189 



ing a flattened palm-stem in miniature. — Heivett C. Watson ; Thames Ditton, March 

 2, 1842. 



127. Tlie Genus Tilia. Sir William Hooker still appears to class the three species 

 (if species we must call them) among the introduced trees of Britain; all of them be- 

 ing distinguished by the (*) in the last edition of the ' British Flora.' Mr. Lees and 

 Dr. Bromfield have half convinced me that Tilia parvifolia and T. europsea are genu- 

 ine Britons ; but with regard to T. grandifolia, it seems to me that the evidences are 

 greatly short of proofs. I allude to the genus just now, in order to remark that some 

 of your correspondents probably do not know T. grandifolia ; the specimens sent un- 

 der this name, from the western counties, to the Botanical Society of London, seem 

 all to belong to T. europaea. Specimens should be gathered in seed, when the promi- 

 nent angles of the fruit in T. grandifolia will prevent ambiguity or error. The num- 

 ber of flowers, the outline of the leaf, and the disposition of the hairs, are too variable 

 to be relied on as certain characters. There are so few really natural woods in Eng- 

 land, that the existence of a wood of lime-trees almost authorizes a conclusion that 

 the wood was originally a plantation. Our remote forefathers did not plant the same 

 trees that we do, nor for the same purposes. With them a quick-growing tree might 

 have been better worth planting than one of slow growth, even though producing su- 

 perior timber. — Id. 



128. Discovery of Leskea pulvinata, Wahl. As the addition of Leskea pulvinata 

 (Wahl. in 'Flora Lapponica,' 369) to the British Flora has not hitherto been announ- 

 ced, I may state that I had the good fortune to discover it near York, on the 30th of 

 October, 1841 ; and have since ascertained it to occur abundantly about the roots of 

 trees, and on low bushes in situations liable to be inundated by the Ouse. I forbear at 

 present oS"ering any description of this elegant little moss, as I have not yet gathered 

 fruit with perfect opercula, and cannot hope to do so earlier than September next. 

 Its closest affinity is with Leskea polycarpa, Hedw. (Hypnum medium, Dicks.), from 

 which the faintly-nerved (occasionally nerveless) leaves sufficiently distinguish it. — 

 Richard Spruce; Collegiate School, York, March 4, 1842. 



129. The Council of the Botanical Society of London have issued a set of " Regu- 

 lations for the Exchange and Distribution of Specimens." These Regulations are 

 chiefly interesting to members, being intended for their guidance in the exchange of 

 plants with the Society. We are glad to see that the Council intend to follow up the 

 frequently-expressed determination of the Committee of the Botanical Society of Ed- 

 inburgh, to reject all imperfect and ill-dried specimens that may be sent in. The ne- 

 cessity for this public expression of such a determination on the part of the two Socie- 

 ties, shows how little understood is the really simple and easy process of drying plants. 



Art. LIX. — Proceedings of Societies. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



Thursday, Januanj 11, 1812. — Professor Christison in the Chair. The following papers were read, 

 1. Notes on preserving the Colour of certain Vegetables hy immersing them in hot water: by Mr. Evans. 

 It is well known to every one who has had any experience in the drying of specimens, that, while many 

 plants are easily preserved by the ordinary means of placing them between layers of absorbent paper, and 

 subjecting them to certain degrees of pressure — there are others that cannot be so readily dried ; and some 

 are even so constant in their tendency to turn black in drying, that this feature has been deemed characteris- 

 tic of them. The use of hot water, as a means of accelerating the process of desiccation in certain vegetables, 

 has been long known to botanists ; but the author is not aware of its having been employed, to any extent at 

 least, as a means of preserving their colours. To Mr. Peter Henderson, one of the gardeners at Melville Cas- 



