By Mr. John Lindley. 



237 



the point, very much puckered, covered with soft down be- 

 neath, but scarcely hoary ; they bear much resemblance to 

 the leaves of some varieties of P. Malus. Received from 

 Messrs. Backhouse of York under the name of Pyrus Aria 



acuminata. 



The figure of Pyrus Aria in English Botany, which it might 

 have been expected would have been found referable to some 

 one of the above varieties, appears to me not to represent any 

 form of that species, but a state of P. intermedia which is 

 common to all the north of Europe, and which M. Fries has 

 called Sorbus Scandica. It may be presumed that it was this 

 opinion which induced M. De Candolle in his Prodromus 

 not to identify the figure with either of his varieties of P. Aria. 



XLIV. Ulex Europaeus ; double variety. 

 This in its foliage resembles in all respects the common 

 Furze of this country, but its habit is more compact. It forms 

 a very dense bush, about 5 feet high, and 7 or 8 wide. The 

 blossoms are produced in great profusion, remain a long time 

 expanded, and are completely double : a singular circum- 

 stance in a leguminous plant. In this curious multiplication 

 of the parts of the flowers the calyx is not affected, and the 

 vexillum, alae and carina, retain their primitive form, but are 

 forced asunder by the increase in number of the organs sur- 

 rounding the axis. Neither stamens nor ovarium are pro- 

 duced, but in their stead there is an additional number of 

 petals which usurp their places. In the room of the upper 

 stamen, or of that which in a naturally formed flower is sepa- 

 rate from the others, is produced a petal entirely resembling 

 the vexillum, except that it is smaller ; in like manner other 



