54 NOTES ON BOTANY. 



On the other hand Rosa and the fruticose Ruli seem to be at 

 present in a most unstable condition. So, in its metropolis, is Ulex. 

 Here we have three forms ; from the Spanish Peninsula Nyman 

 enumerates 21, many of them, as I know to my cost, puzzling to 

 the last degree. Now, here in Dorset, we have a good chance of 

 studying one point in connection with this genus. Ulex Gallii, 

 Planch, is very abundant on our heath-lands. Often it is typical 

 enough, but frequently it gets very close to U. nanus, Forst, 

 from which I suppose it to have been derived. In northern 

 Portugal, I have observed typical U. narnis abundantly, but never 

 anything like U. Gallii. This (sec. Nyman) first appears in 

 northern Spain, then in north-western France, and finds its furthest 

 extension in England, and Ireland. We may conjecture, I think, 

 from this distribution, and from the instability of the form, that we 

 are looking, in U. Gallii, at the youngest, or one of the youngest, 

 members of the Gorse family. 



I will only add, in conclusion, that in botany, as in other 

 subjects, it is very easy to ask questions but frequently very 

 difficult to answer them. 



January, 1889. 



