717 



Pteris aquilina in a Smoky Locality. 



The President next read the following note, from Mr. Lloyd : — 

 " At Vauxhall, opposite to the railroad-station, is the course of an 

 old stream; on the opposite side of the road, and between two houses, 

 are a kyr yards of low, dead wall ; looking over which, may be seen, 

 growing upon the wall of the right-hand house, Pteris aquilina. It is 

 growing in the middle of a tuft of Linaria Cymbalaria, is apparently 

 a seedling of last year, and is in that beautifully delicate state which 

 we so admire in plants of that age. The spot where it grows is quite 

 inaccessible except with a boat at high water. Is not this the nearest 

 wild fern to the City of London ? " 



Lilium Pyrenaicum, Gouan. 



The President read the following observations, respecting the dis- 

 covery of this plant in Devonshire, by Mr. George Maw, dated Au- 

 gust 14, 1852 : — 



" Stem furrowed, three to five feet high ; leaves scattered, lanceo- 

 late, with a narrow, finely -fimbriated, membranous margin, upper sur- " 

 face trisulcate, with three corresponding ridges underneath ; flo\7ers 

 one to seven, nodding, yellow spotted with black ; perianth reflexed. 

 Flowers about the end of June: in hedges nearMollond, North Devon. 



" About two years ago I recorded, in the ' Botanical Gazette,' the 

 occuiTence of Lilium Pyrenaicum between South Molton and Mol- 

 lond. North Devon ; but at that time I had not had an opportunity of 

 examining the spot, so as to enable me to offer an opinion as to the 

 probability or not of its being a native. When I first noticed it (May, 

 1850) I was riding by, late in the evening, and had only time to 

 hastily gather a few specimens, which were not then in flower. Dur- 

 ing the present month (September) I have re-visited the spot, and 

 will endeavour to lay the result of its examination before your readers. 

 I found the plant still growing in great profusion. When I originally 

 observed the plant I only noticed it growing on the west side of the 

 road ; but during my late visit it was pointed out to me, in still greater 

 abundance, on the field side of the eastern hedge. It extends on 

 both sides for a distance of forty or fifty yards. It does not grow in 

 a continuous patch, but is scattered about in tufts, many of which are 

 very luxuriant, consisting of twenty or thirty stems each. The hedges 

 appear to be very old, and are on the top of low banks which have 

 been left in cutting the road. The fields adjoining the road are both 

 of them nearly on a level with the top of the banks, only a small 



