 82 (1900) 3.

Var. elegans, Kukenthal, MS.—Culms more slender. Leaves numerous, 1/20–1/15 in. broad, exceeding the culms. Spike elongate, ¾–1¼ in. long, linear. Glumes cinnamon-brown.

South Island: Nelson—Lake Tennyson, Travers Canterbury—Broken River, Enys! Otago—Eweburn, Naseby, Hector Mountains, Mount Cardrona, Upper Hawea, Petrie! Dart Valley, Kirk! Var. elegans: Black's, Otago, Petrie! 1200–4000 ft. December–February.

A distinct plant, easily recognised by the small size, broad flat leaves, stout and pale spike, and scabrid utricles. It has recently been found in Fuegia.

U. tenella, R. Br. Prodr. 241.—Rhizome very slender, creeping. Culms densely tufted, weak, flaccid, 4–9 in. high, rarely more. Leaves numerous, usually overtopping the culms, flat, grassy, filiform, 1/30–1/20 in. broad. Spike oblong, short, dense, ⅓–½ in. long, ⅙ in. broad; male portion very short, inconspicuous, sometimes reduced to 1 or 2 flowers; female flowers 6–10; lowest glume produced into a setaceous bract usually far exceeding the spike. Glumes lanceolate, acuminate; keel greenish, 1-nerved; margins pale, thin and membranous. Stamens usually 2. Utricles slightly longer than the glumes, oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, glabrous, faintly nerved; bristle nearly twice the length of the utricle.—Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 102, t. 152; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 433; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 391.

South Island: Otago—Routeburn, Kirk! Clinton Valley, Petrie!

I have followed Kukenthal in referring this to the Australian U. tenella, of which it has the slender flaccid habit. But it differs in the larger utricles, which page 800are nearly twice the size, and in this respect approaches U. nervosa. Some specimens collected by Petrie at Kelly's Hill, Westland, with shorter and more wiry leaves, and. a rather longer spike are almost intermediate between the present plant and U. nervosa.

U. nervosa, Boott ex Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 102, t. 153a.—Culms densely tufted, slender, strict and wiry, 4–9 in. high, leafy at the base only. Leaves shorter than the culms, strict, erect, wiry, filiform, 1/40–1/30 in. diam.; margins involute. Spike much more slender than in U. compacta, and not so dense, ⅓–⅔ in. long, about ⅙ in. diam.; lowest glume sometimes produced into a filiform bract. Glumes ovate-lanceolate, subacute, pale-brown, keel distinctly 3-nerved or plicate; margins thin and membranous, almost scarious. Utricles equalling or slightly exceeding the glumes, oblong - lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, trigonous, glabrous, distinctly nerved; bristle about twice the length of the utricle. Nut trigonous.—U. compacta var. nervosa, C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 395. U. Cheesemaniana, Boeck. in Engl. Bot. Jahr. v. (1884) 521.

South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur Plateau, T. F. C. Otago—Maungatua, Petrie! 2000–5000 ft.

Very close to U. compacta, to which it is referred by Mr. Clarke, but differing in the more slender habit, strict filiform leaves, narrower spike, more membranous distinctly 3-nerved glumes, and usually longer many-nerved utricles. The Maungatua specimens are still more slender, and may be distinct.

U. compacta, R. Br. Prodr. 241.—Rhizome creeping, stoloniferous. Culms rather stout, rigid, obscurely trigonous, leafy towards the base, variable in size, in dry open or alpine situations often dwarfed to 2 in. or even less, in moist sheltered or shaded localities attaining 8–12 in. Leaves usually shorter than the stems but sometimes equalling or even exceeding them, subrigid, flat, grassy, striate, 1/12–⅛ in. broad; margins scabrid. Spike short, stout, dense, oblong, ½–1 in, long by about ¼ in. diam., pale greenish-brown to chestnut-brown; the lowest glume sometimes produced into a leaf-like bract occasionally exceeding the spike. Glumes ovate-lanceolate, acute or subacute; keel greenish, 1–3-nerved; margins pale-brown, membranous. Stamens 3. Utricles about equalling the glumes, oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, trigonous, glabrous, smooth or faintly nerved, spreading when fully ripe; bristle stout, about twice the length of the utricle. Nut trigonous.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 309; Fl. Tasm. ii. 102, t. 153b; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 434; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 394. U. divaricata, Boott ex Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 286. U. Clarkii, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1887) 185.

