Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 75 



common to those countries and to the shores of the Canaries and 

 Western Isles. This might be described as the flora of the cultivated 

 region. It included the naturalized trees and shrubs of the south of 

 Europe ; and most of the agricultural and httoral weeds, which, from 

 their identity with European and North African species, were sup- 

 posed to have been introduced by the agency of man, or by other 

 natural means. A few lowland species not yet known as habitants 

 of the Mediterranean shores, but which belong to Mediterranean 

 genera, and do not claim affinity with the native flora of the Atlantic 

 islands, he also includes in the' flora of the cultivated region. He 

 next adverted to the native flora of the island, which he said was 

 identical in character with that of the interior of the Canary Islands 

 and the Azores. It was well marked by the predominance of ferns, 

 both in respect of the number of species and the fertility of individual 

 life. Laurels and evergreen trees, with the arborescent heath, cha- 

 racterize the mountain scenery and give their name to the island, 

 Madeira signifying 'the land of woods.' Composite, Ericacece, LabiatcB 

 and Cmciferce are represented by more than the usual proportion of 

 species ; Graminece and LeguminoscB hold an average place ; and there 

 is a remarkable deficiency in species of Rosacea and Cyperacece. 



Mr. IM'Laren gave a table showing the proportion of species m 

 the different natural orders for the two Phyto-Geographic regions 

 here indicated, and entered into some details to show the relations of 

 these regions to the flora of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic 

 islands respectively. ^^ 



3. "On certain Structures observed in Pentas carnea, Benth., ' by 

 Daniel OliAer, Esq. jun., of Newcastle. 



This plant furnishes an interesting form of cellular tissue ; it also 

 presents singular interpetiolary processes, which seem to be of a 

 glandular nature. 



Those persons who are interested in cell-multipHcation, the relation 

 of the primorchal utricle to the secondary deposits of the outer cell- 

 membrane, and the nature of such deposits, will find this plant a 

 useful addition to their means of prosecuting such inquiries. 



The regular gamopetalous tubidar corolla of Pentas carnea is 

 about 1 inch in length at the time of flowermg. 



Surrounding the throat of the tube, and to about one-fourth the 

 distance down it, to the base of the attachment of the short free fila- 

 ments with the tissue of the corolla, is a dense collection of unicellidar 

 hairs directed upwards. These hairs are shghtly broader about the 

 middle of their length, tapering, with sometimes a rather undulating 

 outhne, to the distal extremity, and a little narrowed towards the base. 

 Scattered in the lower portion of the corolhne tube are hairs of a 

 different structure, consisting of a single series of several cells ; these 

 narrow from the base to the apex, and are similar in form and struc- 

 ture to the hairs of the petioles of the leaves and interpetiolary 

 processes. 



The coroUine hairs are remarkable from their fibro-cellular cha- 

 racter ; the nature of the spiral fibrous deposit is, however, difficult to 

 determine. A first glance, with a magnifying power of perhaps 200 



