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Manual of the New Zealand Flora.

14. Carex, Linn

14. Carex, Linn.

Perennial herbs. Culms erect, more or less trigonous or rarely terete, often scabrid on the angles. Leaves mostly radical, grasslike, usually scabrid on the margins and keel. Spikelets unisexual or bisexual, rarely diœcious, solitary or more commonly arranged in clusters or spikes, racemes or panicles, all androgynous or the upper male with rarely a few female flowers at the top or base, the lower female often with a few male flowers at the base or top. Glumes imbricate all round the axis. Male flowers of 3 stamens, without perianth or hypogynous bristles. Female flowers consisting of a compressed or trigonous ovary, included in a flask-shaped or urceolate 2-toothed organ called the utricle or perigynium; style-branches 2 or 3, long, filiform, protruding beyond the utricle. Nut lenticular or plano-convex or trigonous, enclosed in the persistent more or less enlarged utricle.

An immense genus of probably over 1200 species, of worldwide distribution, but most abundant in temperate regions, rare in the tropics, save on high mountains. Of the 53 species found in New Zealand, no less than 37 are endemic, the remaining 16 being mostly widely spread. In elaborating the New Zealand species for this work I have received great assistance from the two chief authorities on the genus—Mr. C. B. Clarke, F.R.S., of Kew, and Pastor Georg Kukenthal, of Grub, near Coburg. My warmest thanks are due to both.

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Section I. Spikelet solitary, simple, terminal.

Leaves flat, grassy. Spikelet oblong, many-flowered. Bract short or wanting 1. C. pyrenaica.
Leaves terete, strict and wiry. Spikelet ovoid, few-flowered. Bract long 2. C. acicularis.

Section II. Spikelets several or many, androgynous or rarely diœcious, sessile, arranged in a compact or more or less interrupted spike, less often in a dense or rarely lax panicle. Styles 2.

* Male flowers at the top of the spikelets.

Small, ½–2 in. Spikelets 2–4, compacted into an ovoid head ¼–½ in. long. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, conspicuously winged 3. C. pterocarpa.
Slender, 2–12 in. Leaves almost filiform. Spikelets 3–8, in a dense or lax spike ¼–1 in. long. Utricles ovate-lanceolate, beaked, nerved, minutely papillose. 4. C. Kirkii.
Usually stout, 6–14 in. Leaves flat, grassy. Spikelets 4–10 in a dense spike ½–1 in. long. Utricles ovoid, beaked, strongly nerved, minutely papillose 5. C. trachycarpa.
Slender, strict, wiry, 6–18 in. Spikelets 6–10 in a linear spike ½–1½ in. long. Utricles narrow-lanceolate, nerved, winged above, tapering into a long subulate beak 6. C. Muelleri.
Slender 1–3 ft. Spikelets many, in a lax panicle, 4–9 in. long, sometimes reduced to a spike 3–5 in. Utricles narrow-lanceolate, tapering into a long subulate beak 7. C. kaloides.
Slender, laxly tufted, 1–2 ft. Spikelets many, in a dense or interrupted oblong spike ¾–1¼ in. long. Utricles ovoid, swollen at the base, shining, ribbed on the back, contracted into a rather long beak 8. C. teretiuscula.
Stout, harsh, 1–3 ft. Culms acutely triquetrous. Leaves ⅕–½ in. broad. Spikelets many, in a stout spike-like panicle 3–7 in. long. Utricles ovoid, conspicuously nerved 9. C. appressa.
Slender, harsh, 1–3 ft. Leaves ⅛–¼ in. broad. Spikelets many, in a linear spike-like panicle 6–18 in. long. Utricles ovoid, conspicuously nerved 10. C. virgata.
Slender, drooping, 2–4 ft. Spikelets very numerous in a much and laxly branched nodding panicle 1–2½ ft. long. Utricles broadly ovoid, smooth or indistinctly nerved 11. C. secta.

** Male flowers at the base of the spikelets.

Slender, 4–18 in. Leaves flat, grassy. Spikelets 2–5, pale-green, compacted into a short head or spike. Utricles ovoid, nerved, narrowed into a long beak 12. C. inversa.
Small, depressed, ½–3 in. Leaves involute, wiry. Spikelets 2–3 or solitary. Utricles ovoid at the base; beak very long 13. C. resectans.
Slender, 3–14 in. Leaves involute, wiry. Spikelets 2–4, brown, compacted into a short head. Utricles broadly ovoid, smooth, nerveless, not beaked 14. C. Colensoi.
Slender, 4–18 in. Leaves flat, grassy. Spikelets 3–5, green, approximate or a little remote. Utricles spreading, narrow-ovoid, spongy at the base, nerved, beaked 15. C. echinata.
Short, 2–8 in. Leaves flat, grassy. Spikelets 2–4, red-brown, in a dense spike ½ in. long. Utricles elliptic ovoid, not winged, faintly nerved; beak short 16. C. lagopina.page 807
Stout or slender, 6–18 in. Leaves flat, grassy. Spikelets 4–6, brownish-green, compacted into a lobed spike ¾–1 in. long. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, winged, narrowed into a long beak 17. C. leporina.

Section III. Spikelets distinct, usually stalked, unisexual; the male spikelets constantly uppermost, rarely mixed with female flowers; the lower spikelets all female or with a few male flowers at the base or apex.

* Styles 2. Nut lenticular or biconvex, not trigonous.

† Female spikelets with the male flowers (when present) at the top of the spikelet, very rarely below. Utricles much compressed, conspicuously nerved; beak very short, with an entire or very minutely 2-toothed mouth.

Culms 3–14 in. Spikelets 3–5, ¼–¾ in. long, sessile or the lowest very shortly stalked. Glumes obtuse. Utricles minutely granular-papillose 18. C. Gaudichaudiana.
Culms 1–2 ft. Spikelets 4–8, 1–3 in. long, the lower ones stalked. Glumes mucronate or even aristate 19. C. subdola.
Culms tall, stout or slender, 1–4 ft. Basal leaf-sheaths transversely fibrillose. Spikelets 8–24, 1–4 in. long, geminate or ternate or quinate, long-stalked and pendulous. Glumes aristate 20. C. ternaria.
Culms slender, 6–18 in. Basal leaf-sheaths not transversely fibrillose. Spikelets 4–6, ½–1½ in. long, solitary or the upper geminate. Glumes scarcely mucronate. Utricle not granular-papillose 21. C. Sinclairii.

†† Female spikelets with the male flowers (when present) at the base of the spikelet, very rarely at the top. Utricle plano-convex or unequally biconvex, beak obviously 2-toothed.

a. Terminal spikelet always mixed with female flowers.
Culms laxly tufted, 9–18 in. Leaves broad, ⅙–¼ in. Spikelets 4–8, stout. Utricles elliptic, sharply serrate above 22. C. Raoulii.
b. Terminal spikelet very rarely mixed with female flowers.
Culms slender, 1–2 ft. Spikelets 4–7, ½–1 in. long. Glumes orbicular-ovate, obtuse. Utricles densely packed, spreading when ripe, unequally biconvex; margins smooth 23. C. dipsacea.
Culms filiform, 6–18 in., often elongating and prostrate in fruit. Spikelets 3–5, ½–1 in. long, approximate. Utricles plano-convex or nearly so, obscurely nerved; margins serrate above 24. C. testacea.
Culms rather stout, 4–8 in., much overtopped by the leaves. Spikelets 3–6, closely approximate, ⅓–1 in. long. Utricles elliptic - ovoid, strongly nerved, unequally biconvex; margins usually smooth 25. C. Wakatipu.
Culms laxly tufted, 6–18 in. Leaves short. Spikelets 2–4, male very stout, clavate. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex, strongly nerved, purplish-black 26. C. devia.
Culms very slender, 6–18 in., often elongating in fruit. Leaves long, flat, keeled. Spikelets 4–8, ½–2 in. long, narrow; male slender. Utricles narrow-elliptic, turgid, obscurely nerved; margins smooth 27. C. lucida.page 808
Culms reddish, densely tufted, 1–2 ft. Leaves strict, semiterete. Spikelets 4–6, ½–1½ in. long. Glumes pale. Utricles elliptic, plano-convex; margins serrate 28. C. Buchanani.
Culms very short, 1–4 in. Spikelets 4–5, ⅕–⅓ in. long, approximate, almost concealed by the leaves. Utricles narrow elliptic-ovoid, plano-convex, narrowed into a long acutely bidentate beak 29. C. cirrhosa.
Culms very short, 1–4 in. Spikelets 4–5, ⅕–¼ in. long, closely approximate. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, turgid, unequally biconvex; beak very short 30. C. rubicunda.

* Styles 3. Nut trigonous. (Styles often 2 in C. Berggreni.)

† Utricles glabrous (or the margins serrate above), hardly spreading when ripe.

a. Small species. Culms 1–5 in. high, overtopped by the leaves. Spikelets 2–4, closely approximate, often concealed by the leaves.

Reddish. Culms, very short, ½–1½ in. Leaves 1–2 in. × 1/15–1/12 in., linear, flat, obtuse. Utricles elliptic, biconvex or obscurely trigonous; margins smooth; beak short. Styles often 2 31. C. Berggreni.
Green. Culms 1–3 in. Leaves 1/20 in. broad, acute. Utricles narrow-ovoid, trigonous; margins serrate; beak rather long 32. C. Hectori.
Glaucous-green. Culms 1–3 in. Leaves 2–6 in. × 1/25–1/15 in. Utricles broadly ovoid, plano-convex; margins serrate; beak short 33. C. decurtata.
Brownish-red or green. Culms 1–5 in. Leaves much longer, 3–10 in. × 1/30–1/15 in.; tips often curled and twisted. Utricles elliptic-oblong, trigonous; margins smooth; beak very short 34. C. uncifolia.
b. Slender; culms 6–16 in. high. Leaves narrow, 1/30–1/12 in. broad, plano-convex or nearly so. Male spikelets solitary.
Culms 4–10 in. Leaves usually shorter, narrow. Spikelets 3–5, distant. Utricles narrow-ovoid, trigonous; margins smooth; beak short 35. C. Dallii.
Culms 5–15 in. Leaves with broad sheathing bases, tips curled and twisted. Glumes pale. Utricles narrow-ovoid, unequally biconvex; margins smooth; beak short 36. C. Petriei.
Culms 6–18 in., filiform. Leaves shorter or longer than the culms. Utricles elliptic-lanceolate, plano-convex; margins sharply serrate; beak long 37. C. comans.
Culms 4–9 in. Leaves much longer, 12–20 in. Spike lets 5–6, closely approximate, pale. Utricles elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex; margins smooth; beak rather long 38. C. plesiostachys.
Culms 9–24 in. Spikelets 3–5, short, broad. Utricles broadly ovoid, turgid, biconvex; margins smooth; beak short 39. C. litorosa.

c. Tall, stout or slender; culms 1–3 ft. high or more. Leaves flat or keeled, ⅛–½ in. broad. Male spikelets usually more than one (except in C. dissita).

Culms stout or slender, 1–2½ ft. Leaves ¼–⅓ in. broad. Spikelets 4–8, distant, on short peduncles, the lower rarely compound. Male spikelet solitary 40. C. dissita.page 809
Culms slender, 2–3 ft., often elongating in fruit. Leaves 1/10–⅙ in., keeled. Spikelets 5–10, distant; terminal 2–4 male; female slender, pendulous on long filiform peduncles, lower often compound 41. C. Solandri.
Culms stout. Leaves broad. Spikelets 8; terminal 2–3 male; females erect on short peduncles, not com pound 42. C. ventosa.
Culms stout, 2–3 ft. Leaves ⅙–⅕ in. broad. Spikelets 5–7; 2 terminal male; female short and stout, ⅓ in. diam., the lowest remote. Utricles ovoid 43. C. longiculmis.
Culms very tall and robust, 2–4 ft. Leaves ⅓–½ in. broad. Spikelets 6–12, 2–5 in. long, very stout; terminal 2–4 male. Utricles stipitate, obovoid-oblong 44. C. trifida.

