246 Mr. C. C. Babington on some species of Epilobium. 



genus; that the E. chordorhizum (Griseb.), E. palustri-obscurum 

 (Schultz), is one; and that the plant found by Mr. Baker at 

 Gormire is the first of the two forms of it mentioned by Dr. 

 Schultz (Arch. ii. 46), although the seeds of our plant have not 

 the long base found in E. palustre, nor more than a very slight 

 prolongation of the testa at their rounded summit. But I am 

 more inclined to place it, provisionally, with E, obscurum, in the 

 hope that Mr. Baker's attention may again be directed towards 

 it. It agrees in most respects with the E, virgatum (Fries, 

 Summa), but the top of its stem, when bearing unopened buds, 

 is stated to nod, and its seeds are not smooth. Its stoles re- 

 semble those of E. obscurum, but are more slender. In a series 

 of specimens I find no trace of the bulb-like hybernacula formed 

 by E. palustre, E. chordorhizum (Griseb.) and E. Schmidtianum, 

 which last plant Schultz states to have " les stolons de VE. pa- 

 lustre/' It should be added, that its seeds are twice as large as 

 those of E. obscurum. 



If attention is paid to the stoles, there is no probability of 

 E, obscurum being confounded with any of the other species, 

 although those of E. palustre are somewhat similar in descrip- 

 tion. The latter plant has very slender stoles, each terminating 

 in an autumnal hybernaculum which is already described, a long 

 rooting base to its stem, very narrow leaves with a wedge-shaped 

 base, nodding buds, and subfusiform seeds which are acute at 

 the base and narrowed at the top where there is a prolongation 

 of the testa into a kind of beak bearing the beard. It is never- 

 theless often difficult to distinguish bad or incomplete specimens 

 of J^. obscurum from E, palustre, for the lowest lateral branches 

 of the former being usually prostrate and rooting for some 

 distance, have, when torn off from the plant, much outward re- 

 semblance to the chordorhizal plants of E. palustre. Indeed it 

 has already been stated, that there is much reason to fear that 

 Fries himself has been deceived by such fragments*. 



In the ^ Cybele Britannica ' (iii. 350) Mr. Watson mentions 

 a plant or plants under the joint title of E. virgatum and E. 

 Lamyi, and refers especially to specimens gathered by Mr. T. 

 Moore in Kent, which were guessed by me to be possibly 

 E, Lamyi, but which I now am certain are not the plant rightly 

 so named. Mr. Moore's plant was found in company apparently 

 with E. palustre, of which, although it presents some difficulties, 

 I am inclined to the opinion that it is not a state, but think 

 that it may be referred to E. obscurum. I am informed that 



* My specimens of E. palustre are from the following places : — Clova, 

 Forfarshire ; Isle of Skye ; Teesdale, Durham ; Keswick, Cumberland ; 

 Llanberis, Caernarvonshire; Llanthony, Monmouthshire; Sandwich, 

 Kent ; Ma'am, Galway ; Ventry, Kerry. 



