318 



forth in Koch's Synopsis, and repeated in Babington's Manual, where 

 the plant is described under the specific name of Luzula multiflora. 



Mr. Bentall's remarks run as follows : — 



" I beg to lay before the Botanical Society the enclosed specimens 

 of Luzula multiflora (Babington's Manual), which, after a close exa- 

 mination, I am disposed to consider as a perfectly distinct species, 

 although often confounded with Luzula campestris. This error has 

 probably arisen from the great variation of the inflorescence in differ- 

 ent specimens. The flowers are often collected into an almost orbi- 

 cular head, when it becomes the Luzula campestris, /3. congesta, of 

 Hooker and others ; at other times they form a panicle of numerous 

 sessile and stalked clusters, when it bears a strong resemblance to 

 the common form of Luzula campestris, and is often mistaken for it. 



" There appears to be a decided and strongly marked difference in 

 the form of the seeds of the two plants, those of multiflora being usu- 

 ally nearly twice as long as broad, whilst those of campestris are 

 nearly globular ; the basal appendage with which they are furnished 

 I find to be much more conspicuous in the latter than in the former. 

 The character pointed out by Mr, Babington as existing in the fila- 

 ments, I believe to be constant. Luzula multiflora generally inhabits 

 woods and shady places, being seldom found in dry open pastures, in 

 which campestris usually abounds." — G. E. D. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



May 27, 1845. — The Society met in the College, Dr. Balfour, the 

 President, in the chair. 



Dr. Balfour exhibited a spatha of Areca oleracea, upwards of four 

 feet in length ; also specimens of the stem of the guaiac tree, rose- 

 w^ood tree, and Moreton-bay pine ; specimens of American ferns, be- 

 longing to the section Osmundacea? ; the fruit of Cocos lapidea, with 

 the concrete oil obtained from it ; a specimen of Cycas revoluta, with 

 the seeds developed on the peculiarly altered leaves ; and hazel-nuts, 

 presented to him by Mr. Kidley, which had been found in a peat-moss 

 under sand, the pericarp being soft and natural, while the kernel was 

 hardened by a siliceous deposit. 



Dr. B. then gave an account of a botanical trip to Castlecarey, 

 Denny, the banks of the Carron and Falkirk, on the 24th of May. 

 Among the more interesting plants gathered were Adoxa moschatel- 

 lina, Viola lutea both yellow and blue, Paris quadri folia, Stellaria 

 nemorum, Melica nutans, Carduus heterophyllus with entire and pin- 