†† Utricles pubescent, hardly spreading when ripe; beak short. Nut with a swollen style-base.

Culms 1–4 in. high, overtopped by the leaves. Spike lets 2–5, small, green, closely approximate 45. C. breviculmis.
††† Utricles glabrous, spreading when ripe; beak short.
Rhizome long, creeping. Culms 4–8 in. Leaves much longer, glaucous. Spikelets 3–6. Utricles large, ¼ in. long, ovoid, turgid, corky, smooth 46. C. pumila.
Rhizome tufted. Culms 6–16 in., slender. Leaves shorter. Spikelets 3–4, small. Utricles ⅛ in. long, broadly oblong, turgid, strongly nerved, dark-brown 47. C. Brownii.

†††† Utricles glabrous, spreading when ripe (except in C. vaccilans), strongly costate-nerved, narrowed into a long and slender acutely 2-toothed beak (beak shorter and obscurely toothed in C. Cockayniana).

Yellowish-green. Culms 2–8 in. Spikelets 3–8, small, stout, approximate. Utricles suddenly narrowed into a long beak 48. C. flava.
Culms slender, 1–2 ft. Leaves harsh. Spikelets 4–9, distant, very slender, about ⅛ in. broad. Utricles fusi form, hardly spreading 49. C. vaccilans.
Culms rather slender, 1–2 ft. Leaves harsh. Spikelets 5–8, distant, ⅕–¼ in. broad; terminal one often mixed with female flowers. Utricles elliptic-lanceolate; beak short, obscurely 2-toothed 50. C. Cockayniana.
Culms stout or slender, 1–3 ft. Leaves harsh. Spike lets 5–9, distant or the upper approximate; terminal one always largely mixed with female flowers. Utricles elliptic-lanceolate; beak long 51. C. semi-Forsteri.
Culms stout, 1½–3 ft. Leaves harsh. Spikelets 5–9, dis tant; terminal 1–3 wholly male. Utricles elliptic-oblong; beak long 52. C. Forsteri.
Culms stout or slender, 1–3 ft. Leaves soft, grassy. Spikelets 3–5, approximate or the lowermost remote; terminal one male. Utricles ovate-lanceolate, stipitate; beak long, linear, with 2 almost pungent teeth 53. C. pseudo-cyperus.

C. Haastiana, Boeckel. in Flora (1878), 168, collected by Haast in the South Island, and C. Krullii, Boeckel. l.c. (1882) 59, gathered by Krull in the Chatham Islands, are unknown to me. I have also failed to identify C. quadrangulata, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1885) 254. C. divisa, Huds.; C. muricata, L. (but not of Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. 411); C. flacca, Schreb. (C. glauca, Scop.); and C. longifolia, R. Br., are certainly not indigenous, and will be found in the list of naturalised species given at the end of this work.

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1.

C. pyrenaica, Wahl. in Vet. Akad. Nya Handl. Stockh. (1803) 139.—Culms slender, densely tufted, leafy at the base, 2–9 in. high, rarely more. Leaves numerous, longer or shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, 1/25–1/15 in. broad, grooved beneath; margins scabrid. Spikelet solitary, terminal, dark chestnut-brown, ⅓–¾ in. long, oblong or elliptic-oblong, densely many-flowered; male flowers at the top; bract wanting or very short. Glumes membranous, deciduous; of the female flowers ovate or ovate-oblong, acute or obtuse, shorter than the utricle; of the males narrower, linear-oblong, subacute. Utricle stipitate, lanceolate or almost fusiform, gradually narrowed into an obliquely bifid beak, unequally biconvex or almost plano-convex, smooth, spreading or reflexed when ripe. Styles usually 2 in New Zealand examples, usually 3 in European or American. Nut oblong, lenticular.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 280; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 312; Boott, Ill. Car. iv. 148, t. 475, 476; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 424.

North Island: Ruahine Mountains, Colenso! E. W. Andrews! South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur, Mount Peel, Raglan Mountains, T. F. C. Canterbury—Mountains above Arthur's Pass, Mount Dobson Range, Mount Cook district, T. F. C. Westland—Kelly's Hill, Petrie! Otago—Mountains of the Lake district, Buchanan! common on the higher mountains of the central and western districts, Petrie! 3500–6500 ft. December–March.

Also in Europe, Japan, and western North America from Alaska to Utah.

2.

C. acicularis, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 280, t. 63c.—Culms slender, strict, wiry, terete, densely tufted, leafy at the base, 1–6 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms or equalling them, narrow, strict, rigid, straight or curved, almost terete, grooved down the front, obtuse and slightly scabrid at the tip. Spikelet small, solitary, terminal, ⅙–⅓ in. long, broadly ovoid, red-brown, few-flowered; females 2–8; males 2–4 at the top of the spikelet. Glumes lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acute or the lower ones awned, keel green or pale-brown. Utricle shortly stipitate, lanceolate, narrowed above into a rather long beak, obtusely triquetrous; beak serrate, obliquely bifid at the tip. Styles 3, seldom 2. Nut pale, trigonous. —Boott Ill. Car. iv. 157, t. 508, †. 2; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 312; Benth, Fl. Austral. vii. 437; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 424. C. Archeri, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 98, t. 150; Ill. Car. iv. 156, t. 508, f. 3. C. inconspicua, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 612.

North Island: Mount Hikurangi, Adams and Petrie! Tongariro, Herb. Colenso! Ruabine Mountains, Colenso! Olsen! E. W. Andrews! South Island: Not uncommon on the mountains of Nelson, Canterbury, and Westland. Otago—Mountains above Lake Harris, Kirk! Old Man Range, Petrie! 2500–5000 ft. December–March.

Easily distinguisbed from C. pyrenaica by the strict nearly terete leaves, smaller few-flowered spikelet, and erect subulate bract. It is also found in Victoria and Tasmania.

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3.

C. pterocarpa, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxi. (1899) 353.—A dwarf species, forming depressed patches 3–5 in. diam. Rhizome stout, creeping, clothed with dark-brown scales. Culms very short, stout, densely tufted, ½–1 in. long, rarely more. Leaves sheathing the culms to the top and much exceeding them, ½–2 in. long, 1/12–⅛ in. broad, tapering upwards to an acute point, somewhat rigid and coriaceous, flat or involute, deeply grooved; margins scabrid above. Spikelets 2–4, compacted into a broadly ovoid head ¼–½ in. long, androgynous, pale brownish-green, ⅙–⅕ in. long; lowest bract usually with a foliaceous tip. Glumes ovate, acute, membranous, with a pale-green centre and brown margins. Male flowers at the top of the spikelets, female flowers below. Utricle elliptic-ovoid, plano-convex, conspicuously winged, strongly nerved, narrowed upwards into a bifid beak; margins and beak serrulate. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, lenticular.—C. Thomsoni, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 298 (not of Boott).

South Island: Otago—Hector Mountains, Mount Pisa, Old Man Range, Petrie! 4500–6500 ft.

A very distinct little plant.

4.

C. Kirkii, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 297.—Rhizome stout, woody, creeping. Culms short, densely tufted, slender, smooth, leafy throughout, ½–3 in. high. Leaves sheathing the whole or greater part of the culm and much longer than it, 2–6 in. long, pale-green, involute, filiform, usually strict and wiry. Spikelets 3–5, compacted into a dense oblong spike ¼–½ in. long, sessile, androgynous, pale-green, few-flowered, ⅕–¼ in. long; bract usually foliaceous. Glumes ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, membranous, with a green midrib and pale margins. Male flowers 2–3 at the top of the spikelets, sometimes absent in the lower ones; female flowers 3–5 at the base. Utricle ovate-lanceolate, plano-convex, narrowed into a rather long bifid beak, strongly nerved, coriaceous, minutely papillose all over; margins and beak very finely crenulate. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, lenticular.

Var. membranacea, Kukenthal, MS.—Taller. Leaves 6–10 in. long, sheathing nearly the whole of the culm and twice as long as it. Spikelets 5–6, forming a loose spike ¾–1 in. long. Utricle more membranous, narrower, with a longer and more tapering beak.

Var. elatior, Kuthenthal, MS.—Still taller, the culms 6–12 in. long, the upper half not sheathed by the leaves. Leaves 9–18 in. long, broader, sometime 1/15 in., flat or involute at the base. Spikelets 4–8 in a lax spike ¾–1½ in. long, the lowest sometimes remote. Utricle as in var. membranacea, but more coriaceous.

South Island: The typical form apparently not uncommon in mountain districts from the Clarence Valley to the south of Otago. Var. membranacea: Mount Arthur Plateau, T. F. C. Var. elatior: Mount Arthur Plateau, T. F. C.; Mount St. Bathan's (Otago), Petrie! 2500–4500 ft. December–March.

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An exceedingly variable plant. Depauperated states, with few-flowered spikelets, are easily mistaken for C. resectans, although the position of the male flowers at once separates the two plants. Var. elatior approaches C. trachycarpa, but is smaller and more slender, with narrower leaves, the inflorescence is much more lax, and the utricles are smaller and narrower.

5.

C. trachycarpa, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 413.—Culms densely tufted, stout or rather slender, trigonous, scabrid above, 6–14 in. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, striate, 1/12–⅛ in. broad; margins slightly scabrid above. Spikelets 4–10, compacted into an oblong or linear-oblong spike ½–1 in. long, androgynous, brown or pale-brown, ovoid, ⅕–⅓ in. long; lowest bract leafy, shorter or longer than the spike. Glumes ovate, acuminate or awned, pale-chestnut or pale-brown, with pale-green midribs and hyaline margins. Male flowers at the top of the spikelets, usually few. Utricle ovoid, plano-convex, narrowed into a short bifid beak, strongly nerved, minutely papillose all over; margins finely crenulate above. Styles 2. Nut oblong, lenticular.—C. muricata, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 411, 427 (not of Linn.).

South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur, Mount Peel, Mount Owen, T. F. C.; Mount Mantell, Townson! 3000–4500 ft. December–March.

In my revision of the New Zealand species I erroneously referred this to C. muricata, from which it differs altogether in the much smaller differently shaped utricles, which do not spread when ripe, and are minutely papillose on both surfaces. Its nearest ally is C. Kirkii var. elatior.

6.

C. Muelleri, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 298.—Pale whitish-green. Rhizome stout, woody, creeping. Culms densely tufted, slender, strict and wiry, terete below, compressed or plano-convex above, grooved, perfectly smooth, 6–24 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms, narrow, 1/25 in. broad, strict and wiry, concave in front, convex on the back, grooved; margins smooth or slightly scabrid above. Inflorescence nearly diœcious or altogether so; spikelets 6–10, collected into a linear terminal spike ½–1½ in. long, sessile, few-flowered, about ¼ in. long; those of the male plant with an occasional female flower or altogether unisexual, those of the female sometimes with a staminate flower at the top of the spikelets; bracts short. Glumes lanceolate, acuminate or awned, thin and membranous, pale whitish-green. Utricle narrow-lanceolate, plano-convex, nerved, winged above and tapering into a very long bidentate beak, both surfaces minutely papillose above; margins ciliate-serrate. Styles 2. Nut linear-oblong, smooth, lenticular.—C. viridis, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 332; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 428 (not of Schlecht. and Cham.).

