82 LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



Society: — Lieut-Col. W. E, Lewis, Dr. Chas. B. Plowright, Messrs. 

 T. B. Blow, H. G. Greenish, A. G. Howard, Lionel de Niceville, 

 and F. Shrivell. — Mr. H. Ling Roth showed some roots of sugar- 

 cane grown in Queensland and preserved in spirit, and from which 

 he infers that the plant possesses two sorts, viz., ordinary matted 

 fihrous roots, and others of a supposed special kind. The new 

 Sparganium, a note on which appears on page 26, was exhibited 

 by Mr. W. H. Beeby. Mr. Baker expressed his opinion that the 

 plant was undoubtedly distinct from all described species. — Mr. W. 

 T. T. Dyer exhibited life-size photographs of cones of two species 

 of Encephalartos from South Africa, viz., R. loiif/if alius and E. 

 latifrom, neither hitherto figured in European books. He also 

 showed tubers of Ullucus tuberosus from Venezuela, which though 

 esteemed as an esculent in South America, proved inedible when 

 grown at Kew. — A paper was read by Mr. Henry 0. Forbes, " On 

 Contrivances for ensuring Self-fertilization in some Tropical 

 Orchids." In this paper the author referred to some Portuguese 

 and other European orchids, and thereafter he described in detail 

 the structural peculiarities of certain tropical OrchidacecB, which had 

 been made the subject of study by him under favourable auspices. 

 He arrives at the conclusion that a number of orchids are not 

 fertilized by insects, but are so constructed as to enable them to 

 fertilize themselves. This paper was illustrated by diagrams, 

 referring more particularly to such forms as Phajus Blumei, Spatho- 

 glottis 2)licaU(, Anmdina speciosa, Eria javensis, and genera allied to 

 Chrysoglossum. — Mr. F. 0. Bower read a paper " On Apospory in 

 Ferns," this having special reference to Mr. Chas. T. Druery's 

 observations " On Athyrium Filix-fcemina var. darissima," pre- 

 viously communicated to the Society. Mr. Bower's researches, 

 made on the microscopical investigation and growth of sporophore 

 generation to the prothallus, without the intervention of spores, 

 confirms the statements of Mr. Druery. He finds, moreover, the 

 case in point to hold good in certain other ferns — for example, in 

 Poli/stichnm angulare, where there is the formation of an expansion 

 of undoubted prothalloid nature, bearing sexual organs by a process 

 of purely vegetative outgrowth from the fern plant ; that is, there 

 is a transition from the sporophore generation to the oospore by a 

 vegetable growth, and without any connection either with spores or 

 indeed with sporangia or sori. The author goes on to point out 

 the bearing of these observations and experiments on the general 

 life-history of the fern, so far as the modifications of the genetic 

 cycle are concerned, and further compares this new phenomenon of 

 "apospory" in ferns with similar cases in other plants, while 

 insisting on the importance of the cases at issue. — A communica- 

 tion " On the aerial and submerged leaves of Ranunculus Lingua L.," 

 was read by Mr. Freeman Roper. He shows from specimens 

 obtained near Eastbourne, that the two sets of leaves in question 

 differ so materially that they might not be suspected to belong to 

 the same plant, the submerged being relatively much larger, 

 greatly broader, ovate or cordate, and possessing abundance of 

 stomata. 



