64 



fluence of the Wey. This Impatiens is also cultivated in Mr. Goulbuvn's gardens at 

 Betcliworth ; and about a fortnight ago Mr. Henness and myself found plants of it 

 growing on the banks of the Mole near Brockham, (below the gardens). I have no 

 doubt that in a few years it will be carried down to Burford Bridge, and perhaps far- 

 ther, and establish itself on the banks of the Mole as it has on the banks of the Wey 

 near Albury. — W. Hanson; Reigate, August 16, 1841. 



32. Additional Guildford Stations. Since the publication of the list of Guildford 

 plants in the last number of ' The Phytologist,' Fumaria claviculata has been refound 

 in its old locality, Martha's Chapel, and likewise on the extensive common near Shal- 

 ford, called Blackheath. Epipactis latifolia has been found at the Sheepleas, and 

 Cuscuta Europsea in an osier holt by the river Wey, a short distance above Guildford, 

 entwined round nettles, the Spirsea Ulmaria, and the osiers themselves. — /. S. Mill ; 

 Kensington, August 24, 1841. 



33. Seeds of Aponogeton. I write for the purpose of describing to you a rather 

 singular phenomenon which I observed yesterday while committing to the water some 

 seeds of the Aponogeton distachyon, and which you will probably have it in your 

 power to notice. On their touching the surface, some of the seeds instantly began to 

 move in starts and whirls, and had every appearance of living insects. On close ob- 

 servation I found that a considerable force (how produced is a mystery) was exerted 

 to throw off what remained, after I had rubbed them, of the pithy matter from the 

 pod which still adhered to them. As soon as they had rid themselves of this they 

 sank. This is one of the most curious things I have ever seen. — G. S.M. in Gar- 

 deners' Chronicle, August 7, 1841. 



Art. XXIV. — Proceedings of Societies. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



August 6. — D. Cooper, Esq., in the chair. Various donations to the Libraiy, Herbarium and Museum, 

 were announced. The Rev. George Munford exhibited specimens of Asjndium cristatum,, collected by him 

 at Bawsey Heath, near Lynn, Norfolk. Dr. John Lhotsky presented some interesting specimens of Aus- 

 tralian woods. The following Papers were read : — " On the Botany of Western Norfolk," by The Rev. G. 

 Munford. The geography of plants is of much interest to the botanist, and every attempt to promote the 

 knowledge of this branch of the science is worthy of observation. It is now universally admitted that the 

 geological character of every district exercises very great influence over its vegetation. By a reference to 

 Woodward's Geological Map of Noi-folk, published in 1833, it will be seen that proceeding eastwai-d from 

 Lynn, which is situated on the alluvium, we meet vrith a narrow strip of the Kimmeridge clay and oolite 

 that runs in a direction north and south nearly the entire length of the district. This is followed by a much 

 wider portion of the fiai-stone, running in the same direction ; and parallel with this lies about the same 

 quantity of chalk maile. The indentation of the eastern side of the district extends into the hard and me- 

 dial chalk, but embraces only a small portion of the latter, towards the north. The Paper concluded with a 

 very copious list of habitats. " On the differential characters of Dianthus Caryophyllus and JDianthus 

 l)lumarius," by Mr. T. Sansom. "Descriptions of New Alffte, by Mr. Herring of Stuttgart," collected by 

 Dr. Ferdinand Krauss dui-ing his travels, at Natal, South Africa. The paper was accompanied by a series 

 of the specimens described. " On the supposed luminosity of Schistosiega pennata," by The Kev. C. A. 

 Johns, F.L.S. The author concludes that the plant is not itself phosphorescent, and that whatever light was 

 reflected came not from the globular cells of the plant, but from the globules of fluid resting upon it. A si- 

 milar fact was also observed in two species of Jungcrmannia. It appears however to be confined to those 

 Cryptogamic plants with reticulated leaves. Mr. S. P. Woodward exhibited two rhizomas of Aspidium Fi- 

 lix-mas; one showing the spiral arrangement of the rachides, and on the other (and on the little pieces ac- 

 companying it) buds were developed. Near the bases of some of the rachides which appear in some instances, 

 Mr. W. had seen to produce fronds yearly, tUl they became rhizomas in their turn, an inch or two long. 

 This mode of development is common in Foreign genera, but Mr. W. was not aware of its having been men- 

 tioned as occurring in any of the British ferns. — G. E. D. 



