Botanical notes

In a paper I had the honour of reading early this year, I alluded to a grass from Adamson's Peak that appeared distinct from any described form. I am now convinced it is an alpine variety of the scarce grass described by Brown as Tetrarrhena juncea, and as such is of greater interest than if it had been specifically distinct, all the more so to us as it upholds the wisdom of our respected botanical head, Baron von Mueller. Brown, guided by a similar train of thought to that which directs more modern specialists, was a great genus maker as well as species maker. There was rather a tendency to make genera on artificial lines. Thus he removed from the well marked genus Ehrharta, of Thumberg, sundry forms that differ inessentially from that genus in bearing 4 instead of 3 or 6 stamens in the flower.