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usual ; the plant also more branched and smoother than in type. 
But this species varies normally in the clothing of the stem, 
which is sometimes cottony and at others smooth. The leaves are 
always more or less auricled. — E d. “A large lax state induced 
by having less competition than usual, or rich ground.” — Ar. 
Bennett. “ The variation in the leaves — broad, fleshy and more 
amplexicaul, or narrow, of thinner texture, and simply sessile, 
depends on the richer or poorer soil of the habitat. This is only 
a state^ not a variety.” — E. F. Linton. “ I have seen similar plants 
on rich waste ground about Oxford, but they are not permanent.” 
— G. C. Druce. 
Car dims nutans x crispus. I.owesby, Leics., at 700 feet 
elevation, July 1905. One of the highest pieces of ground in 
E. Leics., where the Middle Lias Marlstone forms a somewhat 
bold escarpment, and where a number of interesting plants 
appear that are unknown in the valleys below. The only other 
thistles growing on this hill are crispus and ari’ensts. The hybrid 
shews most generally a nearer approach to C. Jiuta 7 ts, but a few 
are more nearly C: crisptis. The seeds do not appear to be well 
developed. — A. R. Horwood. “ There is no trace in my 
specimen of C. crispus, which moderates the size and multiplies 
the number of the heads of C. nutans, besides refining the . 
armature of the upper part of the stem, in the hybrid. This is 
an extra-prickly specimen of type C. nutans, with abundance of 
fertile seeds which are indistinguishable from seeds of C. nutans. 
Greater care should be taken in the preparation of supposed hybrid 
thistles, which are not easy to determine from any but the best 
material.” — E. F. Linton. “ Correct, I believe. Certainly much 
nearer to C. nutatis in the inflorescence, but the foliage shews strong 
influence of C. crispus^ — E. S. Marshall. “ I think the foliage 
undoubtedly shows the influence of C. crispusJ’ —G. C. Druce. 
Sanssurea alpina, DC. Rocks on sea-shore at Thurso, Caith- 
ness, 12th August 1905. Growing so near the sea that the plants 
must often have been splashed with salt water, which seems extra- 
ordinary for an alpine species. But Druce mentions it from the 
same station in the ‘ Scottish Annals.’ — F. C. Crawford. 
Centaurea nigra, L., forma. Wilbury, Beds., August 1905. 
The phyllaries are somewhat untypical, and at first suggested a cross 
with C. Scabiosa, but subsequent examination in the dried state 
did not confirm this idea. — G. C. Druce. “ A hybrid with 
C. Scabiosa would produce large heads ; these are unusually small, 
I can see nothing to take it off our ordinary C. ni^ra, in which 
the cutting of the phyllaries varies a good deal.” — E, S, 
Mar.shall. 
