4o8 NATURAL SCIENCE. June. 



East Tropical Africa. Mr. Spencer Moore describes a number of 

 Acanthaceae, including a new genus, and Mr. E. G. Baker a new 

 tree Senecio. There is considerable difference in size between our 

 common groundsel [Senecio vulgans) and the new giant which 

 Dr. Gregory discovered growing on the rocky sides of valleys at an 

 elevation of 13,000 to 14,000 feet on the south-west side of Mount 

 Kenia. The woolly leaves of the latter are over a foot in length, 

 and the stem grows to a height of 25 to 30 feet, attaining a diameter 

 of a foot or more. This interesting plant is closely allied to one 

 found by Mr. H. H. Johnston on Mount Kilima-njaro, and described 

 by Professor Oliver a few years ago. Another tree Senecio occurs on 

 the Abyssinian Mountains, and one in the Cameroons. 



British botanists are not neglected, for in the same number several 

 new native brambles are described. First, one by the Rev. W. H. 

 Purchas, who admits that " It is certainly very undesirable to add 

 to the already lengthened list of British brambles, unless very good 

 cause can be shown for doing so; but " his plant "is so 'readily 

 distinguishable from other forms, and is so plentiful and character- 

 istic " in its locality " that it would be inconsistent with the treatment 

 accorded to the rest of the genus to leave it without recognition as a 

 well-marked variety." The plant in question was referred by Professor 

 Babington and Dr. Focke, to a known species, Rubus rosaceus, but the 

 Rev. W. R. Linton, who has enjoyed the best opportunities of 

 studying it, from living in the same neighbourhood, " has made it 

 increasingly evident " that " its strongest affinities are with the Caesian 

 group." " Accordingly, the Rev. W. Moyle Rogers, who last year 

 saw it growing," " considers that it should be placed under Rubus 

 dtimetorum as a named variety." Finally, however, the two other 

 reverend gentlemen put their heads together and make a new species, 

 Rubus nibicundus. 



In order to let us down gently and relieve the monotony, the 

 editor thoughtfully inserts the note on the new Senecio between Mr. 

 Purchas's description and a paper entitled " Three New Bramble 

 Forms," by the Rev. Augustin Ley, in which a new species from 

 Herefordshire and two new varieties are described. 



The genus Rubus is a fruitful one for investigation, the species of 

 the British Isles having already supplied matter for no lees than five 

 papers in the journal for the present year. It is, however, interest- 

 ing to note the apologetic tone in which new species are generally 

 introduced. Thus, the Rev. W. Moyle Rogers, before proceeding 

 fo perpetrate three in the February number, remarks : "We must, I 

 think, be anxious, all of us, to keep down and, where it may be 

 possible, reduce the number of our Rubi ' species '." One cannot help 

 thinking that these worthy clergymen have either not realised the 

 fact of individual variation, or are so impressed with the origin of 

 species by evolution, that in an excess of zeal they name them before 

 they have actually arisen. 



