200 Dr. Gooden'Ough and Mr. Woodward'; Obfervatlons on 



culi rhodd erceti raodo procumbentes, diffufiufculi, teretes, ramo- 

 fiflimi, dichotomi, ad apicem fjcpe trindi, apicibus obtufis — Anguli 

 ramificationum magis patentes quam inaffinibus, immo fub- recti — 

 Rami faitigiati, et fiepiflimc ad ultimas dichotomias annulati et quad 

 geniculati — Eft ubi vix ac ne vix unum geniculum adeft — Interdum 

 ut in /3 omnis extrema dichotomia annulo ornatur — Subflanlia car- 

 tilaginea — Colo?- nigro-olivaceus, in apicibus ramorum faepe viref- 

 cens, pallidus — Fruiiifcatio, tubercula lateralia in ramis ramulifque 

 fparfa — AltUudo in a. I — 3uncialis et ultra; in |3 3 — 7uncialis. 



The different appearances which this plant aflumes have created 

 no ("mall trouble in endeavouring to ftrike out a proper fpecific cha- 

 racter. This difficulty has arifen in no fmall degree from that ap- 

 pearance of rings which is obfervable in fome, but more efpecially 

 in the larger fpecimens. They have perplexed many. 



We have diflccted many of thefe rings in various directions, 

 and have never been able to difcover any tendency to fructification 

 in them. We obferve alfo, in general, that thefe rings very feldom 

 occur in the fmaller plants. We mention thefe two circumftances 

 as grounds of argument, that the rings ought to have nothing to do 

 in constituting the fpecies ; for we argue that they are owing to 

 an injury having been received, and in confequence, the progrefs 

 of growth being carried on by a new branch (hooting out from the 

 internal part, a fort of callous fear, or annular feam, remains as a 

 memorial of the truncation of the part. Thus, as this is no organ 

 of fructification, we fay it is not a neceffary part ; and as it is not 

 conftant in the fmaller fpecimens (by fmaller we do not mean 

 younger, for the fmaller fpecimens we fpeak of are fo from foil 

 and fituation) we argue it is no character. We are therefore fairly 

 at liberty to ufe our own ideas, and fuppofe thefe rings merely as 

 the effect of injury. 



Our 