South Island: Nelson—Clarence Valley, T. F. C.; valley of the Stanley, Kirk! Canterbury—Mackenzie Plains, Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki, T. F. C. Otago—Rough Ridge, Clarke's Diggings, Carrick Range, Nevis Valley, Mount Cardrona, Petrie! 2000–4000 ft. December–February.

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Easily distinguished by the strict whitish-green culms and leaves, almost dioecious inflorescence, and long and narrow utricles. It and C. kaloides are close allies of the North American and north Asiatic C. siccata, Dewey.

7.

C. kaloides, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 332.—Pale-green, forming tussocks very similar to those of Poa australis. Culms densely tufted, slender, drooping at the tips, obtusely trigonous, grooved, smooth, leafy towards the base, 1–3 ft. high. Leaves shorter than the culms, 1/12–⅛ in. broad, flat or in volute, grassy, deeply grooved; margins scabrid above. Inflorescence in small specimens forming a lax linear spike 3–5 in. long; in larger ones a panicle 4–9 in.; branches few, the lowest sometimes 2 in. long. Spikelets ¼–⅓ in. long, numerous, usually rather distant, pale, few-flowered, either androgynous with the male flowers at the top, or some (usually the upper) wholly male; and others (usually the lower) wholly female; bracts very long, foliaceous, often exceeding the panicle. Glumes ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate, membranous, pale, almost hyaline. Utricle narrow-lanceolate, narrowed at the base, plano-convex, nerved, gradually tapering upwards into a long subulate bidentate beak, the margins of which are ciliate-serrate. Styles 2. Nut dark-brown, oblong, lenticular.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 429.

South Island: Not uncommon in mountain districts throughout. 800–3500 ft. December–February.

Closely allied to the preceding species, but amply distinct in the larger size and coarser habit, broader flatter leaves, and usually paniculate inflorescence.

8.

C. teretiuscula, Good, in Trans. Linn. Soc. ii. (1794) 163.—Rhizome creeping and rooting. Culms laxly tufted, not forming dense tussocks, 1–2 ft. high, slender, wiry, triquetrous, grooved, scabrid above. Leaves shorter than the culms, 1/20–1/12 in. broad, flat, grassy, deeply grooved; margins scabrid. Spikelets small, ovoid, few-flowered, androgynous, male flowers few at the top, brown or brownish-green, collected into a linear-oblong or linear dense or interrupted compound spike ¾–1¼ in. long; bract usually obsolete. Glumes almost equalling the utricles, ovate, acute, mem branous, pale-brown; margins broad, pale. Utricle rather small, shortly stipitate, ovoid, gibbous or almost cordate at the base, plano-convex or unequally biconvex, brown, shining, smooth on the flat face, more or less distinctly ribbed on the convex side, narrowed into a rather long almost winged serrate bidentate beak. Styles 2. Nut obovoid, biconvex.—Hook f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 281; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 313; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 427.

North Island: Swampy places from Lake Taupo southwards, not common. South Island: Abundant throughout. Sea-level to 3000 ft. December–March.

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A common plant in the north temperate zone, but south of the equator only known from New Zealand. It is easily distinguished by the slender wiry habit, usually dense spike-like panicles, small spikelets male at the top, and ovoid turgid long-beaked utricles, smooth on one side, but ribbed on the other.

9.

C. appressa, R. Br. Prodr. 242.—Very stout, harsh and rigid. Rhizome shore, creeping. Culms densely tufted, 1–3 ft. high, stout, with the leaves often ½ in. diam. at the base, rigid, grooved, acutely triquetrous with the angles sharply scabrid, leafy at the base. Leaves numerous, usually exceeding the culms, ⅕–½ in. broad, hard, rigid, acutely keeled, grooved; keel and margins scabrid with minute recurved denticles. Spikelets small, very numerous, few-flowered, androgynous, male flowers at the top, collected in a long and narrow spike-like panicle 3–7 in. long, the primary branches erect and appressed to the rhachis; bract obsolete. Glumes broadly ovate, acute, concave, membranous, brownish with a pale line down the centre; margins not silvery. Utricle shortly stipitate, broadly ovate, plano-convex, conspicuously many-nerved on each face, contracted into a short 2-toothed beak; margins broad, incurved, conspicuously ciliate-denticuiate. Styles 2. Nut elliptic-ovoid, biconvex.—Raoul, Choix, 40; Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 90; Fl. Tasm. ii. 99; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 313; Boott, Ill. Car. i. 46, t. 119, 120. C. paniculata, F. Muell. Veg. Chath. Is. 57; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 440 (not of Linn.). C. paniculata var. appressa, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 427.

South Island: Otago—Near Dunedin, Petrie! G. M. Thomson! Catlin's River, Petrie; Milford Sound, Hector. Stewart Island: G. M. Thomson! Chatham Islands: H. H. Travers! (Panicle larger and laxer, with paler glumes—perhaps a different species, but specimens very immature.) Auckland and Campbell Islands, Antipodes Island: Abundant, Sir J. D. Hooker, Kirk! November–February.

In my revision of the New Zealand species I followed Baron Mueller and Mr. Bentham in reducing this and the two following species to the northern C. paniculata, to which all three are certainly very closely allied. C. appressa differs mainly in its greater size, harsher and more rigid habit, broader leaves, longer and more rigid panicle with the branches closely appressed, darker glumes without silvery margins, and by the more strongly nerved utricles, with broader margins. Although these differences are not important, they appear to be constant, and on the whole it is perhaps best to treat both C. appressa and the two following species as distinct from C. paniculata, although closely related to it. C. appressa is also found in temperate Australia and Tasmania.

10.

C. virgata, Sol. ex Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 282.—Culms densely tufted, 1–3 ft. high, trigonous with the angles sharply scabrid, grooved, leafy at the base. Leaves numerous, much exceeding the culms, ⅛–¼ in. broad, harsh and rigid, grooved, sharply keeled below, flat above; margins scabrid with numerous sharp recurved denticles. Spikelets small, very numerous, few-flowered, androgynous with the male flowers at the top, arranged in a long and slender spike-like panicle 6–18 in. long; primary page 815branches of the panicle rigid, erect, closely appressed to the rhachis, the lower usually remote and sometimes conspicuously so. Glumes almost equalling the utricles, broadly ovate, acute or acuminate, concave, membranous, brown with a narrow pale line down the centre; margins not silvery. Utricle stipitate, ovoid or triangular-ovoid, often subcordate at the base, plano-convex, conspicuously many-nerved on both faces, contracted into a short 2-toothed beak; margins incurved, conspicuously ciliate-denticu-late. Styles 2. Nut broadly ovoid, biconvex.—Boott, Ill. Car. i. 46, t. 121, 122; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 313. C. paniculata var. virgata, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 427. C. collata, Boott in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. iii. (1844) 417 (name only).

North and South Islands: Abundant in swamps throughout. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–January.

Very close to C. appressa, but the culms are more slender and not so acutely triquetrous, the leaves are narrower, and the panicle much longer and narrower, and not so dense.

11.

C. secta, Boott in. Hook f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 281.—A very large species. Rhizomes matted, often forming trunk-like masses 2–4 ft. high and much resembling the stem of a tree-fern. Culms 2–4 ft., slender, inclined or drooping above, trigonous with the angles scabrid, grooved, leafy at the base. Leaves numerous, as long or longer than the culms, 1/10–⅙ in. broad, grooved, keeled below, flat above; margins scabrid. Spikelets very numerous, pale-brown, small, few-flowered, androgynous with the male flowers at the top, arranged in a much and laxly branched often decompound nodding panicle 1–2½ft. long; the primary divisions usually very long and slender, much branched, the spikelets often remote on the branches. Glumes almost equalling the utricles, broadly ovate, acuminate or cuspidate, thin and membranous, pale-brown with a paler line down the centre and scarious hyaline margins. Utricles rather smaller than those of C. virgata, shortly stipitate, broadly ovoid, turgid, plano-convex or unequally biconvex, polished and shining, quite smooth or very indistinctly nerved, contracted into a rather broad 2-toothed beak, the margins of which are ciliate-denticulate. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, biconvex.—Ill. Car. i. 47, t. 123, 124. C. virgata var. secta, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 313. C. paniculata var. secta, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 428.

North and South Islands: Abundant in swamps from the North Cape to Foveaux Strait. Sea-level to 2500 ft. November–January.

Easily distinguished from C. virgata by the much larger and laxly branched often decompound nodding panicles, and by the smaller utricles, which are smooth and shining or very indistinctly nerved. The immense tussocks formed by the matted rootstocks are very conspicuous objects in swampy districts, and have had the local name of "nigger-heads" applied to them.

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12.

C. inversa, R. Br. Prodr. 242.—Rhizomes long, creeping, often matted and forming a continuous sward. Culms numerous, weak, slender, usually erect, variable in height, 4–18 in., smooth, striate, obtusely trigonous, leafy towards the base. Leaves shorter than the culms, flat or keeled, grassy, 1/25–1/16 in. broad; margins usually smooth. Spikelets 2–5, crowded into a terminal cluster or spike, rarely a little remote, androgynous, pale-green, ovoid, ¼–⅓ in. long; bracts to the 2 or 3 lower ones long and leafy, far overtopping the inflorescence. Glumes ovate, acuminate or cuspi date, membranous, with a narrow green keel and pale almost hyaline margins. Male flowers at the base of the spikelets, usually few, sometimes absent. Utricle compressed, ovate, plano convex, narrowed into a rather long beak, more or less dis tinctly nerved on both faces; margins serrulate above; beak 2-fid. Styles 2. Nut lenticular.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 281; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 312; Boott, Ill. Car. iv. 151, t. 488; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 425. C. smaragdina, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895) 398.

North and South Islands: From Mongonui southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–May.

Recognised without any difficulty by the slender grassy habit, pale spikelets male at the base, and compressed plano-convex beaked utricles. It is a common Australian plant.

13.

C. resectans, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 413.—Forming broad depressed patches often many feet in diam. Rhizome stout, woody, creeping, much branched, clothed with the fibrous remains of the old leaf-sheaths. Culms very short, usually from ½ to 1½ in. high, rarely more, frequently almost wanting. Leaves few, sheathing the whole length of the culm and much longer than it, narrow, sometimes almost filiform, in volute; margins scabrid. Spikelets 2–3 or solitary, crowded into a compact head ¼ in. long, pale-green, androgynous; bracts 2–3, very long and leafy. Glumes broadly ovate, acuminate or cuspi date; margins thin, pale; keel stout, 1–3-nerved. Male flowers 1–3 at the base of the spikelet, sometimes absent; female flowers 3–8. Utricle ovate below, plano-convex, strongly nerved, nar rowed upwards into a long tapering serrate deeply bifid beak. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, plano-convex or obscurely trigonous.—C. inversa var. radicata, Cheesem. in Trans, N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 425.

South Island: Canterbury—Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, T. F. C. Otago—Common in the dry upland plains of the interior, Petrie! 500–3000 ft. December–March.

Very close to C. inversa, of which Mr. C B. Clarke considers it to be a variety, but separated by the much smaller size and more rigid habit, wiry almost filiform leaves, short culms sheathed to the top by the leaves, and long-page 817beaked utricles, which are very sharply toothed above. Depauperated states of C. Kirkii resemble it in habit, but can be distinguished by the male flowers being at the top of the spikelets.

14.

