66 



LE FUMARIACEE ITALIANE. 



Le Fumariacee Italiane. Per Leopoldo Nicotra. Fireuzo, 1897. 

 8vo, pp. 78. Prezzo L. 3.50. 



This pamphlet is an elaboration of the Italian Fiimariace(B for 

 the continuation of Parlatore's Flora Italiana, and follows on the 

 general lines of that well-known work. The synonymy seems care- 

 fully worked out both for the species and varieties, and figures are 

 quoted in every case where these are obtainable. 



One or two points in connection with the work are of special 

 interest to British botanists. The genus Corydalis is retained in 

 preference to Scopoli's earlier Neckeria, nor do we find that Signor 

 Nicotra thinks it necessary to make any reference to the older 

 name. In the genus Fiunaria the divisions adopted are those 

 indicated in Hammar's monograph, the Italian species falling 

 under three series : — (1) "Flores angusti. Petala exteriora margine 

 alato eorum apicem non attingente. Interiora a medio ad apicem 

 sursum curvata. Achenia laevia aut subl^via." (2) "Flores ampli. 

 Petala exteriora margine alato eorum apicem attingente. Interiora 

 a medio ad apicem sursum curvata. Achenia magna, vulgo in- 

 signiter tuberculata, carinato-compressa." (3) " Flores parvi. 

 Petala exteriora marginibus latis, patulis, summum apicem at- 

 tingentibus cincta. Interiora lata, parum curvata. Achenia parva, 

 parum rugulosa vel etiam sublsevia." 



To the first series belong F. capreolata L., F. Reuterl Boiss., 

 and F. muralis Sond., but not, be it noted, F. Bormi Jordan. 

 F. pallidijiora Jordan becomes F. capreolata L. /S fiavescens Nicotra, 

 the characters given for this variety being "floribus minoribus, 

 pallide flavescentibus, laxis." F. confusa Jordan is F. muralis 

 Sonder, ft serotina Nicotra, the characters given being " pedicellis 

 brevioribus, acheniis rugulosis." To the second series belong 

 F. Giissonii Boiss., F. bicolor Somm., F. agraria Lag., and F. 

 Jiabellata Gasp. F. Borai Jordan is F. Gussonii Boiss. y Borcei 

 Nicotra, with the following varietal character assigned: " elata, 

 cirrhescens, potius viridis, racemis laxifloris, pedicelhs bracteas 

 subaequantibus, floribus violaceis, acheniis basi angustatis." As 

 members of the last series we have F. officinalis L., F. Wirtgeni 

 Koch, F. VailUmtii Lois., F. Sckleicheri Soy. -Will., F. parvijiora 

 Lamk., F. micrantha Lag., and F. Kraliki Jord. Signor JSicotra 

 is doubtful whether the F. densiflora DC. Cat. Hort. Monsp. 113 

 (1813), is the plant we at present understand by that name ; he has 

 therefore used the name F. micrantha Lag., which was published 

 three years later. 



On the lines of this revision, the nomenclature, position, and 

 sequence of the British species of Fwnaria would be as follows : — 



Series 1. — Fumari^e capreolata. 

 F. capreolata L. fi jiavescens {= F. pallidijiora Jord.). 

 F. muralis Sonder. 

 F. muralis Sonder, /? serotina (= F. confusa Jord.). 



Series 2. — FuMARL^i: agrari^e. 

 F. Gussonii Boiss. y Borai {= F. Borcei Jord.). 



