166 FURTHER NOTES ON HIERACIA. 



Hieracium nigrescens Willd. var. gracilifolium, n. var. — Differs 

 from the type and the variety commutatum Lindeb. mainly, as the 

 name implies, by its much longer and narrower leaves. These are 

 very acutely toothed, especially towards the base, which is gradually 

 narrowed to a slightly-winged petiole. The ligules are scarcely 

 pilose-tipped ; the styles much less fuliginous than in the Cairn- 

 gorm type. A distinct-looking plant, and the usual form assumed 

 by H. nigrescens throughout the Breadalbane range. Although Dr. 

 Lindeberg, at first confirming my determination of H. nigrescens, 

 ultimately erased it, adding, " Forma ex Alpinis nova !," I prefer 

 retaining the plant as a variety under this species, and, in so doing, 

 have the entire concurrence of the Eevs. E. F. Linton and E. S. 

 Marshall, who are both well acquainted with the plants of this 

 district ; indeed, only last autumn the latter sent it from Cam 

 Chreag, labelled, "Hieracium nigrescens Willd. var." 



H. centripetale, n. sp. — The only occasion on which I have 

 collected this species myself was in July, 1886, from Glen Derry, 

 near Braemar, Aberdeenshire. The following year Mr. Druce sent 

 me a parcel of Hieracia for examination, amongst which was a 

 specimen of the same thing from Glen More, Inverness. This 

 specimen had previously been sent to Mr. Backhouse, who marked 

 it thus, "/ nigrescens [nigrescens afterwards crossed through] or H. 

 smescens. Styles?/' and it is clearly to this section that the plant 

 belongs. The next specimen that was collected came from Moffat, 

 Dumfriesshire, where it was gathered in 1889 by Mr. Johnston, and 

 sent to^me through Mr. Arthur Bennett. In 1890 the Bev. 

 E. F. Linton sent two specimens from "near Moffat, Dumfries," 

 labelled simply, " Hieracium, nov. sp." Though here mentioned 

 last on account of their abnormally luxuriant growth, I have little 

 hesitation in referring three specimens collected by the Bev. 

 Augustin Ley in September, 1883, from "Cliffs of Glen Sannox, 

 Arran, Scotland,'* to the same species. This series, collected over 

 a period of about eight yeartf, and from widely separated localities, 

 all lay in a large collection of doubtful plants until the present 

 spring. I have recently spent many weeks in grouping and sorting 

 this pile, with the result that a large proportion of the specimens 

 seem to fall into their natural positions, and to throw light on each 

 other in a way that exceeded my expectations. H. centripetale is 

 about 14-18 in. high ; radical leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 

 gradually narrowed at the base, finely dentate or rather evenly 

 scalloped and bearing glandular teeth, and arranged in a semi- 

 prostrate rosette, from the centre of which an almost leafless stem 

 arises. Occasionally there is a large leaf near the base, especially 

 when the stem branches low down, but ordinarily there is a mere 

 bract at the juncture. Heads rather numerous, and borne on 

 slender arcuate peduncles, which towards the apex are densely 

 tioccose, setose, and pilose. Involucre ctimpanulate ; phyllaries long, 

 narrow and acute, dark with numerous seta and black-based hairs. 

 The styles are livid, the ligules shortly pilose at the tips. The 

 graceful nearly leafless stem, slender curved peduncles, and bright 

 panicle of showy heads with their dark velvety involucres, render 

 this plant particularly attractive. 



