Vaillant's Aparine vulgaris, semine minori. 'Botanicon Parisiense,' 14, 

 t. 4, f. 4 a, (b is the fruit of G. Aparine). Smith refers Galium 

 spurium to this figure, observing, " Vaillant's beautiful plate repre- 

 sents these {seed pods) hairy, which has caused some doubt as to his 

 synonym. They may vary in this respect, like several others of this 

 genus." It seems, then, that this eminent botanist never saw the 

 Saffron Walden plant. It is possible that it may belong to G. spurium, 

 as I can see no difference, except in the seeds, from a specimen of 

 that Galium, gathered by the late George Don, near Forfar, which I 

 possess, in his Herb. Brit., No. 104. Yet I still think we have good 

 reason to conceive it to be distinct, unless Mr. Gibson should find, 

 next year, any specimens with smooth fruit — if he does, we may con- 

 gratulate him on gathering G. spurium south of the Tweed. Sebas- 

 tian Vaillant, whose name is given to this species, if it be so, was 

 demonstrator of Botany in the Royal Garden at Paris, and Fellow of 

 the Academy of Sciences. He did not live to publish the result of 

 his botanical excursions round Paris, and findinghis death approaching, 

 he consigned his manuscripts, and the beautiful drawings made for 

 him by Claude Aubriet, to the great Boerhaave, who published them, 

 with the assistance of William Sherard, to whom all the merit of the 

 arrangement is given, stating that he was the only man capable of 

 doing so, and that he had worked from morning to night for this pur- 

 pose. After the publication, Boerhaave gave the manuscripts and 

 drawings, bound in one volume, to the Academy at Leyden, which he 

 observes will serve to prove the exactness with which he has fulfilled 

 the work of his deceased friend. 



Edward Forster. 

 Woodford, December 10, 1844. 



Notes on Epimedium alpiniim and Saxifraga rotundifolia. 

 By William Borrer, Esq., F.L.S. 



Epimedium alpinum. Havingheard that,subsequently to Mr. Woods' 

 vain search, nine years ago, for this plant in Wasdale Screes, it had 

 been found, not in the Screes, but by the side of the river, that issues 

 fi^-om Wastwater, I made it one of my objects, in two excursions to Cum- 

 berland last summer, to visit it in its native place of growth, if possi- 

 ble, or if not, to ascertain the degree of authority for regarding it as a 

 native of the Lake District. Plants were shown me in a garden at Kes- 

 wick, said to have been brought from the Screes themselves ; and I 



