751 



and other southern counties, in which it grows in great abundance. Dr. Pickells col- 

 lected nearly thirty cases of death by eating the root, the quantity in one instance not 

 exceeding " the top of the finger ; " he described the symptoms as exhibited in those 

 cases, — insensibility, convulsions, locked jaw, delirium and insanity; and pointed out 

 the proper mode of treating such cases, by detailing several which were cured by the 

 exhibition of strong emetics, diffusible stimulants, enemata, &c. He concluded by 

 making some observations on the poisons used by the ancients in judicial executions; 

 he thought this might have been the plant used to destroy Socrates, and not the Co- 

 nium maculatum of modern Botany ; and from the symptom of insanity, he thought 

 that this was the plant designated as the " iusane root'' by the poet. This plant Dr. 

 Pickells stated to be equally injurious to black cattle and horses, as to man; he be- 

 lieved there was no direct antidote known ; melted butter was given in some of the 

 cases which recovered, and is popularly deemed a preservative against its effects. The 

 root is frequently used as a discutient external application to tumours, and many of 

 the accidents have occurred by eating it, when gathered for this purpose. — From the 

 Report in the Atheiiceum of Saturday, August 26, 1843. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



September 1, 1843. — J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. &c., in the chair. Dr. Wood, of 

 Cork, presented a si)ecimen of Neottia gemmipara, found in Ireland ; * and British 

 plauis had been received from Mr. E. Doubleday, the Rev. A. Bloxam and Miss Wors- 

 ley. Dr. Thomas Taylor presented the following four species of Jungermannia, new 

 to the British Flora: — Jungermannia reclusa, {Taylor, MS.), J. germana {Taylor, 

 MS.), J. fragilifolia {Taylor, MS.), and J. riparia {Taylor, MS.) 



Read, — "Observations on some Varieties of Hypna, and on a new species of Li- 

 chen," by Dr. Thomas Taylor. Local collections of Cryptogamic plants are instruc- 

 tive in two ways, by contributing to our knowledge of the geographical distribution of 

 the species, and by pointing out the directions which the characters of the varieties take 

 when acted on by diversity of circumstances of external agencies. The cryptogamic 

 collection of Dr. G. Watson, from the vicinity of Philadelphia, presented to the Bota- 

 nical Society of London, elucidate in some particulars the foregoing remark ; not how- 

 ever to a great extent, as the collector seems to have satisfied himself with gathering 

 the largest and most prominent species, and to have omitted or overlooked the minuter 

 and more inconspicuous kinds. Yet what has been collected is far from being desti- 

 tute of interest and value. 



Thus he has remitted to liOndon a great profusion of Neckeracladorrhizans {Hed.) 

 Now this moss was first described from Swiss specimens by Hedwig ; afterwards it was 

 sent to this country from Nepal by Dr. Wallich, and from New York by Dr. Torrey ; 

 finally we have it in the present collection from Philadelphia. 



In Great Britain or Ireland, so fertile in mosses, it is totally unknown. We may 

 therefore conclude that this species is altogether continental ; although for the pre- 

 sent we are unacquainted with those laws that deny to it an insular locality. 



We have Hypnum salebrosum {Hoffm.) by its smaller size imposing upon us the 

 form of a new species ; but although the branches are more compressed and shorter, 



* See p. 760. 



