352 Mr. C. C. Babington on Arctium. 



anything more definite relative to the latter than to the former 

 plant; but now I am able to say that A. pub ens is abundant 

 throughout a great part of the south of Ireland, where I could 

 not find A. majus, and only saw one specimen of A. minus. This 

 is conclusive against the hybrid origin of A. pubens. Whatever 

 may be ultimately determined concerning A. intermedium, a plant 

 with which I am very imperfectly acquainted, no doubt remains 

 upon my mind of the existence of the other four plants as well- 

 marked species, notwithstanding Mr. Bentham's remark " that 

 no certain limits can be ascribed even to the three more gene- 

 rally recognized varieties." His success in finding intermediate 

 forms surprises me; for, after an examination of hundreds of 

 living individuals, I have failed in discovering them. The more 

 I examine the plants, the more convinced I become of their 

 distinctness. Each of them varies considerably, but within de- 

 finite limits. During the last autumn, the radical leaves have 

 attracted my special attention ; and the plants seem to be quite 

 distinguishable by them, as indeed I had long before been told 

 by my acute friend the Rev. W. W. Newbould. Two of the 

 species have their radical petioles hollow ; and in the other two 

 they are constantly solid. This hollowness is not the result of 

 the stretching of the tissue from over-vigorous growth ; for it is 

 always well defined in outline, forms a tube with smooth sides, 

 and may be found in all stages of the growth, from the younger 

 leaf to one that is verging upon decay. If the slightest hollow 

 is found in the petioles of the other species, it is manifestly the 

 result of rupture, has no defined outline, nor smooth interior, 

 nor constancy, and is very rare. 



A. tomentosum has solid roundish petioles with seven very 

 prominent angles and a deep furrow between the upper pair. 

 The limb of the leaf broadly cordate- ovate, rather acute, but 

 little longer than broad, broadest close to its base, which is 

 truncate with two notches rather than truly cordate. 



A.majus has solid rather quadrangular petioles, with the angles 

 less prominent than those of A. tomentosum; and the furrow, 

 although similar, is rather less deep. The limb of the leaf 

 broadly cordate-ovate, with its broadest part at about one-third 

 from the base, blunt, very little longer than broad. The leaf of 

 A. tomentosum narrows pretty uniformly from its broadest part 

 to its tip ; that of A. majus is very slightly narrowed until about 

 two-thirds of its length is attained. 



I do not know the radical leaves of A. intermedium. 



A. minus has roundish petioles with a hole in their centre, 

 which is usually, perhaps constantly, small and nearly round, 

 — slightly prominent angles, and a very shallow broad furrow. 

 The leaf is deeply cordate-ovate, with its broadest part at about 



