280 : CORRESPONDENCE. 
name, for several years. A botanical correspondent told him that it 
was H. perforatum, and he therefore has lost the chance of being the 
first recorder of it as a native of Britain.—C. C. BABINGTON. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Gladiolus Illyrieus (Koch). 
Aug. 10, 1864. 
Whilst staying at Brockenhurst, in the New Forest, at the end of June last, 
we were able to examine three of the localities given by Mr. Wise for Gla- - 
diolus Illyricus, Koch. 
We found it occurring sparingly over a considerable extent of ground at 
both Rhinefield and Oakley plantations, two almos t exactly similar localities ; 
in the third station, however, the neighbourhood of the Knightwood Oak, which 
widely differs from the two former, and where the Pteris is tall and luxuriant, 
we spent some time searching for it without success, by looking under the fern 
in the manner recommended by Mr. Syme. In this locality Mr. Keeley was 
ually unsuccessful last year, later in the season. 
The Gladiolus affects chiefly the broad green open tracts or roads which 
intersect the two large plantations above mentioned. The plantations are com- 
posed of Firs, still of inconsiderable height, and have taken the place of woods 
eut down and cleared at perhaps no very remote period. 
The plant is by no means constantly ins paced by Pteris, which in these 
roads forms patches of low stunted plants seldom more than 18 inches high ; 
when growing amongst it, the Gladiolus,which varies in height ordinarily from 
18 to 36 inches, is easily seen. The first specimens we met with sprang from 
the side of an old turf-grown cart-rut. We noticed only one small patch am 
the Firs themselves at Rhinefield, though in one corner of Oakley plantation 
there were some scores of fine plants so situated; a very few grew among the 
To judge from the localities in which we found it, iis. Gladiolus m" dry, 
open, unsheltered spots on a sandy soil, to Aes. situations, and this 
with the habitats given by Continental bota viz. meadows, flelde or 
(G. communis, Linn.) even cultivated land. rimis till large tracts of the 
forest had been — cleared, the Gladiolus was much less abundant, and 
80 escaped notice 
Curtis mentia (Bot. Mag: 86) that G. communis in pidly by “ off- 
sets ;" this is probably the ease with the New Forest plant, as à large number 
of small bulbs are concealed under the meshes of the fibrous covering of the 
corm, at its bas 
. The uae quoted by Professor Babington from Hooker’s Flora, viz. 
