REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL AND MICROSCOPICAL 

 SECTION, 1888-9. 



Chairman: J. T. Harris, Esq. 



I have with pleasure to report that the Botanical Section continues 

 in a healthy state, and only needs more Members to make it as flourish- 

 ing as any of the Sections of the Society, I have unfortunately though 

 to chronicle the loss of a valuable member, through the removal of Mr. 

 '1'. Gibbs from Burton. 



Five Evening Meetings were held during the Winter, the business at 

 which consisted of discussions on the British Rubi and on the Phenolo- 

 gical Observations for 1888, and of the exhibition of the following 

 specimens: a small, though fine, collection of New Zealand flowering 

 plants and ferns made by Mr. F. W. Andrews ; a number of plants 

 collected in the Highlands of Scotland by Messrs. Nowers and Wells; 

 and the finds of the preceding Summer. 



At the beginning of the Winter, a Committee, consisting of Messrs. 

 Harri.s, Nowers, Gibbs, and the Sectional Hon. Sec, was appointed for 

 the purpose of continuing the compilation of the new flora of the district. 

 The work is making slow though steady progress, and has laboured 

 under the disadvantage, during the past year, of the absence of our 

 Chairman from England, for the benefit of his health. During the last 

 few weeks, a flora of Derbyshire, by the Revd. W. H. Painter, has been 

 published, and though it was at first thought this would rather predjudice 

 part of our work, it is now believed it will not, owing to the incomplete- 

 ness of his lists of localities. 



Appened to this, will be found the first-fruits of our organization of 

 the Phenological Observations, in the shape of a table of those for the 

 year 1888. These observations have been vigorously continued during 

 the Summer ju.st elapsed. 



Out of the Four Field Excursions arranged only one was carried out, 

 that being to Tamworth on May iSth, under the leadership of the Sec- 

 retary, when the party were successful in finding Fritillaria Meleagris in 

 flower. 



Considerable energy is being infused into the field work within the 

 district, and several important finds have to be chronicled. Perhaps the 

 most important one is that of Gagca lutea at Brassington Rocks by 

 myself This plant is very rare throughout the country, and has not 

 been recorded previously within the Society's district, nor is noted from 

 the above locality by the Rev. W. H. Painter. Others worthy of special 

 note are Erodium maritimum taken by Mr. J. E. Nowers at Little Hay- 

 wood, and Samolus Valerandi, a salt water plant, taken by myself at 



