97 



Observations on the Genus Ruhus ; with a Notice of the Species ob- 

 served during three days at Selborne.* By T. Bell Salter, 

 M.D., F.L.S. 



(Continued from p. 92). 



With that part of Mr. Lees' paper which has reference to the 

 habits of Rubi, I fully accord, as the foregoing remarks sufficiently 

 testify; but I must express myself as by no means coinciding with 

 him in the remarks he makes, as to the extent to which those habits 

 interfere with the generally received opinions of specific characters, 

 I believe the only caution which becomes needful from this cause, is 

 this, namely, not to look to small secondary barren shoots for the pro- 

 per characters derived from this part of the plant, either in respect to 

 its foliage, or the texture of its clothing, — these small shoots approx- 

 imating in both particulars to those of the panicles. Thus they are, 

 generally, in those species in which the panicles are tomentose, much 

 more hairy than the proper growing shoots, and the leaves are gene- 

 rally much more simple. The older the shrub, and the smaller these 

 barren shoots, the more do they in these respects approach in foliage 

 and clothing to the characters of the panicle. 



And this remark does not apply to the barren shoots of the second 

 or succeeding year's growth only, but also, in some degree, to acci- 

 dental branching during the first year. When a shoot meets with an 

 accident to arrest its growth, it sends out many branches ; and if, at 

 the time of the occurrence, it was in vigorous growth, except that the 

 first few leaves are more simple, these branches have all the characters 

 of the primary ban-en shoots. If, however, these branchings take 

 place later in the season, when the buds have been more matured, or 



* In the first volume of the ' Phytologist' (i. 1132) I contributed a notice of a visit 

 to Selbome, under the title of " Three Days' Botanizing at Selborne," in which I 

 made mention of those plants of interest which I there met with, excepting the bram- 

 bles, which I was not then prepared to speak of. The present notice of the Rubi 

 found by me at that time, I had desired should have been considered as a continua- 

 tion of that communication, and with the same title ; and accordingly I sent the first 

 portion of this renewed account of the results of my visit, headed as before, — " Three 

 Days' Botanizing at Selborne." I had, however, prefaced the remarks on the Sel- 

 bome Rubi, with some general observations on the genus, and these attained so great 

 a length, that there was not room in that number to come to the consideration of those 

 plants from Selbome which had led to my communication. On this account the Edi- 

 tor changed my title to " Observations on the Genus Rubus." As regards that por- 

 tion of my paper, this may be a more appropriate heading, but not so to the whole ; 

 and therefore in the present and following parts, I restore a portion of my former title. 



Vol. II. 



