290 PROFESSOR BABINGTON ON RUBUS IN 1891. 



The points which seem to require especial attention are the 

 direction of growth of the barren stem of the year, the form of its 

 transverse section, and its armature ; also when leaves are men- 

 tioned without any distinction, those found on that stem are 

 intended. In the description of those leaves attention should be 

 paid to the stalked or sessile state of the leaflets, especially the 

 lower or outer pair ; the form of the terminal leaflet, all parts 

 of it being considered ; and the relative length of it and its partial 

 petiole ; and the character of its toothing. The form and structure 

 of the panicle is also very important ; the form and direction at 

 different stages of the sepals and their armature ; the length and 

 direction of the stamens relatively to the pistils and their colour, 

 and that of the petals. Colour is usually considered by botanists 

 to be of very little value, but it seems to be important and often 

 quite permanent in many Kubi. 



There is also another point concerning which I know very little, 

 which our great masters in this study consider of value ; I mean 

 the presence or absence of hairs on the young germens. It will be 

 seen that many of these things can only be observed on the living 

 plant ; it is therefore most important that they should be noted at 

 the time when the specimen is collected. The want of this care on 

 the part of collectors has caused exceeding difficulty in correctly 

 naming many of their specimens which may be in most other 

 respects well preserved. 



It has been well remarked by Weddell {Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 6, 

 ii. 356) that, "Except in a very few cases, it is impossible to dis- 

 tinguish exactly one species from its neighbours by one single 

 character alone." This is the case in all groups where the species 

 are numerous and closely allied, and in such cases we are deprived 

 of the use of analytical keys such as that prepared with so much 

 care by Genevier. In almost all cases there are intermediate forms 

 which are not discoverable by them. Also they require the presence 

 of much knowledge which is often absent when the key is brought 

 into use. I refer to such points as (1) the direction of barren 

 growing stem of the year ; (2) the form and especially the colour of 

 the petals ; (3) the length and direction of the stamens ; (I) the 

 direction of the sepals both in the flower and with the fruit. 



The question of nomenclature is very difficult. We have been 

 used primarily to look to the E7(U Gcrmamiici as a great authority. 

 But there a difficulty meets us. The descriptions and plates do not 

 always seem to correspond. The two authors appear to have 

 worked independently. The specimens named by Nees for Leighton 

 have rather confused our ideas instead of clearing them. This is 

 now more apparent since Banning and Focke have determined 

 thirty-three out of the forty-two species of Weihe "with absolute 

 certainty." The latter distinguished botanist has cultivated many 

 of them, and described them with remarkable care in his Synopsis. 

 He also holds as I do that it is not advisable, nor for the promotion 

 of science, to drag into the light of day obscure matters which had 

 better have been left in the shades of night. Thus names buried 

 in little-known tracts or neglected books had better not be hunted 



