LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 381 



with the abnormal vigour of the main plant, points to a hybrid 

 origin. No. 2 is an altogether different form, being very de- 

 pauperate and ramose ; the two fronds of this have developed no 

 less than thirteen buds, of which the majority have evolved aerial 

 roots, one reaching and penetrating the soil. The buds on the 

 first frond have thrown up small circinate fronds, which have so far 

 not unfolded. The family of Athyriums — rich as it is in variations 

 — has so far been remarkable for its unproliferous nature, the 

 exhibitor falling to find any record of a bulbil-bearing form ; it is 

 therefore singular that two forms so distinct in character, yet so 

 alike in their profuse proliferousness, should have originated simul- 

 taneously and within a few inches of each other. Finally, not the 

 least singular feature is the extreme precocity of both forms, since 

 bulbil-bearing ferns almost without exception are proliferous only 

 on their ripe fronds and when much farther advanced in develop- 

 ment. — Mr. Christy exhibited a living specimen of the Japanese 

 peppermint-plant, which yields the Menthol of commerce, this being 

 the first plant of the kind grown in this country. It was pointed 

 out by Mr. E. M. Holmes that, although this mint did not differ in 

 botanical characters from Mentha arvensis, it had a strong peppermint 

 odour and flavour, which were not found in the specimens growing 

 either in Europe or India. He therefore proposed that the plant 

 should be named M. arvensis, var. 'piperascens, by way of distinction.''' 

 Mr. Baker exhibited a specimen of Lycopodium compkmatum, 

 collected by Prof. Lawson in Skye in July, 1868. f — A paper was 

 read, "On certain Medicinal Plants of North-West Queensland," 

 by W. E. Armit. Among these is a species of Aristolochia and a 

 Croton ; also Grewia polytjania, a sj)ecific for dysentery ; Careya 

 arborescens, used for poultices; ErythrcBa aristata and Andropogon 

 citriodora, tonics in febrile complaints ; Euphorbia pUuUfera and 

 Datura australis, valuable in cases of asthma. — A remarkable 

 malformation of the leaves of Beyeria opaca, var. hiyiearis, from 

 Yorke's Peninsula, South Australia, was described by Mr. Otto 

 Tepper. — Some teratological notes on Carex glauca, Lolium jjerenne, 

 and Equisetum maximmn were afterwards read by Mr. H. N. Eidley. 

 November 16. — Frank Crisp, LL.B., Treasurer, in the chair. — 

 Messrs. 0. T. Olsen and J. N. Stone were elected Fellows of the 

 Society. — Dr. W. C. Ondaatje exhibited and made remarks on 

 some Ceylon plants : the fruit of liandia dumetoriim, long used as 

 a remedy for .dysentery ; and the leaves of Sethia acuminata^ 

 anthelmintic in properties ; also specimens of the resin of Seme- 

 carpus Gardnerii, from which a black varnish is pre^Dared. — Mr. W. 

 Thiselton Dyer called attention to a specimen of Cycas Beddomei, a 

 new species from Southern India. — Mr. F. J. Hanbury showed a 



* [Mr. Holmes has since dealt with the plant at greater length in the 

 * Pharmaceutical Journal ' for Nov. 11, pp. '681, 382. — Ed. Journ. Bot.] 



t [This is the plant concerning which some doubt was expressed by Mr. 

 Druce at p. 3;}2, and which on further examination proves to be L. complanatum. 

 Of the specimens in the British Museum Herbarium, collected by Mr. W. 

 Gardiner on the Sidlnw Hills in October, 1848 (also referred to by Mr. Druce), 

 two are L. complanatum, the third being L. alpinum. — Ed. Journ. Bot.] 



