ON GENTIANA GERMANICA, Willd. 
By C. C. BasBiNcTOSN, M.A., F.R.S. 
(PLATE XV.) 
There has. been much discussion concerning two questions, but it 
has not resulted in any definite determination of either of them. 
They are, (1) have we the true G. Germanica as a native plant in 
England; and (2) is that supposed species distinct from G. dmarella ? 
l have never seen any English specimens that I could suppose to be 
G. Germanica, except a few gathered near Tring, in Hertfordshire. 
These present a rather different appearance from those usually called 
G. Amarelia by us. - They have larger and more decidedly funnel- 
shaped flowers, and apparently their germens are more decidedly stalked 
than those of our other plants. But a careful examination led me to 
suppose that the latter character, although relied upon by Continental 
botanists, was not sufficiently constant to separate the plants specifically. 
T have often found stalks to the germens of specimens which I con- 
fidently named G. Amarella. As no other character of value had been 
pointed out, it seemed best to consider the G. Germanica a form of 
'G. Amarella.. Dr: Grisebach, the greatest authority on Gentianacee, 
supposed, and still supposes that it is a constant character, and con- 
tinues tó use it as one of the distinctions of the plant. He even 
went so far as to believe that all our plants are G. Germanica, for he 
states that until very recently, every specimen that he had seen belonged 
to that supposed species; but now he allows that some sent to him 
by Dr. Seeititihri, which had been gathered iu Cambridgeshire by the 
Rev. W. W., Newbould, are the true G. marella, but adds that he 
had seen others obtained in Scotland. He refers to Grisebach and 
Schenk's * Iter Hungaricum,’ in Wiegmann’s * Archiv für Naturkunde,’ 
1852, p. 331; for his last remarks upon the subject. He there says: 
“G. Germanica, W., et G. Caucasica, M. B., ab omnibus Gentianeis 
ipsi notis recedunt alione corollæ ita quincunciali, ut lobus quintus 
ab utroque latere occultetur, bini oppositi valvatim juxtaponantur, ter- 
tius cum lobo utroque adjacente sestivatione contorta dextrorsa, quartus 
sinistrorsa confluat." Also, he adds, that G. Amarella has the lobes 
* dextrorsum contortis," and a sessile capsule. Now if this is really a 
VOL. IT. [MARCH 1, 1804.] F 
