Aug. 1, 1S6S.1 



HAEDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



1S7 



BOTANY. 



Clattonia alsinoldes. — I recently saw this 

 plant in considerable abundance in a wood at 

 Ince, Cheshire. Its occurrence near Perth caused 

 much discussion in the new series of the Phyto- 

 logist ; however, it appears to have been growing in 

 the above locality for a long time. It is a native of 

 Nootka Sound, and has no right whatever to be 

 included in a list of British plants. — /. F. R. 



Primroses. — The last number of the " Journal of 

 the Linnsean Society " (No. 47, Botany) contains 

 two papers by that indefatigable worker Mr. Charles 

 Darwin, on the " character and hybrid-like nature 

 of the offspring from the illegitimate unions of 

 Dimorphic and Trimorphic plants," and on " the 

 specific difference between Primula veris, Primula 

 vulgaris, and Primula elatior, and on the hybrid 

 nature of the common oxlip, with supplementary 

 remarks on naturally-produced hybrids in the genus 

 Verbascum." 



Timothy-Grass.— This well-known agricultural 

 grass (PJileum pratense) acquired its name in a 

 peculiar manner. It is a truly British grass, and 

 yet it is named after an American ! The fact is, it 

 was imported into the United States, together with 

 a number of other English seeds, a great many 

 years ago. It soon acquired notoriety [from its 

 excellent qualities, and having been largely grown 

 by a certain Mr. Timothy Hanson, was reintro- 

 duced into England by him, and has ever since 

 been distinguished by his Christian name. "VYe still 

 import the bulk of our seed from the States and 

 Canada for agricultural purposes, though it is one 

 of the commonest of our grasses. — W. W. S. 



Boyal Bern. — It is not unusual to find Osmunda 

 regalis in spots such as those on the Cornish 

 coast, as described by Mr. G. B. Perrin in the 

 July number of SciEKCE-Gossir. In the island of 

 Arran it is abundant on the precipitous face of the 

 old sea-cliff on the north-west and west coasts. The 

 rock on which it grows is slate, but further south is 

 sandstone, in which are some caves, and one is 

 called the "King's Cove," where this fern is 

 plentiful, associated with Asplenium warimim. It is 

 now chiefly confined to the inaccessible parts of the 

 sea-cliff. I have also found it in North Wales in 

 similar situations.—/. F. B. 



Lemna gibba. — I can confirm the remarks of 

 your correspondent "J. B., Bristol," respecting 

 Lemna gibba. I find it in two places at Sutton 

 Park : on a large pool called Powell's Pool, covering 

 about an acre and a half, the water of which is 

 used as a motive power, so not at all likely to be 

 stagnant ; and on a deep, rather slow stream, which 

 ultimately runs into the pool before mentioned. — 

 James Bagnall. 



Lemna gibba. — This plant is plentiful in Erod- 

 sham Marshes, only distant about ten miles from 

 Chester ; yet I am not aware that I ever saw it 

 growing in anything but stagnant ditches. Is not 

 the locality mentioned by "J. B." on page 1C2 a 

 stagnant pool ? and has it ever been seen growing 

 in "running streams " ? — /. F. R. 



Oxalis corniculata rubra.— Can any reader 

 tell me the proper name of the plant which is 

 known to the gardeners by the above title ? The 

 plant itself is one of the most beautiful and useful 

 species for bordering that I know. I first saw it in 

 1S67, when many of the beds below the Bound 

 Tower of Windsor were edged with a thick border 

 of it. The plant is much larger in every respect 

 than 0. comiculata, and produces cymes of bright 

 golden-yellow flowers, which have a darker ring in 

 their centre ; the foliage is of a rich brown, and the 

 contrast between the two is most effective. When 

 I add that the plant is a remarkably free flowerer, 

 that it spreads very rapidly, and grows readily 

 from seed, I think I am justified in expressing 

 astonishment that it is not more generally known 

 and used. The only drawback to its effectiveness is 

 that the blossoms open'only in sunshine, and usually 

 close about 1 p.m., but even then the foliage is in 

 itself sufficiently handsome to be very striking. As 

 this Oxalis is absent from many seed catalogues, I 

 may just mention that seed is supplied by Messrs. 

 Henderson & Son, of Wellington Boad, St. John's 

 Wood, N.W., in Gd. packets, and is called by them 

 Oxalis comiculata rubra (0. troptzoloides). This 

 latter may possibly be the correct botanical name. 

 —B. 



Metropolitan Eerns.— I believe it is not very 

 generally known amongst botanists in London, that 

 the Common Adders-tongue Eern {Ophioglossum 

 vulgatum) is growing in abundance in the Hackney 

 Marshes, about three-quarters of a mile from the 

 east side of Victoria Park. Last year I found 

 them there, though it was too late in the season to 

 procure good plants. This is no new discovery, 

 however, for soon after noticing them there, I found 

 the Marshes given as a locality in Moore's Nature- 

 printed British Ferns. The soil being a very stiff 

 loam, and the roots running very deep, a long and 

 stiff tool will be found necessary to remove the 

 plants entire. While speaking of ferns, I would 

 ask whether a bifurcated fertile frond of the Blecli- 

 num spicant is of common occurrence ? The only 

 instance seen is one which I collected in Cornwall 

 last September. It is about fourteen inches in 

 length and is divided into two about four inches 

 from the end, each branch being in every respect 

 similar to the main frond. This "sporting" is 

 well known in Scolopendrium vulgare, but I cannot 

 hear of another similar to this.— T. Bavies, 47, Rut- 

 land-road, South Hackney. 



