Linncean Society. 57 



From these observations, which have been followed up in many 

 ergotized grasses, Mr. Queckett is inclined to believe that the ergot 

 is a grain diseased by a particular parasitic fungus developing in or 

 about it, whose sporidia find the young state of the grain a matrix 

 suitable for their growth, and quickly run their race, not entirely 

 depriving it of its vitality, but communicating to it such impressions, 

 which pervert its regular growth, and likewise the healthy formation 

 of its constituents, being at last composed of its diseased mate- 

 rials, which are mixed up with fungic matter, which has developed 

 within it. 



The fungus caused to germinate in the way described is quite in- 

 visible to the naked eye, seldom measuring beyond the one or two 

 hundredth part of an inch ; and from comparisons with British and 

 foreign genera of Fungacese, it has not been found that it belongs 

 satisfactorily to any as at present constituted ; the author therefore 

 proposes a new genus, with the title Ergotceiea, to represent this 

 minute fungus, which will belong to the sub- order Coniomycetes 

 of Fries, and to its division Mucedines, very near to the genus Sepe- 

 donium. 



After repeated experiments with the sporidia of the ergot of rye, 

 of Elymus, and other grasses, the author has always succeeded in 

 making them germinate, and has not discovered such differences as 

 would lead him to consider that the parasite in each case was not 

 the same, therefore he has applied the term abortans, as the specific 

 name of Ergotatea, to the plant found on the ergot of rye, and be- 

 lieves the parasites, on the other grasses which have been examined, 

 to be of the same species. 



December 18. — Edward Forster, V. P., in the Chair. 



Read, " A notice of Cereus tetragonus," by Edward Rudge, Esq., 

 F.R. & L.S. 



This plant has blossomed during the three past years in Mr. 

 Rudge's collection at Abbey Manor House near Evesham. The 

 flowers expand in the evening like those of C. grandiflorus , w T hich 

 they resemble, but are not above half the size. The number of the 

 angles of the stem is variable. The species is an old inhabitant of 

 our stoves, but has rarely flowered. 



Read, " Descriptions of the Indian species 01 Iris," by D. Don, 

 Esq., Libr. L.S., Prof. Bot. King's College. 



The number of species of this beautiful genus belonging to the 

 Indian Flora is five, three of which have not been previously de- 

 scribed : one of the species is from Cashmere, another from Ludak, 



