I have only seen two specimens of this species, both rather immature.—It is a small plant, 2-3 feet high, with
slender stems, veiy long, involute leaves, as shaiply roughened on the surface as those of G. psiiiacorum, and a
small, contracted, brown panicle. Scales all acute. Siamens three.
Gen. XIV. CAUSTIS, Br.
Spicula l - 2 - f lo r æ , p a n ic u la tæ ; squamis u n d iq u e im b r ic a t is , in t im a flo rem in v o lv e n te . Filamenia 3-5,
b r e v ia . N u x v e n tric o s a , b a s i b u lb o s a , r o s t r a t a ; stylis b i- tr if id is ; semine læ v i.— Herbæ dura, anda, rigida,
R e s ü a c e a r u m ; c u lm is aphyllis, ramosis, semiteretibus, vaginatis; v a g in is integris; r am i s sape sphacelate,
hinc ill mueronem concolorem subulatum productis, ultimis folii/ormibus ; p a n ic u li s axillaribus termi-
nahbusque, pedunculatis ; p e d u n c u li s vagina inclusis.
All AnstraHan genus of veiy remarkable-looking plants, resembling Eestiaceæ from having semiterete, leafless
stems and branches, and discoloured sheaths. About foui- species are known to me, afl of them natives of Australia.—
very stout and woody. Culms much branched, rigid ; branches often curved, tbe terminal ending
in subulate points. Spikelets one-flowered, in branched, peduncled, axillary and terminal panicles, whose peduncles
are enclosed in tbe sheaths. Outer scales larger than tbe inner, imbricated all round, acuminate; upper
alone bearing one hermaphrodite flower. Stamens 3-5, included. Nut teiminated by tbe bulbous base of tbe
style. (Derivation of name unknown to me.)
1. C a u s tis p e n t a n d r a (Br. Prodr. 2 3 9 ) ; rhizomate crasso repente squamoso, culmis e basi ramosis,
ramis curvis rigidis semiteretibus, squamis apice subulatis, staminibus 5. {Gunn, 1443.)
H a b. Sandy heaths: in the northern parts of the Island, Gunn.— {Y\. Dec.?)
D istk ib . New South Wales and Victoria.
G e n . XV. CAREX, L .
{Auctore cl. F. Boott, M .B .\
Spicula am e n ti fo rm e s (v . flo res s p ic a t i) , u n is e x u a le s v . a n d r o g y n æ ; squama 1 - flo re s , u n d iq u e im b r i-
c a tæ . Flores u n is e x u a le s . M a s c . Ferianthmm 0 . Stamaa S. Fans. Perianthium ( p e r ig jn iu m ) u t r i c
u lu s o om p r e s s u s , a p ic e c o n tr a c tu s , o re c o a r c ta lo . Stigmata 2 - 8 , e x s e r ta . Nuso p e r ia u tli io a u c to in c lu s a .—
H e r b æ / i f e r a j a e / o J i u « « , graminete,pereunee; c u lm is tmpius triquetris; s p ic is am e n t i s v e paniculatis, rarius
solitariis.
One of the largest genera of flowering plants, containing upwards of six hundred species, found in all parts of
the globe, especiaUy abounding in temperate countries and subalpine districts ; some of the species have very wide
ranges. Nearly twenty AustraUan and Tasmauian species have been investigated by my friend Dr. Boott, who has
made this fine genus bis especial study, and who alone has an intimate knowledge of its species and their distribution
; be has favoured me with descriptions of tbe Tasmanian ones, as he did witli the Antarctic and New
Zealand species.—Tbe genus Carex may be known by its panicled. rarely solitary, amentiform spikelets of imbricating.
one-flowered scales. These spikelets are unisexual, or bear both male and female flowers, but on different
parts. Male flowers of three stamens ; female of a compressed ovary, with two or three stigmas enclosed in a
utricular perianth, from whose contracted mouth tbe stigmas project. (Name of unknown derivation.)
§ a. Spike solitary, simple.
1. C a r ex A r ch e r i (Boott) ; spica simpHci triflora! androgyna apice inconspicue mascula fusco-pur-
purea; stigmatibus 3 ; perigyniis elliptico-lanceolatis obtuse triquetris sensim cylindrico-rostratis, ore inte-
gro, nervis marginalibus superne dentatis, squama ovato-laiiceolata fcrruginea margine hyalina infima folii-
formi plus minus elongata latioribus duplo vel foliis triplo brevioribus,— {Archer, n. 71.) (T a b . CLV. A.)
