Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 345 



Mr. John Matthews, who had examined the microscopic structure 

 of the leaves, &c., had detected woody and vascular tissue. He had 

 also found scalariform vessels indicating the remains of ferns, and had 

 detected the cellular arrangement of grasses as well as of mosses. His 

 investigations have shown the unaltered condition of the anatomical 

 structure ; and prove the advantage of the use of microscopic re- 

 searches in determining the nature of plants found under peculiar 

 conditions such as those referred to. On a farther examination of 

 the peat, Mr. Matthews and Mr. Cobbold detected numerous species 

 of Diatomaceae belonging to the following genera : — Navicida, Coc- 

 conema, Gallionella, Campylodiscus, Fragillaria, Diatoma, Eiiastrum, 

 Gomphonema, &c., along with some spiculse of sponges. The leaves 

 found in the peat having been examined by Dr. Voelcker, give the 

 following result : — 



Ash from leaves dried at 212° — 32-46. Ash of a reddish colour, 

 apparently from the presence of oxide of iron ; resembles ordinary 

 peat-ashes in many respects. 



3. "Notice of a Lepidodendron found in Craigleith Quarry, and 

 of a species of Dadoxylon discovered in the sandstone of Arthur's 

 Seat," by Mr. A. Bryson. 



Mr. Bryson exhibited a very fine section, measuring 6 by 5 inches, 

 of Lepidodendron obovatum from Craigleith, which is apparently 

 allied to L. Harcourtii, Brongn., and in which the structure is 

 distinctly shown. He also exhibited a section of Dadoxylon from 

 sandstone under the trap of Salisbury Crags, showing disc-bearing 

 woody tissue ; this plant Mr. Bryson supposes to be allied to Da- 

 doxylon {Pinites) Wlthami, which is found at Craigleith. Mr. Bry- 

 son stated his opinion that Lepidodendron would be found closely 

 allied to the tree-ferns of the present day. 



4. "Notice of several new Indian Plants," by H. Cleghorn, M.D., 

 H.E.I.C.S. Dr. Cleghorn stated that he was indebted to Dr. Wight 

 for publishing some of his drawings of Mysore plants in the ' Icones 

 Plantarum Indise Orientalis,' now in progress, and which, while it 

 will form a lasting monument to the industry and labours of the 

 author, supphes to the student of Indian botany a standard work of 

 reference, illustrating the Indian flora, so far as it goes, as perfectly 

 as Sowerby's 'English Botany ' depicts the British flora. 



Dr. Cleghorn exhibited the original specimens of Osbeckia hispi- 

 dissima (Wight) and Mitreola paniculata (Wall.), figured in the Part 

 recently received from Madras ; Dunbaria lati/olia (W. and A.), 

 dedicated to Professor Dunbar of Edinburgh ; Alysicarpus styraci- 

 folius (DC.) ; Hedysarum glumaceum. Box. Fl. Ind. iii. p. 646 ; the 

 ticket of the original specimen in the Edinburgh University Herba- 

 rium in Roxburgh's handvmting is distinctly written H. plumaceiim. 

 The error has been copied into subsequent works. 



Dr. Cleghorn exhibited microscopic preparations, by Mr, John 

 Matthews, of the stellate hairs and glands of Rottleria tinctoria, the 

 latter only containing the colouring matter of the dye used by the 

 Mahommedans. 



Dr. Balfour mentioned that he had received a letter from Dr. 

 Johnston of Berwick, in which he states that he is now convinced 



