Mr. W. H. White on a new Species of Epilobium. 209 



following specific denomination has been given to it, in accordance 

 with the principles of the angustissimum and rosmarinifolium. 



" Our plant has a straight stem, much branched, branches diffused 

 and silky, furnished with leaves alternate, lanceolate, acuminate, 

 and of a silky whiteness. Its flowers, disposed in loose ears, are at 

 considerable distances, solitary, and of a pale rose colour ; stigma 

 quadrifid and rather bent ; the pod of the same length as the pe- 

 duncle. 



" This description sufficiently indicates that the species in ques- 

 tion belongs to a generic group designated by Decandolle, in his 

 Prodrome, by the name of Chameenerion, consequently to the same 

 series in which is placed the Epilobium angustissimum." — Curtis. 



This last species, confounded by all authors with Epilobium ros- 

 marinifolium, Haenke, (not Pursch,) until the publication of the 

 Flora of Reichenbach, is in fact very different, as a long series of 

 observations has proved, so that the above=named publication has 

 become comparatively useless by the publication of the Flora Ex- 

 cursoria. 



However this may be, I take the liberty of stating that Reichen- 

 bach has not shown the essential differences between these two spe- 

 cies of plants. 



The one, in fact the Epilobium angustissimum, so beautifully figured 

 in Curtis's Bot. Mag., PI. 76, has its ascendant stem diffuse, branched, 

 reddish, as well as its branches ; its leaves linear-lanceolate, obtuse, 

 very smooth, marked with glandular serratures ; the flowers loose, 

 solitary upon their footstalks, and flesh-coloured; stigma quadrifid 

 and bent ; the pod twice as long as the footstalk. It flowers long 

 before the following, and grows spontaneously in Bavaria, Ireland, 

 and Scotland. 



The other, the Epilobium rosmarinifolium, Haenke, is a plant from 

 Bohemia and the Tyrol, and has, on the contrary, an erect stem, dif- 

 fuse, very much branched ; branches spread ; leaves lanceolate and 

 acuminate, nearly entire, very slightly pubescent ; a long ear, flowers 

 more compact and of a puce colour ; the stigma is of the same length 

 as the footstalk, but the pod is four times that length. 



In comparing the characters of the Epilobium angustissimum and 

 rosmarinifolium with those of the Epilobium now described, the re- 

 sult is that the latter ought accordingly to be placed as interme- 

 diate between the other two, or at least as allied to both species. 

 I propose to name it canescens, which will give a suitable idea of its 

 habit. In recapitulating the characteristic traits of the three above- 



Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 1. No. 3. May 1838. p 



