EXlllUlTION MEETlXCj 1U5U 
79 
IIKITJHH Sl’ECIES OF CIKCAEA. 
Tliree s])ecies of Eluchaiiter’s Nightshade occur in Britain, (- ■ 
lutetiana 1 j., widespread, C. canadensis Hill, common in Scot- 
land hut thinning out in England and not recorded south of 
Derby and South Wales, and lastly C. alpinu L. with a distri- 
bution supposedly similar to that of C. canadensis. C. alpina, 
however, is a much misunderstood })laiit and often confused 
M’ith C. canadensis. Its true distribution in Britain is not 
at all accurately known. 
Correctly determined herbarium specimens of these three 
plants were shown, to draw attention to the problem of ascer- 
taining the real distribution of C. alpina in Britain. From a 
perusal of the sheets of Gircaea in several public and private 
herl)aria, it is evident that a revision of this small genus is 
necessary before the distribution of the species can be accu- 
rately mapped. Some botanists have considered that G. 
canadensis is a hybrid between G. lutetiana and C. alpina. 
This needs to be investigated by cytologists. It is not with- 
out significance in this connection that G. canadensis rarely sets 
fruit in this counti'y, all flower usually dropping before frnit 
develops. G. alpina is as abundantly fertile as G. lutetiana, 
and occasionally sets fruit from cleistogamous flowers. 
The three species may be distinguished as below, but fur- 
ther study may revise these characters. 
G. lutetiana Ij. Leaf petioles sub*terete, not winged j leaves 
dull, hirsute, ovate, tapering, sometimes subcordate at 
base; no bracteole at base of flower pedicel; flower large; 
fruit abundant, two-seeded. 
G. canadensis Hill. Leaf petioles flat, narrowly winged; 
leaves shining, subglabrous, ovate, tapering; bracteole 
minute, subulate, deciduous; flower much as in G. luteti- 
ana-, fruit very scarce. 
G. alpina L. Leaf petioles flat with membranous wing; leaves 
shining, subglabrous, thin, roundish and rather abruptly 
acuminate; bracteole rather more conspicuous, persistent; 
flower very small; fruit frequent, one-seeded. 
1 should be glad to see and determine fresh or herbarium 
si)ecimens at any time of 0. canadensis and G. alpina. All re- 
cords of the latter in county floras and lists need revision. G. 
alpina will, I think, prove to be a decidedly rare plant in 
Britain. E. C. Wallace. 
HIERACIA OF THE SECTION ALPESTRIA FROM THE SHETLANDS. 
The Section Alpestria Fries is included by Pugsley in his 
“Sectionum Grex” Transitoria. He recognised 13 species as 
representing the Section in Britain; of the.se 12 are endemic 
and 10 have been found only in the Shetlands (v.-c. 112). 
