726 



leaius grows in great abundance, conspicuous in early spring for its 

 bright crimson berries as large as clierries. 



On the banks of the Looe Pool, in addition to the plants mentioned 

 by Mr. Gibson, grow Pyrus torminalis, in a thicket near the sea, Lit- 

 torella lacustris in several places, and Jungermannia pumila on the 

 rocks under Degibna wood. In this last spot Erica vagans seems 

 quite at home: in the woods on the opposite side it has been planted. 



Briza minor is common in the neighbourhood of Kelston, growing 

 among wheat and barley, which it frequently outtops. It is remark- 

 able for shifting its place of growth, being found in abundance one 

 season, and then entirely disappearing for many years. Silene An- 

 glica is a common corn-weed ; Linaria spuria not rare. Elatine 

 hexandra, when I first discovered it, now many years since, grew on 

 the banks of the Looe Pool in several places ; where the soil was 

 muddy and soft it attained its full size, but where the soil was gra- 

 velly and drier it assumed a deep red tint, and grew in tufts less than 

 a quarter of an inch high. 



It will always give me pleasure to direct any readers of the ' Phy- 

 tologist' to the exact localities of these plants, if they are ever tempt- 

 ed to botanize over this remote district, reserving to myself the right 

 of withholding information about those which are found only in small 

 quantities from all travellers who collect for either of the " Societies 

 for the Extermination of rare British Plants," 



C. A. Johns. 



Grammar School, Kelston, 

 November 23rcl, 1846. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



Nov. 12th, 1846. — Dr. Balfour, President, in the chair. 

 The following communications were read : — 



1. On the species of Glyceria by Mr. Fred. Townsend, of Ilming- 

 ton, Warwickshire. In this paper the author gave full descriptions 

 of Glyceria Jluitaus, Br,, G. plicnta, Fries, and of a supposed new 

 species found in Cambridgeshire and Warwickshire, which he proposes 

 to name G. hyhrida, and pointed out the distinctions by which they 

 may be known from each other. 



2. Dr. Balfour read a description oi Exogonium Purga, Benth., the 

 true Jalap plant, and noticed some points connected with its medical 

 history. The jalap plant was for a long time referred to Convolvulus 



