424, MR. G. C. DRUCE ON 
acutifolia. From his describing the florets as not webbed, we 
may assume that Parnell’s plant is not identical with the 
P. flexuosa found by Mackay. His statement that it grows on 
Ben Nevis at an altitude of 4300 feet suggests some error, as I 
am unaware of any Alpine Poa reaching that height in Scotland. 
Probably both bis species Jawa and his variety flexuosa are forms 
of P. alpina. 
In the second edition of the ‘Manual,’ p. 389 (1847), Prof. 
Babington gives as the habitats of P. lawa [my acutifolia] 
“ Lochnagar, Prof. Balfour, and Ben Nevis, Dr. Parnell,” altering 
the date from July to August. The specimens in his herbarium, 
dated Aug. 11, 1846, collected by J. H. Balfour, to which this 
doubtless refers, are practically identical with the var. acutifolia, 
except that they are not quite so viviparous and are even more 
slender; but I have seen such growing with acutifolia, under 
which I place them. In this edition a change is made in trans- 
ferring the reference of P. flexuosa, Sm. E. B. t. 1123, with a 
query to P. minor, but this is also done erroneously. 
In the first edition of Hooker’s ‘ Student’s Flora,’ 1870, p. 448, 
Sir Joseph Hooker, uuder P. lava, Haenke, gives the synonym 
of P. flecuosa, Sm., but, as we have seen, in error. He has a 
“var. lava proper with flat leaves and flowering glumes not 
webbed,” and a “var. minor (Gaudin), leaves keeled, curved ; 
flowering glumes webbed, nerves more distinct” ; and remarks of 
P. lawa that “ it is often with difficulty distinguished from alpina.” 
This may be accounted for when, as I suggest, he is here speaking 
of two different plants specifically distinct, one of which, bis lava 
proper, being my P. alpina var. acutifolia, and his P. minor being 
a form of Poa laa ; and if we compare his description of P. laxa 
with that of P. alpina, we shall find that the chief contrasting 
features do not contrast, although in P. lawa the stem is said to 
be slightly compressed, while in P. alpina it is said to be terete, 
a character of small value in dried specimens, when the round 
culm grown in shade and moisture, after pressure, might show 
this character, while the same species grown in exposure might 
retain its terete appearance. 
In distinguishing P. alpina from P. flexuosa, Smith laid stress 
on the latter having “ webbed florets,” while in alpina they were 
described as “ not webbed.” In the ‘Student’s Flora’ P. alpina 
is described as having webbed florets, which is exactly at variance 
not only with Smith but with Syme. From the description given 
