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more flexible consistence, and the more purple tint of the flowers, 

 which vary through pale lilac into white. The second group is known 

 by its narrower and more obtuse leaves, their thicker and more rigid 

 consistence, and the predominating blue tint of the flowers, which 

 ranges from a deep blue through a pale blue (not lilac) gradually into 

 white. There is, however, great variety of form and size, both in 

 leaves and flowers. I have seen the leaves of V. canina quite reni- 

 form, and thus perfectly obtuse ; while those of the " Surrey violet " 

 (Babington's montana) are sometimes almost equally acute as in some 

 examples of the "pusilla" form of V. canina. When collecting the 

 "Surrey violet" or "dwarf violet" where they grow intermingled, I 

 find the blue or the purple tints excellent practical guides, without 

 which I might frequently stoop to pick the wrong plants. 



H. C. Watson. 

 Thames Ditton, October 24, 1847. 



Note on Hieracium heierophyUum . By James Backhouse, Esq. 



I have been much interested with the description of Hieracium 

 heterophyllum contained in the last number of the 'Phytologist' 

 (Phytol. ii. 961), with which there is a species closely agreeing, on 

 the Yorkshire side of the Tees, at Winch Bridge, above Middleton, 

 in Teesdale, which is a district rich in this genus. From the scales 

 of the involucrum being reflexed, the absence of radical leaves, and 

 the general habit of the plant, I have looked upon it as a form of um- 

 bellatum, to which it appears more closely allied than to H. murorum 

 or H. maculatum. It may be a good species, but I should be glad if 

 James Bladon, the author of the paper alluded to, or any other per- 

 son, would point out the diff'erences between H. heterophyllum and 

 H. umbellatum. The latter is of pretty common occurrence in the 

 sandy districts about this city. 



James Backhouse. 



York, 26th 10th mo., 1847. 



