Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/778

738 L. campestris is widely distributed in temperate and montane districts in most parts of the world, and is everywhere excessively variable. In arranging the New Zealand forms I have mainly followed Buchenau's paper on "Luzula campestris and its Allied Species," printed in Oesterr. Bot. Zeitsch. 1898. It is necessary for the student to bear in mind that the characters given for the varieties are those of prominent forms only, that intermediates between all of them are plentiful, and that aberrant states are not uncommon.

7. L. racemosa, ''Desv. Journ. Bot.'' i. (1808) 162; var. Traversii, ''Buchen. Monog. Junc.'' 133.—Stems densely tufted, very variable in size, usually from 6 to 12 in., but sometimes attaining 18 in. and occasionally dwarfed to 4 in., slender, often attenuate above. Leaves radical and a few cauline, all much shorter than the stem, 1–6 in. long, rarely more, $1⁄10$–$1⁄4$ in. broad at the base and from thence gradually tapering upwards, apex subulate, not obtuse as in the forms of L. campestris; margins flat or involute, ciliate with long hairs. Inflorescence terminal, erect or nodding, compound, of several short and dense spikes either all congested into an ovoid head, or the lower 1 to 3 distinct and sometimes peduncled. Lower bracts foliaceous, often overtopping the inflorescence; upper membranous, with very broad white margins and apices, densely ciliate with long hairs. Flowers small, $1⁄10$ long. Perianth-segments equal, or the outer slightly longer, lanceolate, awned, pale-chestnut with white and silvery margins. Stamens 3, rarely more. Capsule equalling the perianth, ovoid-globose, trigonous, mucronate, pale- or dark-chestnut, sometimes almost black. Seeds oblong-ovoid, ferruginous.