﻿40 



and by a reference to "Houttuyn Lin. Pfl. Syst. i. p. 204, t. 5, f. 1 

 (1777)." This figure, according to the text, is based on a specimen 

 from Burmann, and I think represents L. purpurea, although this 

 may be called in question. A note by Solander in our copy of 

 Willdenow says that this figure was the foundation of L. cotinifolia: 

 he writes, "Species e sola figura Houttuynii quam hie Ch. zeylonica 

 adscribit, et petala 5 vel 6 pinxit." Houttuyn's plant is apparently 



V :.: . , > ■:, : -; . .. •.. ■ ; ; / • ' y.-,, .',,■■.<, 



and under this name it figures in various books down to the present 

 time, such as Don's General System (iv. 53) and DeCandolle's 

 1'rndrnnuis ( viii. 297), having gradually acquired a diagnosis, while 

 steadily eluding identification. Thwaites (Enum. 189) says, " Of 

 Chion. "cotinifolia Willd., founded on Plukenet's description, quoted 

 by Burmann in Thes. Zeyl. p. 31, I know nothing, nor am I 

 acquainted with any species of this genus, indigenous to Ceylon, 

 which has the under side of its leaves villous." 



In this unsettled state the plant might have remained for 

 another century or more, seeing that the Flora of British India 

 was content to leave the matter unsolved, had not Dr. Trimen, 

 whose carefulness in searching out and settling obscure points 

 deserves every recognition, written home to ask how he could 

 dispose of L. cotinifolia in his Flora of Ceylon. The investigations 

 necessary to settle this question have resulted in the identification 

 above recorded. 



By what confusion Plukenet's plant got designated "arbor 

 zeylanica" I do not know, nor is it of especial importance. What 

 is to be desired is that botanists who have access to the Sloane 

 Herbarium should understand its importance in settling questions 

 connected with the early history of botany in this country, and the 

 readiness with which it may be consulted. Had Mr. Clarke, on 

 one of his visits to the National Herbarium, realised the ease with 

 which the problem in question could have been solved, he would 

 not only have added to the completeness of his excellent work on 

 the Indian Flora, but would have removed from me the possibility 

 of wearying the readers of this Journal with these results of my 

 investigations. 



EUBI NOTES. 

 By the Eev. W. Moyle Bogebs, F.L.S. 

 These notes are supplementary to my "Essay at a Key to 

 British Eubi," published in this Journal in 1892, 1893. The 

 exceptionally long summer of 1893 was very favourable to the 

 study of Eubi in the field, and I am greatly indebted to my 

 many correspondents for much valuable information illustrating 

 and in some instances correcting portions of my "Essay." There 

 are, it seems hardly necessary to say, several difficulties that are 

 not yet soluble ; but in the many instances where such difficulties 



