557 

 Art. CXXXV. — Proceedings of Societies. 



LINNEAN SOCIETY.* 



June 7, 1842.— The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the chair. 



The Hon. H. Wright, of the Ceylon Civil Service, presented specimens of the fine 

 Ceylon cinnamon of commerce, of the unusual length of eleven feet. 



Read, the commencement of a paper by Mr. Clark, " On the Sea Cocoa-nut of the 

 Seychelles, (Lodoicea Sechellarum, Comm. and Lahill.) 



Jtme 21. — Edward Forster, Esq., V.P., in the chair. 



Read, " Observations on the Growth and Reproduction of Enteromorpha intestina- 

 lis." By A. H. Hassall, Esq. The author states that in their earliest stage of deve- 

 lopment the tapering filaments of this plant consist of a single series of cells placed 

 end to end. Each cell is afterwards bisected by a longitudinal line ; other lines sub- 

 sequently make their appearance, and each original cell is thus ultimately divided into 

 several others, each of which in its turn enlarges and is divided in the same manner. 

 From the repetition of this process the filaments increase in size, lose their confervoid 

 character, present a reticulated appearance and become cylindrical and hollow. The 

 author states that in each articulation of the filaments, even when no thicker than a 

 horse-hair, a dark central nucleus is developed, and that this is the reproductive germ, 

 which he doubts not undergoes repeated division in the same manner as the reproducr 

 tive globules of the Ulvee. These nuclei germinate while enclosed within the cells, 

 the filament still retaining its freshness and vigour ; and from them arise the jointed 

 tapering filaments first described, which, after the rupture of the parent cell, and while 

 their bases are still fixed within it, strongly resemble a parasitic Conferva. This deve- 

 lopment, division and growth of cells and reproductive bodies appears to be constantly 

 going on, whence most specimens of the plant present examples of each stage of for- 

 mation. From these observations Mr. Hassall is led to regard Enteromorpha intesti- 

 nalis as bearing a relation to the Conferva in its young articulated filaments, and to 

 the Ulvae in its reproductive globules. The author objects to the tautology of the spe- 

 cific name, and proposes that of lacustris in its place. 



Read also the conclusion of Mr. Clark's paper " On the Sea Cocoa-nut of the Sey- 

 chelles.'' For a report of a paper on this subject, subsequently read before the Botani- 

 cal Society of London, see Phytol. 463; the following are additional particulars. The 

 part of the trunk immediately above the ground forms an inverted cone, the apex of 

 which is of an hemispherical form, with a great number of cord -like roots spreading 

 from it in all directions, and remaining long after the destruction of the plant to which 

 they belonged. Where the trees have disappeared from clearings, by burning or other- 

 wise, a black circle on the surface indicates their former site. This circle is the base 

 of the cone before mentioned, which now forms a huge bowl, often filled with decayed 

 vegetable matter. On removing this, the interior of the bowl is found to be pierced 

 by a number of holes, each large enough to admit the end of the fore finger. These 

 holes are the openings of the compact, sonorous and brittle tubes into which the roots 

 have been converted by the decay of their internal substance. Mr. Clark states that 

 the leaves are so firmly attached to the trunk, that a man may seat himself at the end 

 of one with perfect safety. The fibres of the leaflets are very strong and arranged in 

 three layers, the central one being disposed transversely, the others longitudinally ; in 



* From various causes we are sadly behind with our reports of the Linnean Society ; 

 we hope to bring up arrears in the present and next number. — Ed. 



