8. R RHAMNIFOLIUS. 85 



narrower panicle is most usually the produce of plants 

 having the cordate leaflet. Apparently the converse is the 

 fact in Germany, if I am correct in identifying our plants 

 with those of the Bubi Germanici. All the leaflets of our 

 cordate-leafed plant are (upon both the stem and flowering 

 shoot) shorter and broader than those of our typical R. 

 rhammfolius ; those of the stem tend towards a cordate 

 form, especially at their base, and are usually dentate; the 

 basal leaflets are usually broadly ovate or oblong, the inter- 

 mediate broadly obovate, the terminal roundly or sometimes 

 almost exactly cordate but with a cuspidate point. There 

 seems to be no true distinction between the plants. 



The presence of felt on the leaves is undoubtedly (in 

 my opinion) typical of R. rhamnifolius; yet plants may be 

 found having much hair, and very little or no felt on those 

 organs. Their leaves are also more dentate than is usual in 

 this species, with which however it seems proper to place 

 them. 



Bell Salter combined R. nitidics, R. affinis, R. sylvaticus 

 and R. villicaulis with R. rhamnifolius. The two former 

 seem to me, and to most other students of Brambles, to be 

 abundantly distinct. The two latter are so difierent in most 

 respects that it is interesting to find an apparent cause for 

 what I cannot but consider as a great mistake. Dr Salter 

 mentions only one station for his R. sylvaticus (including R. 

 villicaulis), viz. "In a hedge at Weeks-field near Ryde," in 

 the Isle of Wight. Fortunately I possess a specimen from 

 that place, gathered, named R. villicaulis, and given to me 

 by Dr Bell Salter. Its stem is not in the least "villose," 

 even in the young state wliich my specimen represents, 

 but bears only a few scattered haii's. I name it R. rham- 

 nifolius. Dr Bell Salter's R. villicaulis is therefore not the 

 true plant so named, but simply a form of R. rhamnifolius. 

 I am also able to determine with tolerable certainty the 



8 



