72 TJnncean Society. 



in his Mercurius Botanicus, published in 1634, record a species of 

 Euphorbia^ as growing near Bath, which Mr. Forster has satisfac- 

 torily proved to be the same with the plant published in the " Sup- 

 plement to English Botany" under the name oi'pilosa. It is also re- 

 corded by Merrett in his Pinax, and in the Indiculus Plantarum 

 Dubianim, inserted by Dillenius at the end of his edition of Ray's 

 Synopsis. The station as given by those authors answers pretty 

 nearly to the locality in which the plant is now found. Mr. Forster 

 regards the E palustris and pilosa as forming but one species ; the 

 circumstance of the leaves being either glabrous or hairy he consi- 

 ders as alone insufficient to constitute a specific difterence. 



A paper by Mr. Robert H. Schomburgk was also read, On the tree 

 from which the Indians of the Oroonoko prepare the famous poison 

 called Wooraly or Ourary. The tree proves to be an undescribed ^^e- 

 c'lesof St rychnos, and it is worthy of remark thatDr.von Martins found 

 that the Indians of the Amazon prepare a similar poison from a 

 nearly related species of the same genus. The mode of preparing 

 the poison appears to be confined to the Macoosies of Pirarira, 

 and the Warpeshanas of the Conocon mountains situated near the 

 equator, where the plant grows wild. The following are the name 

 and character of the species: 



Strychnos toxifera, Schomb. 



S. foliis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis 3 — 5-nerviis utrinque ramulis- 

 ' que ferrugineo-tomentosis, bacca polysperma. 



Nov. 15. — A singular specimen of an Orchideous plant was pre- 

 sented from Mr. Schomburgk, bearing on the same spike flowers of 

 Myanthus barbatus and Monachanthus viridis of Lindley, which ap- 

 pear to be nothing more than conditions of the same species, arising 

 from sexual differences in the flowers. The spike has five flowers of 

 Monachanthus, and two of Myanthus barbatus. The former remain 

 in their normal position, but the latter are resupinate. The same 

 plant produced a second scape with all the flowers of Myanthus 

 barbatus. In a letter which accompanied the interesting specimen 

 above mentioned, Mr. Schomburgk mentions a second instance of 

 the same kind which came under his notice, and that a vigorous 

 plant which bore at one time flowers of Monachanthus viridis, had, 

 two months previously to his writing his letter, produced a scape with 

 flowers of Catasetum tridentatum, which he regards as a third condi- 

 tion of the same species. He states that he has never observed 

 Catasetum tridentatum bear seed, but the flowers of Monachanthus 

 viridis abundantly. This last would seem to be the hermaphrodite 

 plant, Myanthus barbatus the female, and Catasetum tridentatum 

 the male. These facts throw an entirely new light on the struc- 

 ture and oeconomy of this remarkable family of plants. 



A letter from Mr. Nicholson, addressed to the Secretary, was read, 

 giving an accountof a young Haw^nch {Coccothraustes europcea ) ]ust 

 fledged, but unable to' fly, having been picked up off the ground in 

 a wood at LuUingstone in Kent, in the month of June last. Its cries 



