74 



HA R D WI CKE 'S S CIE NCE-GO SSI P. 



— C. B. Callitriche autumnalis, abundant in Yet- 

 holm Lock, Roxburgh. Although it has not been 

 recorded, so far as I am aware, from the Till or the 

 Tweed, judging from the large quantity that is 

 annually, after every high wind, carried into the Bow- 

 mont, and thence to the Till and the lower reaches 

 of the Tweed, it will very probably be found 

 there also. — A. B. We believe this was recorded 

 by Dr. Johnstone several years since. Lamium 

 intermedium, a rare weed in cultivated ground about 

 Kelso. — A. B. Scrophularia Scorodonia, Penzance. 

 — J. C. Pulmonaria officinalis, some very large 

 patches in Makerstown Woods, Roxburgh. Pro- 

 bably a remnant of monkish cultivation.— A. B. 

 Veronica peregrina, a garden weed, at New Louden, 

 Berwickshire. — A. B. This plant is rapidly spread- 

 ing : it seems but a few years since it was named 

 by Prof. Babington, from specimens then discovered 

 near Perth. Rumex rupestris, Helston. — J. C. 

 Polygonum littorale, Link, P. Rail, both gathered at 

 St. Bees Head. — C. B. P. arenastrum, Bor., 

 St. Bees Head. — C. B. Orobanche azrulea, St. Owen's 

 Bay, Jersey. — G. C. D. O. rubra, Gunwalloe. — 

 J. C. Allium triquetrum, Helston. — J. C. Goodyera 

 repens, Bowmont Forest, Roxburgh. — A. B. 

 Plentiful in many Scotch Fir woods in both 

 Roxburgh and Berwickshire. Most likely it will 

 also be found in similar situations in Northumber- 

 land ; indeed, I have found it within three miles of 

 the borders of that county. Owing to the increase of 

 plantations, this plant has increased rapidly of late in 

 this district. The Goodyera appears to have been 

 one of the original natives of the Borders when this 

 part of the country was covered with forest. When 

 the land was cleared, it, and others of a like nature, 

 would disappear and remain in a dormant state, until 

 circumstances rendered the soil again suitable for 

 their existence. Cephalanthera gra?idiflora, High 

 Wycombe. — Mrs. T. E. D. Erica tetralici-ciliaris 

 Penryn, Cornwall. —J. C. Cuscuta epithynuun, 

 Kingswood-heath, Surrey. — J. L. Crocus nudiflorus, 

 Derby. — W. H. P. Impatiens parviflora, Ockbrook, 

 Derby. — W. H. P. Potamogeton nitens, Web. 

 Abundant in the Tweed and Teviot, in the counties 

 of Roxburgh, Berwick, and Northumberland (Che- 

 viotland). Like others of the genus, it is variable. 

 The description of P. nitens in " Student's Flora " 

 says the leaves are recurved, — surely a misprint for 

 incurved. — A. B. Potamogeto?i zoster a: folms, Spon- 

 don, Derbyshire. — W. H. P. P. lanceolatus, River 

 Lligway, Anglesea. — C. B. This is another record 

 for a very old station, originally made public in 

 Davie's "Welsh Botanology. " Plantago Timbalii, 

 Mullion, Cornwall. — J. C. We believe this has 

 not hitherto been noticed in the above county. 

 Veronica triphylla, York. — H. R. M. Mellittis 

 mellissophyllum, Beeralston, Devon. — W. H. Carex 

 humilis, Leigh Woods. — W. G. C. filiformis, abun- 

 dant in Lurgie Loch, Berwick ; Prins-de-bog, Rox- 



burgh ; and Campfield Bog, Northumberland. — - 

 A. B. Wherever this species is met with, it is 

 generally abundant ; such is our limited experience. 

 C. digitata, near Tintern Abbey, Monmouthshire. — 

 C. B. — C. ornithopoda, Cresbrook Dale, Derbyshire. 

 — C. B. Three of our contributors send a limited 

 supply of the above novelty. It will doubtless be 

 new to most of the members. Carex punctata, Gau- 

 din. Ledges of perpendicular rocks in the Water- 

 winch, Tenby. — C. B. We hope again shortly to 

 refer to this species ; the fruits have been submitted 

 to Dr. Syme. Cyperus longus, Rennoch Valley. — 

 J. C. y uncus pygmceus, Lizard Down. — J. C. We 

 are glad to be able to supply the whole of the mem- 

 bers with this species, which is, comparatively 

 speaking, a recent addition to the British Flora. 

 Scirpus parvulus, mouth of Ovoca, Arklow. — C. B. 

 Kobresia caricina, Widdy Bank, Teesdale. — J. P. S. 

 Leersia oryzoides, Woking, Surrey. — H. E. W. It is 

 but seldom good specimens of the Leersia can be 

 secured ; nearly all we have seen have been im- 

 perfect : the few we have on this occasion distributed 

 are excellent examples. Bromus Lloydianus, near 

 Lizard Point. — J. C. Ophioglossum ambiguum, St. 

 Martin's, Scilly Isles. — J. C. 



A total of forty-four parcels of plants were sent 

 out. In each case we made as good selection as was 

 within our power. 



DOES DESICCATION KILL DIATOMS? 



A COMMUNICATION on the above subject, by 

 M. P. Petit, was made to the Societe de 

 Botanique, Paris, and as the subject is of considerable 

 interest to the diatomist, we have much pleasure in 

 reproducing it. 



" As the heat of summer dries up the ditches, pools, 

 and puddles, one sees that when the last trace of 

 humidity vanishes, the diatoms with which they 

 were stocked also disappear. But when the rains of 

 autumn and winter refill the places we have indicated, 

 the diatoms revive and soon reappear in great 

 numbers. 



For some years I have gathered with care the 

 dried surfaces of the ditches in which I knew that 

 great quantities of diatoms existed, in the hope of 

 finding traces of spores or zygospores. I, however, 

 never found anything but empty frustules mixed 

 with the soil that had served as a substratum. Never 

 being able to find traces of spores, the idea occurred 

 to me to make experiments on the diatoms when 

 placed under the same conditions as occur in nature. 

 I therefore collected, at divers periods of the year, 

 the diatoms, with their substratum of mud or clay, 

 and submitted them to desiccation in the sun, placing 

 the material in glass vessels covered, to keep them 

 from dust, some for six, and others for eight months. 



The desiccation was such that the deposits at the 



