A.A, ENGLISH BOTANY. 
an incomplete circle close to the margin, the points being most 
numerous and distinct from the apex to half-way down the outer 
side of the carpel; sometimes there is a second imperfect circle 
within the first; the whole surface on which the tubercles are 
placed appearing finely eranulated under a lens; beak straight, 
ascending, triangular in profile, less than one-fourth the length 
of the remaining portion of the carpel. Whole plant rather dull 
green, more or less hairy, the base of the stems and peduncles with 
white spreading or reflexed hairs. 
This species has very much the general aspect of KR. bulbosus, 
but has never the enlarged base of the stem which is found in that 
species. The present plant also grows in dense tufts, with numerous 
stems, which may be very readily separated from each other at the 
base. The leaves are generally rounder and less divided, the flowers 
smaller and paler, and the whole plant more hispid, and with the 
hairs on the lower part of the stem not at all adpressed. ‘The 
achenes are totally different, so that when the plants are in seed 
the one cannot possibly be mistaken for the other. 
This species is usually called R. hirsutus by British, and R. 
philonotis by Continental botanists. The former is the earlier 
name, and I have retained it, not only on that account, but because 
it has been applied exclusively to this plant. R. philonotis has been 
occasionally used to include not only R. hirsutus, but also R. 
trilobus, a plant of Southern Europe, which I believe to be only 
separable as a sub-species from R. hirsutus; the only points of 
difference being the much narrower petals, the fruit with raised 
points all over the disk, and the leaves with narrower, more 
serrated segments. I would then propose to accept R. philonotis 
as the aggregate species, including R. hirsutus and R. trilobus as 
sub-species. R. parvulus of Linnzeus was applied to a small few- 
flowered form of R. hirsutus, and the name has been abandoned 
by general consent. M. Auguste Gras contends that the name 
‘‘sardous”” ought to be applied to this plant, as the earliest 
of its cognomens; but it is to be hoped that he will find few 
followers.* 
Hairy Crowfoot. 
* Some botanists seem to consider it a meritorious act to rescue a forgotten name 
from oblivion, and to look upon such a discovery as being of almost as much benefit to 
science as the detection of some overlooked specific character. Such authors appear 
entirely to forget that names are merely arbitrary terms to represent the plants to 
which they belong. The rule, that when a species is already known by two or more 
names the earliest given of these is to be adopted, is agreed to solely as a means of 
attaining unanimity in nomenclature ; but the revival of an obsolete appellation by 
which no one now knows the plant is only producing instead of avoiding confusion, and 
should be discouraged to the utmost. 
