Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



gards the Sicilian flora as not an aboriginal one, but as derived from 

 Africa on the one sid6, and from Greece and other Mediterranean 

 countries on the other. The plants peculiar to the island are by no 

 tHeans numerous, and the flora is meagre when compared with that 

 'of Dalmatia and other countries on the shores of the Adriatic. In 

 the course of two months' residence in the island. Dr. Alexander 

 found only about 250 species which he had not seen in Dalmatia. 

 '^■\' 3. Dr. Alexander on the Plants found on the Apennines. He con- 

 ^i^iders the flora of the Apennines from Piedmont downwards to be 

 also a derived one ; for excepting the genera which occupy fallow 

 land and broken ground, such as Medicago, Ononis, Convolvulus, and 

 sea-shore plants, he found no genus developed, but a species of one 

 type and a species of another, without connecting links. On ascend- 

 ing the mountains, when he got to a region where a magnificent 

 flora ought to be, he found at most a hardy hill plant that had crept 

 up, but nothing whatever of an alpine nature. 



On the Matese, about forty miles north from Naples, vegetation 

 iiearly ceased at about 6000 feet; and at the top, which is 7000 feet 

 above the level of the sea, and where there is a snow-field that never 

 entirely melt© and therefore cold enough for alpine plants, he met 

 Svith Aubrietia Columns (a mere variety of A. deltoides), Ranunculus 

 montanus, a Geranium resembling a Carniolian species, Arabis alpina, 

 an Allium not in flower, Scrophularia glandulosa, and three forms of 

 Saxifraga Aizoon which are reckoned by some as species. In nearly 



^the same latitude, on the other side of the Adriatic, on the Bioko vo, 

 near Macarska in Dalmatia, there is, at the same height, a most in- 

 teresting alpine flora, and in JEtolia, on Mt. Velugo, one equally so. 

 Dr. Alexander found the Apennines by no means so productive as the 

 Alps of Upper Styria and Upper Carinthia ; and he looks upon the 

 range as probably so recent in its formation, as to be only receiving 

 ^ts alpine flora gradually from other districts. 



4. Dr. Balfour read a communication which he had received from 

 Mr. Campbell of Islay, relative to Mummy Wheat, specimens of which 

 were exhibited. The wheat sent by Mr. Campbell resembled what 

 is called Bellevue Talavera. Other specimens of the so-called mummy 

 w^heat were shown, having all the characteristics of Egyptian wheat 

 (Triticum compositum). There appeared to be great doubts as to 

 the fact of the wheat found in mummy-cases having germinated. 

 In all the instances mentioned, there are numerous sources of fallacy 

 which have not been guarded against. The most authentic and best- 

 corroborated instance of the germination of mummy- wheat seems 

 to be that noticed by Mr. Tupper, who got from Mr. Pettigrew 

 grains which had been taken by Sir Gardiner Wilkinson from some 

 alabaster sepulchral vases. Even in this case, however, it is diflicult 

 to prove that the grains had not been recently inserted into the vases. 



*The wheat which was then produced was the same variety as that 



^bw sent by Mr. Campbell. 



''^'5. A communication was read from Mr. Cruickshank, regarding 

 the discovery of Typha angustifolia in Lochmaben Loch, and of Cen^ 

 tunculus minimus near Dumfries. 



