cS . wr --8e. PF he 
ALIEN PLANTS IN Sussex.—Last summer I 
gathered on a farm about six miles from Brighton 
Solanum rostratum, which is a native of Mexico. It 
is something like a tomato plant, but covered with 
spines about half an inch long. Another exotic plant 
that has established itself in Sussex is the Bathurst 
burr (Zanthium spinosum), an Australian plant, which 
is growing and fruiting at Kingston-by-Sea. This 
being a small port, the latter plant has probably been 
introduced through the seeds clinging to wool or other 
items in a ship’s cargo. It is more difficult to account 
for the presence of the former sub-tropical plant in 
Sussex, though the hot, dry weather of last summer 
was favourable to its development.—7/omas Hilton, 
16, Kensington Place, Brighton, 5th October, 1899. 
Irish PLANT NaMes.—In my paper on this sub- 
ject, ScreNce- Gossip (ane, p. 130), there are a few 
alterations necessary. Some of these have been 
kindly suggested to me and others I have thought 
desirable to change after further investigation, as 
being more correct. On page 130 for Sparganium 
simplex read Phragmites communis, reed. For 
Wrachalach read Urachalach. For Slan luo read 
slan lus. For Luso garabh read Lus garab. For 
Bonain Ponra curraigh read Bonain Capuil and Ponra 
curraigh. For Slatgoram read Slatgorm. On p. 131 
Fluellin should be an English name and not as if an 
Irish. | Neantog marabh had better be considered as 
Lamium album, and Neantog dearg as Lamium 
purpureum. or Grafar read Grafan, also for 
Caennabhar beag read Ceannabhan beag. Pisbuidhe, 
Lathyrus pratense. Sreann bo Ononis arvensis, not 
the var. sf7nosa which is very rare in Ireland. Pis 
Capuil is Victa sativa. Biolar is not Stsymbrium 
officinale, but Nasturtium officinale water-cress. For 
Meastook reeil, Meastare alta read Meastore Ceeil, 
Meastore alta, Wypericum androsaemum Tutsan, and 
in the following line omit ‘‘Tutsan” entirely. For 
Baine Nuc read Baine Muc. P. 132, Fanaisge maisge 
should be Fanaisge naisge. Magallin Meadbrach is 
better Magairlin Meadrac, Orchis mascula. Buidhe 
standing alone, should be Buidhe Bhailscean, Sexecto 
jacobaea. Corranlin, Cluanlin, Cabrois identified as 
Spergula arvensis not Lystmachia vulgaris. Gear 
neimh Luphorbia peplus. For Prunus communts 
read Prunus spinosa. Prunus malus crabapple 
should of course be Pyrus malus.  Blaith na 
mbodager should be Blaith na mbod-agh. Canleach 
dhearg is better Canleac dearg. Cabhan abhan is 
Nuphar letea, yellow water-lily.—/ohn H. Barbour, 
Ballyholme, Bangor, [relana. 
TeucriuM Borrys.—Until 1894, this rare British 
plant was considered to be restricted to a few 
localities in Surrey, when its discovery near Halling 
extended its distribution into Kent. During last 
year I found it growing in a certain station in Surrey, 
which, although not so well known as the Box Hill 
localities, is, I believe, the one where it was first 
found in Surrey ; a fact that was lost sight of for 
years. When seen in June, 1898, it appeared to be 
plentiful over the limited area on which it occurs, 
but, on a visit to the same place later in the year, the 
SCIENCE-GOS STP. 221 
plant did not occur to such an extent as to be 
described as abundant. Tlowever, this year, I was 
yleased to see the plants were quite plentiful. 
Mature examples and seedlings were thick in places, 
and the species had even invaded the copse on the 
summit of the slope. Judging from the appearance 
of the larger specimens these seemed to have 
remained over from the previous year, so that the 
species is probably both annual and biennial. This 
was in mid-July, and it seemed unlikely that the 
seedling plants would attain maturity in the same 
year, especially, as in the previous year, by late 
August, the species here was almost past flowering. 
There are points in connection with the accounts of 
this plant that seem open to correction, one being, 
the flowers are described as many. The larger 
plants noted by me bore nearly 400 flowers each, so 
the term many does not seem to indicate how very 
numerous the flowers really are. In regard to its 
status, Zeucrium botrys is usually designated a 
colonist, a plant found only on land adapted by man 
for its growth, and continuous maintenance. In the 
locality I refer to, it is certainly not a colonist, as it 
is confined to a slope that shows no signs of past 
cultivation, and is at present much excavated by 
rabbits. This situation may be a portion of down 
country that has escaped cultivation, like other small 
portions hereabouts, and must be much like the 
[lalling locality. A curious circumstance in connec- 
tion with plants gathered at this spot last year, was 
the number of flowers producing no fruit; due to the 
fact of having been partially gnawed away by animals. 
Whether this mischievous work was caused by bees, 
snails, or rabbits it was impossible to judge, and no 
other parts of the plants showed any signs of this 
treatment. It occurred to me as likely that the 
flowers had been bitten away by bees, anxious to save 
themselves the trouble of securing the honey in the 
orthodox manner ; but, as the pistil, in mosi cases, 
had suffered equally with the other members, this 
seemed rather against the idea that bees were the 
offenders. One plant had as many as 97 flowers 
injured in this manner, consequently producing no 
seed, and another bore 51 similar flowers. If this 
injury to the flowers of this very rare plant is a not 
unusual circumstance, it is likely to have a decided 
influence in checking the natural increase and spread 
of Teucrium botrys in that neighbourhood.—C. £. 
Britton, 35, Dugdale Street, Camberwell, S.E. 
CERATOPHYLLUM DEMURSUM IN NORFOLK.— 
Through the courtesy of two correspondents, Mr. 
Arthur Bennet, of Croydon, and Mr. H. D. Geldert, 
of Norwich, the information has reached me that this 
segregate, mentioned in my notes (av/e page 166), as 
well as C. suhmersum J.., have been recorded for 
both the Watsonian provinces of Norfolk. The 
records appear in the Rey. Kirby Trimmer’s “‘ Flora 
of Norfolk,” 1866, and also in the supplement of a 
more recent date.—/. Saunders, Luton. 
PoIsonous PROPERTIES OF YEW.—We are some- 
what surprised that the ‘‘ Times” newspaper should be 
able to spare space at this busy season of journalism, 
for a discussion on the poisonous properties of the 
yew tree. Itis the privilege of the ‘‘ Times “to be the 
most varied newspaper in the world: and no matter 
how important may be the event of the previous day, 
the literary side is always ample, excellent, and 
accurate. This subject under discussion, however, 
has been well threshed out long ago. The leaves 
and young branches of yew are poisonous, and possibly 
the seeds also, if crushed before entering the alimen- 
tary canal, but if unbroken they appear to be harmless. 
The pulp of the fruit is harmless. 
