XOTES OX SPECIES OF LOTUS J PEDROSIA. 381 



be seen without careful search. Moreover, it might be readily con- 

 founded with S. ai/h-atica or one of its hybrids ; and this has in fact 

 happened within the last few weeks, when the plant was submitted 

 to an eminent botanist. 



I am not aware that -S'. alpina has ever been met with in Britain 

 as an intioduced plant, and it seems most unlikely that, possessing no 

 beauty or interest except to a botanist, it should have been deliberately 

 sown or planted in many different places in such a locality. 



With regard to its limited range, which will no doubt be ex- 

 tended on further search being made, a comparison may be made 

 with several other plants which are confined to one or at most two 

 limited areas in Britain, and have a similar distribution in neigh- 

 bouring countries on tiie Continent: e.g. Arabis stricta (France, 

 Spain), Heliantheuium polifulium (France, Spain, Belgium), and 

 Cotoneaster inte<ierr'nna (France, Spain, Belgium, Scandinavia). 

 Stachys alpina occurs in France, Spain, and Belgium. 



In spite of its name, judging by its distribution and by the 

 plants in whose company it is to be found, .S'. alpina is by no means 

 an alpine plant. Amongst the species with which it is associated 

 on the Gloucestershire hill are Pynis Aria, Valeriana Mikanii, Cam- 

 panula (jlomerata, Stachys sylvatica, Polygonatum officinale and Con- 

 vallaria majalis ; and it may be noted that, during a recent visit to 

 South Tyrol in company with Mr. J, W. White, we met with S. alpina 

 accompanied by all these plants. 



Taking into account all the circumstances, Mr. White, who, as 

 I have mentioned, has seen the plant growing both in Gloucester- 

 shire and in Soutli Tyrol, fully concurs with me in the opinion that 

 we are justified in looking upon Stachys alpina as an addition to the 

 British flora. 



NOTES ON SPECIES OF LOTUS § PEDROSIA. 

 By the Rev. E. P. Murray, M.A., F.L.S. 



The Pedrosian species of Lotus present a very interesting study 

 to any botanist who may find himself at the right time of year in 

 any of the oceanic islands of the North Atlantic ; at least in Madeira, 

 the Canaries, or the Cape Verds. One species only seems to reach 

 the Azores. The text-book for Madeira is of course Lowe's Flora of 

 Madeira, while many of the Canarian forms are described and figured 

 in Webb and Bertlielot's well-known Phytoyraphia Canariensis. The 

 Cape Verd species I only know from herbarium specimens and from 

 Webb's Spirileyia (ruryonea, > 



Each group of islands possesses its own peculiar species. Lotus 

 ylaucus is common to Madeira and the Canaries, and L. aryyrodes 

 to Madeira and tiie Azores. L. aroiaiius, a plant of Spain, Portugal, 

 and ISorth-west Africa, and the only European ''^ Peclrosia, is found 

 also in the Canaries. L. maroccanus Ball is endemic in Marocco. 



* Lotus Sahmauni Boiss. et Reut., judging from a specimen sent out by 

 Messrs. Porta and Rigo under tliis name (No. 82, iter iii. hi.spanicum, 18'J1), 

 shows a distinct approach to Pedru^ia in the character ci the style. 



