VICIA OROBUS, DC. 105 



the habit slender and much more rigid, and in being sub- 

 glabrous, and altogether having quite a different aspect from 

 the ordinary plant. It may be called f. gracilis. Other 

 specimens from the Island of Canna, V.C. 104, from S. M. 

 Macvicar, have stipules two-thirds the usual length and with 

 many deeply cut teeth. 



" The why and wherefore " of the distribution of this 

 species both in Britain and in Europe has always been a 

 puzzle to me ; and I should be glad if anyone can point out 

 why it is so peculiar. 



In Europe it is known only in S. Norway (Sansand, 61 

 20' N. lat.), Denmark, Jutland, Schleswig-Holstein, N. 

 Bavaria, very rare ; Spain, Picos de Europa, France, 

 Pyrenees, Auvergne, Herault, Mont Pilate. Reported from 

 Translyvania, but the plant was O. vernns} 



In Great Britain all its localities lie west of Long, i 40' 

 W. In south-central Scotland it occurs in 14 counties, in 

 Wales 9 counties, in England i i counties, and in Ireland 4 

 counties. 



Its eastern limit in England is Hampshire, in Scotland 

 Longformacus in Berwickshire (Rev. A. Baird) at about 

 2 W. long. 



In most floras the species is called " sparingly hairy"; 

 but in the young flowering state (May 28) the stems are 

 densely silky hairy with pale brown hairs, the leaf-stalks, 

 underside of leaves, less so the upperside, and the young 

 flower-heads are enveloped in a dense hairy growth. By 

 July (in Radnor), when the pods are fully formed but far 

 from ripe, the stems become semi-glabrous, the leaves 

 mostly so. Seedlings have the first and second leaves 

 glabrous. 



Mr. Watson 2 says " Low grounds," but it occurs at 686 

 feet in Edinburgh, 700 feet in Perth, 800 ft. in Dumfries, and 

 1310 feet in Hereford, Rev. Mr. Ley in litt. 



Dr. Prior 3 gives as its names, " Bitter Vetch, Kippen-nut, 

 and Cormeille," but the latter applies to Lathyrus montanus, 

 Berch., as he himself says at p. 52. Under Kippen or 



1 Neilrech, Nach. z. Maly's " Enum. pi. imp. Austria." (1861), 

 - "Consp. Cyb. Brit." 1868 (1870), 149. 

 3 "Pop. Names. Brit. Plants" (1870), 289. 



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