294 Miscellaneous. 



Borrer and Mr. Newbould. The plant is so like M. officinalis (Willd.) 

 that it has probably been overlooked in many places ; indeed I now 

 (Aug. 2) find that it is far from rare between Cambridge and the 

 Gogmagog Hills. The proportions of the parts of its flower, and the 

 shape and surface of its pod, are so different from those of M. offici" 

 nalis (which also grows near Cambridge), that a very slight exami- 

 nation of the two plants is sufficient to show their specific distinct- 

 ness. In the 2nd edition of his Synopsis, Koch has altered the 

 names of these plants, calling the present species M. officinalis 

 (Desr.) ; the M. officinalis (Willd.) he names M. macrorhiza (Pers.). 

 — C.C.B. 



On the Parasitical Habits of Scrophularine^. By Professor 



Henslow. 



The supposed parasitism of the Scrophularinese (in Euphrasia, 

 Odontites, Melampyrum, Rhinanthus, &c.), detected by Decaisne, has 

 more than once been called in question. You may remember that 

 I stated, in the Gardeners' Chronicle last autumn, my own convic- 

 tion of the fact, and mentioned my having obtained the roots of 

 Euphrasia officinalis and Odontites rubra attached by succors to the 

 roots of grass. This fact appeared to me sufficiently satisfactory at 

 the time ; but I determined to follow up the inquiry by sowing seeds 

 of Rhinanthus and Odontites, both near and at a distance from other 

 plants. The results of my experiment are as follows : — Several 

 plants of Rhinanthus Crista-galli came up at a distance from other 

 plants, but did not thrive ; they scarcely attained an inch or an inch 

 and a half in height ; only two produced one flower each, and then 

 the whole withered without any seed being formed. A single plant, 

 ■which came up close to a plant of wheat, attained the usual dimen- 

 sions and flowered freely, but I neglected to observe whether its 

 seeds were perfected. The specimens of Odontites rubra came up 

 more freely than the Rhinanthus ; and they all flowered, both those 

 that were near other plants and those at a distance. On examining 

 them I found abundance of examples of the succors, or succor-like 

 protuberances, on their roots attached to the roots of wheat and rye ; 

 and, in two instances, I traced fibres of the Odontites spreading more 

 than a foot from the spot where the plant was growing till they had 

 reached and intermixed with the fibres of the rye. In some cases 

 I could detect no appearance of succors, and nothing like an attach- 

 ment to the roots of other plants. 



I learn from Mr. Bentham that he has met with instances where 

 there were certainly none of the succor-like appendages to the roots 

 of some specimens of Euphrasia, Melampyrum, and Odontites ex- 

 amined by him. There is, therefore, something yet to be ascertained 

 concerning the precise character of the parasitism of these plants, if 

 indeed they be truly parasitic. As the question is of some import- 

 ance to cultivators, I would suggest the following experiment to 

 those who have fields in which Rhinanthus Crista-galli is abundant. 

 Let them keep a space of about three yards square perfectly cleared 

 of this plant for two or three years, and observe whether the grass 

 on that patch flourishes beyond that which surrounds it. I shall pro- 



