BULLETIN 



OF THE 



TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB. 



Vol. VII.l New York, October, 1880- [No. lO. 



82. Proceedings of the Torrey Club.— The regular meeting of 



the Chib was held at the New York College of Pharmacy, Tuesday 

 evening, Sept. 14th. In the absence of the presiding officers, Dr. T. 

 F. Allen occupied the chair. There were sixteen members and three 

 visitors in attendance. 



Plants ExhibitecL — Mr. Wright exhibited a number of dried plants 

 from Mt. Riga, Conn., and distributed, on behalf of the sender (Mr. 

 Wm. Chorlton), some specimens of exotic flowering plants and ferns. 

 Mr. Britton distributed seeds oi Megarrhiza Calif ornica and Neliim- 

 bium luteum^ Willd., and exhibited specimens of Fhoradendron Jlaves- 

 cenSj Nutt, taken from Nyssa in the pine barrens of New Jersey. Mr. 

 Brown showed a large number of specimens of adventive plants from 

 Communipaw. Specimens of Spiranthes simplex^ Gray, from Wood- 

 lawn Cemetery, and of Silphium perfoliatuniy'L.^ from Fort Washing- 

 ton, were shown by Mr. Bicknell. Mr. Le Roy stated that the last 

 mentioned plant was introduced into the upper portion of New York 

 Island many years ago by a gentleman who sowed the seeds broadcast 

 in several localities. Mr. Gerard brought specimens of Opttntia vul- 

 garis, L., from the King's Bridge Road (directly west of High Bridge), 

 and of O, Rafinesquii, Englm., from Fort Washington, and pointed 

 out the difference between the two species, which are often confounded. 

 Prof. Martin exhibited and remarked upon specimens of carnauba 

 wax — the product of the leaves of Copernicia cerifera^ a Brazilian 

 palm. Prof. Martin stated that his specimen was portion of a cargo 

 of this product recently brought to New York, but which had met 

 with no sale, the impossibility of bleaching it rendering it unfit for 

 many purposes in the arts and industries. 



Teratology, — Dr. Kunze brought for the Club's inspection a living 

 specinien of Cereus, which had been received by him fr.om Venezuela, 

 and in which the upper joints were greatly deformed and closely co- 

 herent, forming a compact, nearly globular mass. The changed ap- 

 pearance of the plant was so great as to render identification of the 

 species impossible. Mr. Wright exhibited a specimen of Setaria 

 viridisy Beauv., showing fission of the axis and a consequent forma- 

 tion of two well-developed spikes at the apex of the same culm. Mr. 

 Bicknell showed a fruit of Quercus Prinus, L., the cupule of which 

 contained a supernumerary, although compressed and sterile acorn. 

 Large Trees. — Mr, Britton stated that during his recent explora- 

 tion of the pine barrens while in the employ of the N. J. Geological 

 Survey, he observed in Manahawken Swamp, Ocean Co., a Magnolia 

 glauca, the trunk of which was 32.25 inches in circumference. This 

 tree when felled was found, on counting the rings, to be about 150 



years old. In the same swamp was found an Ilex opaca of unknown 

 age, with a trunk 36 inches in circumference. Mr. Britton had seen 



