944 



Proceedings of Societies, fiic. 



The Phytologist Club. 



One Hundred and Forty-fourth Sitting. — Saturday, April 23, 1853. 



Mr. Newman, President, in the chair. 



LathrcBa squamaria in Cultivation. 



The President read the following note, from Mr. Edward T. Ben- 

 net, dated Brockham Lodge, Surrey, April 20, 1853 : — 



" Two years ago, several roots of this interesting plant were brought 

 from a hedge in a shady lane in this neighbourhood, and planted in a 

 hollow at the base of a hazel-tree in a damp part of our garden, being 

 carefully placed in contact with its roots. The spikes of flowers 

 continued to develope in their new abode ; but this might readily have 

 been the case without real growth having taken place. Last spring, 

 it did not make its appearance ; and we concluded the plant was lost. 

 About a fortnight ago, however, we were surprised and delighted to 

 see a fine spike pushing up through the soil, and which is now 

 expanding its curious flowers, in perfect vigour. 



" Happening to be near its native locality yesterday, T paid it a 

 ^sit, and was rewarded by finding it flourishing, and apparently much 

 increased since this time two years. It is just now in perfection, and 

 would well repay the visit of any one who is a stranger to it, other- 

 wise than as a dried plant. 



" The under-ground rhizoma occupies the sloping side of the bank, 

 in large masses ; but, after careful examination, I was unable to detect 

 any actual union between them and such other roots as were inter- 

 spersed, or any fibres that appeared to be roots of the plant itself. 

 Is it, or is it not, a parasite ? " 

 i The President said that he thought the parasitism of Lathra3a was 



a universally-admitted fact. There was positive evidence on the sub- 

 I ject, from the pen of that infallible observer, Mr. Wilson, in an early 



i number of the ' Phytologist' (Phytol. i. 92) ; and Mr. Bowman had 



! previously proved the fact, in the ' Linna^an Transactions ' (see Piiy- 



! lol. i. 24). 



