84. JUNCACE.^3. 59 



LuzuLA NivEA, Desv. 



Area (15). 



Alien. The introduction of this species into lists of 

 British plants, on the most slender gTounds, affords 

 another instance of that unscientific and even culpable 

 tendency of too many botanists, to report the circum- 

 stances of theii- discoveries so partially or imperfectly, as 

 almost inevitably (though perhaps seldom intentionally) to 

 mislead other botanists. The liuzula nivea was reported as 

 a discovery in British botany, without any explanation or 

 intimation to suggest its being other than a genuine na- 

 tive in the locality. And yet, as we have subsequently 

 been informed, it was planted in that same locality by a 

 gardener. It is difficult to conceive that, under such cir- 

 cimistances, any good botanical observer could have found 

 the plant there, without some degree of suspicion against 

 its true nativity being suggested to his mind, by some at- 

 tendant cu-cumstance of the situation, or the paucity of 

 roots, or the improbability of the species being British, 

 &c. Indeed, a hint on the latter point did accompany 

 a report that examples had been exhibited at the Botani- 

 cal Society of London, as really British productions. In 

 the case now before us, there can be no suspicion of any 

 intention to mislead ; but there are other somewhat simi- 

 lar instances, where the intention to deceive was unmis- 

 takeable, in the wilful suppression of invalidating circum- 

 stances. 



