146 SHORT NOTES. 



the same year (but, Mr. Druce tells me, later) the plant was pub- 

 lished by Mr. F. A. Lees in the Keport of the Botanical Eecord Club 

 for 1884-6 (p. 129) as P. diisenterica var. jmlcheUa — "a handsome 

 form, less cottony than the type, with beautiful long-rayed flowers." 

 It seems to me that if forms such as this are to be raised to the 

 rank of named varieties, there is no limit to the extension which 

 our nomenclature may receive. It is unnecessary to dilate on the 

 extreme impropriety of putting into circulation such nomina mida 

 as that of the Carc.v referred to, and its inclusion in the London 

 Catalogue without investigation is to be regretted. I may take this 

 opportunity of noting that the name Utricularia ecalcaiata Welw. 

 which has been frequently quoted by Messrs. West from Welwitsch's 

 MS. notes in their paper on his Freshwater Algae has not hitherto 

 been, and should not have been, published : Mr. Hiern informs me 

 that it = U. cymhantha Oliv. — James Bkitten. 



Crocus vernus in Berks. — This plant occurs in unusual abun- 

 dance in a hilly meadow at Inkpen, Berks. I was first informed 

 that it grew here by Miss M. Beales, of West Woodhay ; but it has 

 been noticed in this locality by the villagers for at least fifty years 

 past, and no one seems to be able to account for its introduction. 

 I visited the place last March in company with my friend Mr. G. C. 

 Druce, and we found the Crocus in great plenty, forming two ex- 

 tensive patches which seem to be spreading considerably. The 

 situation is wild enough, and there are no gardens near from which 

 the plant can possibly have escaped. The Crocus grew so thickly 

 that the beautiful mauve colour of the flowers was conspicuous at a 

 distance of three or four hundred yards. The plant is certainly as 

 well naturalized at Inkpen as in the other English localities recorded 

 for it. Mr. Druce informs me that Crocus vernus grows in similar 

 situations in the hilly districts of France and Switzerland, where it 

 is of course native. This is an interesting addition to the county 

 flora, especially as I am informed that the Nottingham station for 

 the plant is likely to be destroyed by the builder. — A. B. Jackson. 



SciRPus Caricis Retz. — Specimens of this species gathered as 

 long ago as 1871 were only lately suspected of extending the distri- 

 bution. Mr. Arthur Bennett tells me that this is an addition not 

 only to N. Devon, but also to the Peninsular Province. — Edward 

 F. Linton. 



PopuLUS canescens Sm. in Somerset. — In my Flora of Somerset 

 I have treated the records of this tree as of very doubtful authority. 

 Since the publication of the Flora, my attention has been again 

 called to the point, and after a very careful examination of the 

 imperfect material at our disposal, Mr. Linton and I are quite con- 

 vinced that we were too hasty on a former occasion, and that Mr. 

 White's plant was this species. — R. P. Murray. 



Isle of Man Plants. — I can slightly reduce Mr. Bennett's list 

 of common plants not yet recorded from the Isle of Man. Geum 

 urbaniim and ^gojwdium Podagraria were common weeds forty years 

 ago in a shrubbery near Douglas. Listera ovata was frequent near 

 Mount Murray. Lamium album occurred in nursery ground at 



