oblongo V. subrotundo-ovatis bioonvexis enerviis v. obsolete nervosis squamam ovatam subæquantibus,
stigmatibus 2. B oott, MSS.
H ab. N o rth ern and Middle Islan d s ; n o t uncommon in marshes.
A large, very coarse, rigid, wiry, cutting Sedge, whose culms and roots form tussocks 3 -4 feet high aud a
loot m diameter, m bogs. Culms 3-3 feet high, very slender, especially above, scabrid to the touch, sliarply angled.
Spikes very long, often nodding, branched below, with long lower branches that bear spikelets towards their ends.
Leaves harsh, keeled, 1a line broad.
S. Carex virgata, Sol. ; spica elongata subsesquipedaU angusta basi ramosa, ramis oblongis appressis
inæqualibus omnino spiciibferis, iuflmis n udis v. longe setaceo-bracteatis, perigyniis subcordato-ovatis denti-
eulatis u trin q u e nervatis plano-convexis squamam ovatam sæpe ciliolatam rigidam subæquantibus. Boott,
M S S . C. virgata. B a n k s et Sol. M S S . C. collata, B o o tt in Lond. Jm r n . B o t. v. 3 . p . 447.
H a b . T h ro u g h o u t th e Islan d s ; common in woods, Banlcs and Solander, ete.
A coarse Sedge, resembling 0. secta, but a native of woods, with much broader (2-3 lines broad) leaves, of a
more grassy textm-e, and strongly nerved plano-convex perigynia.
§ c. Spikes unisexual, or all, or ihe lower only, with male flowers helow.
* Stigmas tico. Spikes unisexual.
9. Carex Sitldola, B o o tt; spicis 5 - 7 sexu distinctis cylindraceis erectis solitariis v. gemiiiatis,
masculis 1 - 3 , terminali longiore, infima cum spica foeminea geminata, fcemineis 3 - 4 solitariis v. supremis
gemmatis longissime bracteatis, superioribus approximatis sessilibus sæpe apice masculis, infima remota v.
radicali vaginata, perigyniis ovalibus rostellatis ore integro nervosis stipitatis squama oblonga emarginata
hispido-aristata v. mutica longioribus v. subæquantibus, stigmatibus 2. B o o tt in L in n . Soc. Trans, v. 20.
p . 142,
H ab. N o rth e rn I s la n d ; woods an d moist places. Bay of Islan d s, Colenso, etc.
A slender species, 2 -3 feet high, with narrow, grassy, smooth leaves, and trigonous culm that bears five to
seven shortly peduncled, cylindrical, dark brown spikes ; the latter are erect, solitaiy or two together, an inch long,
and subtended by very long leafy bracts. °
10. Carex ternaria, I 'o r s t .; spicis 1 5 -2 4 sexu distinctis cyhndraeeis multifloris evaginatis, 1 -6
inferioribus geminatis, ? 8 -1 8 geminatis te rnatisve raro quinatis, superioribus sæpe apice masculis inæqualiter
longe pedunculatis pendulis longissime bracteatis, perigyniis subrotundo-ovatis v. ellipticis obovatisve
ore integro v. emarginato nervosis fern igineo-punctatis squama ovata v. lanceolata tru n c a ta v. emarg
in a ta rarius acuta longe hispido-aiistata brevioribus, stigmatibus 2, Boott, M S S . Forst. Prodr. C.
gemmata, S c h k u h ; Car. v. 75. C, polystachya, A . E ich . F lo r .p . 111. t. 21. Fl. A n ta r c t.p . 89.
H ab. Th ro u g h o u t th e Islands, abundant. B a n k s aud Solander, etc. N a t. name, “ E au tah i,” Col.
A large and very variable species, 2 -4 feet high, with broad, slightly rough, grassy leaves, very long leafy
bracts, and very numerous, pendulous, stalked, long and slender, or sbort and thick, black or green, cylindrical spikes’.
Flmoers very dense, with spreading, long, hispid awns to the scales.— I t is a native of Lord Auckland’s Group.
11. Carex testacea, S o l ; spicis 4 sexu distinctis contiguis, g cylindrica gracili, ¥ 3 ovatis oblongisve
bracteatis infima brevi inserte pedunculata, perigyniis ovalibus vix rostellatis bifidis plano-convcxis nervosis
superne margine serratis apice p u rpureis lucidis basi pallidis squama emarginata hispido-aristata ferrugineo-
p u n ctu lata medio pallida trinervi brevioribus angustioribusque,stigmatibus 2. Bo o tt,M S S . B ank s et So l.MSS.
H ab. N o rth e rn Is la n d ; T ig a io , B a n k s a n d Solander ; A n cW a n i, Sinclair.
Calms filiform, a span to a foot high. Bracts very long and slender. Male spikes 7-13 lines long, 1 line
broad ; /cMaies an inch long, robust, i inch broad, nearly sessile, pale yellow-brown.