Hab. Cuming’s Head, Archer.
Culmus /oZiaque capillacea. Spica flosculo másenlo unico, et foemineis 2 contiguis, Squama mascula lanceolata,
involuta. Stamina 3.—Ad C. Backii accedit.
A very small, slender plant, 4-6 inches high, witb a soUtary, minute, three-flowered, androgynous spike,—
P late Ch. A. Fig. 1, spike; 2, male scale and stamen; 3, female ditto and pcrigyiiium; 4, perigyniuma77
§ b . Spike compound,
* Spikelets with male flowers below.
2. Car ex inv e rsa (Br. Prodr. 242) ; spiculis 2 -3 (rarius 1) androgynis basi masculis obovatis arete
contiguis pallidis longe bracteatis j perigyniis ovalibus rostratis bidentatis superne margine acutis serratis
nervosis appressis, squamam ovatam acuminatam cuspidatam subæquantibus; stigmatibus 2 .— Boott in
Fl. N. Zeal. i. 281 ; Boott, III. Carex, ined.
H a b . Grassy pastures. South Esk River, etc.; probably not uncommon.
D is t r ib . New South Wales, Victoria, and Swan River; New Zealand.
A v e ry s le n d e r spe cie s, w ith sm o o th , filiform cu lm s, 6 - 9 in c lie s lo n g , a n d v e ry n a rrow le av e s. Bracts 2 - 4
in ch es lo n g . Spikelets on e to th re e , p a le, small.
** Spikelets with male flowers at top.
3. Ca r ex ap pr essa (Br. Prodr. 242) ; spica oblonga vel elongata plus minus compacta basi ramosa,
e spiculis numerosissimis parvis apice masculis ; stigmatibus 2 ; perigyniis ovatis vel orbicularis
rostratis bifidis, e medio sursum auguste alatis serratis nervatis, squama ovata acuta vel mucronata latioribus
longioribusque.—/7 . Antarct. i. 91; Boott, E l. Carex, t. 119, 120. {Gunn, 574, 769, 985, 1405.)
H a b . Abundant in open forest land, etc.— (El. Nov.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales, Victoria, Swan River, Lord Auckland’s Islands.
A s to u t , rig id , h a rsh species, w ith cu lm s 1-5 fe e t in h e ig h t, a n d a sp ik e v a ry in g in it s le n g th a n d d e n s ity ,
more o r le s s b ra n c h e d , a n d w ith m a n y sp ik e le ts h a v in g th e male flowers a t to p .
4. Carex chlorantha (Br. Prodr. 242) ; spica oblongo-capitata, e spicuUs 6 - 8 pluribusve ovalibus
androgynis apice masculis congestis vel inferioribus discretis breve bracteatis composita; stigmatibus 2 ;
perigyniis (floriferis) ovatis rostratis, ore membranaceo antice altius secto marginibus serratis, squama lanceolata
cinnamomea margine late albo-hyalma angustioribus brevioribus. {Gunn, 579.) (Ta b . CL. B )
H a b . Northern parts of the Island, in pastures, etc., and probably common elsewhere, Gunn, Archer.
— (Fl. Nov.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales and Victoria.
Calm 6 - 9 iu ch es h ig h , rig id , w ith sh a rp an g les, ro u g h . Leaves i - 1 lin e b ro a d , sh o rte r tb a n th e culm.
Spike c a p ita te , o f s ix o r e ig h t c row d ed sp ik e le ts, 8 - 1 0 lin e s lo n g , a n d 3 - 4 b ro a d .— P late CL. B. F ig . 1 , male
scale a n d flower ; 2 .-female d itto ; 3, p e rig y n ium
§ c. Spikes several, simple, unisexual.
* Stigmas 2.
5. C ar ex Gaudichaudiana (Kunth, En. ii. 417) ; spicis 3 -6 ovatis oblongis vel cylindraceis erectis,
mascula purpurea pedunculata sæpe altera breviore sessili ad basiu sita, foemiueis 2-4- evaginatis glauces-
centibus purpureo pictis, superioribus vel omnibus apice masculis contiguis sessilibus vel infima remota
pedunculata quandoque basi attenuato-laxifiora ; stigmatibus'2 ; perigyniis ovatis vel elliptico-lanceolatis
Ì rostellatis, ore integro sæpius emarginato rarissime bifurcato valide nervatis glauco-viridibiis