242 Sir J. E. Smith's Botanical Ilistorij 



This species is, in every part, twice the size of the foregoing, 

 of which it has, till now, been considered as a variety, whose 

 greater luxuriance, or more dilated habit, was attributed to its 

 situation in a more favourable climate. Into this error 1 have 

 been led in the Flora Britannica, where therefore a number of 

 erroneous synonyms are accumulated ; but the description be- 

 longs precisely to the T. palustris, except perhaps what regards 

 the bracteas and fruit. So much are we frequently disposed to 

 see with the eyes of others, that it was not before I had compared 

 the figure in English Botany with that of Redoute, both cited, 

 tocether in Ilort. Kew., that I was obliged to correct my opinion. 

 After making all imaginable allowance for possible inaccuracy in 

 the two artists, however excellent; and for the one plate being 

 taken from a wild specimen, the other from a most luxuriant 

 garden plant; nothing seemed to justify a conclusion of their 

 belonging to one species. A more close examination of the plants 

 themselves immediately removed all uncertainty. Besides tlie 

 difference of size, as above mentioned, the root of what I have 

 now named T. alpina is much thicker in proportion, and more 

 woody. The stem bears two distant leaves, of which the upper- 

 most especially is much smaller than the radical ones, and if si- 

 tuated more than half way up the stem, it diminishes in propor- 

 tion. But the most satisfactory differences exist in the flowers. 

 The inflorescence is a cluster (racemus), from one to two inches 

 long, frequently interrupted or scattered. The partial stalks, 

 though short and thick, are always distinctly present, having a 

 concave permanent solitary bractea, about their own length, at the 

 base; and as ihe. fruit advances they become more evident, a 

 line or more in length, and curved upward. The calyx is close to 

 the rest of the flower, cup-shaped, unequally and rather slightly 



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