112 



105. Hieracium aurantiacum, L. — This native of elevated 

 regions in Central Europe, was noticed by Mr- G. M. Wilber, at New 

 Dorp, Staten Island, in 1875, and by Mr. N. L. Britton near the 

 same place in 1877, as recorded in the Bulletin, Vol. vi, pp. 56, 178. 

 On the 26th of August, this year, I found this plant growing abun- 

 dantly and wide-spread over a stony hillside pasture near the Parker 

 Notch, about two miles north of Tannersville, in the Catskills of 

 Greene Co., N. Y., at an elevation of about 2,500 feet. It seems likely 

 to become a permanent resident, for its prolific runners enable it to 

 increase with rapidity, and the farmers there are already complaining 

 of it as a troublesome, bitter weed. At the above date the plants 

 w^ere just coming into flower, the scapes being only 3 to 6 inches in 

 height. A week or two later would find them in full maturity and of 



the size of European specimens.* 



Philadelphia, Sept. 6, i88t. John H. Rkdfield. 



106. Il^x opaca with entire Leaves.— We take the liberty of 



publishing th'e following note from Dr. Mellichamp. We had not 

 known before of the tendency of the American holly to produce its 

 upper leaves without spines and sinuosities, although we find on 

 reference to Withering's Botany that such a thing occasionally occurs 

 in Ilex AquifoUum^ the English holly. We remember reading in 

 boyhood, in the Penny Magazine^ a poem of Southey's, entitled 

 " The Holly Tree," where this peculiarity is noted and thus pleas- 

 antly moralized : 



Below, a circling fence, its leaves are seen 



Wrinkled and keen ; 



No grazing cattle through their prickly round 

 Can reach to wound ; 



But as they grow where nothing is to fear, 



Smooth and unarmed the pointless leaves appear. 



Thus, though abroad perchance I might appear 



Harsh and austere, 

 To those who on my leisure would intrude 



Reserved and rude, 

 Gentle at home amid my friends I'd be, 

 Like the high leaves upon the holly tree. 



And should my youth, as youth is apt, I know, 



Some harshness show. 

 All vain asperities I day by day 



Would wear away. 

 Till the smooth temper of my age should be 

 Like the high leaves upon the holly tree. 



The high leaves upon our holly, however, it will be noticed, are 



* Since writing the above, Mr. Meeban informs me that various correspon- 

 dents in New England have sent him this species under the belief of its being in- 

 digt^nous. He also tells me that Miss Cope, of Germantown, also found it this 

 Beason iu the Catskills, whether at the same locality I cannot say. J. H. R. 



