410 Mr. C. C. Babington on Linaria sepium. 



acuta, subtrinervia (nervis lateralibus tenuibus), erectiuscula, glauces- 

 centes, inferiora saepe subtenia ceteraque sparsa. Bractese lineari- 

 lanceolatse, acutissimse, erectse, inferiores pedicello longiores, supe- 

 riores pedicello breviores. Racemus strictus, laxiusculus. Calyx 

 parvus ; segmentis e basi lato attenuatis, acutissimis, glaberrimis, 

 trinerviis, post anthesin apice paululum reflexis. Corolla minor quam 

 in L. vulgari ; calcar eonicum, paululum incurvum, eorollam sequans ; 

 tubus, calcar et labium superius grisei striis pallida purpureis signati ; 

 labium inferius dilute luteum striis pallide purpureis et parum 

 distinctis notatum ; palatum villis luteis vestitum, villis pallide pur- 

 pureis quemque marginem investientibus, valde prominens, bilobum, 

 lobis aurantiacis ; lobis labii superioris ellipticis, dorso invicem ap- 

 plicatis sed apicibus incurvis ; lobis labi inferioris lateralibus reflexis 

 conniventibus, oblique rotundatis intermedio patenti latioribus et 

 paululum longioribus. Stigma capitatum. Capsula subovata, de- 

 hiscens superne sex valvulis lanceolatis, calycem subeequans , Semina 

 subtrialata ; testa nigra, muricata. 



Found plentifully near the river at Bandon, in the county of 

 Cork, flowering from June to September. 



L. sepium forms dense masses of strong stems, and presents 

 a very different appearance from L. repens or L. vulgaris. Its 

 flowers and seeds are unlike those of either of them; and in 

 size the flowers are almost exactly intermediate between those 

 of its allies. The same part of the rhizome does not appear to 

 flower a second time, but numerous stems spring up at a short 

 distance from it, which flower in the succeeding year. 



In L. vulgaris the middle lobe of the lower lip of the corolla 

 is relatively much smaller and is strongly reflexed, whilst the 

 lateral lobes are patent-deflexed. 



In L. repens the lobes of the upper lip of the corolla are erect 

 with incurved points, and all those of the lower lip patent. i/. 



It will be seen above that in L. sepium the lobes of the upper 

 lip are pressed closely back to back; and that the lateral ones 

 of the lower lip are reflexed, but the intermediate one is patent. 

 The colours also are different. .^j 



After a careful examination of all the descriptions of Linaria 

 with which I am acquainted, I have not found any recorded 

 species to which this plant can be referred. I am therefore 

 reluctantly compelled to consider it as a new species. It agrees 

 in many respects with L. linifolia (Chav.), differing chiefly in 

 the presence of a few three-leaved whorls towards the base of the 

 stem, the shorter upper bracts, the striped flowers, and the 

 three- winged seeds. 



The seeds of L. sepium are different from those of any species 

 that I have examined. They are discoidal, and surrounded by 

 a wing ; but have in addition another wing on one of the sides 

 which is variable in its size and direction, being sometimes nearly 



