THREE APPARENTLY UNDESCRTBED IRISH SAXIFRAGES 67 



seen authentic material, being entire!}^ different. Mr. J. Gr. Baker's 

 comment was : — " Nearest to decipiens, but not exactly that ; 

 cei*tainly not true ccespitosa of Iceland, but shading off from 

 sponhemica and decipicns towards ccesjyitosa.''' I may here mention 

 that several sheets of true S. hirfn Sm. in the Cambridge Herbarium 

 are named S. Stertiberyii — in Mr. Baker's handwriting, if I remember 

 aright. This Shapwick garden specimen agrees veiy well with my 

 more straggling wild ones from Black Head. 



3. S. HiPifoiDES, L., n. var. robusta, mihi. — Planta speciosa, 

 procera, quam in tj'^po eximie robustior. Caules crassi, semipedales 

 (cultura spithamsei vel etiam pedales). Floribunda (in statu silvestri 

 saepe 5-7-flora, in horto 5-10-flora) ; petala permagna, rotundo- 

 ovata, calycem triplo superantia : calyces quam in typo subduplo- 

 majores, lobis latioribus. Capsul;e majores. Surculi cultura longi 

 (semipedales et ultra) ; folia inferiora aliquando ternata (vel intinia 

 quinata), magna, rigida, lobis lineari-lanceolatis, neque, ut in typo, 

 anguste linearibus : superioiu longiora, falcato-recurva. Folia caulina 

 inferiora tritida (interdum quinquehda), magna vel majora, rigida. 



A handsome, luxuriant plant, decidedly stronger than the type. 

 Stems stout, six inches (in cultivation eight inches, or even up to a 

 foot) high. Free-tiowering (often 5- to 7-Howered, in a wild state, 

 5- to 10- flowered, in the garden) ; petals very large, roundish-ovate, 

 thrice as long as the calyx : calyces about twice as large as in the 

 type, with broader lobes. Capsules larger. Barren shoots long, in 

 cultivation (six inches, or more) ; their lower leaves sometimes ternate 

 (or the lowest quinate), large, rigid, having the lobes linear-lanceolate, 

 and not narrowly linear, as in the type : the upper ones longer, 

 falcate-recurved. Lower stem-leaves trifid (sometimes five-cleft), 

 large, or rather large, rigid. 



Exsiccata :— Herb. Marshall, No. 4033. 



Habitat : — Black Head, Co. Clare, B. C. Levinge ; also seen, 

 from the same locality, in Mr. Druce's collection. 



My cultivated No. 4033, originally gathei-ed by Mr. K. LI. 

 Praeger, was received through Mr. Hunnybun, several years ago, and 

 keeps ver}' constant, as does the typical form, from Cheddar, grown 

 within a few yards of it. Mr. Levinge's wild specimen is much more 

 compact, with shorter barren shoots ; but it evidently came frcm an 

 exposed situation (being thus a "forma aprica "), and was collected 

 too early — on May 19th, 1S92 — for these to have reached Iheir full 

 development. It is already gennniferous, whereas in No. 4033 the 

 axillary buds are imperfect, or often absent ; but that character is 

 normally rather uncertain. 



I have seen nothing like this variety, which is almost distinct 

 enough to deserve subspeciiic rank, from Great Britain or the Conti- 

 nent ; but it shoidd occur elsewhere on the limestone in \V, licland. 

 1 cannot ascertain the exact locality whence No. 4033 was obtained, 

 but suspect that it came from Black Head. 



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