336 



ma}/ or may not he so. What Sir J. E. Smith might have had in his mind when he 

 wrote tlie passage I know not ; but I do disapprove of the use of such passages in de- 

 scriptions of plants. But as I have said before, in my enquiry on the two species of 

 Carex, ray real difEculty in making out the two may perhaps arise from my never hav- 

 ing seen them both ; but here I must say (omitting Dr. Goodenough's description of 

 the capsule of his remota), that I have specimens in my possession that will answer to 

 every description that I have seen, and many other forms that are not described at all 

 in any work. Our Carex axillaris, remota, angustifolia, csespitosa, aquatilis, stricta, 

 acuta, and others, require a strict investigation, in order that the species may be cor- 

 rectly made out, and the mere varieties arranged as such. To describe the extremes 

 of any variable plant is quite easy, but when we have got a regular gradation from 

 the two extremes, then the difEculty occurs. — Id. 



[We trust that the discussion on this subject will now be allowed to terminate : 

 had Mr. Gibson's only object been to obtain information on a doubtful point, he would, 

 we think, have been satisfied with acknowledging that already afibrded, which appears 

 quite suflficient to enable any one to distinguish Carex axillaris from every state of 

 C. remota. We have thought it unnecessary to extend Mr. Gibson's paper beyond 

 its present limits, by printing some remarks therein contained on two specimens of 

 Carex remota which accompanied it : the only difference we can perceive between 

 these specimens is, that one is rather more slender than the other. — Ed.'] 



215. Note on the Stomata of Equisetum hyemale. I would remark on what is said 

 of the stomata of Equisetum hyemale (Phytol. 278), that they are immersed in cavities, 

 not in elevated disks. There are two series of stomata in each furrow, one immedi- 

 ately on each side of the ridge, and somewhat concealed under it when in a dry state. 

 The structure of E. variegatum is similar, but less conspicuous. — W. Wilson; War- 

 rington, Aug. 15, 1842.* 



■\^ 



Art. LXXXVI. — Proceedings of Societies. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



August 5, 1842. — John Reynolds, Esq., Treasurer, in the chair. The following 

 donations were announced : — British plants from the Rev. T. Butler, Mr. John Pear- 

 son, Mr. Arthur Henfrey, Miss Anna Worsley and Mr. Samuel Freeman. American 

 plants from Mr. O. Rich. British Mosses from Mr. I. F. Hollings. Specimens of 

 Schistostega pennata, collected in Nottingham forest by Mr. Joseph Sidebotham, were 

 exhibited and presented by him. 



A note was read from Mr. Adam White, stating that he had found specimens of 

 Dentaria bulbifera in Chesham Bois Wood, Buckinghamshire. Mr. Thomas Sansom, 

 Librarian, exhibited a monstrosity of Rosa centifolia, Linn., in which a second flower 

 was developed from the centre of the first. Mr. W. H. White communicated a paper, 

 being a Report of the botanical state of the Mauritius ; translated from the Eighth 

 Annual Report of the Natural-History Society of that island. — G. E. D. 



* In a letter to E. Newman ; who begs to thank Mr. Wilson for this very neces- 

 sary and important correction, and requests the reader will also correct a repetition of 

 the error at p. 308 of the present number. 



