541 



sunshine. Heliantheuuun polifoliuni also adorned the rocks of Babbi- 

 combe, but less plentifully than at " Daddy's Hole," nearer Torquay. 

 Orcliis pyramidalis was profusely scattered about, brilliantly tinting 

 the rocks. 



Primula verts, var. ? I was particularly struck with the quantity 

 of cowslips, in seed of course, growing among the Babbicombe rocks, 

 as I had understood this plant was rare in Devonshire. Jones so 

 speaks of it in his Tour ; and Dr. Halle says " The cowslip is a 

 novelty in our fields — its sister, however, the primrose, abounds." 

 This is curious : the cowslip was abundant at Babbicome, and not a 

 single primrose evident. The plant here, however, appeared to be a 

 variety, distinguished by an abundant tomentum on both sides of its 

 long- stalked leaves, which were quite silvery beneath. 



Though not particularly looking for mosses, it was impossible not 

 to be struck with the quantity and beauty of Neckera crispa, fringing 

 the limestone rocks, among the recesses of which I also gathered Zy- 

 godon Mougeotii, not, I think, previously observed in Devonshire. 



I was sorry to observe, in exploring the vicinity of Torquay, that 

 most of the romantic rocky tors, once so characteristic of the place, 

 were being broken up (and down too) by the destroying hand of build- 

 ing speculation, and hence their local plants will soon, I fear, only 

 exist in herbaria. On one of these, between Torre and the sea, as yet 

 only quarried, and commanding a lovely view of Torbay, I noticed 

 numerous Leguminosae, growing very small, among them Trifolium 

 scabrum and T. striatum, excesssively hairy, but very short, with nu- 

 merous clustered heads. On this tor I also gathered a single speci- 

 men of the rare and minute Medicago minima. This closed my 



Devonian explorations. 



Edwin Lees. 



Cedar Terrace, Henwicli, Worcester, 

 March 26, 1852. 



Rice Paper Plant. By Dr. Bowring.* 



I MUST write a line to let you know that specimens of the " rice- 

 paper-plant," root, leaf, and stems, are going home by this mail to 

 Sir W. J. Hooker. They were procured by Mr. C. S. Compton, the 

 brother of our Compton, from the crew of a Formosa junk (which was 



* Extracted from Hooker's ' Journal of Botany.' 



