236 Mr. C. C. Babington on some species o/Epilobium. 



originating near the middle and curved in a circular form on the 

 outer side ; a shorter one, also originating near the middle and 

 enveloped in membrane, is curved obliquely downwards, and 

 their prevailing colour is brownish-red. The convex sides of the 

 digital joints are directed towards each other. The eyes are 

 seated on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax, two on the 

 summit of the vertical prominence, and the other six at its base, 

 in front, each lateral pair being placed obliquely. The abdomen 

 is oviform, convex above, and projects over the base of the 

 cephalo -thorax; it is sparingly clothed with hairs, glossy, and of 

 a brownish-black colour, that of the branchial opercula being 

 pale yellowish-white. 



Adult males of this species were discovered under stones in 

 the woods about Hendre House, near Llanrwst, in October 1855. 



XIX. — On some species o/Epilobium. 

 By Charles C. Babington, M.A., F.R.S. &c.* 



Having been led to examine the British species of Epilobium, 

 and arrived at the opinion that some of them have not received 

 as much attention as they deserve, and have therefore been mis- 

 understood, it seems desirable to publish the results. My ob- 

 ject in so doing is to direct attention to the plants — not to place 

 before botanists a conclusion satisfactorily attained. There re- 

 mains much to be done before we can be said well to understand 

 these plants. Those upon which it is proposed to treat have 

 been included under the names of E. tetragonum and E. al- 

 pinum. 



Before proceeding to the discussion of the species, it will be 

 well to clear the way by pointing out the characters upon which 

 it is believed that we may depend. This will entail a slight 

 sketch of the arrangement of our Epilobia. Leaving out of 

 consideration the group called Lysimachion by authors (although 

 there is a newly-discovered species of that section to be noticed 

 before ending this paper), we shall find that, taken in its general 

 sense, the form assumed by the stigmas will separate our plants 

 into two groups : (1) those which have that organ formed of four 

 spreading divisions so as to be cross-like, namely E. hirsutum, 

 E. parviflorum, E. montanum, and E. Icmceolahm; and (2) the 

 rest of our species, whose stigmas are so placed as to form a club, 

 either by having the four parts soldered together or by their 

 being adpressed to each other. In the latter case, that is, when 

 the stigmas are adpressed, they may sometimes be observed to 

 separate slightly, but never, as I believe, to become cross-like. It 

 is only when taken generally, that the stigma can be safely used 



* Read before the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 10th Jan. 1856. 



