





484 



MR. JOHN BALL ON THE 















number of nearly allied vegetable forms, the more vigorous, or 

 best adapted to surrounding conditions, are selected, while the 

 less fit disappear. In such cases it becomes impossible to 

 establish species with any approach to scientific clearness, and 

 inducements are offered to those who find pleasure in coining 

 new names. Professor Oliver is disposed to refer Mr. Andrews s 

 specimen to JEscallonia strict a, C. Gay, FL Chil., or to E. Philip- 

 plana, Engl. I do not question his opinion, but I doubt whether 

 these and some other so-called species should be separated from 

 U. corymbosa, Pers. (Euiz and Pav. Fl. Peruv. iii. p. 14, tab. 

 234). There is a specimen of this species apparently correctly 

 named iu the Kew Herbarium, collected by Matthews in the 

 Peruvian Andes ; but it would be necessary to examine a fuller 

 series of specimens before expressing a positive opinion. Al- 

 though the figure of U. alpina, Poepp. et Endl. Nov. Gen. i. 

 tab. 13, differs considerably, I am inclined to suspect that this 

 also should be united to the plant of the higher region of Peru. 



























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(Enotheba 



OnAGBABIE,!!. 



Ledeb. "Plant with green 



foliage and light yellow flower. The blossom closes at evening, 

 and only reopens in the morn after the sun has commenced to 

 shine. Local name, Estrella de la vispera. The leaves of the 

 flowers [petals] are boiled in oil, and this is then strained and 

 thickened to an unguent which is highly esteemed in the cure 

 of wounds. A plain decoction of the whole plant is also said to 

 be highly beneficial for washing abrasions, wounds, &c. It «■ 

 always found in sandy soil."— W. Andrews. The specimens 

 collected by Mr. Andrews are whitish in the dried state from 

 abundant but very short tomentum. 



100. (Ex 



odobata, Jacq. " Plant growing 



to the 



height of 2 feet in sandy soil and near the sea-coast, with large 

 yellow blossoms."— W. Andrews. In both species the flowers 

 of the living plants are described as yellow ; in drying, the 

 petals of (E. odorata have become rose-coloured. 



There can be no doubt that the native home of both the 

 species here mentioned is in the American Continent, but their 

 present distribution is cosmopolitan. Mainly, if not exclusively, 

 through the agency of man they have been carried to nearly all 



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