70 REPORT—1849. 
flower-head however each division of the pistil-leaf had become a pod, with a distinct 
stem, and the ovules inwards. 
Ovules seem to be produced only when junction of the edges of the pistil-leaf takes 
place; in other cases leaflets are produced in the place of ovules. 
In cases where every other part of the floral series has been regularly developed, 
the pistil occasionally will take the form of a perfect ternate leaf, and then the axis of 
the plant is continued through the flower. 
Some of these changes have been already noticed and described; but one com- 
plete series, extending from the calyx through every part of the flower, has not, that 
I am aware, been recorded as to this, or indeed any other plant. 
With respect to the leaves of 7’. repens, it is stated by M. Moquin-Tandon that 
they occasionally take additional leaflets, and he quotes instances of four, five and seven. 
In Link’s ‘ Report on Botany’ (Ray Soc. Translation), M. Walpers is quoted for a no- 
tice of “a monstrous seven-leaved leaf” of this species, who considers the three leaves, 
as well as the simple leaves, as shortened pinnated leaves. 
From the very common occurrence of three simple leaves in the place of the com- 
pound one; from the instance already noticed of the termination of the axis in three 
opposite pistils, as well as from the structure of the base of the stalk of the ordinary 
leaves, it would seem rather that they consisted of unions of three simple ones. ‘Though 
directed to look for instances of pinnated leaves by these notices of MM. Moquin- 
Tandon and Walpers, I was not able to meet with any. 

On Fairy Rings, with Notes on some of the Edible Fungi by which they are 
caused. By Prof. Buckman, F.G.S. 
After detailing at some length the experiments of Mr. Way on the composition of 
fungi forming the fairy rings, Prof. Buckman gave an account of the various species 
which formed fairy rings in the neighbourhood of Cirencester. He stated that at dif- 
ferent seasons of the year no less than three species of Agaricus appeared on the same 
ring. The species of Grasses also that composed the ring were found by the author to 
be constantly the same in the inner and outer parts of the circle in the rings which he 
examined. The Cirencester species of fungi in the rings were edible, and much sought 
after by the students of the college, being the Agaricus prunulus. 


On a remarkable Monstrosity of a Vinca. By Prof. E. Forzus, F.R.S. 
In this monstrous flower the calyx and petals were normal; the stamens converted 
into petals, with traces of anthers on the margin of their attenuated bases; within them 
were six carpels arranged in two whorls; the outer three had no styles and exhibited 
no sutures on their inner faces; the three inner ones were larger; two were sutured 
along their inner faces, two bore styles on their tips, the summits of the three styles 
had united by their basal rings; below the stigma, which was common to all three, 
two of the styles had been broken away in consequence of the growth of a prolongation 
of the axis from among the centre of the ovaries; this elongation bore upon its summit 
a rudimentary flower, consisting of five outer lanceolate segments equivalent to sepals, 
five linear bodies alternating with the former equivalent to petals; a five-lobed fleshy 
ring, which might be regarded as a circle of stamens, but which showed no traces of 
anthers; the four bodies equivalent to carpels, two of them larger than the other two, 
and one of the two bearing a style terminating in astigma. The monstrosity did not end 
here; in the midst of these ovaries, arose another but very short prolongation of the axis 
bearing a cup-like disc, bordered by five leaf-like lobes, and within the margin of the 
cup was a circle of minute ovule-like bodies ; all the parts of the prolonged axis were 
green. The observer was inclined to regard this singular monstrosity as an instance 
of true folial and true axile placentation co-existing in the same flower, 
The monster was found among some flowers brought to Covent-garden this spring. 


On the Varieties of the Wild Carrot. By Prof. E. Forsgs, F.R.S. 
Two species of Daucus, D. carota and D. maritimus, are enumerated as indigenous 
in our British Floras, and a third has been indicated with a doubt and referred to the 

