924 



now empty excavation. No further appreciable change, except in 

 size, takes place for some time, and the rudiments of the coma are 

 even visible before any part of the embryo appears to be formed." 



Query concerning the First Section of Mr. BahingtorCs genus Cen- 

 taur ea. By Edward Newman. 



A FEW days ago I received a note from Mr. Roby, of Great Mal- 

 vern, from which 1 extract the following passage : " In a botanical 

 excursion a few evenings ago, two specimens of a Centaurea were ga- 

 thered, which, on a cursory examination, I supposed to be C. nigra, 

 /3. radiata : on further examination, however, they proved to be C. 

 Jacea, Linn.; I coidd not be mistaken, from its having much narrower 

 and sharper leaves than C. nigra, viz., linear-lanceolate, lower ones 

 broader and toothed. In Watson's 'New Botanist's Guide' there is 

 a ? attached to the name in his list of species, indicating that it is 

 very questionable whether or not this plant has really been found in 

 the places alluded to. My specimens are undoubtedly wild." 



At my request Mr. Roby kindly forwarded the specimens for exa- 

 mination, and 1 immediately saw^ that it was identical with the plant 

 I have several times recorded as being abundant in Herefordshire, 

 and which I have found to agree with Mr. Babington's C. nigrescens 

 (Bab. Man. Ed. 2, p. 181). I forwarded the specimen to Mr. Wat- 

 son, who pronounces it the C. nigra, &. radiata of Babington's 

 Manual : from this decision it were useless for me to appeal. How- 

 ever, I gave Mr. Babington's descriptions a very careful examination, 

 and compared them with the plant, and the result is, that I think Mr. 

 Roby is right in referring his plant to C. Jacea of Babington ; that 

 Mr. Watson is equally right in referring it to C. nigra, 0. radiata of 

 Babington ; and that I also am right in referring it to C. nigrescens 

 of Babington. 



The queries I would propose are these : — 



1st. — How many British species are comprised under the following 

 names ? 



1. C. Jacea 



2. C. nigra 



3. C. nigra, &. radiata 



4. C. nigrescens 



2nd. — Are not the first, third and fourth absolutely identical } 



