Gelehrte Gesellschaften. 33 



smaller one — a very remarkable phenomenon in a dicotyledonous plant. 

 S. caulescens has all the appearance of being an annual, the root being 

 feebly developed. The larger cotyledon, moreover, is evidently of no greater 

 persistence than the foliage leaves which succeed it, and which , as already 

 Said, it closely resembles. In the axüs of both the cotyledons and of the 

 foliage leaves buds are developed; in the first place a primary axillary bud, 

 and then a little later an accessory one placed vertically below the primary 

 bud, between it and the leaf-base. It might be a question for evolutionists, 

 whether to regard the condition of S. caulescens as a step towards the highly 

 difFerentiated one of S. polyanthus, or as a step towards reversion to a more 

 normal development; a speculation, perhaps, scarcely worth entering upon. 



III. The President communicated a „Report on the Vegetation in the 

 Garden of the Royal Botanic Institution , Glasgow , for January , February, 

 March, and April, 1882". By Robert Bullen, Curator. — In January 

 the thermometer had been at freezing-point on four occasions, and below 

 it only twice — the lowest temperature registered being during the 

 nights of the 8th and 28th, when 31 and 26 0, or l» and 60 of frost were 

 recorded ; the highest temperature at noon on the 9th , with a little sun. 

 The Vegetation was unusually forward, buds of many hardy shrubs expanding 

 rapidly, and same of the hardier Loniceras having young growth 2 or 3 inches 

 in length. During February the thermometer was below the fi-eezing-point 

 on six occasions, the lowest reading being on the 15th, when 3^ of frost were 

 recorded, the highest being 60 0, on the 12th, the total of frost for the month 

 being 7 0, and one at the freezing-point , but this had no retarding effect on 

 the Vegetation, already noticed as being wonderfully forward. Petasites 

 vulgaris was in füll bloom the fii-st week in the month : Daphne Mezereum, 

 Sisyrinchiums , and Scilla italica and sibirica by the middle of the month. 

 Ribes sanguineum was noticed in bloom on the 26th on the banks of the 

 river Kelvin. Pulmonai-ia officinalis and Hepatica triloba were in bloom at 

 the end of the month. The buds on Poplar, as well as on some of the 

 Loniceras, were in füll leaf. During the month of March, the thermometer 

 was at or below the freezing-point on four occasions , the lowest reading 

 being during the night of the 21st, fallingto 28", or 4» of frost; cold winds 

 with occasional hailstorms were, however, more the cause of low temperature 

 than actual frost — the totol of frost for the month being 8^. Vegetation 

 made little progress , and the plants previously noticed as in premature 

 bloom received a check. In April the thermometer was at the freezing-point 

 on four occasions, and below only twice, on the 9th and 15th, when 3^ and 

 60 of frost were recorded, the total of frost for the month being 9". During 

 the earlier part of the month Vegetation made little progress, owing to the 

 cold winds which prevailed. The leaves of the more tender herbaceous 

 plants, as also those of several decidaous trees and shrubs, were slightly 

 injured by the frost on the night of the 15th inst. No frost having been 

 experienced since that date, no ill effects are observable. The leafage of 

 most trees is at least three weeks in advance of the last two seasons. 



IV. „Report on Temperatures and Vegetation at the Royal Botanic Garden, 

 Edinburgh". By Mr. Sadler. During the month of April the thermometer 

 was at or below the freezing-point on six occasions, as compared with 

 twenty one in the same month last year. The lowest temperatures were on 

 the following dates: — 8th, 32 O; lOth, 27»; 12th, 29 O; 13th, 31»; 16th, 26 O; 

 27th, 280. Since May commenced, although the thermometer has not fallen 

 to the freezing-point, yet the night temperatures have been very low, as 

 shown by the following readings: — Ist, 34 O; 2nd, 39»; 3d, 35»; 6th, 34»; 

 7th, 360; 8th, 33 O; 9th, 34 O; lOth, 35". On the 4th, 5th, and llth the 

 thermometer registered 43 0. These low temperatures, along with the east 

 and north-east winds, retarded Vegetation very much, and it is only by the 

 last two genial days that it has made a fresh start. The frosts of April, 

 owing to the advanced condition of Vegetation, did much injury to fruit 

 tree, and bushes in flower, as well as to tender shoots, in many parts of the 

 country. — During the month of April 231 species and varieties of plants 

 came into flower on the rock garden, as compared with fifty-two in April 

 last year. During this season there have already come into flower on the 



Botan. Centralbl. Jahrg. m. 1882. Bd. XI. 3 



