278 Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 



alternately pinnate, with the pinnae approximated, cleft, or slightly 

 pinnatifid, the segments rounded or slightly toothed ; in others the 

 pinnae were deeply pinnatifid and much toothed, more or less acute ; 

 while in a third set the frond was bipinnate. Numerous intermediate 

 forms were exhibited, showing the transition from the one to the 

 other. Athyrium Filix-fmmhia of Roth ; of this fern a complete series 

 was shown, connecting the typical form of the species with the various 

 forms to which the names of iringuum, angustatum and asplenoides have 

 been given by some botanists who regard them as distinct species. 



Dr. Greville, who had carefully examined the specimens of the 

 two last-mentioned ferns, was of opinion that LastrcBa lancastriensis 

 is a good species, and that all the forms of Athyrium Filix-foemina 

 exhibited were referable to one species. 



Dr. Balfour also showed specimens of Hieracium rigidum, var. an- 

 gustifolium, from near Inversnaid, Loch Lomond ; H. prenanthoides , 

 Habbie's Howe,Pentland Hills ; andilfrnw/ws luteus, near an old reser- 

 voir, Pentlands. The last-named plant has now been found in seve- 

 ral spots near Edinburgh ; also on the banks of the Clyde near Glas- 

 gow ; near Largs ; in Perthshire, Stirlingshire and Aberdeenshire ; 

 near Morpeth and in South Wales. He also mentioned the discovery 

 of Achillcea tanacetifolia in England. 



March 1 1 . — Professor Balfour in the Chair. 

 The following communications were read : — 



1. " List of plants collected in the neighbourhood of Auchincairn, 

 Kirkcudbrightshire, in July and August 1846," by W. Wells, Esq., 

 communicated by Sir Wm. Jardine, Bart. The author enumerated 

 the plants which he had noticed in the district named, among which 

 were many rare and some interesting alpine species. 



2. ** Description of a new species of Dawsonia," by Dr. Greville. 

 This splendid moss, of which a specimen and drawing were exhibited, 

 has been named D. superba by Dr. Greville. It was received from 

 Australia ; the specimen exhibited was 14 inches high, with leaves 

 fully an inch in length. [See p. 226 of the present Number.] 



3. " Notice of Palms at present in flower in the Royal Botanic 

 Garden," by Dr. Balfour. 1. Livistona chinensis. Mart. The plant 

 in the garden is about thirty-six years old, 25 feet high, and the 

 stem at the base has a diameter of 22 inches. The leaves are up- 

 wards of 13 feet long, and the blade of the leaf 7 feet across ; the 

 spadices 4 to 4J feet long. It is believed that this is the first time 

 the palm has flowered in Britain. — 2. Euterpe montana, Graham, or 

 Mountain Cabbage-Palm. The plant in the garden used to fruit 

 regularly, but of late years no fruit has been produced, although it 

 continues to flower abundantly. It is now 30 feet in height. — 

 3. Chamcerops humilis, or European Fan-Palm. It has for many years 

 produced staminiferous flowers only, but this season produced sta- 

 miniferous and pistilliferous flowers, and the fruit was apparently 

 perfect. 



4. Dr. Balfour stated that he had obtained information that the 

 Luzula nivea, discovered last year in a wood near Broomhall by Dr. 

 Dewar, had been planted there by the former gardener, so that it can 

 have no claim to rank as a British plant. 



