Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 466 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



November 9th, 1854. — Professor Balfour, President, in the Chair. 

 The following papers were read, viz. : — 



1. *'0n the Associations of Colour, and Relations of Colour and 

 Form in Plants," by G. Dickie, M.D., Professor of Natural History, 

 Queen's College, Belfast. 



This paper will be found in the present Number of the Annals and 

 in the Society's Transactions. 



2. *' Record of New Localities for Plants," by Dr. Balfour. 

 Sinapis nigra. Dysart, Mr. Clay. 



Cuscuta Trifolii. Gleghorny, North Berwick, Dr. Balfour. 



Anagallis arvensis. Near Luighi House, North Berwick, Miss 

 J. Arnot. 



Atriplex laciniata. Near Drem, Mr. D. P. Maclagan. 



Orchis pyramidalis. Leven Sands, Mr. G. S. Lawson. 



Eriophorum latifolium. Crichton Bog, near Edinburgh, Mr. D. 

 P. Maclagan. 



Car ex incurva. Near Longniddry, Mr. Clay. 



Brachypodium pinnatum. Pathhead, near Edinburgh, Mr. D. P» 

 Maclagan. 



Elymus arenarius. Leven and Largo Links, Mr. G. S. Lawson. 



Triticum laxum. North Berwick, Dr. Balfour. 



Chordaria divaricata. On Zostera marina in Belfast Lough, Dr. 

 Dickie. 



Woodsia ilvensis. Near Windermere, Westmoreland, Dr. Clowes. 



Polystichum Lonchitis. Helvellyn, Dr. Clowes. 



Asplenium germanicum. Near Windermere, Mr. Hawker. 



Lycopodium annotinum. Near Windermere, Dr. Clowes. 



Specimens of many of the above were exhibited. 



3. " Remarks on the Formation of Ascidia," by Dr. Balfour. The 

 author stated that he was induced to make some remarks on the 

 formation of ascidia by seeing lately a statement to the effect that 

 all pitchers were formed by a hollowing-out process. He was disposed 

 to think that true ascidia^ such as those of Nepenthes^ Barracenia, 

 CephalotuSf and Heliamphora, were formed by folded leaves in the 

 same way as carpels are supposed to be produced. The anomalous 

 ascidiform production in the leaves of cabbage, lettuce, &c. might be 

 traced to a similar process, and in some instances the pitcher-like 

 body appeared to be a second leaf folded in an opposite manner from 

 that from which it sprung. Occasionally two or more leaves combined 

 to form ascidia. What has been called the "hollowing-out process'* 

 is applicable to such cases as Eschscholtzia, Myrtle, Rose, Ilovenia, 

 &c. This process causes a development of the circumference of the 

 receptacle, peduncle, or other part, while the central portion is un- 

 developed, and thus there arises a cup-like body with a hollow centre. 

 In such instances there seemed to be a union in the early state of the 

 circumferential cellular papillae, arising from the peduncle or receptacle 

 or other part ; these became elongated so as to form a gamophyllous 



