NOTICES OF BOOKS AND MEMOIRS. 183 



SO in the Surrey plant, although the spechnens had not been 

 exposed to any cu'cumstances likely to induce their weak flexuous 

 appearance. The petals are also narrower than in true V. stricta, 

 and the flowers are of a very pale purplish-blue as in V. lactea, not 

 ** liliacino-c<Brulei,'" Koch, nor " (Vun hhu-violet,'' Gren. and Godr. 



J. T. BOSWELL. 



Saponaria officinalis, Linn. var. pubenila, Syme. Hedgebank, 

 Hightown, Laucashii-e, August 5, 1876. — J. W. Burton. Saponaria 

 officinalis, var. pubenila, mihi. ' B. Ex. C. Rej)ort,' 1872-4, p. 11. 

 Mr. H. C. -Watson points out to me that in DC. 'Prod.,' vol. i., 

 p. 365, this puberulent form is considered the type of the species, 

 and that the glabrous variety, is entered as ^ [5. glaberrima' ; also 

 that in Smith's ' English Flora,' vol. ii., p. 285, the calyx is 

 described as 'somewhat downy;' and that in Bertoloni's 'Flora 

 Italica,' vol. iv., p. 535 (to which I have not access), the calyx is 

 described as ' scabridus.' 1 have not seen either British or foreign 

 specimens except Mr. Brown's in which the calyx was not 

 glabrous. Koch gives " Calyce cylindricale glabro " in itahcs, con- 

 sequently an essential character, ' Syn. Florae Germ, et Helv.,' 

 ed. ii., p. 108. Grenier and Godron give " Calice glabre," ' Fl. de 

 France,' vol i., p. 225 ; Boissier " glabra * " " calicis glabri," and 

 of his next species, ' S, Bocleana,' he says : " facies prsecedentis sed 

 pubescens," ' Flora Orient.,' vol i., p. 527. It therefore appears 

 that the experience of these authors has been similar to my own. 



J. T. BoSWELL. 



Stellaria umbrosa, Q-pitz; S.ElizabetJia', F. Schultz. Hedgebanks 

 near Torquay, S. Devon, May, 1876. — F. Townsend. This is an 

 extension of the known range of this plant to the south-west, but 

 no doubt if the plant were looked for it would prove to have 

 a wide range. I have very little doubt that it is a good sub-species; 

 the seeds are tubercled all over, and not merely round the margin, 

 as in S. eu-media, and the ^Dlant is truly perennial. Instead of 

 going on producing branches which flower until stopped by frost, 

 as in S. media, S. umbrosa forms autumnal barren shoots very 

 similar to ;S'. nemorum. These remain through the winter, and do 

 not flower till the following spring, as I have ascertained by 

 bringing the plant into the garden and watching it. I sent a few 

 specimens to the Club from Pirniss Wood, Balmuto, Fife, to show 

 this autumnal and w^inter state. — J. T. Boswell. 



Bosa hibernica, Sm., var. Grovesii, Baker. Barnes Common, 

 SuiTey, 1875-76. — H. & J. Groves. Mr. Baker has di'awn up the 

 following description of this hitherto undesciibed Rose, and for- 

 warded it for insertion here : — Rosa hibernica, var. Grovesii, Baker. 

 An erect compact bush, from 3 to 5 feet in height. Prickles of the 

 barren stem more slender and less hooked than in canina, f-in. 

 long, with a scar f-in. long, passmg down by gradual transitions 

 into a few subulate, straight, slightly- declining aciculi, none of 

 which are gland-tipped. Leaves of the barren shoot 3-4 in. long, 

 glaucous, glabrous ; stipules glabrous, with a few glands on the 

 edge ; common petiole with 4-6 minute aciculi, none of which are 

 gland-tipped ; leaflets oblong, f-l^ in. long, shai^ply, irregularly, 



