508 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 
BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 
April 11, 1850.—Professor Fleming, President, in the Chair. 
Dr. Greville made the following report on fibrous matter from the 
Edinburgh Water Company’s works, presented at the last meeting by 
Mr. M‘Nab, and on a similar substance found on an old wheelbarrow 
in Dundee, by Mr. W. Ogilvie :— 
“The fibrous substance from the Water-works is Ozonium auri- 
comum of Link. Along with a number of other fibrous and byssoid 
productions, it is now regarded as either an imperfectly developed or 
aberrant form of some fungus. Ozonium, Himantia, Fibrillaria, 
Acrothamnium, Byssocladium, &c., are considered by Fries as the 
Mycelia of Hymenomycetous Fungi, in a more or less monstrous 
state. I am not aware that the full development has ever been traced, 
so that the species has not been identified. 
“The specimens from an old wheelbarrow are probably the same 
plant. Having been more favourably placed, there is evidently an 
approach to a higher development.” 
Dr. Balfour stated that he had received from Mr. James Kay, Bel- 
turbet, Ireland, a specimen of Orthotrichum with peculiar conferva-like 
bodies on the leaves. These had been examined by Dr. Greville, who 
reported as follows :—‘‘ The productions sent by Mr. Kay are common 
on Orthotrichum crispum, and more or less on O. Lyellii, and one or 
two other species. They arise often singly from various parts of the 
leaves, and in O. Lyellii are scattered all over them. Hooker and 
Taylor in ‘Muscologia Britannica’ regard them as a Conferva (C. 
Orthotrichi), and Bridel as a sort of gland. But Bruch and Schimper 
consider them as secondary radicular filaments, which may also be 
observed along the whole length of the stems. They will be found 
figured in both a simple and branched state, in tab. 16 of ‘ Bryo- 
logia Europea.’ I believe the view of these authors to be the true 
one. The singular mass found at the apex of the leaves may be re- 
garded as analogous to the radiating apices of the fronds of some 
ferns. But it is difficult to account for their appearance in O. crispum 
at a particular stage of growth, which seems to be the case; and I 
am besides under the impression that they are not found on specimens 
in female fructification.” 
Mr. M‘Nab showed a specimen of Ranunculus Ficaria, raised from 
roots which had been gathered in Silesia by the Rev. Mr. Wade in | 
1848. These roots had been exposed over a large extent of country 
by heavy rains, and the people gathered them and used them as food. 
Their sudden appearance gave rise to various conjectures as to their 
nature and origin, and in the Austrian newspapers they were spoken 
of as having fallen from the sky. They were used as peas by the 
inhabitants. Mr. M‘Nab had tasted the dried specimens as well as 
fresh roots of Ranunculus Ficaria gathered in this country, which, 
after being boiled, he found very amylaceous. There is no acridity 
in the roots even in their fresh state. 
A paper was read on Indian Hemp (Cannabis indica), by Alexan- 
der Christison, Esq. (see p. 483.) 