Var. Petriei, C. B. Clarke, MS.—Less rigid. Spike longer and not so dense, 1–2 in. long; bract usually overtopping the spike. Utricles smaller, more evidently stipitate. Otherwise as in the type.

North Island: Mount Hikurangi, Adams and Petrie! Ruahine Range, Colenso, Petrie! Tararua Range, Buchanan! South Island: Abundant in mountain districts throughout. 1000–5500 ft. December–February.

A very variable plant. New Zealand specimens as a rule have rather paler and more acute glumes than is the case in the Australian U. compacta, constituting the U. divaricata of Boott. But I can see no other difference, and many specimens are absolutely identical. Var. Petriei is connected with the type by numerous intermediates, between which it is impossible to draw a strict line of demarcation.

U. purpurata, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1885) 272.—Culms tufted, slender or rather stout, scabrid above, leafy at the base, 6–14 in. high. Leaves usually shorter than the stems but sometimes equalling or even exceeding them, flat or slightly concave, grassy, striate, 1/20–1/12 in. broad; margins scabrid; sheaths at the base dusky-brown. Spike ¾–2 in. long, linear-oblong, usually dense, continuous. Male portion short, cylindric; bract absent, or present and exceeding the spike. Glumes oblong or obovate, obtuse or subacute, dark-brown with pale scarious margins, shorter than the utricle. Utricle lanceolate, tapering at both ends, plano-convex, quite glabrous, faintly nerved, about ¼ in. long; bristle nearly twice as long as the utricle.

Var fusco-vaginata.—Leaves broader, 1/12–⅛ in. diam., equalling or over topping the stems. Spike strict, linear, 1–1½ in. long; bract usually wanting. Glumes green or brown.—U. fusco-vaginata, Kukenthal in lilt.

South Island: Otago—Not uncommon in mountain districts, Petrie! Kirk! Var. fusco-vaginata: Mount Arthur Plateau, T. F. C.; Mount Fyffe, Kirk! Arthur's Pass, Cockayne! T. F. C.; Craigieburn Mountains, Cockayne! Mount Cardrona, Hector Mountains, Mount Ida, Petrie! 1000–4000 ft. December–January.

This appears to be intermediate between U. compacta and U. cœspitosa. The var. fusco-vaginata may be identical with U. compacta var. viridis, C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 395, of which I have seen no authenticated examples.

U. cæspitosa, Boott in Hook f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 287.—Culms tufted, slender, leafy, 6–14 in. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, very variable in width, from 1/15–⅙ in. broad; margins scabrid. Spike 1½–3 in. long, narrow-oblong or almost linear, rather dense or lax but not interrupted; male portion very short; bract variable, broad and foliaceous or narrow and setaceous. Glumes lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, membranous, green or pale-green, usually equalling the utricle. Utricles about ¼ in. long, oblong - lanceolate, suddenly narrowed above, smooth or faintly nerved; bristle about twice the length of the utricle.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 310; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 393. U. horizontalis, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xv. (1883) 334.

Var. minor, Kukenthal, MS.—Smaller and more slender. Leaves narrower. Spike shorter, much more slender.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: In hilly or mountainous localities from Hokianga southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 4000 ft. November–January.

An exceedingly variable plant, forms of which are not separated by any strict line of demarcation from U. purpurata, U. riparia, U. rupestris, and U. filiformis. Its chief characters are the rather broad flat leaves, not very lax narrow-oblong spike, pale-green glumes which are usually as long as the utricles or nearly so, and rather large oblong-lanceolate acuminate utricles, averaging ¼ in. long.

U. australis, Pers. Syn. ii. 534.—Culms densely tufted, tall, slender, smooth, 9–20 in. high, leafy at the base. Leaves long, usually considerably overtopping the culms, flat, striate, ⅛–¼ in. broad; margins scabrid. Spike linear - elongate, 3–6 in. long, ⅙–¼ in. broad, dense except sometimes at the base, cylindrical; male portion narrower, variable in length, occupying ⅓–⅙ of the spike; bract long, leafy, usually exceeding the spike. Glumes oblong-lanceolate, acute, 1-nerved, at first pale-green, but brown or chestnut in fruit, upper about equalling the utricle, lower sometimes exceeding it. Stamens 3. Utricle elliptic-oblong, narrowed at both ends, sometimes almost fusiform, triquetrous, faintly nerved; bristle stout, nearly twice the length of the utricle.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 286; Raoul, Choix, 40; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 287; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 309; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 393. U. compacta, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 118 (not of R. Br.). U. Lindleyana, Kunth, Enum. ii. 526. U. scaberrima, Nees in Linnæa, ix. (1834) 305 U. rigidula, Steud. Cyp. 245. U. alopecurioides, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xv. (1883) 335. U. bracteata, Col. l.c. xvi. (1884) 341. U. polyneura, Col. l.c. xix. (1887) 270.