C. Colensoi, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 281, t. 63B.—Rhizome stout, woody, creeping, often much branched. Culms 3–14 in. high, very slender, almost filiform, weak, flexuous, trigonous, deeply grooved, leafy towards the base. Leaves usually shorter than the culms, but sometimes equalling or even exceeding them, narrow, 1/30–1/20 in. wide at the base, wiry; margins involute. Spikelets 2–4 or solitary, compacted into a terminal cluster, androgynous, broadly ovoid, turgid, dark-brown, ¼–⅓ in. long; bracts 1 or 2, unequal. Glumes broadly ovate, acute or the lower ones cuspidate, membranous; keel narrow, green; sides chestnut-brown; margins broad, white and hyaline. Male flowers at the base of the spikelets, female flowers above. Utricle broadly ovate, plano-convex, not beaked, brown when ripe, smooth, indistinctly nerved; margins serrate above. Styles 2. Nut elliptic-oblong, smooth.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 312; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 425. C. picta, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxi. (1889) 103.

North and South Islands: Not uncommon in hilly districts from the Upper Thames southwards. Sea-level to 4500 ft. November–March.

Also in south-eastern Australia, according to Mr. C. B. Clarke.

15.

C. echinata, Murr. Prodr. Stirp. Gotting. 76.—Culms more or less densely tufted, slender, trigonous, leafy at the base, 4–18 in. high. Leaves usually shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, grooved, 1/25–1/15 in. broad; margins scabrid. Spikelets 3–5, approximate in a terminal spike or a little remote, sessile, androgynous, green or pale-brown, about ¼ in. long when mature; lowest bract short, subulate. Glumes ovate, acute or obtuse, membranous, pale-brown or green with a dark-green centre. Male flowers at the base of the spikelets, usually few; females more numerous. Utricle yellowish-green, much longer than its glume, spreading when ripe, giving the spikelet a squarrose appearance, ovate-lanceolate from a rounded and spongy base, plano-convex, many-nerved, narrowed above into a long bidentate beak; margins of the beak acute, minutely scabrid, or nearly smooth in most of the New Zealand specimens. Styles 3. Nut lenticular.—Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 439; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 426. C. stellulata, Good, in Trans. Linn. Soc. ii. (1794) 144; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 281; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 312. C. debilis, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 412 (name only).

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Marshy places from the Upper Thames Valley southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 4000 ft. November–March.

Widely distributed in the temperate portions of the Northern Hemisphere, but only known from Australia and New Zealand in the Southern.

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16.

C. lagopina, Wahl. in Vet. Akad. Nya Handl. Stockh. (1803) 145.—Culms densely tufted, short, wiry, smooth or scabrid above, leafy at the base, 2–8 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, grooved, 1/20–1/10 in. broad; margins smooth or nearly so. Spikelets 2–4, rarely more, approximate in a short terminal spike about ½ in. long, sessile, androgynous, red-brown, about ⅕ in. long; lowest bract short, not exceeding its spikelet. Glumes broadly ovate, obtuse or subacute, membranous, red-brown with a green midrib and pale hyaline margins. Male flowers at the base of the spikelets, females above. Utricle rather longer than its glume, red-brown, elliptic-ovate, plano-convex, not winged, faintly nerved, rather abruptly narrowed into a short slender beak. Styles 2. Nut broad, lenticular.—Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 262; Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 593. C. Parkeri, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 332; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 426.

South Island: Nelson—Dun Mountain Range, H. H. Travers! Canterbury—Craigieburn Mountains, Petrie! Otago—Hector Mountains, Mount Arnould, near Mount Aspiring, mountains at the head of Lake Wakatipu, Petrie! 4000–6000 ft. January–March.

Also found in arctic and alpine Europe, north Asia, and North America, but only known from New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere. Easily distinguished from C. leporina, to which it is allied, by the much smaller size and rounder wingless utricles. Certainly indigenous.

17.

C. leporina, Linn. Sp. Plant. 973.—Culms laxly tufted, stout or rather slender, trigonous, scabrid above, 6–18 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, striate, 1/10–⅛ in. broad; margins minutely scabrid. Spikelets 4–6, crowded in an oblong lobed spike ¾–1 in. long, sessile, androgynous, ovoid, brownish-green, shining, about ⅓ in. long; lowest bract like the glumes or rarely with a short leafy point. Glumes oblong-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, acute or subacute, pale-brown with a green midrib and hyaline margins. Male flowers at the base of the spikelets, female above. Utricle equalling its glume, elliptic-ovoid, plano-convex, winged, striate, narrowed into a long beak; margins and beak finely serrulate. Styles 2. Nut oblong, lenticular, shining.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 301; xvi. (1884) 426.

North Island: Auckland—Near Mauku, H. Carse! Wellington—Ohariu Valley, Kirk! South Island: Nelson—Not uncommon in the western portion of the district, ascending to 4000 ft. on the Mount Arthur Plateau, T. F. C. November–January.

A common plant in northern Europe, north Asia, and some parts of North America. It is probably introduced into New Zealand.

18.

C. Gaudichaudiana, Kunth, Enum. ii. 417.—Rhizome stoloniferous. Culms slender, strict, trigonous, smooth or slightly scabrid above, very variable in height, usually from 4 to 12 in., page 819but sometimes dwarfed to 1 or 2 in., at other times attaining 18 in. Leaves shorter or longer than the culms, narrow, flat, grassy, 1/20–1/12 in. broad. Spikelets 3–5, rarely more or fewer, sessile or the lowest very shortly stalked, erect, close together or a little remote, ¼–¾ in. long; terminal one (and sometimes a smaller one near its base) wholly male, linear or linear-oblong; the rest female, often with a few male flowers at the top, oblong, cylindric; bracts long and leafy, the lowest usually exceeding the inflorescence. Glumes oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse or very shortly mucronate, shorter than the utricle, dark-purple or purplish-black, usually with a narrow pale midrib and margins. Utricle narrow-ovate to orbicular-ovate, much compressed, conspicuously nerved almost to the apex, green spotted with brownish-red when ripe, upper portion minutely granular-papillose; beak very short, almost wanting, entire or minutely 2-toothed. Styles 2. Nut broadly ovate, plano-convex.—Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 99, t. 151a; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 313. C. vulgaris var. Gaudichaudiana, Boott, Ill. Car. iv. 169, t. 567; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 442; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 429.C. cæspitosa, R. Br. Prodr. 242 (not of Good.).

North and South Islands: Moist places in mountain districts from the Upper Waikato southwards, rarer in the lowlands. Sea-level to 4500 ft. November–February.

Also in Australia and Tasmania, and very closely allied to the almost cosmopolitan C. vulgaris, Fries, differing chiefly in the more compressed and conspicuously nerved utricles.

19.C. subdola, Boott in Trans. Linn. Soc. xx. (1846) 142.—Rhizome creeping, stoloniferous. Culms slender, trigonous, slightly scabrid above, 1–2 ft. high. Leaves usually exceeding the culms, pale-green, soft, grassy, 1/12–⅛ in. broad; margins scabrid above. Spikelets 4–8, erect, 1–3 in. long; terminal 1–3 male, usually approximate, sessile, very slender, cylindric; the remainder female, usually with a few male flowers at the top, the upper sometimes geminate, sessile or shortly stalked, the lower solitary, often remote, on longer peduncles; bracts very long and leafy, far exceeding the inflorescence. Glumes shorter and narrower than the utricles, oblong, obtuse, emarginate, with an awn of variable length from the centre of the emargination, dark red-brown or purplish-brown usually with a green stripe down the centre. Utricle ovate, much compressed, conspicuously nerved, green or brownish-green, narrowed into a very short entire or minutely 2-toothed beak. Styles 2. Nut broadly ovate, plano-convex.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 282; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 314; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 430.

North Island: Abundant in swamps from the North Cape southwards. Sea-level to 1500 ft. November–January.

page 820

Chiefly distinguishable from C. Gaudichaudiana by the larger size, more numerous and much longer often stalked spikelets, and by the awn to the glume, although the last is a variable character. Mr. C. B. Clarke considers it to be a variety of C. Gaudichaudiana.

20.C. ternaria, Forst. Prodr. n. 549.—Usually very tall and stout. Rhizome thick, stoloniferous. Culms robust, 1½–4 ft. high, triquetrous with the angles very sharply scabrid, faces grooved and striate. Leaves numerous, equalling or exceeding the culms, broad, flat, grassy, grooved, ⅕–½ in. broad; margins and midrib beneath sharply scabrid; sheathing scales at the base of the leaves with the margins transversely fibrillose. Spikelets numerous, 8–24.dark-brown, stout, long-stalked, pendulous, 1–4 in. long; upper 1–6 male, solitary or the lower geminate; the remainder female, usually with male flowers at the top, geminate or ternate or even quinate, the lowest on very long peduncles; bracts very long and leafy, overtopping the inflorescence. Glumes lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate or oblong-ovate, obtuse or retuse at the tip, with a stout hispid awn of very variable length but usually exceeding the utricles, dark-brown with a green keel. Utricle ovate, compressed, nerved, brownish, narrowed into a very short beak with an entire mouth. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong.—Raoul, Choix, 40; Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 89; Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 282; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 314; Boott, Ill. Car. iv. tt. 596–598; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 431. C. geminata, Schkuhr, Riedgr. i. 65; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 290.C. polystachya, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 118, t. 21.

Var. gracilis, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 431.—Tall, slender. Leaves usually narrower, ⅛–⅕ in. broad. Spikelets numerous, long, often over 4 in., slender, sometimes barely ⅙ in. diam.

Var. pallida, Cheesem. l.c.—Stout. Leaves strict, rigid, often coriaceous. Spikelets fewer, short, pale, on long filiform peduncles. Utricles broader and more turgid, indistinctly nerved, sometimes with serrate margins.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands, Antipodes Island.—The typical form and var. gracilis abundant throughout, var. pallida not uncommon in the mountains of the South Island. Sea-level to 4000 ft. November–February.

Very distinct in its ordinary state, but small slender forms appear to run into C. subdola and into the following species.

21.C. Sinclairii, Boott, MS. in. Herb. Kew.—Rhizome creeping, stoloniferous. Culms slender or rather stout, triquetrous, scabrid above, 6–18 in. high. Leaves shorter or longer than the culms, flat, grassy, striate, 1/15–⅛ in. broad; margins scabrid; sheaths at the base not transversely fibrillose. Spikelets 4–6, erect or nearly so, short, stalked or the uppermost sessile, ½–1 ½ in. long; terminal 1 or 2 male, very slender; remainder female, usually with a few male flowers at the top, solitary or the upper geminate, rarely compound at the base, the lower usually on longer peduncles. page 821Glumes oblong or oblong-ovate, tapering upwards, acute or obtuse, not mucronate or the mucro very short and inconspicuous, dark red-brown, unicolorous or with a very narrow pale stripe down the centre. Utricle equalling the glume or barely exceeding it, ovate, much compressed, nerved, narrowed into a short minutely 2-toothed beak. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, lenticular.

South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur Plateau, Wairau Valley, Hanmer Plains, T. F. C. Canterbury—Sinclair and Haast, n. 138 in Herb. Kew; Broken River, Lake Tekapo, T. F. C. Westland—Okarito, A. Hamilton! Otago—Hector and Buchanan, Petrie! 1000–3000 ft. December–February.

I am indebted to Mr. C. B. Clarke for supplying me with information respecting this, and for identifying some of my specimens. It appears to be a somewhat critical species, differing from depauperated states of C. ternaria in the basal leaf-sheaths not being transversely fibrillose, in the much fewer erect spikelets, and barely awned glumes, &c. From C. Gaudichaudiana, large states of which approach it in habit, it is removed by the broader harsher leaves, the spikelets often stalked and geminate, the longer glumes not rounded at the tip, and by the utricle not being granular-papillose.

