354' Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



was not seen on the south bank, but in its place considerable quan- 

 tities of Gerardia flava and G. qiiercifoUa were noticed, all richly 

 clothed with flowers : here also several extensive groups of buckthorn, 

 Hippophai} canadensis, were observed ; each plant formed a large sil- 

 very-looking bush, and when backed by the dark evergreen trees 

 gave a picturesque effect to the landscape. 



Crossing Lake Ontario again to Toronto, on the Canada side, a 

 great difference in the vegetation was remarked ; here, for the first 

 time in Canada, healthy specimens of weeping willows, locust-trees, 

 and Canadian and Lombardy poplars were met with ; and for the 

 first time in the country, a native forest of Pinus reslnosa. The trees 

 composing this forest were very tall, but none of the stems which were 

 measured exceeded 2 feet in diameter. Many detached specimens 

 of the black birch or mountain mahogany, Bctula lenta, were also 

 seen. It is described by Mr. M'Nab as a finely-shaped tree with a 

 wide-spreading top, much resembling the beech-trees of Britain ; the 

 stems averaged about 2 feet in diameter. Here also Monarda fistu- 

 losa and Spiranthes tortilis were found ; the latter very sparingly and 

 for the first time. 



They next directed their attention to the Peninsula of Toronto, 

 lying about 2^ miles from the city, across an arm of the lake. The 

 soil is poor and sandy, interspersed with marshes. Several species 

 of trees of dwarfish growth were scattered about, the most remark- 

 able being the rose or conegall willow, Salix conifera, of which many 

 fine specimens were observed, the branches generally terminating in 

 silvery, cone-like excrescences, supposed to be occasioned by insects ; 

 these, combined with the silvery whiteness of the foliage, gave the 

 plants a remarkable appearance. Several other species of willows 

 were noticed on the sandy plains, but none of them appeared to be 

 infested with insects, although the appearance here described is not 

 peculiar to the above species. The Arbutus uva-ursi covered consi- 

 derable tracts : the Canadian plant is larger than the British, and even 

 differs slightly from that found in the United States ; it is called by 

 the Indians Sacacomis ; they smoke the leaves, and believe them to 

 possess excellent medicinal properties. Few herbaceous plants were 

 in bloom, with the exception of Rudbeckia hirta, which was in great 

 abundance, although described by American authors as an inhabitant 

 of the Southern States ; and Dracocephahnn virginiannm, which is by 

 no means an abundant plant in Canada, Niagara Falls being the sta- 

 tion given in botanical books ; but Mr. M'Nab failed to find it there ; 

 it principally inhabits the mountain meadows of Virginia and Caro- 

 lina ; Linum virginianuni, Cyperus flavescens and C. castaneus ; Silene 

 Antirrhina, Scutellaria parvula and LatJiyrus palustris ; on dry loose 

 sand, by the edge of the lake, Euptwrbia polygonifolia was abundant, 

 while in marshy places Lobelia Kalmii formed the greatest part of the 

 vegetation, and was profusely covered with its rich blue flowers. 



Specimens of the most remarkable plants were exhibited to the 

 meeting. 



