SOtfE SCOTTISH WILLOWS. 361 



some extent, or becoming nearly glabrous ; stipules mWto-likft, 

 also glabrescent. The young twigs, too, are densely clothed with 

 pubescence. But the lower leaves in the shoots, which have lost 

 much or most of their pubescence, are green and strongly reticulate, 

 with the reticulation that Myrmmim gives in composition; and the 

 primordial leaves in the shoots are shining green, with a raised 

 reticulation that S. Myrsinites will account for, and nothing else 

 can. These lower leaves are roundly obovate, crenate-serrate ; 

 the remaining leaves are ovate, acute, and more decidedly serrate, 

 with the larger teeth curved inwards, and a waved margin. To 

 account for the existence of this plant in the valley, it is just 

 possible that a wind-driven insect might convey Myrsinites pollen 

 from the neighbouring mountains to a female bush of 8. aurita x 

 nigricans in the valley, and so fertilize the valley bush. This, 

 however, is most improbable, perhaps scarcely possible. It is more 

 likely that the cross took place in the mountains, and that the seed 

 containing the three elements in it (S. Myrsinites x S. aurita- 

 nigricans by preference) was carried in a storm to the valley locality 

 where it germinated. 



& aurita x repens (S. ambigua Ehrh.). — Two distinct forms of 

 this have been collected by us in the Clova Valley, one to three 

 miles below the Hotel. One exactly intermediate and corresponding 

 with genuina, as figured in Syme E. B., we found in 1889. The 

 other is much on the side of S. repens, and is probably S. ambigua 

 X repens; found in 1887. Another plant with small leaves of the 

 genuina shape was gathered near Braemar in 1883, at about 1400 ft. 



S. aurita x Myrsinites (S. saxetana F. B. White). — Discovered 

 by us in Glen Fiagh, Forfar, in 1889, but then unknown to us._ 

 On some leaf specimens sent by one of us to Dr. White, he replied, 

 but with some hesitation, that it was probably S. aurita x Myrsi- 

 nites. In 1880 we gathered the plant again in the same place, with 

 one catkin (female), but the foliage was not so good as before. 

 This year, 1892, the cutting of the 1889 gathering has fruited 

 freely, and we can give a description from this ample material, and 

 at the same time confirm Dr. White's suggested naming. He 

 refers to our specimens in his Revision, p. 436. In the wild plant 

 the leaves are all rather small, f-1 £ in. in length, those at the base 

 of the shoots orbicular or roundly ovate, with thin silky pubescence 

 and green on both sides, shortly petioled ; those above ovate to 

 obovate, with an acute and usually oblique tip, pubescent chiefly on- 

 the nerves, margin finely serrate and more or less recurved; nerves 

 prominent and reticulate beneath, obscure on the upper surface- 

 Young twigs pubescent ; year-old wood like that of aurita, but 

 rather darker brown. In the cultivated plant the basal leaves 

 become shortly obovate, obtuse, green beneath ; the upper, when 

 mature, are 2-2-| in. long, slightly pubescent and reddish at first, 

 glabrescent, very glaucous beneath, the midrib remaining pubescent, 

 the short acute tip sometimes oblique, u frequently straight ; * 

 petiole lengthened in proportion ; young twigs reddish in colour, 

 gradually turning to blackish purple. The catkins are about |-1 in. 

 long, on pubescent leafy peduncles ^—k in,, and expand before the 



