Oct. 1, 1S67.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



BOTANY. 



(Enanthe pimpinelloides.— There seems to be 

 some confusion in the names given to this plant by 

 different British botanists ; at least, the plant so 

 named by Smith, Withering, and Macgillivray is 

 not the same as that called by the same name by 

 Babington and Sowerby. The (Enanthe pimpinel- 

 loides of the former is the (Enanthe lachenalii of the 

 latter. I am now speaking of the (Enanthe pimpi- 

 nelloides of Sowerby's "British Botany." In that 

 work, now in course of publication, this plant is 

 stated to be rare; only one habitat, Eifehead Neville, 

 is given for Dorset. A short time ago I found it 

 very abundant in a field about six miles from Sher- 

 borne in that county. The locality is in the parish 

 of Bishop's Caundle, adjoining the footpath from 

 Holwell Rectory to Bishop's Caundle : there were 

 scores of plants. As it is expected that a new Elora 

 of Dorsetshire is about to be published, perhaps it 

 may interest the compilers thereof to know also 

 that the somewhat uncommon plant, Monotropa 

 hypopitys, var. glabra (Bernh-), grows in the beech- 

 woods surrounding the beautiful park at Milton 

 abbey in the same county. — B. W. 



Blue Pimpernel. — This is not so uncommon as 

 " G." supposes ; in limestone districts I have often 

 found it in profusion. On Lincoln Heath it occurs 

 in almost every field, and not sparingly. In addition 

 to the blue variety, I have often found pink, buff, 

 and cream-coloured flowers. — L. 



The Blue Pimpernel {Anagallis car idea) p. 209. 

 — This very pretty little plant, although by no means 

 common, is scarcely as rare as your correspondent 

 " G." implies. The comital estimate, as given in 

 the " Cybele Britannica," is thirty. Mr. Borrer in- 

 clined to the belief that A. cccrulea was a true 

 species, although A. arvensis occasionally varies 

 with blue flowers. I fancy it is hardly necessary to 

 record every locality for the Blue Pimpernel, but I 

 have observed it for two or three years in succession 

 iu two localities near High Wycombe. — B. 



Double Bitterceess. — Some years ago I found 

 a large plot of ground at Dalhousie covered with 

 double Cardamine prateusis, which had the singular 

 characters noticed by " C. B." There were many 

 scores of the double blossomed plants.— L. 



The Marsh Sowthistle (p. 210). — May I, as 

 one who takes considerable interest in the distri- 

 bution of our British plants, request your corre- 

 spondent " Jas. W. White " to publish at least the 

 name of the county in which he made his fortunate 

 discovery? The Sonchus still, I believe, grows 

 in the neighbourhood of the Plumstead Marshes ; 

 but I would not ask for the definite locality of 

 Mr. White's discovery, having as great a horror 

 of " depredators " as he has. — B. 



Primroses and Oxlips. — We must again call 

 the attention of our contributors ("A. C. E.," 

 "A. C. P.," "G. E.," "R. S.," and others) to the fact 

 that at least two different plants bear the popular 

 name of " Oxlip." One of these is only a variety 

 of the primrose, with the flowers in umbels ; or 

 rather it is a hybrid between the cowslip and the 

 primrose, and often found in company with them. 

 It is Primula oflicinali vulgaris (pi. 1132, 1133 of 

 "English Botany," 3rd edition). Most of our cor- 

 respondents evidently allude to this as the " oxlip." 

 The other plant (see " Phytologist," vol. i., pp. 232, 

 1001), is Jacquin's oxlip ("English Botany," 3rd 

 edition, pi. 1131), the Primula elatior. Mr. H. C. 

 Watson writes of it thus : " In the cowslip and 

 primrose, and all their varieties, a circle of scale- 

 like glands surrounds the orifice of the tube of the 

 corolla. These glands are absent from the Primula 

 elatior. It is difficult to specify any other sufficient 

 character." We hope that in any future communi- 

 cations greater care will be taken in noticing this 

 distinction. 



Boletus impolitus, Fr. — This fungus may not 

 unfrequently be observed in this neighbourhood, 

 growing under oaks, in the vicinity of the upland 

 woods. It often attains a large size, looking in 

 colour and form not unlike a huge underdone batch- 

 cake. In Berkeley's "Outlines of British Eungo- 

 logy " it is aptly described as having the taste of 

 sprouted walnuts, and moreover that it is esculent. 

 Being one of the species which turns blue when 

 broken asunder, and which are generally held in bad 

 repute, I have been induced to make a trial of its 

 edible qualities. Having selected a promising 

 specimen, I had it nicely cooked ; and on tasting 

 it found that the peculiar bitter flavour, instead of 

 being dissipated, had become more developed; in- 

 deed, to my palate it was altogether unsatisfactory; 

 and I do not hesitate to say that if this fungus is 

 esculent, it is certainly not excellent, or worthy of 

 commendation. Now that many persons are turn- 

 ing their attention to a number of our native fungi 

 which have been recommended as really both palat- 

 able and wholesome, it is desirable that none should 

 be enumerated as such of which there may be any 

 doubt, otherwise a prejudice is easily raised, leading 

 to an undeserved condemnation of all. — ff. B., 

 Cheltenham. 



The Yew proved fatal to three of our kings. 

 Harold was killed by an arrow at the battle of 

 Hastings, in Sussex ; William II. was slain by an 

 arrow in the New Eorest, Hampshire — 



Lo ! Rufus, tugging at the deadly dart, 



Bleeds in the forest like a wounded hart— (Pope) ; 



and Richard Cceur de Lion received his deatli wound 

 from the same weapon, at the siege of Chains, near 

 Limoges, in the department of Upper Vienne, in 

 Erance . — Sylva Fl or if era. 



