96 Transactions. — Botany. 



and ultimate branchlets are much smaller and closer; perhaps 

 in age they increase in size and distance. I have a specimen 

 bearing 2 flowers on 1 peduncle. 



II. This species flowers profusely in February, when it 

 presents a very pleasing appearance from the pure-white of its 

 large, exposed, and numerous flowers. It has potent and 

 active enemies among some of the smaller-wdnged insects, 

 which eat away the thick stigmas, and lay their egg at a 

 very early date within the immature ovarium, piercing it with 

 a minute hole for that purpose, which, however, does not 

 affect the growth of the capsule or its seeds. In due time a 

 small larva issues from the egg, that devours the seeds. This 

 caterpillar invariably attacks the seeds in the one soft part at 

 their base (Jiilum), the testa being very hard, and is sometimes 

 to be found snugly ensconced within the seed ; the seeds 

 when "cleaned out" still retaining their position, size, and 

 colour. I have never found more than one hole in a capsule, 

 and only one larva inside. Such is the havoc occasioned by 

 this minute insect, that it is a very difficult matter to find a 

 whole capsule containing perfect seeds. I have gathered 

 scores (perhaps hundreds) of good-looking capsules, both ripe 

 and unripe — such, too, as were fine and healthy-looking on the 

 plants — but only, in nineteen cases out of twenty, to find 

 them useless — without a sound seed ; tenanted if new, or the 

 insect perfected and fled. It must be a very tiny creature, 

 as it emerges by the original small hole without destroying 

 the capsule. 



III. A judicious remark of Forster's on this genus may be 

 mentioned here : " The species of Convolvuli are very copious 

 in the South Sea isles, and so closely connected with each 

 other that it becomes very difficult to determine them." 

 (" Observations," p. 181.) 



Okdeb LIII.— SCEOPHULAEINE^. 



Genus 6. Limosella, Linn. 



1. L. ciliata, sp. nov. 



Plant small, tufted, creeping by surculi, glabrous, rather 

 pale-green, perennial. Leaves erect, spreading and drooping, 

 sub-terete, succulent, minutely dotted, connate in young 

 plants, 8-10 lines long, linear filiform ; tips obtuse, rarely 

 very slightly dilated ; half-clasping at bases. Flowers single, 

 axillary at bases of leaves, several on a plant ; peduncle short, 

 stout, thickened in a ring at top below junction with calyx. 

 Calyx sub-campanulate, 5-partite, segments sub-acute, each 

 marked with a dark-red longitudinal line at base on calyx- 

 tube. Corolla white (sometimes tinged with blue streaks on 

 the outside), campanulate-rotate, 5- (sometimes 4- and 6-) 



