Mr. J. G. Jeffreys on the genus Scissurella. 311) 



applies it. If therefore we think it proper to drop VillaiVs 

 name, the next in antiquity is E. rusmarinifolium given by 

 Haenke in 1788. Mr. Borrer has pointed out to me that 

 Dodocns does not deserve the honour of being commemorated 

 in connexion with this phint, tlie figure of which in his work 

 (Pempt. 85) is only a reprint of L'Obel's cut (Stirp. Hist. 226), 

 and all that he says about it is contained in a single sentence 

 which conveys no valuable information. It is probable that he 

 never saw the plant. It cannot therefore be said that we 

 are depriving him of any credit, justly due to him, when we 

 neglect a name of only partial applicability to our plant and 

 adopt another which belongs to it alone. 



P.S. — The time which has elapsed since the communication 

 of this paper to the Botanical Society has allowed plants raised 

 from seeds of E. Lamyi, taken from the specimens sent by M. 

 Lenormand, to dcvelope their winter form. The seeds were 

 sown in a pot in the early part of the summer of 1855 ; they 

 flowered in the autumn, and the flowering stems are now (Feb. 

 22, 1856) quite dead. Around the base of the old stems there 

 is now a dense mass of rosettes, exactly resembling in all respects 

 those of E. tetragonum. The plants have not been defended 

 from the frost, but nevertheless the rosettes are in a healthy 

 condition. Dr. Schultz remarks of the rosettes, that "si la 

 plante n'est pas garantie contre le froid dans une chambre 

 chauffee" (Arch. ii. 53), they perish in the winter; but that if 

 so defended they produce plants that flower, ])ut do not develope 

 any more rosettes. It remains to be seen if such will be the 

 case with the plants in the Cambridge Botanic Garden. 



Mr. Borrer informs me that "a plant of E. Lamyi, raised 

 from seed sent by Schultz, is (Feb. 9, 1856) showing tufts of 

 leaves as strong as, and (as far as I can see) scarcely distinguish- 

 able from, those of ^. tetragonum, at this time in a north border 

 in my garden, where it must have borne 24 degrees of frost 

 [8° Fahr.] ." These facts tend to the conclusion that E. Lamyi 

 is not distinct from E. tetragonum. 



XXVI. — Note on the Genus Scissurella. 

 By J. GwYX Jeffreys, Esq., F.R.S. 



It would be a boon to science if Dr. Gray, or some other natu- 

 ralist who is well versed in general conchology, would enlighten 

 me and probably many more of your readers by assigning a 

 proper position and resting-place to this singular genus. I am 



