278 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1838 



in that neighbourhood. This communication is dated "Allesby 

 Rectory, Nov. 13, 1830." At p. 430 of that volume Mr. Edwin 

 Lees, of Worcester, expresses doubt as to its right to denizenship in 

 Ireland, and at p. 197, Vol. v., W. Bree concurs in that doubt, and 

 says that all he contends for is that it has as strong claims to be 

 considered as a native of Ireland as many other plants admitted 

 into our indigenous list. He is of opinion that if an introduction, 

 it is not one of recent date. In the same magazine. Vol. v., p. 200, 

 a notice is introduced by the Editor (J. D.) [which means John 

 Denson], as follows : " Mr. Arthur Biggs, curator of the Botanic 

 Garden at Cambridge, received about four years ago (this was pub- 

 lished March, 1832) tubers of a plant from a brother of Mr. Goode's, 

 St. John's Street, Cambridge, which were obtained in Cornwall, and 

 near the sea ; and Mr. Biggs was informed that these tubers were 

 of a plant that is plentiful and wild in that neighbourhood, but 

 where nothing is known of its name. These tubers, on being 

 planted, developed plants of Iris tuberosa, past all question ; for 

 although they have not yet produced flowers. Iris tuherosa is, I be- 

 lieve, the only species of plant, out of several thousands which our 

 gardens contain, that possesses four-edged leaves, and this character 

 is duly obvious in the leaves of the plants in question. The address 

 of Mr. Goode's brother is Mr. E. Bell, 70, Portland Square, Ply- 

 mouth, by a post-paid letter to whom more definite particulars may 

 be learned." This is all I can find in Loudon. Look at Mackay's 

 "Flora Hibern.," p. 274. I have seen Biggs, and he says that the 

 roots have flowered in the Botanic Garden, and are certainly Iris 

 tuherosa. I am informed that Mr. Bell does not now live at Ply- 

 mouth. My Thesium pratense from Alderney is only a variety of 

 Thesium linophyllum, and not worthy of publication. The characters 

 of these plants, drawn from the incurved calyx of the fruit, do not 

 appear to be permanent. — Yours truly, Charles C. Babington. 



To Sir W. J. Hooker. 



St. John's College, Cambridge, Bee. 3, 1838. 



My dear Sir, — I have the pleasure of sending to you a few 

 specimens of the plants found by me in the Channel Islands during 

 the late summer, and hope that they will l)e acceptable to you. 

 Will you be so good as to inform me on what authority you have 

 referred my Polygonum Baii to P. Eoberti (Lois.) ? The description of 

 that author is not sufficient to identify the plant, and, indeed, would 

 rather refer his plant to P. aviculare. Have you specimens from 

 him ? for I do not see by what other authority his plant can be 

 determined. My " Primitiae Florae Sarnicae " is advancing, and, I 

 hope, will appear in the spring. It will form a tract of about 100 

 pages, and contain about 760 species, many of them full of interest 

 to the English botanist. I was most unfortunate in not seeing you 

 when at Glasgow. — Believe me, yours truly, Charles C. Babington. 



