126 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Hedivif/ia. — R. Vollny, ' New marine Algae ' (with plate). — 

 E. Ule, ' Mycological Notes ' (mth plate). 



Bot. Xotiscr. (Feb. IStli). — V. B. Wittrock, ' A comparative, 

 biological, morphological, and anatomical study of L/inncea horealis.' 

 — S. 0. Lindberg, ' On Grimm ia trichopliylla, Grev.' 



llvocteUiugs of Socuti^s. 



LiNNEAN Society of London. 



Fehruarii 2l, i<S7(S.— Mr. W. Carruthers, F.R.S., Vice-President, 

 in the chair. — Mr. Thomas Christy illustrated by diagrams, and 

 made some remarks on, Mr. Ossenkep's system of plant-propa- 

 gation ; he also exhibited specimens of the fresh ben-y of the 

 Liberian Coffee, recently imported and of this year's crop. — Mr. 

 E. M. Holmes exhibited a remarkable Oak-gall, the produce of 

 Aphilothrix Sieholdii, Hart., obtained at Willesboro' Leas, Ashford : 

 he likewise laid before the Society an example of Duboisia myopo- 

 roidcs, R.Br., gathered at Brisbane by Dr. J. Bancroft, and made 

 remarks on its therapeutic effects. — Mr. Thiselton Dyer exhibited 

 the remarkable mflorescence and a di-awdng of Ptychosperttia rupi- 

 cola, Thwaites, which had flowered for the first time m Euroi^e at 

 Kew. — The following papers were read : — ' Notes on the Mahwa 

 Tree, Bassia latifolia,' by Mr. E. Lockwood. This tree yields 

 food, wme and oil to the inhabitants. It is abmidant in all parts 

 of Central Lidia, and at Monghyr a hundi-ed thousand may be seen 

 in the plains around. All manner of wild animals feed on its 

 succulent deciduous corollas, and the natives use them as a whole- 

 some food. An essential oil is likewise derived from the fi'uit. 

 Each tree bears two or three hundredweights of corollas, the pro- 

 duce of the Monghyr district alone yielding a hunch-ed thousand 

 tons or more. By distillation a strong- smelling spmt is obtained. 

 The crop is not only abundant, but never fails. Besides other 

 uses, not the least valuable are in soap-making and as a fattening 

 agent for cattle. The author called special attention to its merits 

 in cheapness, unlimited supply, certain yield, nourishing qualities, 

 and in being easily preserved, — all exceedingly important, as a 

 possibly future economical iDroduct of oiu: Indian Empire. — 

 ' Synopsis of the HypoxidaeecB,' by Mr. J. G. Baker. Roemer and 

 Scliultes' summary, published in their ' Systema ' in 1830, is the 

 latest account of this group of jDetaloid Monocotyledons, and at the 

 present day not x)ractically of use. Hence the present revision. 

 Of late years a considerable number of additions has been made, 

 principally from Natal and Tropical Africa. They form a group of 

 plants containing foiu: genera and between sixty and seventy 

 species. They differ from the Amaryllidacece by their tuberous 

 root-stocks, grass-like or coriaceous leaves, persistent perianth- 

 segments, hairy scapes, and crustaceous testa of seeds. Their 

 closest alliance is with the VcKosico' which ne\"ertlieless have a 



