236 Mr. C. C. Babins:ton on the British Rubi 



recent observers in combining two plants of the ' Rubi Germ./ 

 but adopted the above name (which stands first in the * Rubi 

 Germ.'') in order to avoid the confusion attending the use of that 

 of R. rhamnifolius. It is also the more appropriate. 



Obs. 2. Plants are occasionally found which would, at sight, 

 be referred to this species, but which from their nearly sessile 

 lower leaflets overlapping the intermediate pair can hardly be 

 joined with it. In some other respects they seem to occupy a 

 place between this and the preceding species, to which they are 

 the more nearly allied in technical character. One of these du- 

 bious specimens, from Islay, N. B., has the terminal leaflet of 

 one of its leaves partially subdivided at the base, thus showing 

 an approach to the suberect group : the same leaflet is also quite 

 abrupt at the end, closely resembling that of R. discolor, var. 

 ahruptus. Another, from near Midford Castle near Bath, is mark- 

 ed " agrees with a specimen of R. rhamnifolius from Nees in Mr. 

 Borrer^s herbarium exactly .^^ Another from Crow Moele, Salop, 

 is ticketed by Mr. Leighton " R. rhamnifolius, approaching R. 

 cordifolius, Nees,^'' on that author^s authority. On table 6 of the 

 ' Rubi Germ.^ two plants are figured as R. rhamnifolius a. and ft 

 the former with distinct lower leaflets, the latter with overlapping 

 ones. No reference is made to these varieties in the text of that 

 work, nor is arything said about this character. Mr. J. Adam- 

 son has given to me a specimen gathered near Gouroch, Ayrshire, 

 in which the leaves are thin and flexible with a convex upper sur- 

 face. It is rather more hoary in appearance than is usual in this 

 species, but seems to be referable to R. cordifolius. 



10. R. discolor (W. et N.) ; caule arcuate anguloso ssepissime sulcato 

 strigoso-sericeo, aculeis rectiusculis decurvatis horizontalibusve, 

 foliis quinatis coriaceis tenuibus marginem versus decurvatis subtus 

 albo-tomentosis, foliolo terminali obovato vel oblongo acuminato, 

 panicula elongata angusta subaphylla tomentosa. 



R. discolor. Rub. Germ. 46. t. 20. 



R. fruticosus, Eng. Bat. 715 ; Rub. Germ. 24. t. 7. 



Stem long, usually deeply furrowed. Prickles large, strong, 

 numerous. Leaflets variable in shape, usually, in English plants, 

 obovate and acute, sometimes [R. abrwptus, Lindl.) cuneate-ob- 

 long, abruptly truncate and cuspidate. Panicle with patent 

 branches, occasionally with long axillary ones below. Petals 

 roundish-obovate. 



/3. thyrsoideus (Bell Salt. !) ; caule subglabro, aculeis rectis, foliolis 

 planis subtus molliuscuHs, paniculse plerumque breviusculis to- 

 mentosae ramis patentibus. Phytol. ii. 104. 



y. macroacanthus (Bell Salt. !) ; caule sericeo pihs paucis patentibus 

 omato, aculeis validis pilosis, foliolis planis subtus molliusculis, 



