2758
CAREX aquatilis.
Long-spiked Mountain Carex.
MONCECIA Triandria.
Gen. Char. Spikes imbricated, dioecious or androgynous.
Calyx a single glume. Barren flowers :
Cor. none. Fertile flowers: Cor. urceolate of
one piece, persistent and inclosing a nut. Stigmas
2—3.
Spec. Char. Fertile spikes 3—4, linear, elongated,
attenuated downwards, somewhat distant, the
lower ones pedunculated. Stigmas 2. Bracteas
long, foliaceous, sheaths none. Fruit roundish;
obovate with a very short entire point. Stem
smooth, obtusely triangular. Sheaths of the
leaves never fibrous.
SVn. Carex aquatilis. Wahl. Act. Holm. 1803. 165.
FI. Lapp. 246. Willd. Sp. PI. v. 4. 303. Spreng.
Syst. Veg. v. 3. 829.
T h e subject of the present plate is extremely common
on the Clova range of mountains, where it flourishes on the
flat marshy spots of the table-lands, often to the exclusion
of other plants. About eight years ago it was gathered by
Professor Hooker, Mr. Burchell and myself; and it has
since been found in the greatest abundance on every excursion
made to that district by Professor Graham and his
friends. Having ascertained last year that it could not be
referred to any British described species, it was with great
satisfaction that I was lately enabled to determine it by
the assistance of a Lapland specimen of C. aquatilis, communicated
by my friend Professor Fries.
C. aquatilis is a well-marked species, from one to two
feet in height (in this country), very erect in its mode of