32^ THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



three-celled ultimate rays were frequent as in iV. gracilis, while in the 

 British specimens of JSf. mucronata they are comparatively rare. The 

 fruit also was smaller than in normal N. mucronata. We were in- 

 clined at first to think that it might be a large form of JV. gracilis, 

 especially as there were traces in some of the specimens of an earlier 

 more slender growth. Later specimens with ripe fruit, however, 

 decided the question, the membrane of the oospore proving to possess 

 the peculiar form of reticulate decoration which belongs to iV. mucro- 

 nata and not the very close and line granulated markings of N. gracilis. 

 N. mucronata var. fiahellata Coss. & Germ. (var. tenuior Braun), 

 though more slender than the type, with smaller fruit, has the 

 characteristic ultimate rays of N. mucronata though in a less marked 

 degree, as shown both in the plate in Alt. Flor. Par. (t. 40. f. 4-5) 

 and in specimens issued under the name tenuior by Braun and Nord- 

 stedt. The Wick war plant is much more extreme than either of these 

 and we thei*efore think it desirable to differentiate it as : — 



N. MUCRONATA var. GRACILLIMA (var. nov.). 



Caulis ramulique insolenter graciles. Radius ultimus sjepe tri- 

 cellulatus. Cellula penultima ad apicem gradatim fastigata, itaque 

 apex quam basis cellulae ultimae non multo latior est. Cellula ultima 

 elongata conica. Oospora matura c. 290 /u longa, 275 fi lata. 



Miss Ro])er has furnished us Avith the following particulars as 

 regards the habitat, etc. : — 



"I first noticed the plant on April 30, 1917, growing in a small 

 pond nearly six feet deep of clear land water, situated due east of 

 Kangeworthy, W. Glos. In this district there are many similar 

 ponds of varj'ing depths from which the mineral strontia has been 

 dug at various times within the last 50 years, and many rare plants 

 grow about there as survivals of the old heathland. The JVitella was 

 very abundant in the pond, and the only growth, and so far has not 

 been detected in any of the others. AT. opaca, however, is not far 

 away in two localities." She has kept the plant under observation 

 and has kindly sent us specimens from time to time, so that we have 

 been exceptionally fortunate in having the oppoi-tunity of examining 

 it in different stages of growth. The discovery of A^. mucrotiata in 

 Gloucestershire represents an important extension of the known range 

 of the species, which was hitherto only recorded in England from 

 Hants, N. Sussex, W. Oxon, Norfolk, W. Cambs, Beds, and in Ireland 

 from Co. Monaghan. 



SHORT NOTES. 



Leptdium campestre var. longtsttlum A. G. More ined. 

 Recently while looking through A. G. More's interleaved copy of 

 Bromfield's Flora Vectensis, kindly lent me by its owner Mr. H. J. 

 Jetfery, I came across the following MS. note in More's handwriting 

 under Lepidium campestre : — "/3. longistylum. Style tw^ce as long 

 as the notch, stems usually numerous. Its numerous stems and long 

 style render it likely to be mistaken for Smithii, but its silicules are 



