94
NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
eight. In the normal inflorescence the 4-partite and 5-partite
are in the ratio of 1 to 4, or 20 to 80, but the ratio of the observed
percentages was as 33.1 to 65.3. The variation from the normal
type, therefore, favours the tetramerous more than the pentam-
erous forms. During the examination of the material, 51. types
of variation were noted. A detailed account of the variation
of the plant was published in Biometrika, Vol. ii., Part i.,
Nov. 1902, pp. 108-13.—H. Whitehead, Essex Museum of
Natural History, June, 1903.
Vicia lutea near Witham.—I found on June 6th, 1903,
a plant of Vicia lutea growing on the railway embankment near
Witham—quite close to the locality from which, some time ago,
.Mr. Turner recorded Euphorbia esula, and where that plant is
still abundant. I think that V. lutea has only once previously
been recorded for the county, and that by Mr. E. A. Fitch, from
St. Osyth (in Essex Naturalist vi., 116). It is difficult to see
how the plant can have got into such a strange and unnatural
habitat.—F. J. Chittenden, County Technical Laboratories,
Chelmsford.
"The Tinctorial Properties of our British Dye
Plants."—Under this title Dr. C. B. Plowright has an interest-
ing and exhaustive paper in the Trans. Norfolk and Norwich
Naturalists'' Society, Vol. vii., pp. 386—394, which should be read
in connection with the list of vegetable colouring matters used in
the Scotch Highlands communicated by the Duchess of Suther-
land (see E.N. Vol. xii., p. 45). Dr. Plowright examined about
70 plants, using as mordants only such simple substances as
alum, ammonia, lime, potash, and green vitrol, which are those
our ancestors may have employed. The general outcome of the
experiments was that all colours which are obtainable from
British dye-plants are of a sombre hue. The yellows predominate,
and one or two (such as Reseda luteola and Genista tinctoria) were
so good that they continued in use until the last half century.
No bright permanent red could be obtained. The blue of woad
(Isatis tinctoria) is of great beauty, but is a hue exceedingly difficult
to extract. (See Corder, Trans. N. and N. Nat. Soc, v., p. 144),
Dr. Plowright says "Although a colour of pre-historic origin,
yet it is one which to-day can only be obtained by the most care-
ful management. In point of fact, the discovery that Isatis was