VI 



The ' Phytologist ' for the present year is characterized by the 

 value and extent of Dr. Brornfield's paper, intituled a ' Catalogue of 

 the Plants growing wild in Hampshire.' Independently of the mass 

 of general information conveyed under this title, Dr. Bromfield has 

 conferred an important and lasting benefit on the science of British 

 Botany, by reviewing, in a truly; philosophical and most truth-seeking 

 spirit, the claims of certain disputed species to be regarded as true 

 natives of this island. This talented botanist entirely ignores the fact 

 of occasional cultivation as a sufficient ground for distrust; and con- 

 tends that if a species increases spontaneously, firmly maintaining its 

 position in our woods or moors, under similar circumstances as regards 

 latitude, soil and situation, to those in which it has always been found 

 on the continent of Europe, and which have obtained for it an unques- 

 tioned place in European floras, then it has an equal right to be 

 admitted without question into our own. Dr. Brornfield's observa- 

 tions on Fritillaria Meleagris (Phytol. iii. 964) and Liliura Martagon 

 (Id. 968) are worthy of the most careful study. Nothing can be more 

 confused, contradictory and unsatisfactory, than the capricious deci- 

 sions of our publishing botanists as regards the nativity of plants 

 growing wild in Britain ; and great praise is due to one who has 

 ventured to treat the subject in so searching and logical a manner. 

 The same distinguished botanist has for the first time laid down 

 characters whereby the closely-allied Orchis bifolia and O. chlorantha 

 may be distinguished from each other (Phytol. iii. 991). 



Mr. Watson has an admirably lucid paper, intituled ' Explanatory 

 Notes on certain British Plants for distribution by the Botanical So- 

 ciety of London, in 1850' (Phytol. iii. 801). The plants noticed are 

 the Viola canina group, Poterium muricatum, Melilotus arvensis, 

 Fumaria agraria, Stachys ambigua, Sinapis Cheiranthus, Arenaria 

 media, Lastrea uliginosa, Cystopteris fragilis, var. Dickeana, Hiera- 

 cium sylvaticum, c. pictum, Polygala depressa, Atriplex patula-del- 

 toidea, Bromus pseudo-velutinus, Pyrethrum inodorum, proliferous 

 variety, and Hyacinthus non-scriptus with foliaceous bracts. 



