CONVOLVULACE^. 93 



This plant comes very near C. Epithymum, of which it is not 

 improbably merely a sub-species. The lieads of flowers are more 

 approximate, larger, the individual flowers considerably larger, 

 and the calyx not red, but white, or merely with the segments 

 bordered with red ; the stem forms closer coils, and the plant 

 grows in large patches, killing all the cover within the area. 

 According to Professor Babington, it differs from C. Epithymum, 

 in having the scales narrow, only half the length of the tube of 

 the corolla, distant, with the sinus between them rounded, and the 

 connecting membrane forming cup-like spaces between itself and 

 the tube of the corolla ; while in C. Epithymum the scales are as 

 long as the tube of the corolla, and approximate below^, with the 

 sinus between them narrow and acute. Professor Crepin, in the 

 fourth Eascicule of his "Notes sur les Plantes rares et critiques 

 de la Belgique," states that he finds at Kochefort a plant winch 

 apparently agrees with that of Professor Babington, except that 

 the scales are separated by only a narrow interval with a subacute 

 sinus. It is much to be wished that botanists who meet with this 

 plant would examine large numbers of fresh specimens, in order to 

 ascertain whether it is variable in this respect or not, as it is the 

 principal character by which it can be separated from C. Epitliy- 

 mum : in dried specimens, the scales shrivel so much that no 

 certain conclusions can be drawn from them. 



Clover Dodder. 



French, Gvscute Trefle. German, Klee Seide. 



This species of Dodder is recognized by Professor Babington as especially 

 attacking fields of clover, and we recollect very well seeing whole districts covered 

 with it, entirely destroying the original crops. In Sussex, one field especially 

 presented at a distance the appearance of having circular heaps of some red substance 

 all over it, which being near the seacoast, we mistook for seaweed, until, on closer 

 inspection, we discovered' the red threads of the Dodder entirely overpowering the 

 clover and growing in circular patches as described. 



EXCLUDED SPECIES. 

 CUSCUTA HASSIACA. Pfeiff. 



This plant, which is known by many different names, as 

 C. corymbosa {Ruiz, et Fav.), C. suaveolens {Ser.), C. racemosa 

 {Engehnan), Grammica aphylla {Lour.), and Engelmannia or 

 Cuscutina suaveolens {Ffeiff.), was found by Mr. Varenne near 

 Witham, Essex, in 1851 ; and also previously near Biven Hall, in 



