45 



tribution becomes desirable, as it appears that the Edinburgh Society- 

 are still (December, 1844) sending out the caulescent variety of Pri- 

 mula vulgaris, labelled as "P, elatior." It is but justice to the pre- 

 sent Curator of that Society, however, to add, that the same and many 

 other misnomers which occur in my parcel from Edinburgh, this win- 

 ter, are on labels which bear the dates of preceding years : — but why 

 still sent out uncorrected ? Formerly, the Edinburgh Society's labels 

 were much more accurate than those of the London Society : now, 

 the balance seems quite reversed ; though I fear this improvement will 

 be only temporary in London, as it depends wholly on a single indi- 

 vidual, who may not continue an active member much longer. 



4. Helianthemum Breweri, {Planch.) This is the Holyhead plant, 

 which has been so long confused with H. guttatum. But while it ap- 

 pears to be truly distinct from the latter, there seems a geographical 

 improbability of a species being exclusively peculiar to a small part 

 of Anglesea. (Phytol. ii. 23). 



5. Lastrtea spinosa, [Newm.) Usually passed over as a form of L. 

 dilatata, (L. multiflora, Newm.) The specimens may be deemed au- 

 thentic ; two of them having been seen and named by Mr. Newman, 

 before the rest were labelled. 



6. Scleranthus perennis, [Linn.) This is distributed on the chance 

 that some of the specimens may assist in correcting the very frequent 

 error of labelling specimens of S. annuus, which are collected in win- 

 ter or spring, with the name of the present species. About nine or 

 ten of the specimens sent to me under the name of S. perennis, belong 

 really to S. annuus. 



7. Linaria spartea, {Hoffmsg.) Distributed last year, but not being 

 in the London Catalogue, specimens may still be sent out while they 

 last. In the past autumn (1844) there were many plants in the loca- 

 lity at Walton-station, to which it has doubtless been introduced by 

 some chance. I am not able to say with confidence, whether this 

 name, or that of L. juncea [DeC.) should be given to the specimens; 

 but it is certainly the plant common in gardens, under the name of 

 Antirrhinum sparteum. 



8. Polygonum maritimum, [Linn.) Garden specimens, raised from 

 foreign seeds, as shown on the labels. The inducement to send them 

 in the parcels, is, that they are so intermediate between P. maritimum 

 and P. Raii {Bab.), as to throw much doubt on the specific distinct- 

 ness of these two species. It is worthy of note, that these garden 

 specimens were referred to P. Raii b}' a well known Professor of Bo- 

 tany, who has had good opportunities for studying the latter in its 



