OF THE GENUS SYMPHYTUM. 549 
ovatis elliptieisve, basi sensim angustatis vel rotundatis ; calycis fere ad basin 
5-partiti laciniis longissime acuminatis, corolle tubum subequantibus ; nuculis 
minute granulatis, opacis." 
S. abehasicum, Trautv. in Bull. Soc. Natur. Mose. xliii. (1870) p. 72. 
S. ibericum var., Stev. Observ. Asperif. p. 579 (1851). 
GEocGR. DisrR.— Russia : Kuban, Circassia, Abchasia. 
S. grandiflorum is easily recognised by the decumbent barren shoots with 
broadly ovate, cordate leaves. In the second year the main axis of the shoot 
is prolonged into an erect flowering stem, while an axillary branch remaining 
decumbent, causes the main stem to appear lateral. The root is irregularly 
cylindrical and tortuous—not simple as stated by Kusnezow,—but copiously 
branched and far creeping. Its branches give rise to numerous stems which 
form large tufts. In the autumn the stems attain 3-5 dem. in length, and 
the leaves increase greatly in size; Stevens states that he had a specimen 
with а subrotund radical leaf half a foot long and broad which one would 
scarcely believe could belong to the same plant. 
The corolla is very variable in size. De Candolle described it as 18-20 mm. 
long, but Steven states that the largest flower he had seen was only 12 mm. 
long. In the plant from Erzerum at Kew they are 20-22 mm., and in 
those from the Bristol and Cambridge Gardens they are about 18 mm. long. 
The Bristol plant was already in fruit at the end of May 1912, and con- 
tinued flowering throughout the year. 
The var. abchasicum differs from the type in the cauiine leaves being 
rounded or gradually attenuated at the base, and in the calyx-segments being 
nearly as long as the corolla-tube. T have seen no specimens. 
HYBRIDS. 
Hybrids between S. officinale, Linn. and 5. peregrinum, Ledeb. 
xS. DISCOLOR, Bucknall. (S. officinale a. ochroleucum x <peregrinum.)— 
Planta parce fertilis vel sterilis. Caulis 1:5-2 m. altus, ramosus, setis inter- 
dum in tuberculis insidentibus asper. Folia puberula setosaque, inferiora 
ovata, basi rotundata, in petiolum decurrentia, superiora lanceolata, acumi- 
nata, a basi dilatata decurrentia. асет breves, post anthesin paullo 
elongata. Calyx hispidus, ad tertiam partem inferiorem in lacinias lanceo- 
latas acutas aeuminatasve divisus; fructifer subsetosus. Corolla tubuloso- 
infundibuliformis, ventricosa, albida vel colore dilute roseo cceruleove tincta, 
sicca ceesia, in lobos ovatos ad apicem interdum flavidos subreflexos fissa, 
calycem duplo-triplove excedens. Fornices subulati, obtusiuseuli, Anthere 
filamentis paullo longiores. Stylus vix exsertus, infra apicem inflexus. 
Nucule inter illas parentium intermedi, ovate, curvatæ, oblique carinate, 
obsolete areolatæ, minutissime sparsimque granulatz, supra basin latam 
leviter constricte, fusco-nigre, nitide. 
