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Welburn, Yorkshire, Sept 17, 1844. 



Note on Carex paradoxa. — As a companion to Mr. Luxford's note 

 (Phjtol. 1021), allow me to call the attention of your readers to a re- 

 mark by Mr. Teesdale, in his ' Supplement to the Plantse Eboracen- 

 ces,' read before the Linnean Society, Dec. 4. 1798, and published in 

 the 5th vol. of their Transactions. Under Carex paniculata is the 

 following : — " Ohs. We have in the marshes a variety of this, witli a 

 small compact panicle, which never forms itself into large tufts, as tlie 

 C. paniculata does. It probably may be a distinct species." I should 

 conclude at once that the plant here alluded to was C. paradoxa, 

 were it not that the tufts formed by that species are precisely like 

 those of C. paniculata, so far asc/ have ever observed. The former, 

 it is true, is the smaller plant, and the stools are consequently small- 

 er, though equally dense ; and if Mr. Teesdale's words can be under- 

 stood to imply that his Carex does form tufts, though scarcely so large 

 as those of C. paniculata, I think no doubt will remain of his alluding 

 to C. paradoxa. It is not improbable that C. paradoxa may have 

 been gathered many times in Yorkshire for C. teretiuscula, and I have 

 lately seen it under this name in the collection of Mr. Backhouse, 

 who gathered it in Ascham-bogs some twenty years ago. As to Mr. 

 Gibson's complimentary mention of me (Phytol. 1042), I look upon it 

 as a sort of "note of thanks" for some fine specimens of Carex para- 

 doxa he had from me, and which I have reason to believe were the 

 first he had ever seen of the species, as I have not since heard from 

 him in any shape. I did not think it worth while to notice Mr. G.'s 

 misrepresentation, for to him "it is a matter of little importance" to 

 he correct ; and I suppose I need not remind him that something 

 more is necessary to entitle a person to the name of a " discoverer," 

 than merely being the first to gather a plant ; he ought also to be able 

 to distinguish it from every other species known to exist in the same 

 country, and (if practicable) to make it known under its true name : 

 otherwise might the " natives " of Teesdale be considered the disco- 

 verers of Gentiana vema, because they have been, from time imme- 

 morial, accustomed to decorate their hats and bonnets with its beau- 

 tiful blossoms. 



RiCHAED SpEUCE. 



O B 



