Carex vacillans Boott in Hook. f.

Carex vacillans Sol. ex Boott in Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1: 285, 1853 (New Zealand, Banks & Solander)

C. spinirosbris Colenso, Trans. N.Z. Inst 15: 335, 1883 (Norsewood, Colenso (WELT 1213) !)

Leaves equalling the culms, 0.5 cm wide; culms up to 60 cm tall, spikes 5, terminal male sometimes compound, female to 5 cm long, 0.5 cm wide, red-brown, on long filiform peduncles, glumes 3–4 mm long, lanceolate, subacute or almost emarginate, awn 1 mm long, utricles 3–4 mm long, 1 mm wide, narrow-elliptic, subcoriaceous, 5–7-nerved, ± stipitate, beak 1.5 mm long, smooth, crura 0.5 mm long, mouth equal. Text-fig. 2, G–J.

North Auckland Botanical District: Herekino Gorge Road, Mangonui, Petrie (WELT 1197); Pukekokoromiko, 1,000 feet, Kaitaia district, Matthews and Carse (WELT 1198); Taranga (Hen) Island, Oliver (WELT 1199); same locality, Cranwell and Moore (CHR 91819); Chicken Island, Oliver (WELT 1200); same locality, Cranwell and Moore (CHR 91821).

South Auckland Botanical District: Parahake, Whangarei, Carse (AK 2824); Manukau, North Heads, Petrie (WELT 1203); Karekare, Waitakerei West, Petrie (WELT 1205); Leigh near Rodney Point, Oliver (WELT 1206); Kawau Island, Kirk (WELT 1207); Bald Hills, Mauku, Carse (CHR 1769); Orakei near Auckland, Cheeseman (AK 2825) and in Herb. Cockayne 1647 (WELT 1201); Waingaro Hot Springs, Petrie in Herb. Cockayne 1671 (WELT 1202)

Thames Botanical District: Great Barrier Island, Kirk (WELT 1210); Shoe Island near Tairua, Adams (AK 2826); Thames goldfields, Cheeseman (AK 2827).

East Cape Botanical District: Pohue, Hawke's Bay, Hamilton (WELT 1211); Portland Island, Sainsbury (WELT 1212); Big Hill Station, N.E. Ruahine Mts., c.1,500 feet, Druce (CHR 63082); Pukeamaru Range, c.200 feet, foot of cliff in forest, Druce (CHR 70768).

Wellington Botanical District: Norsewood, Hawke Bay, Colenso (WELT 1213).

I have not seen the Type of this species but the Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has kindly supplied me with a photograph of the unpublished plate prepared for Boott's “Illustrations of the Genus Carex”.