The question involved in these hints is now, it 
may be presumed, satisfactorily explained; for 
which botanists are indebted to A. W. Leighton, 
Esq., in whose Flora of Shropshire” it is shown 
that the plants, hitherto called D. caryophyllus, 
comprise two distinct species — the one the parent 
of the Carnation, the other the parent of the Pink. 
Our drawing was taken from a cultivated plant, 
originally obtained from Ludlow Castle; and we 
have now before us a specimen with which we have 
been favoured by our esteemed friend, the Rev. 
John Price Alcock, Minor Canon of Rochester 
Cathedral, which he gathered from the old city 
w all, of Rochester. This is the real caryophyllus, 
and differs from the Ludlow Castle plant in the 
leaves being finely serrulate at their base only ; 
whereas, those of the Ludlow Castle plant, from 
which our drawing was made, are finely serrulate 
throughout their whole length. The flowers too, 
as will be seen by our figure, which is, we believe, 
the first published of this native plant, in its original 
purity, have the outer edge of their petals deeply 
laciniated; whilst those of the carophyllus are only 
sharply toothed. They have too, says Mr. Cam- 
eron, a different period of flowering. That of the 
Dianthus plumarius being June; that of caryophyl- 
lus July and August. In this particular the first 
agrees with the Pink, the latter with the Carnation. 
The native localities of these plants are numer- 
ous; and Mr. Leighton thinks it probable that 
those of Kent only belong to caryophyllus; all 
others to plumarius. English botanists will now, 
we hope, soon determine this point. 
