1863.] KXTINCT SPECIES. 339 



It would oblige at least one reader of both the ' Flora of Es- 

 sex ' and of the ' Phytologist ' if the authors would tell him what 

 Buddie's ' Hei'barium ' has to do with the question? Did the an- 

 cient owner or any owner of this celebrated collection write 

 near the specimen, assumed without any evidence to be E. Esula, 

 the name Esula minor, or TiUtymahis pinus, or T. Pinea, or T. 

 Pithyusa ?, the ancient names of this Spurge, w hich is not in 

 Ray^s ' Synopsis/ though he knew the plant, and describes it in 

 Hist. Plant, p. 8C7. It was not recognized as English till about 

 a hundred years ago. 



We are indebted, I suspect, to E. B. for this novelty, which 

 now passes muster as a doubtful native, even by the critical 

 author of the ' Cybelc.' A very slight study of the history of the 

 species would have satisfied any one even less sceptical than he, 

 that it is still without any sponsor for its ever having been found 

 truly wild. 



Smith very prudently quotes Lightfoot, who merely relates 

 that E. Esula is '' said to have been found growing plentifully 

 on a bank to the south of Lord Abcrcorn's house, about a mile 

 from Edinburgh, by Mr. Charles worth ; but as we have seen no 

 specimens, we' can determine nothing concerning it.'" ('Flora 

 Scotica,' vol. xi. p. 113o.) Smith's locality is thus described : — 

 "■ In a wood near a rivulet at Abercorn, thirteen miles from 

 Edinburgh ; Mr. B. Charlesworth." This will remind the readers 

 of Shakespeare, of Falstaff's twelve rogues in buckram. (Comp. 

 El'B., vol. XX. p. 1399.) 



There cannot be much doubt about the Essex plant collected 

 by Dale, ai^d called Tithymalus verrucosus by Parkinson, Hay, 

 arid Hudson ; but whatever it l)e, it is not E. Esula, which dif- 

 fers iota ca^lo from all the descriptions we have of T. verrucosus. 

 No two Euphorbias can be more unlike in external appearance, 

 duration, and locality. It is hoped that the learned editors will 

 explain their own meaning. 



About Bupleurmn falcatum the authors of the ' Essex Flora,' 

 p. 134., appear to bfe' at festie'Vith Mr. E. Forstcr. The latter 

 gentleman believes it was discovered previously by " Gerard and 

 others." Gerard indeed states that he found Buphurum angusti- 

 yo/iMm,'Monspd'., growing "among the bushes about Bieston Castle, 

 Clieshire;" nut an unlikely place. Parkinson affirnis that both 

 B. amjusliJoVmni, presumed to be B. falcatum of modern authors. 



