A SPINELESS VARIETY OF GENISTA ANGLICA L. 203 



variation from the ordinary form of the species. On this ground it 

 seems reasonahle to assume thoir taxonomic identity. 



The status of this curious Genista, whether it sliould be hehl 

 a sub- variety of G. anfjlica (as by Le Grand), a variety (as by 

 liouy & Foucaud), or merely a form is debateable. While its 

 peculiarities are of a vegetative nature, it is not easy to attribute 

 them to immediate environment. It occurs away from the ty])e, is 

 very distinct in appearance, and in some localities, at least, it seems 

 quite constant. It is therefore ])ro})osed to follow Kouy & Foucaud 

 and admit the plant to the British list as a variety, thus : — 



Genista anoi/ica L. S]). Plant. 710 (1753). 



var. suhinermis liouy & Fouc. Fl. Fr. iv. 227 (1807). 

 (=G^. anqJica subvar. suhinermis Le Grand, Fl. Berry, ed. 2, 

 70 (1894). 



Prostrate or nearly so, with weak trailing stems. Spines generally 

 absent ; when present, feeble, often equalled by the bracts, and not 

 more than half as long as the leaves; very rarely persisting on the 

 old stems. Foliage glaucous in the Clova form. Flowers fewer than 

 in the type, rarely exceeding six on a branch. 



Heaths at Boat of Garten, Inverness-shire ; Clova, Forfarshire, 

 and elsewhere in Scotland; probably also in other parts of the 

 British Isles. 



THE POLLINATION OF EAIILY SPRING FLOWERS 

 BY MOTHS. 



By W. H. T. Tams, F.E.S. 



Recently Mr. Miller Christy, when endeavouring to ascertain 

 what insects pollinate the Primrose (Frimtila vul(/aris)—-'A problem 

 which has long presented something of a mystery, — came^ to the 

 conclusion [see his paper in Journ. Linn. Soc, Bot. xlvi. (now 

 in the press) (1922) ; also Mr. A. A. Dallmann in this Journal, 

 lix. pp. 310-322, 337-345 (1921)] that the Howers of this species 

 are pollinated usually by nocturnal Lepidoptera, as had been suggested 

 by Darwin over sixty years ago, but never proved. Thereupon 

 Mr. Christy inquired of several leading entomologists as to what 

 particular species of moth are to be found on the wing regularly in 

 this country during the early period of the year when the Prinn-ose 

 is in flower — that is, roughly, from the 15th of March to the 15th of 

 May. As a result of this inquiry, Dr. R. C. L. Perkins, F.R.S., 

 supplied him with such a list, comprising some 35 species of 

 Geometrida3 and Noctuida?. 



Having got this, Mr. Christy began to think his needs had been 

 fully met. He soon found, however, that he had advanced very little 

 in his quest, for it was still necessary to ascertain which (if any) of 

 the species on the list had tongues of sufficient length to penetrate 

 the deep corolla-tube of the Primrose (varying from 10-20 mm.) and 

 thus reach the nectar at the bottom. Mr. Christy set to work 



