fitljffsptriimm ^mrprtof-tceraleunt, Linn* 
By JAMES W. WHITE. 
T here are several points connected with the life-history of 
this most beautiful and interesting plant which hitherto 
have not been appreciated by botanical writers. This neglect is 
probably due to the rare and local occurrence of the species, 
whose habitats lie for the most part in the extreme west of this 
country, and are scattered over hilly and thinly-populated dis- 
tricts, not readily accessible, and but seldom visited. It is not 
surprising, therefore, that the writings of descriptive botanists 
distinctly shew that in some cases dried specimens collected only 
at the time of flowering have been the material from which the 
published characters have been derived. In other instances 
authors have not seen the fruit, and in others again most 
certainly they cannot have seen the root. Thus we find that 
not merely are the descriptions in some respects erroneous, but 
also that the chief feature in the development and propagation 
of the plant has been overlooked. 
From the earliest times this species has been named “ The 
creeping Grom well ” ; but although one or two old authors appear 
* A large portion of this Paper was published in the Journal of 
Botany^ March, 1884. 
