270 40. R. COEYLIFOLIUS. 



prickles, nor such very round and broad-based leaflets on the 

 flowering shoot ; but the range- of variation is very great 

 in both these respects. A specimen gathered many years 

 since near Bath, and named R. corylifolius by Mr Borrer, is 

 very exactly the R. Wahlhergii: others approach so closely 

 to this as not to admit of any doubt concerning their specific 

 identity with it. Metsch places R. Wahlhergii (Arrh.) as 

 a variety under R. dumetorum (Weihe). He seems to have 

 little acquaintance with the R. corylifolius (Sm.). Lange 

 [Danske Flora, 350) keeps it distinct, but erroneously refers 

 my R. latifolius to it. 



The R. 2^rui7iosus (Arrh.) is exceedingly nearly allied to 

 R. corylifolius a sublustris. Of this, Arrheuius was well 

 aware. My knowledge of the species (if species it be) is 

 derived from the specimen contained in Fries' Herb. Norm. 

 (vii. 47), which was supplied to that valuable collection by 

 Arrhenius himself; from one authenticated by the same 

 botanist and kindly sent to me by Mr Lange, of Copen- 

 hagen ; and from anotlier Sw^edish specimen, for which I am 

 indebted to Dr Lindeberg, of Goteburg. A careful com- 

 parison of these with R. corylifolius shows the following 

 diflerence. The stem is dark purple in colour, but is said 

 to be green in shady places (and is so in Dr Lindeberg's 

 specimen), with much more glaucous bloom than is usual 

 on our plant. The prickles resemble strong aciculi spring- 

 ing from oblong bases, and are slightly deflexed, correspond- 

 ing exactly to those of some states of our R. corylifolius. 

 The prickles on Dr Lindeberg's specimen are considerably 

 stronger, but retain a similar general character. The ter- 

 minal leaflets on the flowering shoot are very broad at the 

 base (except "near the lower end of the shoot"); our plant 

 seems always to have them narrowed below. The panicle 

 is leafy quite up to the top. In all other respects the R. 

 pruinosus seems identical with the smaller forms of R. 



