124 Botardcal Society of Edinburgh, 



which the mountains of Scotland are clothed, — a difference probably 

 arising from their structure, the summits, or nearly two-thirds of 

 their height, being composed of the most unproductive quartz. Near 

 the base of the mountains some micaceous soil exists, and there a 

 little alpine vegetation was found. The only peculiarity which the 

 quartz presented was abundance of Saxifraga umhrosa. Menziesia 

 polifolia was found to be scattered over a larger extent of country 

 than was expected, being met with in abundance on the road sides 

 from within a few miles of Galway to Clifden, the most westerly 

 point visited. Cnicus pratensis occupied the situation which Cnicus 

 heterophyllus usually holds in Scotland, — the latter not yet having been 

 seen in Ireland. Pimpinella magna occurred in profusion along the 

 road-sides between Galway and Oughterard. Erica mediterranea was 

 ascertained to have been found in three stations in the West of Ire- 

 land, considerably remote from each other. The introduction of 

 Erica carnea into the Irish Flora was understood to have arisen from 

 a mistake. 



2. Mr. Forbes exhibited specimens of the true Primula elatior, of 

 Jacquin, gathered by him during the summer on the mountains of 

 Styria. He pointed out the distinctions between these and the Bri- 

 tish specimens, and remarked that they confirmed the views he had 

 formerly laid before the Society, in which he maintained that no true 

 Primula elatior hB.s hitherto been found in Britain. He also laid be- 

 fore the Society some specimens of Viola pinnata, from Mount Nanas, 

 in Carniola, in order to show that the form of the filamental append- 

 ages in that species indicates a passage from the true Violets to the 

 Pansies. 



3. Professor Graham stated that some months ago he had received 

 from Dr. Christison a root of Ipomcea Purga, now believed to be the 

 plant which yields the true Jalap of commerce, and that when cul- 

 tivated in the stove it had grown freely and produced flowers. It is 

 altogether a different plant from that previously in cultivation. 



December 1 3th. — Prof. Graham, President, in the Chair. 

 1. Mr. Brand read a paper containing remarks on the Statistics of 

 British Botany, intended to illustrate the plan proposed to be adopted 

 in the formation of the Botanical Society's British Herbarium. Be- 

 sides detailing very fully the plan which he formerly suggested for 

 dividing Great Britain and Ireland into 42 districts or Floras, from 

 each of which, specimens of all indigenous plants, with certain excep- 

 tions, should if possible be obtained for the Society's Herbarium, 

 Mr. Brand exhibited a series of elaborate Tables, deduced from an ex- 

 amination of Mr. Watson's excellent work on the Geographical Dis- 

 tribution of British Plants, and showed how far, and in what respect. 



