136 NOTES ON THE CARICES OF THE EPPING FOREST AREA.
occurs throughout the district, covering large areas in the bogs,
and appearing in many other spots that are more than usually
damp.
Carex remota, L., C. muricata, L., and C. vulpina, L., are fairly
common in the ditches, but the latter does not occur so frequently
as the others.
Carex axillaris, Good, is another we have not seen. It is
reported from Chigwell, but as it is so similar to C. remota, L., and
is so often found growing in the same locality, it may have been
easily overlooked. There is good ground for believing it to be a
hybrid between C. remota, L., and C. vulpina, L., or C. muricata, L.
It may consequently appear at any time, as there is every possibility
for crossing, since C. vulpina and C. muricata grow together in many
of the ditches and wet places.
Our best records come in Section III. (Heterostachyae), a group
which far exceeds in number of species either of the others. The
flowers are mostly arranged in separate spikes, the terminal being
generally male and the lateral female and commonly stalked. It is
in this section that we are able to add additional varieties to the
Forest list.
Fifteen out of the sixteen species belonging to this section
recorded by Gibson, are still to be found in the Forest area. The
one that is wanted is C. pallescens, L., which is noted in the "Flora"
from "Forest near Hale End."
Carex pilulifera, L. (the Round-headed Sedge), is well distri-
buted over the heathy parts, but the forms of it vary considerably.
That which occurs at High Beach has a decidedly different habit
from the typical form which is so abundant in many other parts.
The curious form of Carex goodenovii, Gay, found in 1888, near
Woodford, is noticed in the Essex Naturalist, vol. ii., p. 112.
It was in June, 1889, that I noticed a plant growing on the
marshes near Walthamstow, which appeared to come near the
description given for Carex paludosa, var. kochiana, Gaud. This
was submitted to Mr. A. Bennett, F.L.S., of Croydon, who has so
readily given his opinion on other forms sent to him from the Forest.
He remarked that it was very small for C. paludosa, L., and that it
must be referred to the var. kochiana. This is a distinct addition to
our list.
Another, Carex flava, var minor, Towns., is mentioned in the
Report for 1885-6 of the Watson Botanical Exchange Club. This