OBSERVATIONS ON HOLL’S LIST. 33 
the Raisins, dried in Madera, are of very indifferent quality: 
not from any deficiency, in either size or flavour, of one more 
than the other; and the excellence of the Grapes I have no 
occasion to vindicate. The fresh Figs of Madera particularly, 
in both the above qualities, but especially the latter, cannot 
be surpassed. 
* Galium minutiflorum, Brot.” Brotero’s plant is properly 
a synonym of G. Parisiense, L. (G. litigiosum, DC.) This 
plant, with its hispid fruit, I have never found in Madera; 
but G. Anglicum, Huds. is very abundant; and since it is 
otherwise omitted by Mr. Holl, I suspect that he means, by 
his ** G. minutiflorum, Brot.," what I call G. anglicum, Huds.; 
and that he follows the example of those who have not con- 
sidered its smooth (though granulated) fruit sufficient to dis- 
tinguish it from G. litigiosum, DC. 
* Galium aristatum, Linn." This being the only other 
Galium in the list, it can hardly be doubted that by it is in- 
tended a Galium still more common in Madera than the last, 
which I have published as a new species in the Camb. Trans., 
under the name of G. productum. No species, even of Galium, 
appears attended with more difficulty and confusion than G. 
aristatum, L.; and almost every botanist has, under this name, 
his own peculiar plant,—the adopted favourite of his particu- 
lar views. By oneit is considered synonymous with G. Zinifo- 
lium, Lam.; by another, with G. Tyrolense, Willd.; by a 
third, with G. erectum, Huds.; by De Candolle, with his G. 
Mollugo, 8.; while Smith, in his English Flora, describes a 
Scotch plant by this name as positively distinct from all these 
as well as others. It is quite evident from this statement, 
which might, however, have been considerably extended, that 
G. aristatum, L., is, so far as books go, a perfect ignis fatuus: 
and the only plant described under this name, worthy of atten- 
tion as authentic, is that of Smith; because, though he 
does not expressly state the fact, he alone may be justly sup- 
posed to have identified his plant with Linnzus' original spe- 
cimen of G. aristatum, which, if it exist any where, for the 
species after all may very possibly have been taken up by 
Seconp SERIES, E 
