EEPOET OF THE BOTANICAL EXCHANGE CLUB. 281 



forms from the neighbourliood of Plymouth, that seem to be sufficiently 

 distinct to be regarded as * species ' in the Babingtonian sgnse. Jl. ad- 

 scitus is widely dispersed and abundant in the neighbourhood of 

 Plymouth. R. tnutahilis is local, for whilst it figures as one of the 

 commonest Eubi in some localities, it is not to be seen at all in others.'* 

 — T. R. Aechee Beiggs, 1872. 



Rosa involuta, Sm., var. Smithii. ** Opes Tor, near Alstonfield, N. 

 Staffordshire." — W. H. Purchas. This is the true involuta known 

 before only in Arran and Yorkshire." — J. G. Baker, 1872. 



Rosa saxatilis, BoT. ** Woodlands, S. Devon. Regarded by Mr. 

 Baker as an extreme form of R. verticillacantha, Merat. M. Deseglise 

 says it is R. saxatilis of Boreau. I have previously sent it from "War- 

 leigh, only a mile or two from Woodlands." — T. R. Archer Briggs. 



On the forms (Subspecies or Hybrids ?) of Pyrtjs Aria, Hook. 

 Since 1864, in which year I wrote the description of the subspecies 

 oi Pyrus Aria for the 3rd ed. of " Engl. Bot.," having had a special 

 liking for the group, I have endeavoured to obtain as much informa- 

 tion on the subject as I could from personal examination of both 

 living and dried specimens, foreign and British, and also by conferring 

 personally and by letter with those able to afford information on the 

 subject. The result has been that after much vacillation of opinion 

 I have at last, as I think, arrived at some more satisfactory conclusion, 

 at least as regards certain members of the group. I am very glad to 

 find that at least on one point my opinion is strengthened by a most 

 interesting set of Continental specimens of the Sorhus group sent me 

 this spring by Mr. H. C. Watson, who received them from Professor 

 Reichenbach, fil. 



1. Pyrus eu-aria, E.B., ed. iii. Of the first form, which 

 I have called Pyrus eu-aria^ and which is P. Aria of Babington's 

 ** Manual " and the ** London Catalogue," I have little to remark. Its 

 leaves vary from roundish oval to oblong-elliptical, are firm, with 9 

 to 14 veins on each side, which stand out very prominently beneath, 

 especially when the leaves are old, when they become somewhat 

 parchment-like in texture, and remain permanently covered with very 

 close pure white arachnoid felt. The margins of the leaves are 

 serrate or cren ate- serrate, and frequently slightly lobed, the terminal 

 tooth of the lobe into which the vein runs not greatly exceeding the 

 others in size and sharpness ; the third vein from the base usually 

 being the first that runs into anything that can properly be called a 

 lobe, and the lobes deepest about one-fourth from the apex of the leaf. 

 The flowers are comparatively large, | to | inch across, and have 

 rather an unpleasant odour ; the young leaves retain traces of an 

 arachnoid tomentum, especially on the veins, until the flowers are 

 fully expanded. The fruit is about half an inch in diameter and 

 bnght scarlet. It is a common plant in the south of England, 

 especially in chalk districts, and grows to a tree of considerable size 

 (10 to 20 feet). 



2. Pyrus rwpicola^ E. B., ed. iii. This differs from Pyrus eu-aria 

 chiefly in having fewer veins on each side of the leaf, and the veins 

 less prominent. The usual number of veins on each side is 7, but I 

 have seen as few as 5 and as many as 9. The leaf is almost 