Var. clavata, Kukenthal, MS.—Spike olavate, often ½ in. broad at the top of the female portion; glumes densely crowded. Other characters as in the type.

Var. ferruginea, C. B. Clarke, MS.—Agreeing with the type in size and habit, but glumes longer and narrower, sometimes twice the length of the utricle, lanceolate or subulate-lanceolate, chestnut-brown with a green usually 3-nerved keel. Utricles with a longer beak.—U. ferruginea, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 288, t. 64b; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 309; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 394. U. nigra, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1885) 253. U. variegata, Col. l.c. xx. (1888) 211.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands.—The typical form abundant throughout; var. ferruginea not uncommon from Te Aroha southwards. Var. clavata: Near Wellington, Kirk! Otira Gorge, Kirk! T. F. C.; Mount Cook district, T. F. C. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–February.

Easily recognised by the large size and very long cylindrical dense-flowered spike. I have followed Clarke and Kukenthal in uniting Boott's var. ferruginea with it, there being no differences of importance beyond the very variable one page 803of the length of the glumes. I cannot distinguish the species described by Mr. Colenso even as varieties. U. australis is said to occur in the Sandwich Islands.

U. leptostachya, Raoul, Choix Pl. Nouv. Zel. 12, t. 5b.—Rhizome short. Culms densely tufted, slender, trigonous and scabrid above, leafy at the base, 1–2 ft. high; sheaths brown or purplish-red at the base. Leaves usually much longer than the culms, slender, flat, 1/12–1/10 broad; margins scabrid. Spike 1½–5 in. long, very slender, lax - flowered; male portion short, almost filiform; bract setaceous or filiform, longer or shorter than the spike, sometimes wanting. Glumes laxly placed, often distant in the lower part of the spike, oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, from half as long to as long as the utricle, green or purplish-red, 1-nerved on the back, membranous. Utricle narrow-lanceolate or almost fusiform, trigonous, distinctly scabrid above, faintly nerved; bristle twice as long as the utricle.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 286; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 309; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 389. U. scabra, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 285. U. distans, Boott, l.c. 286. U. disticha, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 210.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island.—From Mongonui southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–January.

The distinctly scabrid utricles at once separate this from all its allies. Its habit is that of coarse states of U. riparia.

U. riparia, R. Br. Prodr. 241.—Culms densely tufted, slender, leafy, trigonous, scabrid above, 9–20 in. high. Leaves equalling or exceeding the culms, flat or slightly involute, 1/20–1/10 in. broad; margins scabrid. Spike 1½–4 in. long, linear, lax, often interrupted below, ⅛–⅙ in. broad; male portion variable in length; bract usually wanting but sometimes present and exceeding the spike. Glumes lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, pale, membranous, 1-nerved on the back, shorter than the utricle. Utricle lanceolate, acuminate, narrowed at the base, quite glabrous, faintly nerved, about ¼ in. long; bristle twice as long as the utricle. —Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 102, t. 152b; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 434; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 392. U. laxiflora, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1885) 271. (?) U. obtusata, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 341.

Var. Banksii, C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 392.—Leaves narrower, almost filiform, 1/30–1/20 in. broad. Glumes very short, often not more than half the length of the utricle. U. Banksii, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 287; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 310. U. capillaris, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 210.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: The typical form in hilly districts from Pirongia Mountain and Taranaki southwards, most plentiful towards the south of the South Island. Var. Banksii: Abundant in the North Island, especially northwards of the East Cape, less common in the South Island, but extending as far as Foveaux Strait. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–January.

The best characters of this variable species are the tall leafy habit, narrow flat leaves, long and linear very lax spike, and pale glumes always shorter than the utricles. The typical state occurs in Victoria and Tasmania; var. Banksii is endemic.

