341 



and of course augmented scepticism and distrust of the labours of 

 others. Still I am willing to give brevet rank to the five veteran 

 Cerastiums specially introduced into these Notes, and to call them 

 species by courtesy, without joining the opprobrious epithet of 

 "book" to them, trusting to time either to confirm their claim to the 

 honour, or to revoke the grace which bestowed it. Yet I shall pro- 

 test against granting a like degree to any more of the scions or offsets 

 from stocks of such dubious character and deserving, and rejoicing 

 that one of these younger branches has quietly disappeared by a pro- 

 cess of self-absorption, devoutly hope that another and only remain- 

 ing one, still dark green and flourishing where the departed so lately 

 bloomed in new-born dignity, will make its exit from the court of 

 Flora in the same easy and agreeable manner without compulsion, as 

 being too nearly allied, like most, I fear, of the others we are treating 

 of, to that confessedly little-renowned and retiring individual, C. ob- 

 scurum of Chaub., to the paternity of which personage, whoever he 

 may be, it seems under no great obligations for its name or reputa- 

 tion in the vegetable world. 



Cerastium tetrandrum. On dry pastures, banks, wall-tops and sandy 

 heaths, frequent in the Isle of Wight, and perhaps in the county ge- 

 nerally. On Ryde Dover. I believe my plant to be exactly that of 

 Curtis, on a renewed examination of my specimens so named in 

 1838. 



pumilum. Curt. ? Sandy places rare. Abundant on the 



sandy fence of the Ferry Boat Inn, opposite Bembridge, Isle of 

 Wight, April, 1842. I cannot now quite answer for the exact cor- 

 respondence of my plant with the C. pumilum of Curtis, as I at that 

 time considered it, what I still think it likely to be, a mere variety of 

 C. semidecandrum, but my notes express no doubts of their identity, 

 and I was extremely cautious about coming to conclusions until after 

 repeated careful comparison of the living plants with the best and 

 most authentic descriptions and figures. At that date I was not so 

 much in the habit of preserving specimens of what I looked upon as 

 trivial varieties as I have since been, and therefore I cannot now re- 

 new the comparson of my own with Curtis's pumilum, but having 

 quoted his figure in ' Flora Londinensis ' without a ? after it in my 

 MS. notes, which it was my constant rule to do where the least doubt 

 remained on my mind, I fell pretty well assured of their agreement. 

 It may assist the advocates for retaining this and the remaining forms 

 under their distinctive names, in coming to a conclusion on the sub- 

 ject of our Isle of Wight C. pumilum, to add what I considered, 

 Vol. hi. 2 y 



