12 BELGIAN PLANTS. [January, 



Taste, like colour and smellj is oftener a distinctive character 

 of a race or a variety than of a species. How many species of 

 Pyrus, Fragaria, Pimmis, etc., would be distinguished by the 

 taste ? The same question might be asked about the cultivated 

 Crucifers, Brassica oleracea, etc. How many myriads of species 

 of RoseSj Dahlias, Pansies, etc., might be distinguished by colour, 

 and how many species of Mints, Calaraints, etc., by smell ? It 

 may be true that these two forms of Barbarea are distinct spe- 

 cies, and that they are recognizable by their taste, just as some 

 -species of Fungi are distinguishable by their colour; but such 

 distinguishing characteristics are not usual. 



Note. M. Crepin observes that Barbarea precox, R. Brown, 

 is B. patula, Gren. et Godr. ; and that the veritable B. prcscox 

 is a Belgian plant. Possibly it may be here also, although we 

 are not so sharp-sighted as Belgian botanists. M. Crepin would 

 much oblige us by sending us seeds of the genuine B. prcecox, 

 i. e. the Belgian form. 



Prunella (Brunella) alba and P. vulgaris. 



The author of the ' Notes on some Rare or Critical Plants of 

 Belgium ' is surprised that this species, P. alba, is combined with 

 P. vulgaris as a variety of the latter. He distinguishes them 



thus : — 



P. alba. P. vulgaris. 



Seed oblorio;, wlien ripe not easily Seed obovate, easily detached 



detached from the disk. fi-om the disk. 



The author maintains that there are other constant differences 

 between these two forms or species, viz. in the form of the calyx, 

 in the size and shape of the lower teeth, in the colour of the 

 corolla (blanc jaunatre dans le B. alba,- violette purpurine ou 

 blanche dans le B. vulgaris), and perhaps, he adds, in the form of 

 the casque or upper lip of the corolla. Also the plants differ in 

 pilosity, in the forms of their leaves and in the stems of P. vul- 

 garis rooting at the base, while the stem of P. alba has no such 

 tendency. Will any reader verify these characters, and tell the 

 writer what may be his opinion of their feasibility ? 



POTAMOGETON OBLONGUS and P. NATANS. 



P. oblongus. P. nutans. 



Nerves of the fresh leaves obscure. Nerves of the fresh leaves tram- 



parent. 



