218 The Irish Naturalist. November, 



early, and fruits abundantly. Fruit excellent. One of the few earlier 

 flowering and most abundant brambles in West Down and the adjoining 

 parts of Armagh. Received also from Saintfield, East Down. Strongly 

 recalls A. Drejeri and its two subspecies, but keeps quite distinct. 



This is included under subsp. hibemicus, in Handbk. Brit. Rubi, p. 63 (as 

 a strong form); but when constantly growing with it under like conditions 

 it flowers a fortnight earlier, and can always be distinguished from it at 

 some distance by its yellow-tinted concave leaves and peculiar brownish 

 panicle, close-branched above and very lax below. The sinuation of the 

 leaf-toothing is usually less marked than in hibemicus, but is still very 

 unlike the shallow serration in Drejeri and the very even simple teeth in 

 Ley anus. In A'. Drejeri alone are the leaves chiefly 3-4nate, and the ter- 

 minal leaflet roundish, with short point. 



I am convinced now that the right place for A. dunensis is not (as I 

 for a time supposed) among the Koehleriani near R. cognatus, but among 

 the Egrcgii, after aggregate /v. Drejeri. The four forms may be thus con- 

 trasted: — 



I. Stem considerably hairy. 



(1.) Leaves chiefly 3~4nate. Leaflets roundish, with rather 

 short cuspidate point and shallow, irregular teeth. Panicle 

 narrow, cylindrical. 



A'. Drejeri — Stem fuscous, dull. Leaves flat, green. Prickles 

 often falcate, especially on panicle. 



(2.) Leaves usually conspicuously 5nate. Leaflets with long 

 acuminate point and compound sinuate toothing. Panicle pyra- 

 midal. 



A. dunensis. — Stem and leaves yellowish. Stem very prickly and 

 aciculate. Leaves concave, thick, soft beneath, very broad, the 

 long intermediate leaflets overlapping the basal. Panicle close 

 above, with distant lower branches. Flowers early. 



A. hibemicus. — Stem and leaves green. Stem with thinly- 

 scattered prickles and acicles. Leaves soon quite flat, thin, com- 

 paratively narrow, rarely imbricate. Panicle long, lax throughout, 

 with rigid upper branches. Flowers late. 



II, Stem subglabrous and shining. 



R. Leyanus. — Stem yellowish-brown, with very variable armature. 

 Leaves mostly 5nate, green above, often grey-felted beneath, 

 sharply evenly toothed. Panicle rather lax, much narrowed 

 above, but with less formal outline than in A. hibemicus. 



The existence of R. Leyanus in N. B. Ireland now needs confirmation ; 

 but I am still disposed to refer to it Mr. Marshall's plants from Wexford 

 and Mayo (see Irish Top. Bot., p k 105). Mr. Druce's records for 39 and 40 

 may also be right (as I thought at the time) ; but I no longer have his 

 specimens to refer to. 



