1052 



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incorrect, expunge tlie name : thej' would have no idea that it is only 

 the Linnean name that is struck out, the plant being one of our com- 

 monest species. The name immediately preceding, viz., Asplenium 

 fontanum is rejected because the authors do not believe it British. 



The passage about Rubi is as follows : — 



" As no two of our authors seem to agree in their views respecting 

 the-species and nomenclature of the British Rubi, originally included 

 under the name of R. fruticosus, it has appeared useless to extend 

 the Catalogue by again printing a long list of mere names, which can 

 have no certainty or constancy of application on the labels written 

 by individual botanists, one compared with another. The Society 

 will distribute such duplicates of the frulicose Rubi, Nos. 340, &c., 

 as maj' be sent ready labelled for the purpose ; and through this 

 course different botanists may eventually come to understand the no- 

 menclature of each other." 



K. 



A few more Words about the Centaurece. By Edward Newman. 



I AVAIL myself of the editorial privilege of alluding to a communi- 

 cation in the present number, because it will be as well to close the 

 discussion with the year, unless new information should be elicited 

 by future and more exact observations. Mr. Lees, in his paper on 

 Centaurea Jacea, recommends botanists " to attend to involucral 

 scales rather than the radiant flowers," in their endeavours to distin- 

 guish between the true Jacea of Linnaeus and the allied species or 

 varieties. Mr. Lees repeats this twice, as something rather impor- 

 tant. Of course I applied the counsel to myself, having been the 

 originator of the discussion, and I beg to assure Mr. Lees that he has 

 misunderstood me if he thought I wished to introduce this character 

 as one whereby Jacea, nigrescens and radiata could be separated. 

 As far as I am aware, they are all equally "radiant," and I cannot 

 find that any botanist has introduced the existence or degree of ra- 

 diancy into the question. In fine, I believe the three appellations, 

 as regards Britain, are mere synonyms, 



E. NF.WMAN, rmXTKB, 9, DEV02ISH111E Steeet, Bishopsgate. 



