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Art. XCIV. — Notes on Geniiana Amarella, (Linn.), and Gentiana 

 germanica, (Willd.) By George Luxford, A.L.S. &c. 



These remarks are published in the hope that others, who have had 

 an opportunity of examining the plants to which they refer, may be 

 induced to record the results of their investigations in * The Phytolo- 

 gist.' Mr. Babington's opinion (Phytol. 310) and Mr. Brown's obser- 

 vations (Id. 320) have already appeared in its pages; on the other side 

 of the question I may give the following extract from the ' Gardeners' 

 Chronicle.' — 



^^ New British Plant. — Some years ago Mr. W. Pamplin, bookseller, of Queen, 

 street, Soho, observed a Gentian with large flowers in the neighbourhood of Tring, in 

 Hertfordshire. Following his indication, the Rev. W. H. Coleman of Hertford has 

 obtained specimens which have confinned him in his suspicion that it would be found 

 distinct from G. Amarella. In fact it proves to be the Gentiana germanica of foreign 

 authors. He observes the following differences between it and G. Amarella : — " The 

 plant is much smaller and less branched, while the flowers are fewer and larger. The 

 leaves are broader — minutely but more distinctly dentate, as are also the segments of 

 the corolla. The calyx is more rounded at the base, and its tube is equal to the seg- 

 ments; while G. Amarella has the segments rather longer than the tube. The seg- 

 ments of the corolla of such specimens of the Gentiana as he has examined, in cestiva- 

 tion overlap those adjacent to them on the right — while those of G. Amarella overlap 

 towards the left. More important diff"erences than these consist in the ovary of Gen- 

 tiana geimanica being stalked and the corolla widest at the throat, while in G. Ama- 

 rella the ovary is sessile, and the corolla almost cylindrical. Dr. Grisebach has already 

 referred the figures of G. Amarella in ' English Botany ' and the ' Flora Londinensis,' 

 to G. germanica; and there can, we think, be no doubt that it and G. Amarella are 

 quite distinct species.'' — Gardeners' Chronicle, Oct. 9, 1841. 



The perusal of this paragraph made me determine, whenever an op- 

 portunity occun-ed, to investigate the subject for myself, and, if possible, 

 to satisfy my own mind as to the justness of the claims of the plant 

 called Gentiana germanica to be considered specifically distinct from 

 the Gentiana Amarella of Linnaeus. At that time I had seen no au- 

 thentic specimens of the former plant ; my examination was therefore 

 confined to the specimens of G. Amarella in my own herbarium. The 

 results of this examination certainly did not tend to remove certain 

 doubts which previously existed, at the same time, I was not so influ- 

 enced by them but that my mind remained open to conviction should 

 the evidence subsequently adduced tend in the opposite direction. 



A few weeks since Mr. Wm. Pamplin very kindly sent me a recent 

 specimen of a gentian, gathered by him near Streatley, Berks, together 

 with the folio wins- remarks : — 



