Fes. 1907}. BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 253 
China, of which several striking forms are among the collec- 
tion under notice. 
One fact of great interest regarding the plants of this 
region is that they are almost all hardy in Britain, so that 
we may hope before long to have many important additions 
to our gardens from this rich hunting ground of the botanical 
collector. 
W. T. Gorpon, M.A., B.Se., exhibited two seed-like organs 
from the Calciferous Sandstone Series of Fife and two of 
their modern allies. The first seed-like organ was an 
example of Cardiocarpon anomalum (Williamson), which 
was renamed in 1901 by Dr. D. H. Seott, Lepidocarpon 
Wildianum. Described originally as a true seed, its occur- 
rence in a_ strobilus excited suspicion, and a detailed 
research revealed the presence of four megaspores inside, 
only one of which matured. The so-called micropyle was 
shown to be really a slit and the whole organ to be a 
megasporange round which outgrowths from the sides of the 
sporophyll had grown. This organ is then an integumented 
megasporangium containing one mature and sometimes three 
other decayed megaspores. The modern ally exhibited was 
a Selaginella with the four megaspores in the sporangium. 
The second seed-like organ was Conostoma ovale (William- 
son). This was a seed having alfinities with the Cycads, 
probably belonging to the Cycado-filices. The section was 
shghtly tangential, missing the micropyle, and passing 
through the wall of the pollen chamber. The apex of the 
nucellus was seen below the pollen chamber, but there were 
no traces of archegonia. Vascular bundles could be seen 
above the pollen chamber, so that the bundles belong to the 
integument and not to the nucellus. 
A specimen of Bowenia spectabilis, cut longitudinally 
through the micropyle, was exhibited for comparison. 
Mr. JAMES WuyTOCK showed Hamamelis arborea in flower 
and a branch of Hle@agnus glabra var. foliis variegatis. 
Mr. R. M. Adam showed a series of photographs illustra- 
ting the saxifrages, etc. in the Rock Garden of the Royal 
Botanic Garden. 
TRANS. BOT. SOC, EDIN. VOL. XXIII, 18 
