240 



middle of the filaments. Stigma two-lobed, with the lobes divaricate. 

 Style nearly glabrous, furnished with only a few glandular hairs. Cap- 

 sules oblong, cylindrical. 



The stem is originally whitish, assuming a purple hue as the flow- 

 er expands and finally becoming reddish brown. The tube of the 

 corolla is whitish, with the lips straw-coloured, marked with purple 

 veins ; the purple marlnngs extend in some cases for a short distance 

 down the tube. The bracts and sepals of a light purple. The stigma 

 purple and the stamens in unopened flowers the same, becoming brown- 

 ish-black on attaining maturity. The spike is lax, and the bracts at 

 the base of the stem not numerous. Parasitical on Daucus maritimus. 

 This plant is very distinct in the form of its corolla and general 

 characters from Orobanche barbata, the only species growing in the 

 western counties with which it may be confounded. 1 have carefully 

 examined the two plants in a living state at the same time, having re- 

 ceived through the kindness of Miss A. E. Grifliths beautiful speci- 

 mens of the latter from Torquay, where it grows in abundance on ivy. 

 Orobanche minor is a very different plant. 



The description given above agrees very nearly with those by Koch 

 and Reichenbach of Orobanche amethystea, Thuillier. The chief 

 difference is in the length of the sepals, which certainly do not exceed 

 or even equal the corolla. But Reichenbach and Koch are themselves 

 at issue on this point, and therefore much importance is not to be at- 

 tached to such a varying and indefinite character. A slight discre- 

 pancy also apparently exists in ray description of the under lip of the 

 corolla and that given by Koch : he describes the intermediate lobe 

 as trifid, apparently assigning an equality of value to the three divi- 

 sions of which it is composed, whilst I look upon it as simple, furnish- 

 ed with two convex processes : my reasons for so doing are that no 

 nerves enter into these processes, whilst they are very apparent in the 

 true lobes. One other difference remains to be pointed out : it is 

 that whilst Orobanche amethystea is parasitical, according to the 

 above authorities, on Eryngium carapestre, the Whitsand Bay plant 

 grows on Daucus maritimus. Whether our very critical botanists 

 will deem this latter point sufficient to keep the two plants distinct, I 

 cannot say ; but for my part I have no hesitation in considering them 

 identical, agreeing as they so thoroughly do in the curvature of the 

 tube of the corolla and the characters of the pistil and stamens. 



W. S. HORE. 

 Stote, Devonport, June 27, 1845. 



