300 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1846 



country is all either bare rock, morass, or covered with large loose 

 stones, with bare earth between them, having here and there an 

 individual plant growing. Adverse winds, or rather storms, pre- 

 vented our intended visit to the unexplored eastern part of the 

 island. This disappointed me greatly as you will easily believe. 

 However, I worked hard and made the most of my limited time and 

 opportunities. The species I obtained are, of course, not numerous, 

 but of many I have a considerable number of specimens. Where 

 have you been this summer? and how is your health? Let me 

 hear from you soon. I trust that Mrs. Borrer and your family are 

 well. — Yours very truly, Charles C. Babington. 



To William Borrer, Esq. 



St. John's College, Cambridge, Nov. 6, 1846. 



My dear Sir, — I have just examined the characters of the 

 Euphorbia platyphjlla, as given from all his works in the Codex 

 Botan. Linn., and it seems to me nearly or quite certain that our 

 Tintern plant is the E. platyphyllos of the Sp. PI. in third edition, 

 of which there is a description. Nevertheless I am inclined to 

 agree with you that it will be best to adopt the nomenclature used 

 in Germany. The specimen in the herbarium has only caused con- 

 fusion, and it is much to be wished that some of the specimens in 

 that collection had been put into the fire by Linnaeus. I think that 

 E. B. 333 belongs to the cornfield plant E. platyphylla (Koch), not to 

 his strida where he quotes it. The E. strida I do not at all under- 

 stand. I have not seen Jacques' figure lately, but have quoted it 

 under E. platyphylla (Koch). I have no specimen of the Swedish 

 Calamagrostis lapponica, nor British one of C. strida. I believe that the 

 ligule is a character between the Scottish and Irish plants. I have 

 just looked at the Irish plant, and do not see much reason for doubting 

 its identity with the lapponica of Wahl. The chief difference is in the 

 length of the hairs. I am not prepared to consider the Vacdnium 

 macrocarpum as a native without more evidence. There is often much 

 difficulty in distinguishing Sinapis monensis and S. Cheiranthus, but,, 

 although the characters may be bad, I am not yet ready to call them 

 one species. I have looked over my specimens of Malva, nearly 

 allied to M. parviflom (Huds.), but do not find anything that will do 

 for your Llanelly plant. The carpels being reticulated and not 

 margined, and the (small ?) flowers would distinguish it from all the 

 species which I know. Does Hooker think it new ? and if so, will 

 not he describe and name it, or will you ? I long much to see it. 

 I hope that you have seeds to grow in your garden. I hope to be 

 able to go to London on Tuesday, and meet you at the Linnaean, and 

 take with me my specimens of Malva, and also Achillea tanacetifolia.. 

 I may be prevented by University business, and should not go that 

 week, except to meet you.-Yours very truly, Charles C. Babington.. 



