i860.] botanical notes, notices, and queries. 95 



Mistletoe. 



In 'Chambers' Journal ' for December, 1859, there is an article on this 

 plant, and the writer, previously to quoting " Old Gerarde," says, — " This 

 strange plant is the only true parasitic plant indigenous to this country," 

 and that it is not a native of either Scotland or Ireland. Also " that 

 Shakspeare has but one solitary allusion to the Mistletoe — an uncompli- 

 mentary one ; he calls it ' the baleful Mistletoe.' In revenge for this hard 

 epithet, the slandered plant has fastened on the Limes of Datchet Mead, 

 that may have seen Sir John display his alacrity in sinking, tiU they are fast 

 decaying, and realize the poet's description, of 



" Trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, 

 O'ercome with Moss and baleful Mistletoe." 



I wish to know whether the statements contained in the first paragraph 

 are correct, or not ? 



With respect to Shakspeare's calling the Mistletoe " baleful," it should 

 be remembered that the scene described is a forest near Eome, where the 

 Mistletoe might have grown abundantly on the trees, and been baleful ; 

 but whether it is so on the Lime-trees in Datchet Mead I know not. Some 

 of your readers can tell us how this is. 



N.B. Mr. Johns, in his ' Elowers of the Field," says the wood of the 

 commoa»Mistletoe has been found to contain twice as much potash and five 

 times as much phosphoric acid as the wood of the foster tree. S. B. 



Gymnadenia Conopsea. 



Have any con'espondents to the ' Phytologist ' ever observed a state of 

 Gymnad. Conopsea growing in peat bogs ? The only place where it is found 

 near here (Oxford) are of that nature, and it appears to me to grow thrice as 

 large, to flower a month or six weeks later, and to be much more fragrant than 

 the ordinary form of " dry heaths and pastures " which I once found near 

 Eeading. There is probably as much difi'erence between the two as be- 

 tween Habenaria bifolia and H. cliloraniha, but I have been as yet unable 

 to get fresh specimens of both at the same time to make a comparison. The 

 bog plant grows two or three feet high, robust and fragrant in proportion, 

 but perhaps only diff"ers from the plant of the hills and pastures by luxuri- 

 ance, induced by its moisture and more sheltered situation. H. B. 



Welsh Botany. 



Llandderfel, Merioneth, N. Wales. — The MyrrJiis odorata gi'ows here- 

 abouts. Our parish clerk, John Jones (who, by the way, is much pleased with 

 your ' Illustrated Handbook of British Botany '), has just pointed it out to 

 me. I am indebted to the same kind friend for much local information upon the 

 botany of the neighbourhood, which I will endeavour from time to time to 

 put into order for the pages of the ' Phytologist,' if it be worth notice. 

 The Botryclimm Litnaria is pretty genera upon old pastures of moderate 

 elevation aU around, and where you do find it, it occurs in abundance. 

 Some specimens were gathered above nine inches in height. W. P. 



