NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 159 



that determines the branching of the largest trees is concerned with 

 the production of the various parts of the bulb of a lily or a narcissus, 

 the tuber of a potato or an artichoke, thus affording a striking 

 illustration of that unity in the midst of infinite diversity, Avhich is 

 so remarkable a feature in the vegetable kingdom. 



14th June, 1881. 



Mr. William Stewart in the Chair. 



Mr. R. Turner gave an account of the excursion to Kilmalcolm 

 on the 11th instant. Amongst the noteworthy plants gathered 

 were Sedum villosum, Geum intermedium, Myosotis versicolor, and 

 Trollius europaeus. A fine example of Salix pentandra was observed 

 near Duchall Castle, and in the same locality Polypodium Dryopteris 

 and P. Phegopteris were found. Many species of mosses were 

 collected, the rarest of these being perhaps Bryum alpinum. Adoxa 

 Moschatellina was found in fruit, and some specimens gathered 

 were infested with the leaf-fungus AEcidium albescens. Several 

 other leaf-fungi were found. Hawthorn blossom was everywhere 

 profuse, in marked contrast to last season. 



Mr. Peter Ewing exhibited specimens of Anthriscus vulgaris from 

 the East coast. 



Mr. David Gregorson read an interesting paper on the "Geo- 

 graphical Distribution of Plants." 



28th June, 1881. 



Mr. Alex. Noble in the Chair. 



Mr. Richard M'Kay gave an account of the excursion to Shiel- 

 hill Glen on the 25th instant. At Greenock the members were 

 taken under the leadership of Mr. Scott, and they were afterwards 

 joined by excursion parties — one of the Greenock Natural History 

 Society, the other of the Geological Class under charge of the 

 curator of the Watt Museum, Greenock. The primrose was found 

 to be still in flower in the glen. Among the noteworthy plants 

 found were : — Trollius europaeus, Cardamine amara, Sedum villosum, 

 Saxi/raga hypnoides, Listera ovata, L. cordata, Carex aquatilis, 

 Avenapubescens, Hymenophyllum unilaterale,AspUnium Trichomanes, 



