Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 9 (1871).djvu/331

 SHORT NOTES AND QUERIES. 303

corolla-lobes, as is shown by the fact that the epidermis of the corolla overlies the vascular bundles leading to them." He considers the genus nearer to Ophelia than to GoUiaiia.

��Botany (p. 114). — As no one has replied to Professor Pyer's interest- ing question, it may be of some service to draw attention to the earliest uses of this and the allied words, given in our dictionaries. In llichard- sou (1836) we have " Botanick Book," Cudworth, lutell. System, p. 326 (1678); "Botanist," Evelyn, Diary Ap. 12 (169+); "Botany," Brooke, 'Universal Beauty' (1735); Miller, Gardener's I)ict. preface ; " Bota- nologer," Brown's 'Cyrus' Garden' (1658). I have appended the dates of the earliest editions, so far as I have been able to ascertain them. In Latham's Johnson's Dictionary (1866) we have "improving my little skill in botanies" Kay, 'Correspondence,' p. 413; "Botanical Artist," Sir T. Browne's 'Tracts,' p. 6.— R. Tucker.

��Thuidium DECiPiENS, Be Notaris, a British Moss. — The Rev. J. Fergusson has contributed a note to ' Science Gossip ' on this Moss, which he discovered in the spring of 1868 growing abundantly by the side of a streamlet, and about springs on the Ciova mountains, at about 2800 feet. The late Mr. Wilson, at the time, considered the plant a form of Hypmim commutatum, but Mr. Pergusson, after re-exainination, distributed it, in 1870, under the name of Hypnnm rifjidulam, n. sp. Juratzka has now determined it to be identical with specimens of Tluii- d'mm dtcipiens, De Not., lately pidjlished in the 23i'd fascicle of Ilaben- liorsl's ' Bryotheca Europfea.' Ttie Moss occurs in Finmark and Italy; the fruit has not yet been described.

��Seedling Willows. — I have received from Dr. Moore, of Glasnevin, some remarks on iny paper published in the August number of the 'Journal of Botany ' (p. 225), '" On Seedling W^illows," stating his ex- perience on the subject, which difl'ers from mine. Dr. Moore, in the kindest manner, has requested me to communicate his observations to yon, but I trust the readers of the Journal will not be deprived of his observations in a more dn-ect form. Dr. Moore says, " My experience coinciiles with that of Sir James Smith, as stated by you in the quotation made in the 'Journal of Botany ' from 'The English Flora.' " I am glad to admit that Dr. Moore has sent me some undoubted seedlings, of one and two years old, of <S'. phjjUcifuUa, L. = S. tricolor, Koch, Ehr., and also one gathered near to a plant of S. Iriandra. I have not heard anything of seedlings from any other quarter, and have seen none in my own garden this year. It thus appears that Willows do undoubtedly spring readily from seed in the Glisneviu Botanic Garden, where the climate ap])ears favourable to their production, and a good opportunity is presented of as- certaining whether, as stated by Sir J. E. Smith, the seedlings thus spring- ing up are true to their kind. I hope Dr. Moore will be able to clear up this point also. — J. E. Lrefe.

A query in the January number of this Journal (p. 15) seems to imply some doubt as to the production of " genuine ripe seed " upon Willows and Poplars in this country. IMr. Lecfe (p. 227) also thinks

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