126 



ancient species of Sambiiciis known are in Baltic amber, of 

 Oligocene age, and these actually have the corolla more than five- 

 lobed ! They are represented by beautifully preserved flowers, 

 figured by Conwentz, ^. multiloba having a seven-lobed, 5. suc- 

 cinea a six-lobed corolla. Sambucus succinea Conwentz was 

 originally described as Ilex minor Caspary, i88i. Conwentz 

 changes the name because he says there is already a species 

 minor among living Sambucus. This appears to be an error, as 

 no such name occurs either in the work under review or the Index 

 Kewensis ; hence S. succinea is entitled to the name Sambucus 

 minor (Caspary). 



In this country, fossil Sambttcus occurs at Florissant, in the 

 Miocene shales. I have described one species as 5. newtoni in 

 Amer. Journ. Sci., 1908, p. 541. A second, very distinct by its 

 long tapering leaflets, is represented by the very beautiful speci- 

 men figured herewith. It may be diagnosed as follows : 



Sambucus amabilis n. sp. 



General structure of leaf, including venation, inequilateral bases 

 of upper lateral leaflets, and apparently texture, as in 5". neomexi- 

 cana Wooton, but leaflets much longer and more tapering, as the 

 figure shows. The lateral leaflets are at least 100 mm. long, 

 with a maximum breadth of 12 or 13 mm., the apex very long 

 and tapering, quite different from i\ Newtoni. The marginal 

 teeth are finer than in S. neomexicana, being about 4 in 5 mm., 

 instead of 2 or at most 3 as in nconiexicana. The tapering leaf- 

 lets are much more like those of 5". canadensis in outline, but 

 more finely toothed. The type specimen was collected at Station 

 14, in the Miocene shales of Florissant ( fF. /l Cockerell). As 

 preserved, the leaf is light reddish. 



One of the most interesting things in the geographical distribu- 

 tion of living Sai/ibucus is the occurrence of a species of the 

 Asiatic group Scyphidanthe in the mountains of German East 

 Africa. This plant was originally described by Engler (Ann. 

 Bot., 1904, p. 537) as Sambucus ehulus africahiis, but it is really 

 a form of 6". adnata, and must be known as Sambucus adnata 

 africana. By some accident. Count von Schwerin has overlooked 

 Engler's publication. 



A point to be investigated in our own flora is the southern 

 extension of 5. melanocarpa Gray. I have reason for thinking 



