232 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



short, and so closely pressed against the integument of the seed, 

 that it is difficult to distinguish them : the seeds of this species, 

 however, were all obtained from one specimen, and may not have 

 been thoroughly ripe. 



In the plant for which Mr. Woods proposes the name of *S*. me- 

 gastachya (and which is in all probability a species of Art hr omentum), 

 a native of the South of Europe, the structure of the seeds is ex- 

 tremely different. The testa is hard, black, and crustaceous, quite 

 destitute of hairs, and covered with concentric rows of little tubercles. 

 The albumen is very evident, and principally confined to the 

 straighter side of the seed, the convex side being occupied by the 

 embryo, which is cylindrical and but slightly curved ; the thick, 

 fleshy cotyledons, taken together, are about equal in diameter to the 

 radicle, which seems to be nearly continuous with them in direc- 

 tion, not bent sharply round upon them as in *S\ herbacea, and 

 probably in all the true Salicornias* 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



May 15, 1851. — Professor Balfour, President, in the Chair. 



The following papers were read : — 



1 . " Biographical Notice of the late Mr. George Don." By Dr. 

 Neill. 



2. " List of Plants found in Peebleshire." By George S. Blackie. 

 Of the plants included in this list the following may be mentioned : — 

 Vicia Orobus, Manor-head ; Galium pusillum ; Pyrola rotundifolia ; 

 Primula farinosa ; Betula nana; Sibbaldia procumbens, Manor-head ; 

 Saxifraga stellaris ; Aretostaphylos Uva-ursi ; Hymenophyllum tun- 

 bridgense, and H. Wilsoni. 



3. " Notice oiExidia hispidula, Berk., used in China as a remedy 

 in disease, and also as an article of diet." By Dr. Dill. Dr. Dill 

 remarks * — " The fungus was first brought to my notice in Hong 

 Kong as a favourite remedy of the Chinese in attacks of dysentery. 

 It is used by them in the form of decoction, boiled along with dried 

 plums, the latter being added merely to give flavour, &c. to the de- 

 coction. The first time 1 ever saw it used was in the case of the 

 person who told me of its efficacy in the before-mentioned malady. 

 This man, an English gardener, was suffering from a severe attack of 

 dysentery, and as his house was a most unhealthy one, I strongly 

 advised his going into hospital. He said, before doing so he would 

 like to try a Chinese medicine, which had been strongly recommended 

 to him by an old Chinaman, a friend of his. I said, 'Take care 

 what you do with yourself, for your case won't do to be trifled with/ 

 Three days after this I was surprised to find him at his work, and 

 well again. ' Sir,' he said, c this medicine has had such a wonderful 

 effect upon me, that I have kept some of it to show you.' The spe- 

 cimen he then gave me I handed to my Chinese servant, who seemed 

 perfectly familiar with it, and speedily obtained me a large supply. 

 I then determined to try it in the first case that came before me. A 

 few days afterwards a sailor applied to me having chronic dysentery. 



