168 Mr. C. C. Babington on the British Rubi. 



in brambles, most of my specimens have been collected dm-ing 

 botanical tours, wben it was scarcely possible to find space for 

 the preservation of more than a very few specimens from each 

 locality. 



It is unnecessary to prolong these preliminary observations 

 with remarks upon the value of characters, as the following de- 

 scriptions will show upon what points it has appeared most de- 

 sirable to place confidence ; but it may be as well to state, that the 

 form and armature of the matured barren shoot, the form of its 

 leaves, the general form and structure of the panicle and its ar- 

 mature, and in some cases its foliage, and the direction of the 

 calyx of the fruit, seem most deserving of attention. The shape 

 of the petals, the colour of the styles, the form of the torus and 

 of the primordial fruit, are points which will probably well repay 

 a careful study ; unfortunately my attention was not drawn to 

 them until the opportunities for their examination had passed 

 away. They are strongly recommended to the notice of bota- 

 nists. 



As it has been thought better not to encumber this paper with 

 synonyms, only those references are given which appeared requi- 

 site for the more certain determination of the plants. 



In conclusion, I must crave the indulgence of those who may 

 honour this synopsis with their attention, and assure them that 

 whatever errors they may find in it are not the result of careless- 

 ness, but caused by the paucity of our knowledge of plants which 

 have been too generally neglected. It is hoped that by publish- 

 ing the knowledge that they may obtain, all botanists will assist 

 in perfecting our acquaintance with a genus, which more than 

 most others requires a division of labour. 



RUBUS, Linn. 



Ordo naturalis RosACEiE. Tribus DRYADEiE. 



Character genericus. Cal. quinquepartitus. Petala quinque. Sta- 

 mina indefinita. Styli subterminales. Carpella indefinita, dru- 

 pacea, supra torum protuberantem non carnosum coUocata. Semen 

 pendulum, prope basin styli affixum. 



A. Frutescentes. 



* Caules erecti ; folia pinnata. 



1. R. Id(BUS (Linn. !) ; caule suberecto tereti pruinoso, aculeis seta- 

 ceis rectis, foliis quinato-pinnatis ternatisve, floribus axillaribus 

 terminalibusque corymbosis pendulis, fructibus lanuginosis. 



R. Idaeus, Linn. Sp. PI. 706; Eng. Bot. 2442 ; Rubi Germ. t.47. 

 Stems 4 — 8 feet high, downy, armed with setaceous straight 



declining purple, or on the white-fruited plant pale, prickles, 



