317 



a suberect position. The heads are larger and more sharply angled 

 than those of F. apiculata. 



It should be added, nevertheless, that the species must be judged 

 of by a combination of characters rather than by any single character 

 in itself; and allowance must be made for the varied situations of 

 growth. For instance, on dry gravelly roads the F. germanica is often 

 much stunted, its branches spread widely, and the heads are fewer in 

 number, larger in size, and more distinctly pentagonal ; so that, in 

 this state, it may be difficult to distinguish it satisfactorily from ex- 

 amples of F. spatulata which have grown under somewhat similar 

 conditions. So again, one of my finest specimens of F. germanica has 

 remarkably green and broad leaves, not undulated at the margin. And 

 I have examples of F. spatulata with leaves equally green as those of 

 F. apiculata ; indeed, of a more lively green than in many examples 

 of the latter. The lowest leaves of all three are not seldom spalulate ; 

 while the uppermost leaves of the true F. spatulata occasionally in- 

 cline to the cordate-oblong or lanceolate form seen in the other two. 



It may be expected that all three will be found widely diffused with 

 us. In the summer of 1847 a specimen was given to me by Mr. Bull 

 as probably referrible to F. apiculata, although the red colour was 

 scarcely perceptible on the scales. The specimen was likely gathered 

 near Guildford or Godalming ; and the examination lately of nume- 

 rous others from this county, now satisfies me that Mr. Bull was cor- 

 rect in his suggestion. Late last autumn, I found two or three very 

 small and stunted specimens of the same species, in a sandy path- 

 way near Ockham Pond, Surrey. Having again found it this past 

 summer, and in better condition, in a lane on the sandy ridge called 

 Fairmile, between Cobham and Esher, in the same county, I was in- 

 duced to search the adjacent fields, and soon discovered an abundant 

 crop in a neighbouring wheat-field. I have since found the same 

 very sparingly in the stubble fields near Thames Ditton, Long Ditton, 

 West Moulsey, and Walton. In course of my searchings a few stray 

 specimens of F. spatulata were also discovered in Thames Ditton and 

 Chessington parishes ; and in crossing a wheat stubble by the Thames 

 between Walton and Sunbury Loch, on the first of this September, I 

 came upon a copious supply of the F. spatulata in an excellent con- 

 dition for exhibiting its characteristic distinctions as compared with 

 the other two, both of which grew very sparingly amongst the plants 

 of F. spatulata. Mr. G. S. Gibson has met with both species in the 

 vicinity of Saffron Walden. And it appears by the ' Phytologist ' of 

 the current month, that Mr. Woods has gathered the F. spatulata on 

 Vol. hi. 2 t 



