572 Mr. Sabine's Observations 



with short radial florets, which in most of the cases cited were 

 yellow ; and that the flowers, whether single or double, consi- 

 derably resembled in their general appearance those of the com- 

 mon Chamomile or the Feverfew, and consequently were very 

 unlike those of the Chinese Chrysanthemums. 



The Linnaean Herbarium being in the possession of our Pre- 

 sident Sir James Edward Smith, he has kindly and liberally 

 intrusted me with the examination of the original specimens, 

 from which, as appears hy notes attached to them, the character 

 of the Species Plant arum was formed ; I am thus fortunately 

 enabled to elucidate more distinctly the differences which I have 

 pointed out between the two plants. The specimens are two 

 branches, both with single flowers, probably distinct varieties, 

 the one having shorter footstalks and more finely-pointed serra- 

 tures to the leaves than the other. The leaves, though having a 

 great similarity to the Chinese Chrysanthemums, stand closer 

 together, and are also smaller than in any of the varieties we 

 know. The flowers are very small, the radial florets of that 

 with long footstalks extending about a quarter of an inch only 

 beyond the calyx ; in the other specimen they do not exceed the 

 length of the calyx ; part of the flosculi of the disc of the first of 

 these has been removed, and shows clearly that the receptacle is 

 naked, or free from paleae ; this is a very important circumstance 

 to have ascertained. Besides these two specimens, there is a third 

 on the same paper ; it is a small piece of a branch, or scarcely 

 more than a footstalk, with a double flower, the expansion of 

 which is near an inch and a half; by being placed on the same 

 paper, it was of course considered by Linnaeus as his variety /3 ; 

 but it is too imperfect to lead to any decided conclusion : it does 

 not resemble any of the figures quoted by Linnaeus, nor does it 

 agree with the descriptions he has referred to, and might cer- 

 tainly be taken for a small flower of a Chinese Chrysanthemum. 



In 



