T/ts Scottish Naturalist. 55 



given above). Remarking that all these forms are not of equal 

 rank, Nyman thinks that C. cornuta is probably a good species. 



In British books, two species are described G. palustris (with 

 varieties C. vulgaris Schott, C. Guerangerii Bor., and minor Syme), 

 and G. radicans, the latter, however, being queried as a form of 

 C. palustris. To the varieties of C. palustris must now be 

 added the var. zetlandica Beeby, recently described in this 

 magazine. 



In the herbarium specimens (from my own herbarium and that 

 of the Perthshire Natural History Museum), which I have had an 

 opportunity of examining, there are, unfortunately, no follicles that 

 are quite ripe. Hence, it is not possible to be quite certain that 

 they altogether agree with forms described by Dr. Beck. I think, 

 however, that at least two forms may be distinguished amongst 

 them. Of these, one is G. cornuta^ var. typica (otherwise G. Guer- 

 angerii), which, though not exactly abundant, is by no means un- 

 common. In the absence of fruit, this can generally be recog- 

 nised (or at least guessed at) by the serration and shape of the 

 leaves, especially of the stem-leaves, as distinct from G. palustris ; 

 moreover, according to British books, the flowers are smaller, and 

 the sepals do not touch each other when expanded, which seems 

 to be the case in the specimens I have seen. 



The other form is C. palustris, var. typica (C. vulgaris Schott), 

 which is our common Galtha. Amongst our specimens of this are 

 a few which have the leaves very nearly entire, but as I have not 

 seen the var. G. integerrima, I do not know if they resemble that 

 form. 



I am not sure but that amongst the plants which we have called 

 C. cornuta, there may be another form, since, though the folli- 

 cles are not ripe, yet they are sufficiently advanced as to suggest 

 that there may be a difference in the shape of the ripe fruit. This 

 difference is, sometimes, at least, associated with a difference in 

 the shape of the leaves. Possibly, these divergent forms may be- 

 long to G. tceta or to G. palustris, var. minor Miller. At any- 

 rate, they deserve further observation. 



The var. minor Syme of G. palustris is not, it is almost unneces- 

 sary to point out, the same as the var. G. minor Miller of Beck's 

 paper. Syme's variety has evidently much affinity, if it is not 

 identical, with C. palustris, var. C. membranacea Turcz. (G. 

 ranunc-u hides Schur.) In our specimens, however, the sepals are 



