584 81. POTAMACER, 
Potamogeton (natans) “ proper,” Student’s Flora. 
Provinces -- 3 4----9---13 141516. Surrey to Fife. 
Syn. 1182. Cyb. iii. 20. This has been represented so often by 
examples of the more frequent P. polygonifolius, labelled or recorded 
as “natans”, that fresh records for it have become very desirable, 
made on re-examination throughout Britain ; all those made before 
oe being rejected, as well as several of those bearing a later 
ate. 
Potamogeton (polygonifolius) ericetorum, E. B. 8. 
Provinces all? ‘‘ Found on almost every heath.” 
Syn. 1132 (1133). This is distinguished in words from the type 
variety genuinus, of Dr. Boswell Syme, chiefly by the absence of 
the pellucid lower leaves; an accident of place or season. I think 
that the seeds never germinate, and vegetate so far as to produce 
leaves, unless under water for the time being; and that the 
earliest submerged leaves are always narrow and pellucid. In the 
coriaceous or floating leaves there is the most completely gradual 
transition from broadly or roundedly oval, with a cordate base, to 
acutely lanceolate, narrowing insensibly into the foot-stalk. So 
that, in truth, the three “ varieties” are only three selected forms, 
or two extremes and an intermediate, described in English Botany 
apart from their connecting links. 
Potamogeton (polygonifolius) pseudo-fluitans, E. B. 3. 
Province - 12. Buttermere, Cumberland; Hort! Oliver! 
Syn. 1132 (1133). Dr. Boswell Syme makes a distinct variety of 
this Buttermere plant. To my own eyes it appears to be simply a 
rather extreme state of polygonifolius, as elongated by rising 
from deeper or drawn out by growing in running water, such as 
T have seen in various places, from Fleet Pond, Hants, to Braemar, 
Aberdeen, and Loch Erricht, Inverness. 
Potamogeton fluitans, Auct. varr. 
Provinces ...? Several, by use of the name. 
Ambiguity. This is a name of various application in our botanical 
books and on labels. Most usually it has meant either rufescens 
or the pseudo-fluitans (not limited) form above mentioned. An 
extract from a letter written by Mr. J. G. Baker, in 1864, will 
afford a striking example of the confusion in applying this name ; 
—Winch’s three stations under ‘ fluitans’ belong, one each, to 
rufescens, oblongus, and plantagineus.” See English Botany, ix. 63. 
Ruppia (maritima) spiralis, “ Hartm.” E. B. 8. 
Provinces 1 28 ------ 10. 18 Kirkcudbright ? 
Syn. 1135. In separating the R. rostellata, the formula on 
page 346 is left unavailable for R. maritima (limited) which is the 
Jess frequent form. Dr. Boswell Syme writes that spiralis “does 
not appear to occur in Scotland.” A specimen is preserved in my 
herbarium, labelled from the county of Kirkcudbright by Professor 
