128 LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



decipiens. — Prof. Marshall Ward exhibited a sclerotium of a Fungus 

 produced from a Botrytis spore, and explained the method by which 

 it had been obtained. — A paper was then read by Mr. F. Townsend, 

 M.P., on Kuphrasia ojftcinalis, with a description of a new sub- 

 species, and a discussion followed, in which the President, Mr. 

 J. G. Baker and others, took part. — In the absence of the author, 

 a paper by Mr. C. T. Druery, on sexual apospory in Polystichum 

 angulare, was read by the Botanical Secretary, Mr. B. D. Jackson ; 

 upon which remarks were made by Mr. Murray and Dr. D. H. 

 Scott. —Mr. Murray then gave the substance of a paper on a new 

 genus of Green Algae, proposed to be named Boodlea, and in so 

 doing made some observations on the affinities and distinguishing 

 characters of allied genera. The paper was criticised by Messrs. 

 A. W. Bennett, Eeay Greene, and D. H. Scott. 



March 7. — Mr. Carruthers, F.R.S., President, in the chair. — 

 Messrs. Herbert Stone and Malcolm La^Tie were admitted Fellows 

 of the Society, and Messrs. John Bidgood and Christopher Mudd 

 were elected. — A paper was read by the Eev. Prof. Henslow, M.A., 

 F.L.S., " On the Vascular Systems of Floral Organs, and their 

 importance in the interpretation of the Morphology of Flowers." 

 The author drew attention to the importance of this class of 

 observations, as supplementing development and teratology ; for by 

 referring all organs back to their "axial traces," their real origins 

 could generally be discovered. Taking the cords metaphorically as 

 ** floral units," he explained how they can, as it were, give rise to 

 axes as well as to all kinds of floral appendages. Quoting Van 

 Tieghem's definitions of axial and foliar characters, the former was 

 shown to be subject to exceptions. After describing the arrange- 

 ments of the cords in peduncles and pedicels, in w^iich endogens 

 often have the cords as regularly placed as in exogens, the author 

 explained the different ways by which pedicels of umbels are formed 

 in each class respectively. The "chorism" and union of cords were 

 illustrated, and the effects produced. Considerable light was thrown 

 upon the cohesion and adliesion of organs, and the interpretation of 

 the " receptacular tube " and " inferior ovary" was shown to depend 

 upon the undifferentiated state of the organs when in congenital 

 imion. The true nature of axile and free central placentas was 

 revealed, so that in the case of the former, with scarcely any 

 exception, the axis takes no part in the structure, all ** carpo- 

 phores," **stylopods," &c., being simply the coherent and hyper- 

 trophied margins of carpels. Similarly the free central placenta of 

 Primula received its interpretation as consisting of the coherent and 

 ovuhferoas bases of fine carpels, which have the upper parts of their 

 margins coherent in a parietal manner. Illustrative diagrams were 

 exhibited of nearly seventy genera, typical of about thirty orders. 



We have to announce the death of Prof. Lindbekg, which took 

 place on Feb. 20th at Helsingfors : a notice of him by Dr. Braith- 

 waite is held over for want of space. 



