1884-85.] Edinburgh Naturalists' Field Club. 251 



the perennials are L. allram, with its ally L. maculatnm, and L. 

 Galeobdolon. Yet this division is not constant, for all the annual 

 specimens now exhibited are biennial plants — that is, all have 

 lived over the winter, and are now in their second year's growth, 

 if indeed not older. In mild seasons I find L. amplexicaule invari- 

 ably biennial, but L. purpureum is less persistent. The following 

 are the characteristic features of L. purpureum : leaves petioled 

 cordate crenate, whorls crowded, corolla-tube shorter than calyx, 

 bracts crowded with bases not overlapping, stem decumbent below. 

 This species has further been divided by some botanists into four 

 or five varieties, but these all partake less or more of the character 

 just given of the type. L. intermedium, again, is a somewhat 

 anomalous species, rare and local, though very abundant where it 

 does occur. The history of this plant, as a separate species, is 

 noticed by the late Mr F. M. Webb, in an article in the ' Transac- 

 tions of the Botanical Society,' 1877, entitled *' On Plants in the 

 British Herbarium at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh." Mr 

 Webb says: "It was before the Society on 12th May 1836 that 

 Mr N. Tyacke read a paper, and illustrated it by specimens, to 

 show, that a Lcankuii, not uncommon in some parts of Scotland, was 

 L. intermedium of Fries ; and we possess specimens of his gathered 

 in the Edinburgh neighbourhood and in the Hebrides during that 

 vear." It is added that this plant " had previously been amal- 

 gamated — rather than confounded — with L. incisum." My own 

 observations of this plant, in its growing state, agree well with 

 Hooker's description, and I venture to give the result of these 

 observations — viz.. Leaves petioled orbicular cordate crenate, 

 whorls sub-terminal crowded, calyx slightly hairy, teeth spreading 

 in front much larger than the tube. The plant is intermediate in 

 character between L. purpureum and L. amplexicaule, but ap- 

 proaches very nearly the sub-species L. purpureum var. hybridum, 

 thouf>-h differing from it in having the corolla-tube longer than the 

 calyx. It is not a very easy plant to determine, contrasting in 

 this respect with L. amplexicaule, which is a well-marked species. 

 The specific name amplexicaule, or " stem-embracing," refers to the 

 mode of growth of tlie bracts or floral leaves. The following are 

 its characteristic features : Leaves petioled cordate reniform cren- 

 ate, bracts sessile lobed with upper small bases overlapping and 

 lower large not overlapping, calyx much longer than capsule, teeth 

 with long white hairs. The popular name of the plant, Henbit 

 Dead-nettle, is explained by some authorities to refer to the serra- 

 tures of the leaves, which appear as if cut by fowls. The popular 

 names of plants, however, are often obscure in their origin, as well 

 as frequently misleading. This plant, L. amplexicaule, has been 

 introduced into North America, and has a very wide geographical 

 range. 