U. rubra, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 287.—Whole plant red, red-purple, or brownish-red, usually forming a continuous sward. Culms 6–14 in. high, stout or slender, strict, rigid, leafy at the base, trigonous and scabrid above. Leaves much shorter than the culms, rarely equalling or exceeding them, flat or slightly involute, rigid or submembranous, striate, 1/20–1/15 in. broad; margins scabrid. Spike 1–2 in. long, rigid, linear, lax, continuous or slightly interrupted towards the base; male portion short; bract wanting. Glumes oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, rigid, red or red-brown, slightly exceeding the utricle, obscurely 1-nerved on the back. Utricle lanceolate, tapering at both ends, glabrous, faintly nerved, about ⅕ in. long; bristle nearly twice as long as the utricle.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 310; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 390.

Var. rigida.—Very densely tufted, forming tussocks similar to those of a Juncus. Culms and leaves rigid, strict, erect, wiry, deeply grooved, the leaves deeply concave or involute. Spike 1½–3 in. long; bract leafy, usually exceeding the spike.—U. rigida, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1884) 271 (not of Boeck.).

North Island: Plains near Lake Taupo, summit of Titiokura, Colenso! South Island: Not uncommon in mountain districts. 500–4500 ft. December–February.

This is referred to U. riparia as var. rubra by Kukenthal, an opinion with which I cannot concur. It appears to me to be quite as distinct as most of the New Zealand species.

U. rupestris, Raoul, Choix Pl. Nouv. Zel. 13, t. 5a.—Culms densely tufted, slender, leafy at the base, 3–12 in. high. Leaves usually longer than the culms, flat or slightly involute, 1/25–1/15 in. broad; margins scabrid. Spike ½–2 in. long, 1/10–⅛ in. broad, linear, lax, continuous or slightly interrupted below; male portion usually ⅓ the length of the spike; bract often wanting, but sometimes present and exceeding the spike. Glumes lanceolate, acute, membranous, greenish-browm or chestnut, 1-nerved on the back, slightly shorter than the utricle; margins narrow, hyaline or scarious. Utricle lanceolate, attenuate above, quite glabrous, faintly nerved, about ⅕ in. long; bristle about twice as long as the utricle.—Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 286; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 310; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 392. U. Hookeri, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 91, t. 51.

North Island: Ruahine Mountains, Colenso! sources of the Tukituki River, inland Patea, Petrie! Tararua Mountains, H. H. Travers! South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur Plateau, T. F. C. Westland—Okarito, A. Hamilton! Otago—Not uncommon, Petrie! Kirk! Stewart Island: Kirk! Petrie! P. Goyen! Auckland and Campbell Islands: Hooker, Kirk! Sea-level to 3500 ft. December–January.

Much too closely allied to U. riparia, from which it can only be separated by the smaller size, usually shorter spike, and by the glumes being often tinged with chestnut-brown or purplish-red, whereas they are usually green in the forms of U. riparia. From U. filiformis it is removed by the stouter habit, broader flat leaves, and rather stouter spike.

U. filiformis, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 286.—Culms densely tufted, extremely slender, filiform, 3–9 in. high, leafy towards the base. Leaves usually much exceeding the culms, very slender, filiform, 1/50–1/30 in. broad; margins involute, scabrid. Spike ½–1½ in. long, extremely slender, linear, lax, 1/15–1/10 in. broad; bract filiform, exceeding the spike. Glumes oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, membranous, pale, equalling the utricles or nearly so. Utricles ⅛–⅙ in. long, lanceolate, acuminate, smooth and glabrous, faintly nerved; bristle twice as long as the utricle.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 310; C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. xx. 391. U. debilior, F. Muell. Fragm. Phyt. Austral. viii. 151; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 435.

North Island: Auckland—Pirongia Mountain, T. F. C. Hawke's Bay—Ruahine Mountains, Colenso! H. Hill! Petrie! Taranaki—Mount Egmont, Petrie! Wellington—Tararua Mountains, H. H. Travers! T. P. Arnold! South Island, Stewart Island: In hilly and mountain districts throughout, but not common. 1000–4500 ft. December–January.

In its usual state this can he recognised without much difficulty by its small size and very slender habit, filiform convolute leaves, small slender spikes, and small narrow utricles, which only slightly exceed the glumes. But large forms are indistinguishable from states of U. riparia, U. cæspitosa, and others. Mr. C. B. Clarke refers to it the U. debilior, F. Muell., from Lord Howe Island.