22.C. Raoulii, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 283.—Yellowish-green or dark-green, laxly tufted, often spreading at the base. Culms rather stout, triquetrous, scabrid on the angles, 9–18 in. high. Leaves longer than the culms, flat, broad, coriaceous, grooved, ⅙–¼ in. broad, scabrid on the margins and midrib beneath. Spikelets 4–8, all female but usually with a few male flowers below, the uppermost generally with more male flowers below, stout, erect, all approximate and sessile, or less crowded with the lowest one remote and pedunculate, green or greenish-brown, ½–1 in. long, ¼ in. broad; bracts long and leafy. Glumes broadly ovate, thin and membranous, pale-brown, bifid; midrib stout, produced into a short or long hispid awn. Utricle broader and longer than the glumes, elliptic, unequally biconvex, strongly nerved, narrowed into a stout 2-toothed beak; margins serrate above or almost even. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, lenticular.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 314; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 433. C. Goyeni, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 363.

South Island: Nelson—Graham River, Wangapeka River, Mount Owen, Jollie's Pass, T. F. C.; Fowler's Pass, Kirk! Marlborough—Mount Fyffe, Kirk! Canterbury—Akaroa, Raoul; Southern Alps, Sinclair and Haast; Mount Torlesse, Kirk! Kowai River, Cockayne! Broken River, Upper Wai-makariri, Lake Tekapo, Hooker Valley, T. F. C. Otago—Lake Wakatipu, Lake Wanaka, Mount Ida, Buchanan! Petrie! 200–3000 ft. December–February.

A distinct species, easily recognised by the broad flat leaves, by the terminal spikelet being always partly female, and by the strongly nerved elliptic utricles, usually serrate above. Mr. Clarke informs me that all Raoul's specimens at Kew have the utricles hairy on the upper half, but I have seen no specimens showing this peculiarity.

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23.C. dipsacea, Berggr. in Minneskr. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 28, t. 7, f. 8–14.—Densely tufted. Culms slender, smooth, erect, leafy, 1–2 ft. high, scarcely elongating in fruit. Leaves numerous, longer than the culms, rather narrow, 1/12–⅛ in. broad, flat, keeled, striate; margins and keel sharply scabrid. Spikelets 4–7, close together except the lowest, which is usually remote, dense-flowered, pale or dark-brown; terminal one male, slender, sometimes mixed with female flowers; remainder female, but often with a few male flowers below, short and broad, ½–1 in. long, sessile or the two lower shortly pedunculate; bracts long and leafy, far overtopping the inflorescence. Glumes rather shorter than the utricles, orbicular-ovate, obtuse, membranous, pale or dark chestnut-brown, midrib vanishing at the apex or shortly excurrent; margins scarious, pale. Utricles densely packed, spreading when ripe, elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex or almost plano-convex, smooth, nerveless; margins sharply and distantly serrate above; beak short, 2-toothed. Styles 2. Nut obovoid-oblong, lenticular.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 432.

North and South Islands: From the Lower Waikato to Foveaux Strait, not uncommon. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–January.

Very close to C. testacea, but usually recognised without difficulty by the densely packed utricles, spreading on all sides when ripe.

24.C. testacea, Sol. ex Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 282.—Laxly tufted. Culms very slender, sometimes filiform, smooth or slightly scabrid above, 6–18 in. high, in some varieties elongating in fruit and becoming prostrate, occasionally reaching a length of 4–5 ft. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, 1/15–⅛ in. broad, flat, usually keeled, striate; margins harsh and scabrid. Spikelets 3–5, approximate, pale-brown; terminal one male, slender; remainder all female, sometimes with a few male flowers below, rarely above, short and broad, ½–1 in. long, ¼–⅛ in. broad, sessile or the lowest shortly peduncled; bracts long and leafy, far overtopping the inflorescence. Glumes broadly ovate, thin and membranous, deeply emarginate or bifid, with a long or short awn from the centre of the emargination, pale-brown streaked with chestnut, median portion more or less conspicuously 3-nerved. Utricles equalling the glumes or shorter than them, broadly ovate, plano-convex or nearly so, 7–11-nerved on the convex face, polished and shining, purplish at the apex, paler below, or wholly pale-brown; margins more or less distinctly serrate above, rarely even; beak short, with 2 widely divergent teeth. Styles 2. Nut obovoid-oblong, lenticular.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 314 (in part); Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 434.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Abundant throughout. Sea-level to 3500 ft. October–January.

page 823

The best marks of this variable plant are the comparatively lax habit, very slender culms which often elongate in fruit and become prostrate, usually aggregated spikelets, and plano-convex utricles with nerved faces and serrate margins.

25.C. Wakatipu, Petrie, in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 363.—Laxly tufted, often spreading at the base. Culms short, rather stoust, trigonous, smooth, very variable in size, usually 4–8 in. high, but sometimes elongated to 12 or 14 in., and alpine specimens are often dwarfed to 1–2 in. Leaves always much longer than the culms, frequently twice the length, broad, flat, grooved, ⅛–⅕ in. diam.; margins slightly scabrid. Spikelets 3–6, closely packed, pale- or dark-brown; terminal one (rarely two) male, slender; remainder all female, sometimes with a few male flowers below or rarely above, sessile or the lowest shortly pedunculate, ⅓–1 in. long; bracts very long and leafy, far overtopping the spikelets. Glumes broadly ovate, thin and membranous, bifid, pale-chestnut, sometimes dark-brown; midrib stout, ending in a short awn. Utricle broadly elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex, strongly 7–11-nerved, pale-brown to dark-brown; margins usually smooth; beak short, 2-toothed. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, lenticular.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 434.

South Island: Not uncommon in alpine and subalpine localities throughout. 2500–5500 ft. December–February.

Distinguished from C. testacea by the smaller size and more robust habit, broader leaves always much exceeding the culms, closely aggregated spikelets, and more turgid strongly nerved utricles.

26.C. devia, Gheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xv. (1883) 301.—Culms laxly tufted, smooth or nearly so, leafy at the base, 6–18 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms, spreading, rigid and coriaceous, flat or involute, strongly grooved, 1/10–⅙ in. diam.; margins scabrid. Spikelets 2–4, approximate or the lowest alone remote, dark-brown; terminal one the largest, male, rarely with a few female flowers at the base, rather stout, sometimes almost clavate, ¾–1 ½ in. long; remainder all female, erect, oblong, ½–1 in. long, sessile or the lowest very shortly pedunculate; lowest bract long and leafy, the rest small. Glumes dark-brown with a pale centre, ovate, acute, emarginate or shortly bifid, the midrib produced into a hispid awn of varying length. Utricle equalling the glumes or rather longer than them, elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex or almost plano-convex, strongly nerved on both faces, purplish-black; margins entire; beak short, bifid. Styles 2. Nut broadly obovoid-oblong, compressed.—Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 433.

South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur Plateau, St. Arnaud Mountains, Raglan Range, T. F. C.; Dun Mountain, H. H. Travers! D'Urville Island, H.B.Kirk! 1000–3000 ft. December–January.

Mr. C. B. Clarke considers this to be a variety of C. lucida, to which it approaches very closely in the glumes and utricle. But the habit is altogether page 824different, being nearer to some states of C. testacea, the leaves are shorter and broader and more coriaceous, the spikelets are fewer in number and shorter and broader, the terminal male one being often clavate, and the utricles are conspicuously nerved on both faces.

27.C. lucida, Booth in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 283.—Densely tufted, usually forming large tussocks. Culms very slender, leafy, smooth or slightly scabrid above, in the flowering stage 12–24 in. high and usually overtopped by the leaves, in fruit often but not invariably elongating and becoming prostrate, sometimes reaching a length of 4 or 5 ft. or even more. Leaves numerous, spreading or drooping at the tips, narrow, 1/15–⅛ in. broad, keeled; margins and keel sharply scabrid. Spikelets 4–8, narrow, erect, cylindric, ½–2 in. long, pale-brown to dark-brown; upper 1–3 male, very slender, unequal in length, close together; remainder female but occasionally with a few male flowers below or rarely at the top, almost sessile or on peduncles of varying length, usually rather distant, the lowermost often remote and occasionally compound at the base; bracts very long and leafy. Glumes broadly ovate, acute or obtuse, rarely very shortly emarginate, cuspidate with a short hispid awn, pale or dark chestnut-brown with a pale keel. Utricle about as long as the glume, elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex, smooth or obscurely nerved on the rounded face, shining, from purplish-black to pale-brown; margins smooth; beak short, acutely bidentate. Styles 2. Nut broadly oblong, biconvex.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 314; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 432.C. flagellifera, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 342.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: From the North Cape southwards, abundant. Sea-level to 3000 ft. October–January.

A well-known species, easily distinguished by the slender culms, narrow keeled leaves, distant long and narrow spikelets, usually entire glumes, and turgid smooth and polished utricles.

28.C. Buchanani, Berggr. in Journ. Bot. xviii. (1880) 104.—Densely tufted, usually reddish - purple, rarely whitish - green. Culms closely packed, slender, strict, erect, 1–2 ft. high, quite smooth. Leaves equalling the culms or longer than them, narrow, strict, semiterete, grooved on the convex face, 1/20–1/12 in. broad; margins scabrid. Spikelets 4–6, linear-oblong, erect, cylindric, ½–1½ in. long, remote or the upper approximate, pale whitish-green; terminal 1 or rarely 2 male, very slender; remainder female, usually with a few male flowers below, sessile or the lowest shortly pedunculate; bracts long and leafy. Glumes longer than the utricles, broadly ovate with a long hispid awn, pale, membranous; margins lacerate. Utricle elliptic, plano-convex, smooth or faintly nerved on the convex face, spotted with dark-purple; margins ciliate-serrate above; beak rather long, deeply page 825bifid. Styles 2. Nut obovoid-oblong, plano-convex.—Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 290; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 431. C. tenax, Berggr. in Minneskr. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 27, t. 7, f. 1–7 (not of Chapm.).

South Island: Abundant in hilly and mountainous districts throughout. Sea-level to 3500 ft. December–January.

The chief characters of this species are the strict erect habit, semiterete leaves, pale-coloured glumes, and elliptic plano-convex utricles, the margins of which are serrate above. The reddish-purple colour, which is often constant through large districts, is also seen in C. comans, C. Petriei, C. uncifolia, and others. It probably occurs in the mountainous centre of the North Island, but I have seen no specimens from thence.

29.C. cirrhosa, Berggr. in Minneskr. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 29, t.7, f. 27–34.—A dwarf species forming compact glaucous-green or reddish tufts. Culms very short, densely packed, 1–1½ in. high, leafy throughout. Leaves longer than the culms, narrow, flat or almost piano - convex, grooved; tips obtuse, curled and twisted when dry; margins scabrid. Spikelets 4–5, approximate and almost concealed by the leaves, ⅕–⅓ in. long; terminal one male, slender; remainder all female, with or without a few male flowers below, all sessile or the lowest very shortly peduncled; bracts leafy, far exceeding the spikelets. Glumes ovate-lanceolate, entire, cuspidate, whitish-green with a darker midrib. Utricle about equalling the glumes, elliptic-ovoid, plano-convex, nerved, pale, narrowed into a rather long acutely bidentate beak; margins entire or minutely denticulate. Styles 2. Nut lenticular.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 435.

Var. lutescens, Kukenthal, MS.—Culms taller, 2–4 in. high. Spikelets longer and further apart, the lowest one sometimes remote. Utricle narrow-elliptic; beak longer.

South Island: Canterbury—Upper Waimakariri and Lake Lyndon, Berggren! Enys! Kirk! Cockayne, T. F. C. December–February.

A very peculiar little plant.

