376 THIRSK NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. [^Mttl'ch, 



ward throughout Scandinavia, and is generally diffused in Bel- 

 gium and France. Ajacis is frequently subspontaneous in Bel- 

 gium, and occurs in France in sandy tracts in many of the de- 

 partments. Consolida has- for some time been permitted to take 

 a place in our British catalogues; but my own impression is, 

 that the plant of ' English Botany' is in reality the other species ; 

 and indeed I cannot call to mind having had the opportunity of 

 gathering or seeing in a dried state any wild British examples of 

 the same Consolida of which I shall have the honour, before the 

 close of the evening, of submitting specimens to your inspection, 

 from stations in France, Switzerland, and Italy. The two species 

 may be easily known from one another by various characters, 

 amongst others by those of their capsules : Ajacis has a pubes- 

 cent, Consolida a glabrous follicle. And I observe that, though 

 still calling it Consolida, Mr. Babington assigns a pubescent cap- 

 sule to the plant which he describes in the ' Manual.' This cir- 

 cumstance may be regarded as furnishing some degree of confir- 

 mation of the idea which I have suggested, but it is still quite 

 possible, not to say probable, that both species occur. I am not 

 however in a position to state confidently that such is the case^ 

 and should feel indebted to any of our members for fuller infor- 

 mation relative to the question. Whilst treating upon the mat- 

 ter, it may perhaps also be worth while to remark that a third 

 species, well known to horticulturists, may sometimes be noticed 

 as a casual straggler. The following diagnostic notes will amply 

 serve to distinguish the three. 



D. Consolida, 1j. Panicle short, loose, few-flowered. Flowers 

 blue or white. Capsules glabrous, acuminate, with lateral siyles 

 equalling half their lengths. Lower bracts sinaple^ much shorter 

 than the peduncles. Stem slender, downy, with several divari- 

 cated branches. 



D. Ajacis, L. Panicle elongated, close. Flowers blue, rose, 

 or white, never riolet. Capsules pubescent, attenuated gradually 

 upwards, with short sublateral styles. Lower bracts foliaceous, 

 equalling or svirpassing the peduncles. Stem strong, pubescent, 

 with several open branches. 



D. orientale. Gay. Panicle elongated, close". Flowers violet, 

 rose, or white. Capsules pubescent, narrowed suddenly with short 

 lateral styles. Lower bracts foliaceous, equalling or surpassing 

 the peduncles. Stem strong, glabrous, frequently simple. 



