THE ALPINE CERASTIA OF BRITAIN 41 



Secretary states Mr. Edmonston presented specimens of the 

 Shetland Cerastium which occasioned some discussion among 

 British Botanists in the year 1843 ; Mr. E. then described 

 the plant as "a new British Cerastium" (" Phyt." i, 497) 

 identical with the Linnean C. latifolium, but distinct from 

 the Welsh and Highland species, described under that name 

 in the works of Smith and other English authors. Although 

 differences of opinion were then stated respecting the High- 

 land species, it seemed generally agreed that the Shetland 

 plant was properly referred to the C. latifolium of Linnaeus. 

 The specimens now presented to the Society, however, are 

 labelled Cerastium nigrescent, Edmond., in " Shetland Fl." ined. 

 It would thus seem that Mr. Edmonston has changed his 

 opinion regarding its specific identity with the Linnean 

 species. In the " London Catalogue " the plant is given as 

 a variety Edmonstonii of C. latifolium, L. ; but it may be 

 doubted whether Mr. Edmonston's specimens can be dis- 

 tinguished from the Highland and Linnean C, latifolium, 

 even as a variety merely ; there is certainly nothing in the 

 form of the leaves to keep them distinct. . . . G.E.D. 



In the preface to the " Shetland Flora," p. xv, 1845, the 

 author alludes to it under the name C. nigrescens, which is, I 

 think, a valid publication ; but in the text, p. 29, under the 

 name C. latifolium, var. nigrescens, Edmonston says : " Mr. 

 Watson, after an investigation of numerous specimens still 

 considers this plant as not truly distinct from C. latifolium, and 

 from deference to his authority I give up the point." But the 

 fact remains that Edmonston first described it as a species 

 (C. latifolium}, that in the preface to his Flora he writes C. 

 nigrescens, that in the meantime he had distributed specimens 

 under the name C. nigrescens to the " Bot. Soc.," and that the 

 name C. nigrescens had been printed in the "Phyt." 95, 

 1845. 



Just a word as to the distinctness of the Shetland from 

 the British Alpine form ; Mr. Beeby in " Rep. of Exchange 

 Club " 1898, p. 568, says, when he first gathered the plant in 

 1886: "I brought home roots . . . and also a bag of its native 

 soil. Under these conditions it maintained the dark purplish- 

 copper colour of its foliage fairly well. ... In 1897 and 

 1898, I brought home seeds and roots " which were grown in 



