69 
Prunella laciniata L. Rough pasture above Cheddar, N. 
Somerset, v.c. 6, July 28, 1917, after a horse had apparently 
“cropped” many of the plants. Very variable in form of leaf 
and colour of flowers, evidently hybridising with P. vulgaris. 
The pale yellow flowers predominate, but some were pale bluish- 
purple, and a few had the upper lip pale purple and the lower 
lip pale yellow. — H. S. Thompson. The plants on my sheet have 
pale yellow flowers. In one case the calyces are almost entirety 
purple ; in all they are so towards the tips. This may, of course, 
be merely due to an exposed position on rocky soil. — E.S.M. 
The specimens on Mr. Thompson’s sheets that vary in flower- 
colouring to tints of bluish-purple have in general sub-entire 
leaves, a combination suggestive of hybridity with P. vulgaris. 
Such variations are mentioned in “FI. Brist.”, p. 478, and the 
idea that they are hybrids is there rejected for reasons given. 
Still, at my request, Mr. Bucknall has carefully dissected the 
flowers of these recent examples, and finds that my previous con- 
clusion is confirmed by microscope. On comparing stamens and 
calyces with those of typical laciniata no marked deviation can 
be recognised, the subulate prolongation of the longer filaments 
and the calyx-teeth ciliation being practically identical. I ven- 
ture the opinion that it is most doubtful if the characters relied 
on in the description of P. intermedia Link ( laciniata x vulgaris ), 
quoted in “Rep. Watson Ex. Club,” 1913 — 14, p. 454, are realty 
sufficient. They apply far too accurately to P. laciniata, and so 
lack diagnostic value. Continental specimens of P. laciniata, with 
leaves divided as well as sub-entire, have reached us under the 
names var. pinnatifida Briquet and var. subintegra Hamilton 
respectively, corresponding doubtless to the a and (3 of Godron 
and Koch in the “Flore de France.” Mr. Bucknall and I consider 
that this arrangement may well suit Mr. Thompson’s gatherings. 
As stated by the collector, the bulk of his contribution had been 
damaged by grazing, and so could not satisfactorily represent 
this rare Labiate in any herbarium. Surety it would have been 
wiser, in view of the plant’s scarcity, to have allowed such roots 
to remain undisturbed until they produced acceptable specimens 
later on. — J.W.W. 
Stachys palustris L. Bank of canal, Edington, N. Somerset, 
v.c. 6, July 13, 1917. Form with narrow leaves.— Ida M. Roper’. 
This is a variable species. — E.S.M. 1 
Plantago major L., [var. nana Tratt.]. (Ref. No. 325). Cart 
track on Countisbury Common (at 1000 feet), N. Devon] v.c. 4 
Sept. 13, 1917. The only form in the near neighbourhood] 
