968 



ed, opposite or alternate, mostly increasing in size as they ascend up 

 to a certain point, beyond which they again diminish, and finally be- 

 come longer and narrower, or elliptic-lanceolate, more remote, alter- 

 nate or scattered ; racemes terminal and lateral, comparatively with 

 P. vulgaris few-flowered and short; flowers small, bluish white (rarely 

 deep blue, Koch) ; lateral enlarged sepals (wings) oblong-obovate, 

 scarcely pointed, their lateral nervures considerably ramified and con- 

 fluent towards the margin, anastomosing with the central nerve by an 

 oblique branch or two of the latter, generally towards its apex.* 



Since some botanists may be disposed to regard our plant as con- 

 stituting a good species, I subjoin the following diagnostic formula: — 

 Polygala depressa. — Stems depressed, filiform, branched, leafy ; 

 lower leaves mostly crowded, oblong or obovate-elliptical, 

 obtuse, upper leaves lanceolate, scattered ; racemes short, 

 few-flowered ; flowers crested, lateral sepals (wings) oblong- 

 obovate, their lateral nerves reticulate, anastomosing with an 

 oblique branch of the central nerve. 



P. depressa, Wend., Koch in Rohling's Deutschland's Flora, 



V. 72 (excellent description). Cosson et Germain, Flore des 



Environs de Paris, i. 56, and Atlas de la Fl. de Par. tab. 8, 



fig. B. P. serpyllacea, Weihe, Reichenbach, Flora Germani- 



ca Excursoria, No. 2398. 



Polygala depressa is given as occurring in various parts of France 



and Germany, on heaths, moors and spongy, turfy ground. I will 



only further remark that from its peculiar habit it looks more like a 



species than most of its allies, although, like them, good structural 



differences seem wanting to its undeniable establishment as such. 



Wm. Arnold Bromfield, M.D. 

 Eastmount, Eyde, Isle of Wight. 

 September 8th, 1847. 



* I am disposed to lay but little stress on the nenration of the wings or enlarged 

 lateral sepals, finding this character liable to considerable irregularity on the same 

 specimen. 



