74 :RHA]yrNiFOLii. 



Group II. Ehamxifolii. 



Canles plus miniisve arcuati, sparsim pilosi, nee 

 pruinosi nee setosi neque tomentosi, radicantes. Aeulei 

 in caulis angulis ssepissime eongesti, subaequales, in basi 

 depressa compressa expansi. 



The remarkably naked stems form the chief peculiarity 

 of this group. They usually bear a few scattered hairs, and 

 sometimes subsessile glands are found on the stem of R. 

 rhamnifoUus and R. latifolius. My acquaintance with two 

 of the supposed species is very imperfect: one of them, R. 

 imhricatus, certainly belongs to this group; whilst R. latifolius 

 so much resembles R. corylifolius that it might possibly (but 

 only possibly) have been better placed near to that species. 



R. affinis is placed in the group Suberecti, owing to its 

 much closer relationship to R. j^Hcatus than to any of these 

 plants. Its usual form is quite that of the Suberecti, but 

 larger states closely resemble the Rhamni/olii. It seems to 

 be the connecting link between the groups. 



As it is certain that the original R. nitidus belongs to the 

 Svherecti, we must change the denomination usually given 

 to this group by English Botanists. It is now named from 

 what seems to be the most prominent species included in it. 

 It cannot be called Corylifolii with Lindley and Bell Salter; 

 for R. corylifolius belongs to the group of Ccesii. 



Dr Walker-Arnott remarks that the stems of these 

 plants are not more without hairs and stellate down than 

 those of the group Villicaules. But there is this diflference 

 between them : the stems of the Rhamni/olii are nearly 

 naked even when very young, but those of the Villicaules 

 become so only by age. The former plants also want the 

 setas, felted hairs, and aciculi which not unfrequently occur 

 on the stems of the Villicaules. 



