SHORT NOTES AND QUERIES. 303 



corolla-lobes, as is shown by the fact that the epidermis of the corolla 

 overlies the vascular bundles leading to them." He considers the genus 

 nearer to Ophelia than to GoUiaiia. 



Botany (p. 114). — As no one has replied to Professor Pyer's interest- 

 ing question, it may be of some service to draw attention to the earliest 

 uses of this and the allied words, given in our dictionaries. In llichard- 

 sou (1836) we have " Botanick Book," Cudworth, lutell. System, p. 326 

 (1678); "Botanist," Evelyn, Diary Ap. 12 (169+); "Botany," Brooke, 

 'Universal Beauty' (1735); Miller, Gardener's I)ict. preface ; " Bota- 

 nologer," Brown's 'Cyrus' Garden' (1658). I have appended the dates 

 of the earliest editions, so far as I have been able to ascertain them. In 

 Latham's Johnson's Dictionary (1866) we have "improving my little 

 skill in botanies" Kay, 'Correspondence,' p. 413; "Botanical Artist," 

 Sir T. Browne's 'Tracts,' p. 6.— R. Tucker. 



Thuidium DECiPiENS, Be Notaris, a British Moss. — The Rev. 

 J. Fergusson has contributed a note to ' Science Gossip ' on this Moss, 

 which he discovered in the spring of 1868 growing abundantly by the 

 side of a streamlet, and about springs on the Ciova mountains, at about 

 2800 feet. The late Mr. Wilson, at the time, considered the plant a 

 form of Hypmim commutatum , but Mr. Pergusson, after re-exainination, 

 distributed it, in 1870, under the name of Hypnnm rifjidulam, n. sp. 

 Juratzka has now determined it to be identical with specimens of Tluii- 

 d'mm dtcipiens, De Not., lately pidjlished in the 23i'd fascicle of Ilaben- 

 liorsl's ' Bryotheca Europfea.' Ttie Moss occurs in Finmark and Italy; 

 the fruit has not yet been described. 



Seedling Willows. — I have received from Dr. Moore, of Glasnevin, 

 some remarks on iny paper published in the August number of the 

 'Journal of Botany ' (p. 225), '" On Seedling W^illows," stating his ex- 

 perience on the subject, which difl'ers from mine. Dr. Moore, in the kindest 

 manner, has requested me to communicate his observations to yon, but I 

 trust the readers of tlie Journal will not be deprived of his observations in 

 a more dn-ect form. Dr. Moore says, " My experience coinciiles with that 

 of Sir James Smith, as stated by you in the quotation made in the 

 'Journal of Botany ' from 'The English Flora.' " I am glad to admit 

 that Dr. Moore has sent me some undoubted seedlings, of one and 

 two years old, of <S'. phjjUcifuUa, L. = S. tricolor, Koch, Ehr., and also 

 one gathered near to a plant of S. Iriandra. I have not heard anything 

 of seedlings from any other quarter, and have seen none in my own garden 

 this year. It thus appears that Willows do undoubtedly spring readily 

 from seed in the Glisneviu Botanic Garden, where the climate ap])ears 

 favourable to their production, and a good opportunity is presented of as- 

 certaining whether, as stated by Sir J. E. Smith, the seedlings thus spring- 

 ing up are true to their kind. I hope Dr. Moore will be able to clear up 

 this point also. — J. E. Lrefe. 



A query in the January number of this Journal (p. 15) seems to 

 imply some doubt as to the production of " genuine ripe seed " upon 

 Willows and Poplars in this country. IMr. Lecfe (p. 227) also thinks 



