374 Botanical Society of London. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, 



June 7, 1844. — J. Reynolds, Esq., Treasurer, in the Chair. 



Specimens of (Enantlie peucedanifoUa and (E. pimpinelloides were 

 exhibited, accompanied by notices of their distinctive characters and 

 habits, by Edwin Lees, Esq., F.L.S. 



Much uncertainty and confusion liaving prevailed among British 

 authors and distributors in regard to the distinctions between these 

 species, the views of Mr. Lees, founded on good opportunities for ob- 

 servation, are deserving of particular attention. Tlie following con- 

 densed abstract will explain the conclusions formed by this botanist. 



First. CE. peucedanifoUa always grows in wet places, and is found 

 both by salt and fresh water ; while (E. pinipi?ielloides is found in dry 

 ground only. 



Secondly. The characters derived from the form of the radical 

 leaves, and the presence or absence of an involucrum, will not prove 

 sufficient to prevent confusion ; but the rounded tubercles upon the 

 roots of (E. pimpinelloides will readily serve to distinguish that spe- 

 cies from (E. pevcedanifolia, in which the tubercles are elongate and 

 sessile. 



Thirdly. There is some difference in the fruit of the two species, 

 though the materials in the possession of Mr. Lees are not sufficient 

 to state this with jorecision and certainty. 



Mr. Lees thus attaches the first importance to the form of the root 

 as a distinctive character, and the circumstance should instruct col- 

 lectors to be mindful of the value of the root. 



Specimens collected by Mr. Lees afforded the principal reason for 

 retaining (E. pimpinelloides as a British species in the ' London Cata- 

 logue of British Plants,' in preference to the adoption of Mr. Babing- 

 ton's change to Q^. Lachenalii ; and one of the same specimens com- 

 municated to Mr. Ball induced that excellent botanist to admit (E. 

 pimpinelloides as well as (E. Lachenulii among the indigenous species. 

 Three species, not two only, should therefore now be looked for, and 

 the confusion and uncertainty may thus be removed. 



Most of the specimens hitherto sent to the Society have proved 

 quite useless through the absence of roots and fruit, but it is 

 earnestly requested by the Council that contributors will collect spe- 

 cimens with root and fruits from as many localities as possible. 



Some highly interesting examples of the Irish Saxifrages, belong- 

 ing to Haworth's genus Robertsonia, were exhibited from Mr. An- 

 drews, who had obligingly sent living plants as well as dried speci- 

 mens. Two of the specimens were sent in record of the fact lately 

 doubted or denied by the accurate Mr. C. C. Babington, that the 

 Pyrenean forms of S. umbrosa and »S. Geum (with crenate leaves) are 

 certainly native in Ireland ; the specimen of S. Geum, indeed, being 

 considered " even more obtusely crenate than Mr. Babington's figure 

 (No, 8) from the Pyrenean plant." These specimens were collected 

 " this year, from the mountains to the south of Brandon Mountain, 

 county of Kerry." 



S. hirsuta is "considered by Mr. Andrews to be a hybrid form be- 



