SnOKT XOTES. 177 



capitatum. — In collibus arenaceia prope Marocco legit cl. G. Maw, et 

 in prov. Shedma cU. Eein et Eritsch. 



Poliis ovatis bicoloribus ad B. elegans, Choisy, aliquantuluni 

 accedit, sed inflorescentia diversa, perigonio viscido aliisque notis 

 satis diversa. A B. plumhaginea, Cav., longius distat fioribus ter minori- 

 bus, et ab omnibus spec, mihi notis perigonii segmentis inflexis, geni- 

 talia includentibus. 



{To he continued.) 



SHORT NOTES. 



Middlesex Batrachia. — In the *' Flora of Middlesex," a water 

 Ranunculus is recorded from many stations as ? R. Brouetii. I have 

 recently gathered near Willesden a plant which seems to be this 

 species, but which possesses well-marked floating leaves in many 

 cases. Some of the plants have no floating leaves, and when these 

 are produced the transition from the submerged leaves is very 

 gradual. This ought probably to be referred to R. Godronii^ Gren., 

 of Mr. Hiem's paper (Journ. Bot., 1871, p. 99). Another form, not 

 yet I think on record for the county, R. trichophylluSy Chaix, I 

 observed in a pond near Barnet this spring. — T. B. Blow. 



Viola permixta, Jord., in Herts. — Whilst collecting Viola 

 hirta and V. odorata near Welwyn, I noticed a series of forms inter- 

 mediate in every degree between the two. There was V. hirta, with 

 short stolons ; F. permixta, with stolons as long as those of V. 

 odorata, but not rooting ; V. sepincola (?), with stolons rooting freely, 

 scarcely scented ; and well-marked V. odorata. Are these hybrids, 

 or can V. hirta and V. odorata be extreme forms of one species ? All 

 the plants grew within a very short distance of each other. — T. B. 

 Blow. 



Robert Brown. — The late Sir R. I. Murchison, wiiting late in 

 life about the early part of his scientific career in London from 1826 

 to 1838 says :— •'! must specially dwell on the great botanist, Robert 

 Brown, who was chiefly to be met with at the Sunday breakfasts of 

 Charles Slokes, in Gray's Inn, and who provoked my impatient temper 

 because he never would pronounce upon the genus — scarcely even upon 

 the class — of a fossil plant. Profound in his acquaintance with living- 

 plants, he knew too well the fine limits and subtle distinctions to be 

 observed ; these being generally obliterated, and the fructification 

 being rarely visible, he paused and looked again and again, and came 

 to no conclusion. Lindley, on the other hand, being of a less cautious 

 temperament, often dashed off an opinion, and therefore gratified 

 geologists. Robert Brown, though a quiet, sedate man, was full uf dry 

 humour, and told many a good stoiy to his intimate friends, among 

 whom I was delighted to be reckoned to the day of his death. I was 

 one of the mourners at his burial at Kensal Green, when this illus- 

 trious man had but a %w old friends to pay the last honours." 



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