** Stigmas two. Spikes all, or one lower only (rarely none), male helow.
12. Carex E a o u lii, B o o tt; spicis 4 - 6 approximatis sessilibus, te rmin a li longiore basi magis con-
spicue mascula, reliquia ovatis oblongisve ima basi masculis bracteatis, perigyniis elhpticis obovatisve
rostellatis bifidis compressis serratis purpureis crebre pallidcque nervosis in te r ñervos scabris squama pallida
emarginata hispido-cuspidata trin erv i brevioribus angustioribusque, stigmatibus 3. Boott, M S S .
H ab. Middle Is lan d ; A k am a , Eaoul.
Culm slender, almost fibform, 1 -H foot high. Leaves grass-like, 2 lines broad. Bracts few. long and leafy.
Tenninal spikes 1 - l i inch long, often male from below the middle ; the rest shorter, 3 lines in diameter, stout,
shortly peduncled, pale brown. Achenium- lenticular.
13. Carex lucida, B o o tt; spicis 5 - 8 erectis, masculis 1 -3 suprema elougata gracili, ? 3 - 5 ferrugiueo-
purpureisj superioribus sessilibus sæpe abbreviatis, inferioribus remotis longe exserte ped u n cu latis bractea-
tisq u e basi laxifloris rarius ima basi masculis, perigyniis ovatis ro stratis ellipticisve bifidis lucidis atro-
pu rp u reis basi rostroque pallidis rariu s margine scabriusculis biconvexis obsolete nervosis coriaceis squama
acuta v. ob tu sa rarius emarginata ciliata hispido-cuspidata firma p u rpureo-ferruginea nervo pallido longioribus
brevioribusve, stigm atibus 3. Boott, M S S . C. pulla, Sol. M S S . nou Good.
H ab. N o rth e rn I s la n d ; in grassy places, frequent. B a n k s a n d Solander, etc.
A slender, but harsh, why species, growing in dense tufts, slightly scabrid to the touch, with culms 2-3 feet
high, much shorter than the narrow keeled leaves, and very long, leaf-like bracts. Spikes erect, four to eight ; the
upper very shortly stalked ; lower distant, stalked, of a rusty purple colour ; upper male, slender, lower with sometimes
a few male flowers at the base.
*** Stigmas three. Spikes unisexual.
14. Carex breviculinis, Br. ; spicis sexu distinctis parvis contiguis sessilibus albo-idridibus, ¿ solitaria,
? 2 - 4 sæpe apice masculis bracteatis, perigjmiis ellipticis triq u e tris u trin q u e su battenuatis emarginatis
nervosis viridibus pubescentibus squama alba nervo viridi ovata longe cuspidata brevioribus, stigm atibus 3.
Boott, M S S . C. breviculrais, B r . P ro d r . (Tab. L X I I I . A.)
H ab. N o rth e rn I s la n d ; Bay of Islands, E a st Coast, an d interior, in grassy places, Colenso, etc.
A short, very densely tufted, leafy species, nearly smooth to the touch. Cidms very short, 1 -3 inches high,
stout, the pale-green spikes liiddeu amongst the leaves, which are numerous, 2 -1 0 inches long, curved, broad and
grass-like, 1 -2 lines wide. Spikes few, sessile, oblong, close together ; male solitary ; females 2—i in number, 4-5
lines long, 2 broad, often male towards the apes, bracteate; bracts leafy.—Tliis is also a native of Port Jackson.—
Plate LX III. A . Fig. 1, female spike; 2, scale; 3, perigynium; 4, achenium magnifled.
15. Carex fa sc ie id a ris, S o l ; spicis 5 sexu distinctis cylindricis pedunculatis, ¿ solitaria, ? quatuor
olivaceo-viridibus u u tan tib u s longissime bracteatis sæpe apice sterilibus evaginatis n isi infima interd um
radicali longo exserte pedunculata, perigyniis ovatis obtuse triq u e tris cylindrico-rostratis bicuspidatis longe
stipitatis costato-iiervosis squama lineari v. lanceolata hispido-aristata castanea medio pallida scabra ciliata
subæquilata brevioribus v. æquantibus, stigmatibus 3. Boott, M S S . C. pseudo-cyperus, B r . Prodr. non
L in n .
Var. /3. minor ; spicis 3 sessilibus. C. fascicularis, Sol. MS S .
H ab. N o rth e rn and Middle Is la u d s ; common in moist woods, etc., Ba n k s a n d Solander, etc.
This forms large tufts of long, soft, pale green, grassy foliage, like the C. pseudo-cgperus of Europe, which it
closely resembles.— 2-3 feet high, quite smooth, as well as the leaves, which are as long or longer, aud nearly
,V iuch broad. Spikes about five, drooping, pale green, pendulous, the lower on a long slender peduncle ; variable
in length, 1 -4 inches long, pale green, rather squarrose from the spreading awns of the scales. Bracts veiy long
and leafy.—This species is also found in New Holland and Tasmania.