SHORT NOTES AND QUERIES. 25 
oval; accordingly, some botanists ~~ it synonymous with elliptic, others 
with ‘ovate, and others, again, make mean what in geometry is called 
elliptic, and use elliptic either as dat another defined eocentricity, or 
in a sense inconsistent with its geometrical one. It certainly is best. and 
safest for botanists to use these terms, so as to approach and not unneces- 
sarily clash with geometricians ; and the aiel question remains, —what 
special meai ning, if any, este from those of bes: tie and ovate, is it- 
desirable to assign to the term ‘oval’? Dr. Trimen’s suggestion at p. 370 
of the last volume of the ka will answer eet pu d: — 
m vigi in general will agree to accept aud act upon VT. 
Hie 
Erica stricta, Ændr., IN IReLanp.—The distribution of this spe- 
cies, as given in De Cand. Prod. vii. 626, is “in montibus Corsiez, Sar- 
diniz, et Hispanie australis (Boiss. !), etiam in Hibernia boreali (Lloyd in 
erb. Hooker!)." This notice seems to have escaped the attention of 
lrish urged and is not ped up iu any book upon British botany. It 
seems therefore worth apii attention to, although some error has 
doubtless occurred. I have seen the oe in the Kew herbarium, and 
there is no doubt about its identity with Æ. stricta. It is la PrE S in 
Sir W. J. Hooker's ha nd, “ North of Ireland! Dr. Lloyd, 1834." 
James BRITTEN. 
WINTER FeRTILIZATI 10N.—While out walking on a frosty morning in 
the end of November, my attention was attracted. by a patch of Geranium 
es 
374 of last volume, with respect to Stellaria aquatica. The mature 
stigmas were twisted among and covered with pollen from the ripe an- 
thers, which in this family emo urget disappeared long before the 
stigmas are developed. I reg t I neglected to ascertain the relative 
condition of these parts in the d I had previously observed the same 
thing in the flowers of Geraniums and Pelarzoniums kept in the house 
during summer, the same Y species beiug protandrous i in the open air; and 
I would now offer the explanation which suggested itself to me. When 
insects have free access to a protandro s flower, the pollen is removed as 
as it becomes ripe, the stamens with her away, and in due time the 
pistil j is developed, expanding its stigmas in the place previously occupied 
by the anthers. If from any cause, however, the flower be not visited by 
insects, the pollen will not be reinoved, and the stamens will preserve 
their original position until, in the natural course of development, the 
stigmas make their appearance among them. Hildebrand has shown 
(* Geschlechtervertheiluug, p. 66) that sometimes, where at first sight 
self-pollenation (a better word, I think, for “ Bestäubung,” than “ pol- 
lenization," suggested b: Mr. Bennett) seems to be the a * 
Nature, this is not followed by fertilization ; it would therefore be w 
cases to de 
sult. It would, however, be a mistake to assume that the crossing of 
flowers by the agency of insects is impossible during the winter months. 
