684 



aculeatus, which I found some days ago in a somewhat shady place 

 near Picallo Castle, in Fifeshire. The vicinage of this station^to the 

 old castle renders it probable that the plant may have been intro- 

 duced : but as I am credibly informed the castle has not been 

 inhabited for the last hundred years ; and as the plant bears signs of 

 vigour and health, and grows in tolerable abundance ; I presume it 

 may be set down as fairly naturalized. However, it may be indige- 

 nous, although / can see no reason for thinking so. 



George Lawson. 



Dion, by Cupar, Fifeshire, 

 October, 1846. 



Notice of" Flore Descriptive et Aiialytique des Environs de Paris, far 

 E. Cosson et E. Germain.'' Paris 1845; ' Si/twpsis Analytique de 

 la Flore des Environs de Paris, par E. Cosson and E. Germain. ' 

 Paris, 1845; and ^Synopsis de la Flore de Lorraine et d' Alsace, 

 par S. Chouleite.'' Strasbourg. 1845. 



Our attention has been called to these little works by seeing them 

 on Mr. Pamplin's counter, and we have been much pleased in skim- 

 ming over their contents. The Paris ' Flora ' is a very useful work, 

 and, as by far the greater number of species are also British, it is 

 peculiarly interesting to those who make the productions of our own 

 country their particular study ; the descriptions are for the most part 

 clear and concise, two great recommendations. The method followed 

 is that of Jussieu, the arrangement of the natural orders that of De 

 Candolle, nearly all the recently established genera and orders being 

 added. 



Mr. Choulette's work is merely introductory, being an analytical table 

 of the genera and species arranged under the Linnean classes : there 

 is something clever, if not perfectly satisfactory, in the dichotomous 

 mode of characterising the species: of this we subjoin an example. 

 Malaxis. 



Stem triangular with two leaves at its base Lceselii. 



Stem pentagonal with 3 — 4 leaves at its base paludosa. 



LiSTERA. 



Lip bifid; leaves oval ovata. 



Lip trifid ; leaves cordate cordala. 



Spiranthes. 



Stem leafy astivalis. 



Stem naked autumnalis. 



K. 



