SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



in 



are doubtfully described as species. Of E.pulchella, 

 the author remarks, " probably only a variety of 

 the preceding " (centaurium) ; and of E. lateralis, " I 

 fear it has little right to be kept distinct from 

 E. centaurium." He admits that E. latifolia has 

 more the appearance of a species than either of the 

 two preceding, but says, " I can hardly persuade 

 myself it is distinct from E. centaurium." 



Withering, ten years later, in his " Systematic 

 Arrangement," fifth edition, has four species, 

 followed by a note to the effect that " the four 

 alleged species above described are apparently 

 varieties of the same specific form, dependent 

 upon difference of soil and situation." This view- 

 is quite untenable by anyone who has seen them 

 growing intermixed on the Lancashire coast, under 

 identical circumstances of climate, soil and situa- 

 tion. They are accorded specific rank, without 

 any doubtful note, in Babington's " Manual," sixth 

 edition, 1867. The remaining forms mentioned in 

 the "London Catalogue" do not occur, to my 

 knowledge, on the Lancashire coast. 



There can be little doubt that the Chironia 

 pulchella of the older authors included E. littoralis, 

 Fr., and though the technical characters are 

 apparently of small importance, the general 

 appearance of the two plants is so dissimilar that 

 they are easily discriminated at a glance. E. 

 littoralis, Fr., by which I understand a small, 

 narrow-leaved plant, is very distinct when so 

 restricted ; but there is another form occurring on 

 tst which simulates E. centaurium. We appear 

 to have two well-marked forms of the plant, easily 

 recognised, but somewhat more difficult to define. 



What I call /-'. littoralis, Fr., has narrow strap- 

 shaped leaves, the margins of which are nearly 

 parallel. The radical leaves are longly spatulate. 

 cm is seldom much branched, often simple, 

 and the bran' lies generally arise from the upper 

 half of the stem. This is usually a small plant, and 

 rarely exceeds four inches in height. It is the 

 common form about Southport, both north and 

 viuih of tlii' town, and also occurs farther south, 

 but more ra 1 tiding to the Cheshire coast. 



■ther form is occasionally a very robust 



and handsome plant, rivalling /•.'. centaurium in 



Mature and mnrh surpassing it in the size and 



1. are ',( a singularly 



rich and deep pink, approai bin;; magenta It may 



I a* a large form "I / 

 htinralii, with the technical characters of thai 

 specie. -it. ol ' orolla 



alyx, but with broader leaves and Lhe 

 . halm of /. unlaurium, 1 hi 



lan< colatr: and o" a 



sionall G e time* 



at Ion rath prop 



from f ng« than broad. The 



from all parts the base, 



This combination of the characters of two 

 species which grow together, and the luxuriant 

 growth and large size (for littoralis) of some of 

 the specimens, led me to imagine at one time that 

 they were hybrids. While still prepared to accept 

 the view that there may have been cross-fertiliza- 

 tion originally, I am convinced the supply is not 

 kept up by this means, but that they ripen seed 

 and reproduce their kind. The difference also is 

 not due to station, as they grow together, and the 

 different shaped leaves can be traced on small, 

 starved specimens reduced to one or two flowers. 



I have found the puberulent clothing of the 

 upper part of the plant a reliable means of separa- 

 ting all forms of E. littoralis from E. centaurium. I 

 have never seen this point noted in our handbooks. 

 In littoralis the. lobes of the calyx have a broader 



Apex of Sepals (much magnified). 

 (1) E. littoralis ; (2) E. centaurium. 



hyaline margin than in centaurium, and this border 

 is gland ciliated almost to the apex, giving it a 

 serrate appearance. A few glands occur on E. 

 centaurium, but they do not extend so far up the 

 sepals. I would suggest that the name E. littoralis 

 (Fries.) be restricted to the plants having narrow, 

 strap-shaped leaves, and that those with broader 

 and more oval leaves be named E. littoralis var. 

 intermedia. A small form of E. littoralis with 

 oval leaves, collected at Inver Bay, east Koss, by 

 the Rev. E. S. Marshall, and labelled by him " var. 

 minor, Martin ," arc similar to starved forms ol 

 var. intermedia, only differing in being much less 

 ptiberulous, less so in fact than in any form of 



littoralis I have yet examined. Alii gfi the two 



forms I have attempted to separate rue very 

 difficult to define on paper, I feel convinced they 

 are really distinct, and thai further observation in 

 the field will result in the discovery of some 

 additional character by which they may be 



Separated more readily. 



. ., 1, iii, abo e, (hi Re' ' i. • iai king has 

 kindly pointe I ouf to m<- thai the pubei uloui 

 1 lolhing ol / . littoralis is mentioned in the spei ifii 

 . barai lei ol thai plain In " 1 nglii i> Botany 



... // , 1 ad, H altoh 1 1 ■ <!■■■> I 