30.C. rubicunda, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxi. (1899) 353.—Forming small reddish-brown tufts. Culms short, strict, erect, quite smooth, leafy, 2–4 in. high. Leaves equalling the culms or longer than them, narrow, 1/20–1/15 in. broad, convex at the back, concave in front, grooved; tips curled and twisted when dry; margins smooth. Spikelets 4–5, all closely approximate and sessile, or the lowest remote and shortly pedunculate, short, ⅕–¼ in. long; terminal one male; remainder female; bracts long, leafy. Glumes broadly ovate, entire, shortly cuspidate, pale. Utricle equalling the glumes, ovoid or elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex, smooth or faintly nerved, reddish-brown; margins smooth, even; beak very short, minutely bidentate. Styles 2. Nut lenticular.—C. novæ- zealandiæ, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxv. (1893) 273 (not of Boeckel.). page 826

North Island: Opepe, near Lake Taupo, T. F. C. South Island: Otago—Marshy places on the shores of Lake Te Anau, Petrie! January–February.

Mr. C. B. Clarke suggests that this should be merged with C. cirrhosa, to which it is doubtless very closely allied. But the utricles are much more turgid and distinctly biconvex, and the beak very short and not so acutely bidentate. The habit is that of depauperated states of C. Petriei, but the spikelets are much smaller and closer together and usually sessile, the styles are 2, and the utricles are generally faintly nerved.

31.C. Berggreni, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 297.—Small, reddish-brown or green, forming broad depressed tufts. Culms branched at the base, very short, stout, spreading, sheathed to the top by the leaves, ½–1½ in. high. Leaves spreading, exceeding the culms, 1–2 in. long, 1/20–1/12 in. broad, linear, quite flat, obtuse, deeply striate, coriaceous; margins smooth or serrate above. Spikelets 2–3, small, ⅙–¼ in. long, usually approximate, all shortly peduncled or almost sessile, red-brown; terminal one male; the remainder female; bracts short, broad. Glumes broadly ovate, obtuse or very shortly cuspidate, membranous, chestnut-brown, usually with a green midrib and paler margins. Utricles rather longer than the glumes, elliptic, biconvex or obscurely trigonous, indistinctly nerved, dark red-brown or almost black above, paler towards the base; margins smooth; beak almost wanting, minutely bifid. Styles 2 or 3.Nut acutely trigonous.

South Island: Canterbury—Margins of lagoons near the Cass River, Lake Tekapo, T. F. C. Otago—Mount Pisa, Old Man Range, Mount Kyeburn, Petrie! 2500–5000 ft. December–February.

One of the most distinct species of the genus. The linear flat leaves, of uniform width throughout, and very obtuse at the tip, are unmistakable. The styles are sometimes 2, sometimes 3, but the acutely trigonous nut shows that the alliance of the species is with the 3-styled division of the genus. My Cass River specimens have narrower leaves and more closely compacted spikelets, and are placed by Kukenthal as var. augustifolia.

32.C. Hectori, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895) 405.—Culms densely tufted, branched at the base, erect, leafy throughout, 1–3 in. high. Leaves exceeding the culms, green, erect, rigid, flat, striate, about 1/20 in. broad; tips subacute; margins scabrid above. Spikelets 3–4, closely approximate, small, ⅙–¼ in. long, red-brown; terminal one male, erect; remainder all female, spreading, ovoid-oblong, sessile or the lowest very shortly pedunculate; bracts long, leafy, overtopping the spikelets. Glumes ovate, acuminate or cuspidate with the stout excurrent midrib, membranous, chestnut-brown with a paler midrib and margins. Utricles narrow-ovoid, trigonous, strongly nerved, narrowed at the base and upwards into an acutely 2-toothed beak; margins ciliate-serrate above. Styles 3. Nut trigonous. South Island: Otago—Old Man Range, altitude 5000 ft., Petrie! page 827

In the leaves and arrangement of the spikelets this approaches C. decurtata, but the narrow-ovoid trigonous utricle with its long serrate beak is quite different from the broad plano-convex utricle of C. decurtata. From C. uncifolia it also differs in the slender serrate beak of the utricle. From C. Berggreni it is removed by the green tapering acute leaves, and larger long-beaked utricles.

33.C. decurtata, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 414.—Small; densely tufted, glaucous-green. Culms short, 1–3 in. high, usually sheathed to the top by the leaves. Leaves numerous, much exceeding the culms, 2–6 in. long, 1/25–1/15 in. broad, flat, or concave in front and convex behind, rigid, coriaceous, grooved; tips incurved when dry; margins scabrid. Spikelets 3–5, usually concealed amongst the leaves, short, stout, about ¼ in. long, very closely approximate; terminal one male, erect; remainder all female, spreading, ovoid or ovoid-oblong, sessile or the lowest very shortly pedunculate. Glumes broadly ovate or almost orbicular, acute or cuspidate, thin and membranous, reddish-brown or chestnut with a paler centre and margins. Utricles rather longer than the glumes, broadly ovoid or elliptic-ovoid, plano-convex or unequally biconvex, turgid on the back, obscurely nerved; margins thick, serrate above; beak short, stout, sharply bidentate. Styles 3. Nut sharply trigonous. C. cryptocarpa, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 412, 435 (not of C. A. Mey.).

South Island: Canterbury—Margins of ponds near Lake Tekapo, altitude 2500 ft. December–February.

A very curious and distinct little species.

34.C. uncifolia, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 412.—Brownish-red or green, forming lax or dense spreading tufts. Culms short, 1–4 in. high, usually sheathed to the top by the leaves. Leaves numerous, spreading, far exceeding the culms, 3–10 in. long, 1/30–1/15 in. broad, rarely narrower and filiform, concave in front, convex on the back, grooved, tips often curled and twisted when dry; margins finely scabrid above. Spikelets 3–5, short, closely approximate or sometimes the lowest one remote, chestnut-brown to dark-brown, ⅙–¼ in. long; terminal one male, slender, erect; remainder all female, spreading, ovoid or oblong, all sessile or the lowest very shortly pedunculate. Glumes ovate, obtuse or cuspidate, membranous, chestnut-brown with a green centre; margins sometimes erose. Utricles longer than the glumes, narrowed at the base, elliptic-oblong, trigonous, more or less distinctly nerved, reddish-brown to blackish-brown, rarely pale; margins rounded, entire; beak very short, with an almost entire or obscurely 2-toothed mouth. Styles 3. Nut obovoid, trigonous.—Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 415.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Apparently not uncommon in mountain districts throughout. 2000–4000 ft. December–February.

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35.C. Dallii, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 261.—Small, slender, laxly tufted, usually reddish-brown. Culms very slender, smooth, grooved, 4–10 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms or almost equalling them, sheathing at the base, narrow, 1/30–1/15 in. broad, concave in front, convex behind, grooved, narrowed into long filiform points; margins slightly scabrid above. Spikelets 3–5, narrow, ¼–⅔ in. long, more or less distant, the lowermost often almost basal, dark red-brown; terminal one male, slander; remainder all female, sometimes with a few male flowers below, sessile except the lowest, which is on a long filiform peduncle; bracts long, leafy. Glumes ovate, acuminate or slightly awned, membranous, reddish-brown. Utricles narrow-ovoid, obscurely trigonous, smooth or faintly nerved, dark purplish-black; margins entire; beak sharply 2-toothed. Styles 3. Nut trigonous.—C. Traversii, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 262.

South Island: Nelson—Source of the Heaphy River, Dall! Dun Mountain, H. H. Travers! 2500–4000 ft. December–February.

I cannot see upon what grounds Mr. Kirk's C. Traversii can be separated from Dall's Heaphy River specimens. Both are very near to C. Petriei, principally differing in the more slender habit, more distant spikelets, the lowermost one almost basal, darker glumes, and rather narrower utricles.

36.C. Petriei, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 413.—Densely tufted, usually brownish-red. Culms stout or rather slender, quite smooth, deeply grooved, leafy, 5–15 in. high. Leaves numerous, longer or shorter than the culms, broad and sheathing at the base, blade narrow, 1/30–1/10; in. broad, deeply grooved, concave in front, convex behind, narrowed into long slender points that are usually curled and twisted when dry; margins scabrid. Spikelets 3–5, narrow-oblong, ⅓–⅔ in. long, more or less approximate but not closely so, the lower one often remote; terminal one male, slender; remainder all female, sometimes with a few male flowers at the base, all stalked, but the stalks of the upper ones sometimes very short; bracts long, leafy. Glumes ovate, acute or shortly cuspidate, thin and membranous, pale, often almost white, but usually more or less stained with chestnut, rarely chestnut-brown; margins often lacerate. Utricles longer than the glumes, narrow-ovoid or elliptic-oblong, biconvex, rather turgid, smooth or obscurely nerved, shining, dark purplish-brown or almost black; margins entire; beak short, 2-toothed. Styles 3. Nut elliptic, trigonous.

South Island: Not uncommon in mountain districts, from Nelson to the south of Otago. 2000–5000 ft. December–February.

Characterized by the broad sheathing-base of the leaves, and their fine curled and twisted points; by the rather small and narrow spikelets, all of which are stalked, and the lower on filiform peduncles; by the usually pale-coloured glumes; and by the narrow-ovoid or elliptic turgid utricles, which are dark purplish-brown or almost black.

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37.C. comans, Berggr. in Minnesk. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 28, t. 7, f. 15–19.—Densely tufted, pale-green or reddish. Culms very slender, filiform, quite smooth, leafy, usually 6–18 in. high, but sometimes elongating in fruit and prostrate. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, very narrow, filiform, 1/30–1/15 in. broad, flat or concave in front, slightly rounded at the back, grooved and striate; margins scabrid. Spikelets 5–7, linear-oblong, ⅓–¾ in. long, ⅛–⅕ in. broad; terminal one (rarely two) male, very slender; remainder all female, sometimes with a few male flowers at the base, usually distant, the lowermost sometimes almost basal, the upper two sessile, the rest on filiform peduncles, that of the lowermost often elongate; bracts long, filiform, far overtopping the spikelets. Glumes ovate, usually bifid, with a short hispid awn, membranous, pale-brown or red-brown; margins lacerate. Utricles rather longer than the glumes, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, plano-convex or unequally biconvex, smooth or obscurely ribbed on the convex face, gradually narrowed into a rather long bidentate beak; margins sharply serrate above. Styles 3. Nut trigonous.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 436. C. Cheesemanii, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xv. (1883) 358; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 437.

Var. pulchella, C. B. Clarke, MS.—Smaller. Spikelets usually 4, the lowermost remote and basal. Utricles shorter and broader, ovate-oblong, often smooth; beak shorter.—C. pulchella, Berggr. in Minneskr. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 29, t. 7, f. 20–26.

Var. stricta, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 415.—Pale whitish-green. Culms short, 4–8 in. high, barely half the length of the strict erect leaves. Spikelets and glumes shining whitish-green. Utricles larger and broader, elliptic-ovoid, pale. Perhaps a distinct species.

North and South Islands, Stewaet Island: Not uncommon from Ahipara and Mongonui southwards. Var pulchella: Bealey, Berggren! Maniototc Plain, Petrie! Var. stricta: Lake Tekapo, T. F. C.Sea-level to 3500 ft. November–February.

A very variable species, best separated from its allies by the filiform culms and leaves, narrow rather remote spikelets, and lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate utricles, sharply toothed above. Mr. Petrie's C. Cheesemanii usually has longer culms and rather broader utricles, but passes so gradually into the type that it cannot be distinguished even as a variety. I have followed Mr. C. B. Clarke in reducing Berggren's C. pulchella to C. comans, the differences between the two being of no very great importance.

