PKOFESSOR BABINGTON ON KUBUS IN 1891. 289 



table such as that of Genevier ; for I have not found even that, 

 with all its excellence, to be a true and certain guide. And if not 

 so, an analytical table is very liable to lead us astray. As .1 have 

 said in my Manual of British Botany, such a Synopsis "must be 

 used with caution, as a very slight error will totally mislead." 



We are accustomed, and perhaps advisedly, to look for such 

 distinctive marks as are afforded by the direction of the stem : 

 (1) either quite or nearly upright ; (2) more or less highly arching, 

 but turning down at the end in the autumn so as to reach the soil, 

 and then penetrating into it and throwing out roots, and thus 

 forming a new centre for the growth of tbe following year ; (3) or 

 rising with a very small arch and then becoming prostrate, and 

 often following the inequalities of the ground with singular exact- 

 ness for a considerable distance, but in the late autumn again 

 forming a small arch so as to present its growing point directly 

 towards the earth and penetrating into it, and rooting there as in 

 the former case. It often happens that these naturally prostrate 

 plants rise to a considerable height by being supported by the 

 neighbouring shrubs ; and in such a case they treat the top of a 

 hedge as if it was the surface of the ground, and run along it for a 

 considerable extent ; in such cases the end frequently is not able to 

 reach the earth before being killed by the cold of winter : for this 

 condition I have with Focke used the term scandent. 



The form of the terminal leaflet has been justly much trusted by 

 us. The form and character of the panicle, or rather inflorescence, 

 and direction of the sepals require much attention. 



Until recently we have in this country systematically neglected 

 the valuable characters which appear to be afforded by the colour 

 of the different parts of the flower, and their relative proportions 

 and direction. We had been taught to consider such points as 

 iindeserving of attention, from being too variable to be of any use. 

 The colours are apparently somewhat variable, but less so than we 

 have been led to suppose ; but their proportions and direction in 

 the several stages in the course of reproduction seem to be very 

 constant. It has been said that the relative length of the stamens 

 and styles is the result of dimorphism. It is doubtless so in many 

 plants, but observation has not led rubologists to the conclusion 

 that such is the case amongst Rubi. It would appear that the 

 dehiscence of the outer ring of anthers at the time when the 

 stigmas are ripe affords a sufficient security for cross-fertilization ; 

 the fertilization has usually taken place before the inner rows of 

 stamens have produced any-pollen ; but insects continue to frequent 

 the flowers, and convey the pollen of these later stamens to another 

 flower, having already done this with the product of the first 

 ripened anthers. 



It is very much to be wished that collectors would make a note 

 of the characters afforded by the flowers, as well as record the 

 direction of the growing stem ; as the want of such information 

 renders their specimens of very much less value. I have been as 

 much at fault as others in former years, and thus a considerable 

 part of my collection consists of specimens scarcely determinable. 



