318 BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. [OctobeV, 



I have also to spare a good many examples of Anchusa sempervirens, 

 Trifolium incarnahim, Cynoglossum sylvaticmn, Folygonum Bistorta, and 

 Allosorus crispus, wliich. I will give in exchange for the following plants : 

 — Lloydia serotina, Stachys germanica, Isnardia palustris, Cypripedium 

 Calceolus, and Villarsia nymplicBoides. John Sim. 



9, Commercial Street, Perth. 



Lathyrus tuberosus. 



Our British Floras are not altogether destitute of rumours as to this 

 (supposed newly discovered and) most interesting plant. In Lightfoot's 

 'Flora Scotica,' vol. ii. Appendix, p. 1137, original edition, 1777, may 

 be read as follows : — 



" Lathyrus tuherosus. In Dr. Hope's collection, but where collected 

 he does not know." Is this Dr. Hope's herbarium still in existence ? 

 Dr. Lightfoot's own rather extensive herbarium was, I think, formerly in 

 the late Mr. Eobert Brown's possession. G. W. 



[Last May, or in the beginning of June, I had the singidar good hap to 

 meet with a single plant of Lathyrus tuherosus, at Wandsworth Steamboat 

 Pier. When vague rumours of the discovery of this visitant came to my 

 ears, I began to turn my attention to the Wandsworth plant which had 

 been removed into my garden, where it has thriven weU, producing several 

 stems, but no flowers. 



As this species grows in cornfields in many parts of Europe, the north- 

 west of France, for example, its occurrence at Wandsworth, where so many 

 exotics have appeared, is no subject of wonderment. It may not be so 

 easy to account for its being overlooked in Essex, where it is reported to 

 occupy an extent of several square miles. — Ed.] 



The Decline of the Flowers. 



Pretty flowers and graceful leaves, 



Too soon you must depart, 

 And leave a cold and baiTen time. 



You that so cheer my heart ! 



Yes, oft I 've rambled in the woods 



When Spring was scarcely born. 

 And from amid the rotten leaves 



The sweet young Violet torn. 



And when the youthful Spring smiled sweet, 



And laughed the buds to light,* 

 Then forth I went with cheerful heart 



To pluck the Primrose bright. 



* The laughter of this season, personified as it is, may probably be thought too 

 poetical or too bold a figure, but as the effect was the opening of the buds, a 

 smile would not have produced the effect. The surly winds of March and April, 

 also very often shut up our buds instead of unfolding them, and the laughter, 

 though possibly unbecoming in so dignified and gracefid a personage as Spring, 

 may be forgiven for the sake of its efiects on tlae blowing of our buds. 



The Annotator is not certain that he has apprehended the Poet's meaning ; for 



