ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 19 



corneously mucronate, three-uerved, ciliate, cleft to the middle (membranous 

 between the segments as in Gillia). 



Flowers filiform, very minute, one-third to one-half longer than the calyx ; 

 border blue, throat slightly swelled, stamens included, three long and two short. 

 style simple, stigma undivided, about as long as the tube. Capsule oval, com- 

 pressed (?), about three-seeded, seeds oblong, cuneate, flattened. 



A plant four to six inches in height, found by Mr. G. W. Dunn, in the vicinity 

 of Silver City, Nevada Territory. In one of the specimens the first pair of leaves 

 appears to manifest a serrate tendency. 



Dr. Trask stated, that the tree cotton presented by him was said 

 to be the produce of a shrub from four to fifteen feet high. It is 

 described as growing in a pod like a banana, the shrub forming a 

 high chaparral. The staple is long and fine ; but nothing is known 

 of its commercial value. 



Dr. Behr remarked that it closely resembled species of Bombax 

 and Eriodendron, abundant in South America and the East 

 Indies, but not there considered as of value as a substitute for 

 cotton. 



Dr. Trask made some remarks in regard to certain species of 

 Conferva, which appear to be sensitive, like the species of 



SCHRANKIA. 



Prof. Brewer stated that he had recently received a communica- 

 tion from Professor Planchon, of South France, in regard to suita- 

 ble forage plants for dry regions. In that country the Medicago 

 sativa, or Lucerne, was considered the most valuable, and next to 

 it the Sainfoin. 



Regular Meeting, April 5th, 1863. 

 President in the Chair. 



Present, ten members ; and Mr. W. S. Moses, by invitation. 



Donations to the Library : 



Chart of the oscillations of the Sacramento River, by T. M. 

 Logan, M.D. Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of Nat- 

 ural Sciences, for September, 1862. Journal of the Boston Nat- 

 ural History Society, volume VII, Nos. 2 and 3. 



Dr. Kellogg read the following paper : 



