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XLIV. Extracts from the Minute-Book of the Linnean Society of 



London. 



1837. 

 Nov. 21. Read the following "Notice of the discovery of Cucubalus bacci- 

 fer, L., in the Isle of Dogs." By Mr. George Luxford, A.L.S. 



" The accompanying specimen of Cucubalus baccifer was, with 

 many others, collected by me in the Isle of Dogs in the early part of 

 last August. This plant was originally introduced into the British 

 Flora by Dillenius in the third edition of Ray's Synopsis. He there 

 speaks of it as having been gathered in hedges in Anglesea (Mona) 

 by Mr. Foulkes of Llanbedu, and sent by him to Dr. Richardson ; 

 but in a letter from Mr. Foulkes to the latter gentleman, published 

 in the Linnean Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 171, he states, that he 

 only had ' an account of it from one who pretended to know plants 

 very well,' but ' that he himself could find no such plant.' In a 

 note to this letter, in the work just mentioned. Sir J. E. Smith says, 

 ' Nobody, as far as I could learn, has ever met with the plant since, 

 except in curious botanic gardens, in any part of the British isles; and 

 accordingly I was obliged to be content with a garden specimen for 

 the figure in English Botany, tab. 1577. I am, therefore, under the 

 necessity, however unwillingly, of excluding the Cucubalus baccifer 

 from our British Flora.' It was accordingly omitted when Sir James 

 published his ' English Flora.' 



" The locality in the Isle of Dogs is on the banks of the ditch on 

 the left hand of the road from Blackwall to the Ferry House ; and 

 there, if not truly indigenous, it is at least perfectly naturalized. I also 

 feel convinced that I have met with it in similar situations in other 

 parts of England ; but the plant not being in flower, I have passed 

 it, as I did the first time I saw it in the Isle of Dogs, thinking it to 

 be merely Cerastium aquaticum. It is probable that, like Polygonum 

 dumetorum, this plant only requires to have the attention of botanists 



