Linnaan Society. 233 



the exception of Phascum alternifolium, which is wholly destitute of 

 them. They are found equally on the most fully developed species, 

 such as Hypnum rutabulum, as well as on the very lowest, of which 

 Phascum serratum affords an example, while on the contrary they 

 are wanting in species of both extremes, as Hypnum denticulatum and 

 Phascum alternifolium. Their number and size vary according to 

 the age of the theca ; in the very young theca they are very small, 

 and much less numerous than on the mature organ. In Orthotri- 

 chum diaphanum when mature they are from twenty to twenty-five, 

 whilst on the very young theca Mr. Valentine has found as few as five. 

 They are very numerous on the apophysis of Funaria hygrometrica. 



The more common form of the stomata in mosses is similar to that 

 generally found amongst phsenogamous plants. Each consists of two 

 oblong reniform cells, with their concave sides opposed to each other. 

 In Funaria hygrometrica they consist of a single cell in the form of 

 a hollow ring, and in five British species of Orthotrichum {diaphanum, 

 pulchellum, rivulare, anomalum, and cupulatum) they have a raised 

 border of projecting cells which form a cavity above the stoma, re- 

 sembling somewhat those of Marchantia and Targionia. 



Mr. Anderson, F.L.S., exhibited, from the Chelsea Botanic Gar- 

 den, flowering plants of Pterostylis concinna and Perdicium lyratum, 



April 17. — The Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 



Read a paper by Prof. Don, Libr. L.S., describing two new genera 

 of the natural family of plants called Coniferce. 



These two genera belong to the Cupressinece, to which they form 

 an interesting addition, from their peculiarities of habit and struc- 

 ture, and they differ from all the genera hitherto established of that 

 group by the female spikes assuming the form of a cone, as in Pinus. 

 The Cupressinecs are characterised by their reproductive organs having 

 a tendency to become indefinite, by their atropous ovula, naked buds, 

 and other peculiarities of habit. The following are the essential 

 characters of these two genera. 



Cryptomeria. 

 Cupressi sp. Lin. Fit. 



Amenta mascula spicata. Squamce antherifercc rotundatae, adpresse im- 

 bricatse, sessiles. Antherarum thecce 5, connatse ! basi squamarum om- 

 nino adnataa, antice foramine amplo dehiscentes. Ovula erecta. Stro- 

 bili solitarii, globosi, squarrosi : squamis epericarpio 3 — 6-dentato brac- 

 teaque lanceolata acuminata inferne concretis compositis. Sernina 4 v. 

 6, compresso-angulata, vix alata. 



Arbor (japonica) procera, sempervirens. Folia fere omnino Araucariae 

 Cunninghamii, 5-fariam ordinata, subulata, viridia, verticaliter com- 



