1876.] Botany. 743 
= on Mansfield, Carex lenticularis, and on the banks of the Winooski 
River, a few miles above the station of Astragalus Robbinsii, that rare 
grass, Graphephorum melicuides. Also, in this vicinity, Vilfa vagine- 
fora, and northward, on the gandy plains near the lake, Eragrostis per- 
tinacea ; also on the lake shore, Physostegia Virginiana. — Communi- 
cated in a letter to Prof. A. Gray by C. G. PRINGLE. 
[Among Mr. Pringle’s interesting discoveries should also be enumer- 
ated the rare Habenaria rotundifolia, found by him at Monkton, Ver- 
mont. A. G.] 
Tar Two Brrrer-Sweets. — One of the greatest difficulties that per- 
sons ignorant of botany have to contend with is the confusion of English | 
names. Two plants, say, of very remote relationship or none at all, 
have come by some accident to be spoken of by the same title. An 
emigrant from the old country, finding a plant in the new that reminds 
him of home, calls it by the suggested name. Poss 
next county applies the same title to an entirely 
here, in the United States, one cannot depend upon 
differ according to the tastes and fancies of the giver. 
difficulty, science has established a fixed nomenclature 
civilized peoples. When a name is given in this technica 
understood in Russia or Switzerland as well as in America. : 
Our attention is at present attracted to this subject by the question 
_ which is put to us, “ What is the difference between the two plants 
called bitter-sweet?” The bitter-sweet (Solanum dulcamara) is a plant 
= of the nightshade family, with clusters of lilac or purple-colored, po- 
tato-like blossoms opening all summer. Generally one will find on the 
_ Same specimen both flowers and fruit, and the last in varying 
: of maturity. Green and bright translucent red 
: “ the same stem. Now, this climber or 
everywhere about dwellings or trailing over walls, e e P 
utely known to be poisonous, is still of doubtful relationship. z 
berries should be kept out of the hands of children. The plant is ad- 
Yentive from Europe, but is well established. ; a 
: The shrubby or climbing bitter-sweet Or staff-tree 15 per : 
“lous, the small greenish flowers appearing in June. The ape is s $ = 
t twiner, and often grows to a great heig 2 It is foun + sd 
Streams and lakes, and we have generally seen it fruiting best sig? pe: 
Water, It is the Celastrus scandens of botani id ae 
. Dlatraces. It sometimes has tho DON Tem of Roxbury wax 
son es en of SCRE ie peer ails of the seeds. 
* in late autumn open and reveal the sca cor sdesarations dis- 
vlusters of these fruits are very beautiful in winter er 
5 ped over pictures or mirrors. The well-known dail is 
mus) belongs to the same family. So far as We PWR er of the plants 
Rigg but the Euonymus is reputed dangerous. sap BAILET. 8 
< Own as bitter sweet is poisonous to the pad a t. T? 
] language it is 
