190 THE BOSE FAMILY. 



Europe, Kussian and central Asia, and northern Africa, but not a high 

 alpine nor an Arctic species. Abundant in Britain. Fl. summer, com- 

 mencing early. It varies considerably, especially in the prickles and hairs, 

 and in the shape of the leaflets, and from its propagating so readily by 

 its rooting stems, individual variations are often extensively multiplied, 

 and acqviire an undue importance in the eyes of local observers. The con- 

 sequence has been an excessive multiplication of supposed species, both in 

 Britain and on the Continent, although scarcely any two writers will be 

 found to agree in the characters and limits to be assigned to them. Amongst 

 those which have been observed in Britain, the following appear to be the 

 most marked, although even these will very frequently be found to pass 

 imperceptibly one into the other. 



a. Common Blackherry (R. fruticosus communis). Leaflets covered un- 

 derneath with a close, white down. Flowers usually numerous. Chiefly 

 in hedges and thickets. 



b. Hazel-leaved B. (E.. f. corylifoUus) . Leaflets green underneath, usu- 

 ally large and broad. Flowers not so numerous as iu the common B. In 

 hedges and thickets with the common B., but usually flowering earher. 



c. Hornbeam-leaved B. (R. f. carpinifolius) . Leaflets green undernealli, 

 hut not so broad, aijd more pointed than in the last, the stems more han-y. 

 Flowers not numerous. Chiefly in woods. 



d. Glandular B. (B. f. glandulosus). Leaflets as in the last variety, or 

 sometimes broader, the stems with numerous stiff, glandular hairs mixed in 

 with the prickles. More frequent in shady woods than in open tliickets. 



e. Suherect B. (R. f. suberectus). Leaflets green, or slightly hoary un- 

 derneath. Stems shorter, and more erect than m the common forms. 

 Flowers usually few, and the fruit not so black. Occasionally found in wet 

 woods and thickets.* 



3. DeTvberry Ilubus. Rubus csesius, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 826. Beioherry.) 



Very near the Blachherry R., but distinguished by the more slender 

 branches, more or less glaucous when young, spreading, or creeping along 

 the ground, and seldom arched ; the flowers few, in small, loose panicles ; 

 the divisions of the calyx narrow, with much longer points, closing more or 

 less over the fruit ; and especially by the glaucous bloom covering the fruit 

 when ripe. Leaves pale green on both sides. Prickles usually small, with 

 few or no hairs intermingled. 



In opea fields and stony wastes, seldom penetrating into woods, or climb- 

 ing up into hedges, extending over Europe and Russian Asia, but not an 

 Arctic plant. Common in Britain. Fl. summer. It is beheved by some 

 botanists to be as much connected with the Blaclcherry by intermediate 

 forms as some of the above-enumerated varieties of that species are with 

 each other, but generally speaking it is not difficult to distinguish it. 



4. Stone Rubus. Rubus saxatilis, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 2233.) j 



The rootstock emits a few creeping runners rooting at the nodes, and 

 erect or ascending simple stems seldom above a foot liigh, slender and- 



* For further details see Hooker and Arnott's ' British Flora,' 7th edit., pp. 121 to j 

 130, where the Blanhherry and Dewherry are described as either one, seven, or twenty-one I 

 species; or Babington's ' Manual," 4th edit., p. 96, where thirty-six species are admitted. 



