338 THE JOURNAL OP BOTANY 



varieties, are described ; there is also a hybrid — P. cequale X cal- 

 catum Lindm. — found by Mr. Druce in Buckinghamshire ; this 

 "assumes the presence" of the latter, which has not been found 

 in the county. Another addition to our Flora is Poa irrigata 

 Lindm., to which four pages are devoted. A good example of 

 enthusiasm for the creation of new names is afforded by Asple- 

 nium lanccolatum var. Sinelii; of this a single plant was found in 

 Jersey by Mr. Sinel, who has never, after repeated search, seen it 

 again ; the record is based on a note by J. E. Eobinson in Science 

 Gossip for 1880. When the variability of A. lanceolatum is remem- 

 bered, it seems hardly justifiable to bestow a name upon a plant 

 which only occurred once, is only known from a descriptive phrase, 

 and has not been seen by the namer. 



It will be seen from this brief summary that this part of the 

 Eeport — the opinions in which, Mr. Druce tells us, are " purely 

 personal, and necessarily in no way carry the authority of the 

 Club" — contains matter the value of which can only be appre- 

 ciated by those who are acquainted with the plants indicated or 

 described. We are however sure that, viewed from a literary 

 standpoint, it would gain greatly by condensation. 



The second part of the Eeport is by Mr. John Cryer, the 

 "editor and distributor" for the year, and maybe described as 

 corresponding with the earlier Eeports of the Exchange Club 

 before it became, under Mr. Druce's secretaryship, a " Society of 

 the British Isles." The notes, contributed as usual by our 

 leading British botanists, are full of interest, though at times they 

 present differences of opinion which seem more puzzling than 

 helpful : for example, that on the plant sent in by Mr. Druce as 

 "Ranunculus peltatus var. penicillatus, which Mr. Groves says is 

 " not in the least like " penicillatus, and doubts its being referable 

 to peltatus, and the sender promises to " collect again." Mr. 

 Bailey says that Sisymbrium pannonicum is extending at St. Anne's- 

 on-Sea, where it has been known for many years, and has an 

 interesting note on the changes in the vegetation of the Lan- 

 cashire sand dunes. Mr. C. E. Britton notes an interesting form 

 of Papaver Bhceas, which he thinks may deserve a name, but 

 with commendable reticence is in no haste so to distinguish ; he 

 thinks that P. Bliceas, as restricted by Eouy & Foucaud, is an 

 uncommon plant. 



There is indeed throughout the Eeport a gratifying absence of 

 new combinations, though one or two seem to have slipped in, and 

 of new names — one of the latter, however, appears under Juncus 

 bufonius, of which Mr. G. C. Brown — a recent accession to the 

 Club — has a "forma altissima," as to the novelty or distinctness 

 of which other contributors express doubt. Another contributor 

 whose name is new to us is Mr. D. Lumb, who has interesting 

 notes on Poa Cliaixii and Lolium tcmulentum. 



In many ways this part of the Eeport seems of unusual inte- 

 rest ; the notes on representatives of certain genera — among which 

 may be mentioned Viola, Spcrgularia, Erodium, Bosa — there is 

 little about Bubus — Cratcegus — we note that Mr. Marshall thinks 