38.C. plesiostachys, C. B. Clarke MS. in Herb. Kew.—Pale-green, densely tufted, with much of the habit of C. comans. Culms short, slender, quite smooth, leafy almost to the top, 4–9 in. long. Leaves much exceeding the culms, 12–20 in. long, narrow, 1/20–1/15 in. broad, flat in front, slightly convex behind, grooved; margins slightly scabrid. Spikelets 5–6, pale stramineous, closely approximate, the lowest not remote, ⅓–¾ in. long; terminal one male, slender; remainder all female, sometimes with a few male flowers page 830at the base, sessile or the lowest very shortly pedunculate; bracts long and leafy. Glumes broadly ovoid, pale-coloured, membranous, shortly bifid, midrib produced into a long or short awn usually exceeding the utricles; margins lacerate. Utricle elliptic-ovoid, unequally biconvex, smooth, turgid, gradually narrowed into a rather long acutely bidentate beak; margins entire. Styles 3. Nut trigonous.

South Island: Otago—Milford Sound, Kirk!

Specimens of this collected by Mr. Kirk are in my own and in the Kew Herbarium, and I have adopted Mr. Clarke's manuscript name for it. It. is evidently very close to C. comans var. stricta, principally differing in the closely aggregated spikelets and broader utricles, which are not serrate above.

39.C. litorosa, Bailey in Memoirs Torrey Club (1889) 72.—Pale-green, forming compact tufts. Culms densely packed, slender, erect, terete, grooved, quite smooth, leafy, 9–24 in. high. Leaves as long or longer than the culms, sheathing at the base, narrow, 1/30–1/12 in. broad, deeply grooved, flat or concave in front, convex behind, narrowed into long filiform points; margins slightly serrate above. Spikelets 3–5, the lowermost often remote, the others closely placed or a little distant, oblong-ovate, ¼–¾ in. long; terminal one male, slender; remainder all female, usually with male flowers either above or below, sessile or the lowermost shortly pedunculate; bracts very long and leafy. Glumes ovate, acuminate with a short or long awn, membranous, pale-brown; margins often lacerate. Utricles as long or rather longer than the glumes, broadly ovoid, turgid, biconvex, smooth or obscurely nerved, reddish-brown; margins smooth; beak short and stout, with 2 divergent teeth. Styles 3. Nut obovoid, trigonous.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 415. C. littoralis, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xv. (1883) 358; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 437 (not of Schwein.). C. australis, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 262 (not of Boeckel.).

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Not uncommon in brackish-water marshes from the Kaipara Harbour southwards. October–January.

Distinguished from C. comans by the larger size and stouter habit, broader spikelets, and especially by the broader and more turgid biconvex utricles, with entire margins and smooth or very obscurely nerved faces. The Otago and Stewart Island specimens have rather larger spikelets, with male flowers at the base of the female spikelets, whereas they are usually at the top in northern specimens.

40.

C. dissita, Sol. ex Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 284.—Densely tufted. Culms slender, smooth, leafy, 1–2½ ft. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, dark-green, flat, broad, grassy, deeply grooved, ⅛–¼ in. diam.; margins scabrid above. Spikelets 4–8, distant, ⅓–1 in. long, ¼–⅓ in. broad, dark-brown; terminal one male, slender, rarely with 1 or 2 much smaller ones near its page 831base; remainder all female, but often with male flowers below, rarely at the top, shortly peduncled and erect, or the lower on longer peduncles and nodding; bracts long, leafy. Glumes broadly ovate, deeply bifid or almost entire, membranous, dark chestnut-brown with paler margins; midrib stout, produced into a short or rather long stout hispid awn. Utricles about equalling the glumes, ovoid, turgid, biconvex, obscurely nerved, pale- or dark-brown, sometimes almost black; margins often serrate above; beak short, with 2 stout often widely divergent teeth. Styles 3. Nut ovoid, trigonous.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 316; Boott, I ll. Car. i. t. 176; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 437. C. longeacuminata, Col. in Trans. N.Z. inst. xxi. (1889) 104. C. polyneura, Col. l.c. C. australis, Boeck. Cyp. Berol. n. 298.

Var. Lambertiana, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 437.—Stouter. Leaves broader, ⅕–⅓ in. Spikelets longer and stouter, 1–2½ in. long. Glumes more deeply bifid.—C. Lambertiana, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 284; I ll. Car. i. t. 177; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 317.

Var. ochrosaccus, Cheesem.—Culms usually overtopped by the leaves. Spikelets 4–9, pale, erect, short-stalked, lower often compound. Glumes with longer awns exceeding the utricles. Utricles pale, rather narrower.—C. ochrosaccus, C. B. Clarke MS. in Herb. Kew.

Var. monticola, Kukenthal, MS.—Smaller, 6–18 in. high. Leaves narrower. Spikelets 3–5, small, ¼–½ in. long, sessile or very shortly peduncled.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: The typical form and var. Lambertiana abundant throughout. Var. ochrosaccus: Whangarei, Carse! Kaipara, Kirk! vicinity of Auckland, T. F. C. Var. monticola: Not uncommon in turfy swamps in the mountains of both Islands. Sea-level to 3500 ft. October–January.

A most abundant and variable species. It can be distinguished from its allies by the broad flat grassy leaves, usually solitary male spikelets, distant stout dark-coloured female spikelets, which are generally on short peduncles, broad often deeply bifid glumes with a hispid awn of varying length, and broadly ovoid turgid utricles, which are usually obscurely nerved.

41.C. Solandri, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 284.—Densely tufted. Culms tall, slender, trigonous, slightly scabrid above, leafy, 1–3 ft. high, often elongating in fruit and becoming prostrate. Leaves long, narrow, keeled, 1/10–⅙ in. broad; margins and keel sharply scabrid. Spikelets 5–10, distant, on long slender peduncles, long and narrow, ¾–2 in. long by about ⅕ in. broad, dark-brown; terminal 1–4 male, slender, usually closely placed; remainder all female, but generally with a few male flowers below, nodding, the 2 or 3 lowest often compound, on longer filiform peduncles; bracts long and leafy. Glumes broadly ovate, entire or bifid, membranous, dark or pale chestnut - brown; midrib produced into an awn of variable length. Utricles about equalling the glumes, ovoid, turgid, unequally biconvex or obscurely trigonous, dark red-brown or purplish-black, rarely pale-brown, narrowed into a short sharply bidentate beak; margins smooth or serrate above. page 832Styles 3. Nut ovoid, trigonous.—Boott, I 11. Car. i. 61, t. 175; C. Neesiana, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 316; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 438 (not of Endl.).

North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Not uncommon from Ahipara and Mongonui southwards, usually in woods. Sea-level to 2000 ft. October—January.

Allied to C. dissita, from which it differs in the taller and more slender habit, in the male spikelets usually more than one, and in the longer and narrower female spikelets, the 2 or 3 lower of which are often compound. The utricles are also rather smaller, and less conspicuously nerved than in C. dissita. In my Revision of the New Zealand species I followed Sir J. D. Hooker in uniting it with the Norfolk Island C. Neesiana; but since then I have obtained specimens of that species, and find it to differ so much in leaves, spikelets, and utricles that I can entertain no doubt as to the distinctness of the two plants.

42.C. ventosa, C. B. Clarke MS. in Herb. Kew.—Tall, stout, robust, leaves broad. Inflorescence 12–14 in. long. Spikelets 8, ¾–3 in. long, pale; terminal 2–3 male, slender; remainder all female, short-peduncled, erect, not pendulous. Utricles elliptic-oblong, trigonous, narrowed at both ends, stramineous, 12-nerved, glabrous; beak very short. Nut blackish, elliptic-oblong, trigonous.

Chatham Islands (?): Travers in Herb. Kew.

This is quite unknown to me, and the above brief diagnosis has been framed from notes kindly supplied by Mr. C. B. Clarke, who remarks that it is nearest to the true C. Neesiana (of Norfolk Island), but differs in the larger and narrower utricles.

43.C. longiculmis, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 363.—Tall, densely tufted. Culms terete or nearly so, smooth, 2–3 ft. high or more, leafy at the base. Leaves shorter than the culms or equalling them, pale-green, sheathing at the base, ⅙–⅕ in. broad, flat or keeled, striate; margins slightly scabrid above. Spikelets 5–7, the lowermost usually distant, the remainder approximate; terminal one male, slender, 1–2 in. long, sometimes with a smaller one near its base; remainder all female, usually with a few male flowers at the base, rarely at the top, very large and stout, ¾–1½ in. long, ⅓–½ in. broad, pale-brown, sessile or the lowest shortly peduncled; bracts leafy, far exceeding the inflorescence. Glumes broadly ovate, membranous, pale chestnut-brown, midrib produced into a stout hispid awn. Utricle equalling the glumes, somewhat stipitate, ovoid, biconvex, nerved, pale- or dark-brown, suddenly contracted into a rather long and stout bidentate beak; margins smooth. Styles 3. Nut trigonous.—Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 438.

Stewart Island: Paterson's Inlet, Petrie! G. M. Thomson! Glory Cove, Kirk!

A very distinct species, perhaps nearest to C. litorosa, but much larger in all its parts.

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44.C. trifida, Cav. Ic. v. 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, ⅓–½ in. broad, sheathing at the base, keeled, rigid, striate; margins scabrid. Spikelets 6–12, very large and stout, 3–5 in. long, ⅓–⅔ in. broad; upper 2–4 male, rather closely placed, sessile or nearly so; lower 4–6 female, further 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, 40; Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 89; Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 284; Handb. N.Z. Fl 316; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvr. (1884) 439. C. incrassata, Sol. ex Boott, Ill. Car. iv. 138.

South Island: Marlborough—Queen Charlotte Sound, Banks and Solander. Canterbury—Akaroa, Raoul. Otago—Near Dunedin, Buchanan! Lindsay, Petrie! Bluff Hill, Kirk! Dusky Sound, Lyall. Stewart Island: Petrie! The Snares, Auckland and Campbell Islands, Antipodes Island: Not uncommon, Sir J. D. Hooker, Kirk!

Also in temperate South America, from Chili 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.

45.C. breviculmis, R. Br. Prodr. 242.—Culms short, tufted, erect or spreading from the base, 1–6 in. high. Leaves very much longer than the culms, spreading, 1/20–1/12 in. broad, flat, grooved; margins slightly scabrid above. Spikelets 2–5, small, green, approximate,⅙–⅓ in. 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. Utricles shorter than the glumes, stipitate, narrow-elliptic, trigonous, faintly many-nerved, green, pubescent, narrowed upwards into a short pyramidal beak. Styles 3. Nut elliptic-obovoid, trigonous; style-base dilated just above the top of the nut.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 283, t. 63a; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 316; Fl. Tasm. ii. 101; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 445; Boott, III. Gar. iv. 181; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 439.

North and South Islands: Abundant from the North Cape to Foveaux Strait. Sea-level to 3000 ft. October–March.

Easily recognised by the small size and pubescent utricles. Also found in Australia and Tasmania, the Himalaya Mountains, China, and Japan.

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46.C. pumila, Thunb. Fl. Jap. 39.—Rhizome long, creeping, often many feet in length. Culms short, stout, 4–8 in. high, leafy throughout. Leaves much longer than the culms, 1/15–⅛ in. broad, rigid, keeled, grooved, glaucous-green, recurved above, tapering into long subulate points. Spikelets 3–6, approximate; terminal one male, slender, ¾–1 in. long, often with one or two much smaller ones near its base; remainder all female, sometimes with male flowers at the top, oblong, stout, ½–¾ in. long, ¼–⅓ in. broad, sessile or the lowest shortly pedunculate; bracts long and leafy. Glumes ovate-oblong, membranous, chestnut-brown with pale hyaline margins; midrib stout, produced into a short awn or barely excurrent. Utricle very large, much exceeding the glumes, ⅕–¼ in. long, thick and corky, turgid, ovoid, smooth or obsoletely nerved, brown, narrowed into a short bidentate beak. Styles 3. Nut brown, ovoid, trigonous.—Boott, I II. Car. iv. 217; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 315; Benth, Fl. Austral. vii. 445; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. inst. xvi. (1884) 439. C. littorea, Lab. Pl. Nov. Holl. ii. 69, t. 219; Raoul, Choix, 40; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 284.

