243 

 SHOKT NOTES. 



POLYGONATUM MULTIFLORUM, L., IN NoETHAMPTONSHIEE. A fnencl 



of mine, Mr. Normau, of Towcester, who is competing for the 

 Herbarium Prize offered by the Pharmaceutical Society, found in 

 a spinney near Towcester some specimens of the above plant ; 

 since then I have visited the locality, and believe them to be 

 truly wild, as there is no trace of non-indigenous plants, and 

 several specimens of the Solomon's Seal occur mixed with 

 Lister a ovata, Orchis maculata, &c. This is an interesting addition 

 to our county flora and also to ' Topographical Botany,' as it con- 

 siderably extends the eastern range of the species. — G. C. Druce. 



Festuca ambigua. — The notes on this plant in the last number 

 of the 'Journal of Botany' induces me to send freshly-gathered 

 specimens from Tweedside, to which it has been introduced with 

 wool, from the woollen manufactories at Galashiels, Hawick, &c. 

 I first noticed it on the sides of the Gala in July, 1873, where it 

 was growing along with H. ijseudo-myurus. Like many other 

 wool-plants it is uTegular in its appearance, in some seasons 

 occurring in considerable numbers, in others not seen at all. 

 Possibly the floods frequently destroy the plants, as it grows on 

 gravelly spots liable to be flooded. — Andeew Brotheeston. 



I Physostigma cylindeospeemum. — In reference to the note at 

 p. 185 on this plant, Mr. E. M. Holmes wishes to say that he does 

 not consider the occurrence of both kinds of Calabar Bean mixed 

 in commerce to be any proof that they were so imported. He 

 also desires to point out that there is an additional distinction 

 between them in their reaction with liquor potassa3 ; Welwitsch's 

 specimens giving the orange colour, ultimately turning to du-ty 

 green, just as do the cylindrical beans of commerce : these have 

 been found to contain more eserine than the ordinary or true 

 Calabar Bean, the reaction of which is a pale yellow not turning 

 green. 



extracts antf Nottccs of ISoolts ^ i^emotrs. 



EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL 

 EXCHANGE CLUB FOR 1877-S. 



Notes on the Plants gathered in 1877. 

 Edited by T. R. A. Briggs. 



Fumaria palUdiflora, Jord., b. Borcci. Old quarry, near Rich- 

 mond, Yorkshire, 1877. — Dr. St. Beody. I incline to think this 

 true Bar mi. — C. C. Babington. 



Sisyinbriiuii Irio, L. Berwick-on-Tweed, June and October, 

 1877. Recorded fi'om the same station by Ray. Confined to 



