TWO DESCKIBEES AT ONCE 287 



and cut the Gordian knot as best we can. When I have done 

 the grasses I will send you a list of your species. 



He complains that the immense variety among the speci- 

 mens as their numbers increased made systematic results sadly 

 uncertain ; the incessant revision necessary delayed progress 

 with the proofs. ' I am perpetually on the scent of false re- 

 ductions or false references of a doubtful or badly described 

 species.' (January 7.) 



Finally, June 26, 1896 : 



I have put Poa, Festuca, and Bromus into Stapf s hands, 

 as he is well up in the S. European and Persian species. In 

 respect of Poa his work agrees well with Hackel's determina- 

 tions of your plants, but as to Festuca they are wide apart. 

 After two struggles with the latter genus I gave it up, and 

 I shall be curious to know what future observers make of 

 Stapf 's determinations. I can testify to the extreme- care 

 with which he has worked, but my impression is that the 

 whole of ovina and rubra and duriuscula groups are utterly 

 unmanageable. 



The fact that the same plants were being sent from India 

 for description to Hooker and Hackel simultaneously might 

 have led to embarrassment, especially as the former was, so 

 to speak, in the Indian Government employ. The only clash, 

 however, took the form of a happy coincidence. 



To the Same 



March 27, 1895. 



I left Kew Herb, yesterday with my usual bundle of 

 grasses for description at home, amongst them a new genus, 

 which I examined some time ago and for which I intended 

 the name Duihiea, when to my astonishment I found your 

 letter on my table, and the very same grass for which Hackel 

 had proposed the very same generic name ! 



Leaving Mr. Duthie to arrange the matter, he adds, for 

 his own part : 



I am only too glad to have Hackel's identifications in 

 which I put the greatest faith, and I shall adopt his names 



