[124] Polygonum lapathifolium, L. (Hydropiper of Gerard, p. 445),—for which, perhaps, P. hydropiper, L., was mistaken,—and P. Persicaria, L. (Persicaria maculosa of Gerard, l. c.), are what the author means; being the two sorts figured by Gerard himself. The third, added by Johnson, is unknown in this country; and the fourth belongs to a very different genus. P. Persicaria is marked as introduced in the late Mr. Oakes’s catalogue of the plants of Vermont; and both this and P. hydropiper are considered to be naturalized weeds by Dr. Gray (Man., p. 373). Josselyn’s testimony as to the former, as appearing to him to be native in 1671, is therefore not without interest; and possibly it is not quite worthless as to the latter.
[125] Chamæsyce, or spurge-time, of Gerard (edit. cit., p. 504), is Euphorbia chamæsyce, L., a species belonging to the Eastern continent; for which Sloane (cit. L. Sp. Pl. in loco) appears to have mistaken our Euphorbia maculata, L.; while Plukenet (Alm. 372, cit. L.) recognizes the affinity of the same plants, calling the latter Chamæsyce altera Virginiana. Josselyn’s spurge-time may be E. maculata; but quite possibly, taking the station which he gives into the account, E. polygonifolia, L.
[126] There are “several sorts of spurge,” according to the Voyages (p. 78); of which this, which I cannot specifically refer, is possibly one.
[127] To this species of Saxifraga, L., unknown to our Flora (Gerard, p. 528), our author, with little doubt, referred the pretty S. Virginiensis, Michx.—See p. 58 of this, note.
[128] Gerard, em., p. 535,—Salicornia herbacea, L. But Linnæus referred one of Clayton’s Virginia specimens (the rest he did not distinguish from S. herbacea) to a variety, β. Virginica (which he took to be also European; Sp. Pl.), and afterwards raised this to a species, as S. Virginica, Syst. Nat., vol. ii. p. 52, Willd. Sp. Pl., vol. i. p. 25. To this the more common glasswort of our salt marshes is to be referred; and we possess, beside, a still better representative of the European plant in S. mucronata, Bigel. (Fl. Bost., edit. 2, p. 2), which may perhaps best be taken for a peculiar variety (S. herbacea, β. mucronata, articulorum dentibus squamisque mucronatis, Enum. Pl. Cantab., Ms.; and S. Virginica may well be another) of a species common to us and Europe. It is certain that we have plants strictly common to American and European Floras, in which the differences referable to difference of atmospheric and other like conditions are either not apparent or of no account; and it is possible that there are yet other species, now considered peculiar to America, which only differ from older European species in those characters—whether of exuberance mostly, or also of impoverishment—in which an American variety of a plant, common to America and Europe, might beforehand be expected to differ from an European state of the same. “Linnæus ut Tournefortii errores corrigeret, varietates nimis contraxit.”—Link, Phil. Bot., p. 222.
[129] Hypericum perforatum, L. (“Hypericum, S. John’s-wort; in shops, Perforata.”—Gerard, edit. cit., p. 539). The species is considered to have been introduced, by most American authors; and it is possible that Josselyn had H. corymbosum, Muhl., in his mind.
[130] Hypericum quadrangulum, L. (Gerard, p. 542); for which our author doubtless mistook H. mutilum, L. (H. parviflorum, Willd.), a species peculiar to America; to which Cutler’s H. quadrangulum (Account of Indig. Veg., l. c., p. 474) is probably also to be referred.
[131] Veronica arvensis, L. (Gerard, p. 613),—a native, at present, of Europe, Asia, Northern Africa, and North America (Benth., in DC. Prodr., vol. x. p. 482); but considered to have been introduced here.
[132] Veronica, L. The species is perhaps V. officinalis, L.; which, together with V. serpyllifolia, L., is considered by Prof. Gray to be both indigenous and introduced here.—Man. Bot., pp. 200-1.
[133] Hedeoma pulegioides (L.) Pers. (American pennyroyal), is doubtless meant. The specific name indicates its resemblance—in smell and taste particularly—to Mentha pulegium, L.; for which our author and Cutler (l. c., p. 461) mistook it. But the former is peculiar to America.