North and South Islands: Sandy shores from the North Cape to Foveaux Strait, abundant. October–January.

Very distinct from any other New Zealand species. The long running-rhizomes, glaucous keeled leaves, and large smooth and turgid utricles are conspicuous characters. Common in Australia and Tasmania, along the eastern coasts of Asia, and in extratropical South America.

47.C. Brownii, Tuckerm. Enum. Car. 21.—Culms tufted, slender, smooth, leafy at the base, 8–16 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, ⅛–⅙ in. broad; margins smooth or very slightly scabrid. Spikelets 3–4; terminal one male, small, ⅕–½ in. long, slender, often few-flowered; remainder all female, ⅓–⅔ in. long, about ¼ in. broad, dusky-brown, the two upper close together, on very short peduncles or subsessile, the third (when present) usually remote, on a slender erect peduncle sometimes 3 in. long; bracts leafy, rather short, but the upper exceeding the inflorescence. Male glumes narrow, membranous, terminating in a very long foliaceous awn. Female glumes with a small lanceolate or linear-oblong base ending in a serrulate awn equalling or shorter than the utricle. Utricles spreading when ripe, about ⅛ in. long, broadly oblong or ovoid, turgid, obscurely trigonous, strongly nerved, dull-brown; beak very short, tipped with 2 pale-brown teeth. Styles 3. Nut obovoid-oblong, pale, trigonous.—Boott, I II. Car. iv. 161, t. 532; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 447. C. striata, R. Br. Prodr. 243 (not of Michaux).

North Island: Auckland—Marshes at Lake Tongonge, near Kaitaia, R. H. Matthews!

An Australian plant, ranging from Queensland to Victoria; also found in Japan. Mr. Matthews, who is the first to observe it in New Zealand, considers it to be indigenous, and there is nothing improbable in its occurrence in the extreme north of the colony.

page 835
48.C. flava, Linn. Sp. Plant. 975.—Rhizome short, tufted. Culms tufted, smooth, trigonous with the angles somewhat acute, leafy, 2–8 in. high. Leaves usually longer than the culms in New Zealand specimens, yellow-green when dry, flat, 1/15–⅛ in. broad, spreading or recurved; margins slightly scabrid. Spikelets 3–8, yellow-green, closely approximate or rarely the lowest remote; terminal one (rarely two) male, slender, ¼–¾ in. long; remainder all female but usually with a few male flowers at the top, ovoid cr roundish, ¼–½ in. long, squarrose, sessile or the lowest sometimes peduncled; bracts long, leafy, spreading. Glumes ovate, obtuse, membranous; margins pale, sometimes hyaline. Utricles much exceeding the glumes, spreading or deflexed, ovoid, trigonous, inflated, strongly ribbed, pale yellow-green, suddenly narrowed into a long slender scabrid 2-toothed beak. Styles 3. Nut obovoid, trigonous.—Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 444; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 439. C. cataractæ, R. Br. Prodr. 242; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 101, t. 151; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 315; Boott, Ill. Car. iv. t. 204. C. novæ-seelandiæ, Boeck. in Flora (1878), 169.

South Island: Mountain districts from Nelson to Foveaux Strait. Usually from 1500 to 3500 ft., but descends to sea-level in several scattered localities. December–February.

Found also in Australia, Tasmania, and Chili in the Southern Hemisphere, and very widely distributed in the north temperate zone. New Zealand specimens have a smaller utricle than in typical C. flava, and the beak is shorter. They thus approach the var. Œderi, which is often kept as a distinct species.

49.C. vaccilans, Sol. ex Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 285.—Culms tufted, slender, weak, triquetrous with the angles scabrid, leafy, 10–18 in. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, ⅛–¼ in. broad, flat or keeled towards the base, striate, usually with a conspicuous nerve on each side of the stout midrib; margins and midrib beneath sharply scabrid. Spikelets 4–9, 1–3 in. long, about ⅛–¼ in. broad, bright red-brown; terminal 1–3 male, sometimes mixed with a few female flowers; remainder female, usually with a few male flowers at the base, the two or three lower ones remote, nodding, on long filiform peduncles, the upper ones closer together and on shorter stalks or subsessile; bracts long, leafy. Glumes ovate-lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, entire, gradually narrowed into a short or rather long awn, red-brown; margins paler, often lacerate. Utricles usually longer than the glumes, stipitate, fusi form, triquetrous, conspicuously costate-nerved, red-brown, narrowed into a long slender beak with 2 acute teeth. Styles 3. Nut elliptic-oblong, whitish, trigonous.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 317; Gheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 440. C. spinirostris, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xv. (1883) 335.

North Island: Not uncommon on declivities in dry woods, especially near the sea. October–November.

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A very distinct species, easily recognised by the long and very slender red-brown spikelets, narrow entire glumes, and fusiform strongly ribbed long-beaked utricles.

50.C. Cockayniana, Kukenthal, MS.—Culms slender, trigonous, smooth or slightly scabrid, leafy, 1–2 ft. high. Leaves usually longer than the culms, ⅕–⅓ in. broad, flat, striate; margins scabrid above. Spikelets 5–8, 1–½–3 in. long, about ¼ in. broad, usually remote but sometimes the upper approximate, bright red-brown or pale-brown; terminal one male, generally with female flowers at the top, which sometimes occupy quite one-half the spikelet; remainder all female, usually with male flowers at the base, all on filiform peduncles and nodding, or the upper almost sessile and erect; bracts long, leafy. Glumes ovate - lanceolate, entire or emarginate, membranous, red-brown; keel greenish, produced into a short awn. Utricles equalling the glumes or rather shorter than them, spreading when ripe, stipitate, narrow-elliptic, trigonous, strongly costate-nerved, pale yellow-brown, narrowed into a short stout minutely 2-toothed beak. Styles 3. Nut trigonous.—C. cin-namomea, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 301 (not of Olney). C. Forsteri, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 440 (in part).

South Island: Nelson—Graham River; sources of the Takaka River, T.F.C.; Mount Kelvin (near Westport), Townson! Westland—Kelly's Hill, Petrie! Cockayne! Otago—Clinton Valley, Petrie 500–4000 ft. November–January.

This differs from C. vaccilans in the stouter habit, broader leaves, thicker spikelets, and broader and shorter utricles, which want the slender deeply bifid beak of that species.

51.C. semi-Forsteri, C. B. Clarke MS. in Herb. Kew.—Culms tufted, stout or slender, trigonous, slightly scabrid above, 1–3 ft. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, broad, ⅕–⅓ in. diam. or even more, flat, striate, often with a stout nerve on each side of the midrib; margins and midrib beneath sharply scabrid. Spikelets 5–9, distant or the upper 2–3 somewhat approximate, 1–3 in. long, ¼–⅓ in. broad, greenish or greenish-brown; terminal one male at the base with the upper half or sometimes three-quarters female; remainder all female, but usually with a few male flowers at the base, the uppermost subsessile, the rest pedunculate, the peduncle of the lowermost sometimes elongated; bracts very long and leafy. Glumes ovate - lanceolate, membranous, pale-ferruginous or whitish-green; midrib pale, produced into a short or long serrulate awn. Utricles longer or shorter than the glumes, spreading when ripe, elliptic-lanceolate, trigonous, nerved, greenish or greenish-brown; beak ½–¾ as long as the utricle, with 2 linear acute teeth. Styles 3. Nut obovoid - oblong, trigonous.—C. Forsteri, Boott, I II. Car. t. 137 (not of Wahl.). page 837

Kermadec Islands: T. F. C., Miss Shakespear! North and South Islands: Not uncommon throughout. Sea-level to 2000 ft. November–January.

I have taken up this species from notes kindly supplied to me by Mr. C. B. Clarke. It has the habit and most of the characters of C. Forsteri, but the terminal spikelet is invariably largely female at the top, whereas it is wholly male in C. Forsteri. Small states approach C. Cockayniana, which often has the terminal spikelet partly female; but that species has the beak of the utricle much shorter, with two very obscure teeth. Mr. Colenso's C. sexspicata (Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 342) may be the same species, and, if so, his name must take precedence. There are no specimens in his herbarium.

52.C. Forsteri, Wahl. in Vet. Akad. Nya Handl. Stockh. (1803) 154.—Culms tufted, stout or rather slender, trigonous, grooved, scabrid above, leafy, 1½–3 ft. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, broad, ⅕–⅓ in. diam., flat, harsh, striate; margins and midrib beneath sharply scabrid. Spikelets 5–10, distant, 1½–3 in. long, ¼–⅓ in. broad, green or pale ferruginous; terminal 1–3 (usually 2) male, slender; remainder all female but commonly with male flowers either above or below, the upper 2–3 sessile or nearly so, the rest pedunculate, sometimes compound; bracts very long and leafy. Glumes ovate lanceolate, membranous, ferruginous with a pale-green centre; midrib stout, produced into a short or rather long awn. Utricles equalling or exceeding the glumes, spreading when ripe, almost sessile or very shortly stipitate, elliptic-oblong or lanceolate-oblong, trigonous, nerved; beak ½–⅔ the length of the utricle, linear, with 2 lanceolate acute teeth. Styles 3. Nut obovoid-oblong, trigonous.—Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 285; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 315 (in part); Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 440. C. recurva, Schkuhr. Riedgr. i. 120. C. debilis. Forst. Prodr. n. 550. C. punctulata, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zél. 119, t. 21.

North and South Islands: Not uncommon from the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape southwards to Foveaux Strait. Sea-level to 2000 ft. November–January.

53.C. pseudo-cyperus, Linn. Sp. Plant. 978.—Culms tufted, stout, triquetrous, scabrid on the angles, leafy, 1–3 ft. high. Leaves often longer than the culms, flat, broad, grassy, ⅓–½ in. diam.; margins scabrid. Spikelets 3–5, rarely more, usually clustered towards the top of the stem or the lowest one remote, 1–2½ in. long, pale-green; terminal one male, rarely female at the top, slender; remainder all female, long-peduncled and nodding, or in small specimens subsessile and erect, dense-flowered; bracts long, leafy. Glumes small, greenish-white, linear-oblong, suddenly narrowed into a stout serrulate awn. Utricles usually exceeding the glumes, spreading or even reflexed when ripe, stipitate, ovate-lanceolate, trigonous, somewhat inflated, strongly ribbed, greenish; beak ⅓–½ as long as the utricle, deeply split at the apex into two page 838long and narrow almost pungent teeth. Styles 3. Nut small, obovoid, trigonous.—R. Br. Prodr. 243; Benth. Fl. Austral, vii. 448; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 441. C. Forsteri, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 315, in part (not of Wahl.).

Var. fascicularis.—Rather taller and stouter. Spikelets 2–4 in. long, often pale red-brown when mature, further apart and on longer peduncles, that of the lowest sometimes 4–8 in. long. Utricles broader and more truncate at the base, suddenly narrowed into a longer linear stalk; beak narrower.—C. fascicularis, Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 283.

North and South Islands: Abundant throughout in marshes or swampy woods. Sea-level to 3000 ft November–February.

Widely spread through the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Mr. C. B. Clarke is inclined to maintain the var. fascicularis as a distinct species.