THE USES OF PLANTS. 377 



"Wood, near Ludlow, in the county of Salop. Although abundant 

 in some parts of Herefordshire, this is, I think, a fresh record for 

 Shropshire. — Arthur W. Wayman. 



A Northamptonshire Potamogeton. — In Ray's ' Synopsis,' ed. 3, 

 148, *^ Pota)nogiton folio angusto pelhicide fere gramineo, Dood. Syn. 

 ed. 2, App. 341," is given as communicated by D. Morton [the 

 author of the 'Natural History of Northants '] " de Oxendon in 

 agro Northamptoniensi." This has been sometiDies referred to 

 P. heterophyllus. I have recently seen Morton's specimen preserved 

 in Herb. Sherard at Oxford, and find it to be that small im- 

 mature state of P. cnspiis to which Hudson gave the name of 

 P. serratus. — G. C. Druce. 



Plantago maritima L., form pumila Kjellmann, in the Faroe 

 Islands. — Eeferriug to the list of additions to the Sutherland- 

 shire Flora given in this Journal for April last, as observed in 

 1888 by Mr. Frederick Hanbury and myself, the form pumila of 

 Plantago maritima was there signalized as occurring on Ben Hope at 

 about 2600 feet, this being the first record in our Islands. Hitherto 

 Cape Grebenig, Insula Wajgatsch, S. of Nova Zembla, the original 

 locality where in 1875 it was discovered by Kjellmann and Liind- 

 strom, had been the only recorded habitat ; but now the Faroe 

 Islands must be added. In June, 1889, it was gathered by Miss 

 C. Birley and Miss Coupland, whom I had asked to make a col- 

 lection of plants of these islands, at about 1000 to 1500 feet on the 

 Isle Stromoe, and there reported plentiful, This variety, which 

 has much superficial resemblance to P. alpina L., will no doubt be 

 found in Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and throughout Scandinavia 

 generally. Our forms of Plantain all require a closer study than 

 they have yet received. — J. Cosmo Melvill. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



The Uses of Plants: a Manual of Economic Botany, with special 

 reference to Vegetable Products introduced during the last Fifty 

 Years. By G. S. Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S. London, Eoper & 

 Drowley. 8vo, pp. viii. 224. 6s. 



The Useful Native Plants of Australia (including Tasmania). By 

 J. H. Maiden, F.L.S., F.C.S., &c. London, Triibner. 8vo, 

 pp. xii. 696. 12s. 6d. 



The first book is not a satisfactory production, notwithstanding 

 that the author has laid under contribution many of the best known 

 and more recent books on the several branches of the subject on 

 which it treats. The plan of the book looks well and promising in 

 the table of contents, but lacks method in the substance. For 

 example, anyone desiring information on Melons or Water Melons 

 would naturally refer to fruits ; but he must look through the whole 

 article — not a long one, it is true — or refer to the index before 

 finding it, and, when found, he is rewarded only with the following 

 (p. 54):- 



