321 



The author's idea relative to the ovarium of Gentiana germanica, 

 was suggested by his observations on Pyrola media, which appears to 

 be a rare plant in Switzerland. In June, 1838, the author chanced 

 to find a tolerable supply about five miles from Thun. The plants 

 agreed pretty well with the characters given, except that the style 

 instead of being club-shaped was decidedly cylindrical. In the pro- 

 gress of drying however this difficulty was explained " by the conver- 

 sion of the cylinders into clubs," whereby the character most insisted 

 on was shown to be false. 



" The styles, which are considerably elongated, and although declined, are scarcely 

 curved, have a diameter at least twice that of P. rotundifolia, and are very succulent, 

 being furnished with a stout ring at the apex, as in the last-named species. In the 

 individuals gathered while the flowers were yet young, the rigidity of this annular 

 protuberance prevented the summit of the style from shrinking, and it consequently 

 became club-shaped when dry ; but in those which were further advanced, the ring 

 having become more or less flaccid, it ceased to afford the same resistance, and the 

 styles remained nearly cylindrical, although shrunk to half their original thickness. 

 This view is now confirmed by British specimens in my herbarium. One from Eng- 

 land, gathered when the plaut was coming into flower, has a style nearly triangular ; 

 the other six, from different Scottish stations, are all in fruit, and have all the styles, 

 excepting one, cylindrical, and that one not far from being so.'' — p. 61. 



June 11, 1840. Read, Notice of the Occurrence of several Rare 

 Cryptogamic Plants on the Sidlaw Hills ; by Mr. William Gardiner, 

 jun., Dundee. The following is a list of the plants, with their localities. 



1. Buxbaumia aphylla,lAmi.. Northern declivity of one of the hills ; May. "It 

 grew very sparingly on several small spots of bare soil that occuned among the heath." 

 —p. 62. 



2. Parmelia physodes, Ach. Deerhill Wood ; end of Mai*ch. " The tree state of 

 this lichen, as far as I have observed it, differs from that found on walls and stones, in 

 being of smaller size, more deeply divided, of less dense growth, and of a clearer co- 

 lour above, with its under surface darker. Only one specimen was found with the apo- 

 thecia fully developed.'' — Id. 



3. Dicranum squarrosum, Schrad. " Marshy banks of a small lake at the west side 

 of the White Hill of Auchterhouse ; '' associated with Weissia acuta, Hypnum adun- 

 cum and H. revolvens, and " near it was abundance of Polytrichum commune and 

 yuccaefolium. The P. commune j3. attenuatum, though said to attain only the height 

 of three or four inches, is frequently as tall as the other variety, sometimes above a foot 

 high."— Id. 



4. Hypnum fiuitans, Linn. " Near the source of Dryburn rivulet, which flows from 

 the Sidlaws into Glen Ogilvy. There were a good number of capsules on it but im- 

 mature." — Id. 



5. Ramalina farinacea, Ach. " Found in Deerhill Wood, with apothecia.'' — Id. 



6. Cetraria islandica, Ach. " On the top of an old wall, at the foot of the White 

 Hill of Auchterhouse." — Id. 



2d 



