73 



Perhaps as one general characteristic mark distinguishing this from 

 suberectus, I might mention the prickles of the barren stem not con- 

 fined to the angles, very numerous and near together, long and very 

 slender, arising from a very short, contracted base, which they twice 

 or more exceed in length. 



Specimens of this are given in ' Fasciculus of Shropshire Rubi.' 



4. R. plicatus, W. & N. 



The specimens given in the Fasciculus of this species are not those 

 of the Fl. Shropsh., but identical with R. plicatus, Bab. Syn. I did 

 not know this plant when I published the Flora. For some distinc- 

 tive marks see under R. affinis below. 



5. R. affinis, W. & N. 



1 believe the specimens of this species given in the Fasciculus are 

 the true affinis of W. and N., Rub. Germ. t. 3, p. 18. My friend Ba- 

 bington kindly concedes me the priority of detecting this addition to 

 our Flora, though only so by a few days. It is, however, highly sa- 

 tisfactory that we arrived at the same conclusion from an examination 

 of plants from different and far distant localities. 



This plant is not identical with the R. affinis of Fl. Shropsh. 226 ; 

 the var. /3. of which work is now referrible to R. cordifolius of W. and 

 N. and Bab. Syn., and the var. y. to R. corylifolius of Smith and 

 Bab. Syn., as will be noticed under those species hereafter. 

 I would offer the following description : — 



R. affinis, W. & N. — Stem suberect or arcuate, angular, nearly gla- 

 brous ; prickles strong, slightly deflexed or declinate ; leaves 

 5-nate, green on both sides, with silky pubescence under- 

 neath, plane at the base, somewhat wavy towards the apex, 

 coarsely crenato-cuspidato-serrated, lowermost stalked ; pa- 

 nicle compound, leafy, tomentose upwards, branches cymose, 

 erecto-patent, prickles more or less deflexed ; sepals reflexed 

 in fruit, with a long, acuminate point. — Rub. Germ. t. 3, p. 

 18. 

 Hab. — Shawbury Heath ; Haughmond Hill ; Gamester Lane, near 

 Westfelton ; hedges of Shrewsbury turnpike road, near Westfelton ; 

 hedges of Holyhead road, near Bicton Grove, near Shrewsbury ; all 

 in Shropshire. 



Barren stem suberect, sometimes elongated and arching, angular, 

 furrowed, dark purple, glabrous, or with a few scattered weak hairs. 

 Prickles confined to the angles, large and strong, generally straight 

 and declinate, though sometimes slightly deflexed, from a broad, di- 

 lated, compressed, purple base, yellow at the tips. Leaves digitate, 

 Vol. in. m 



