Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 513 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



This Society held its eighth meeting for the season at the Botanic 

 Gardens, Dr. Neill in the Chair. 



Professor Graham communicated the agreeable intelligence, that 

 the late Dr. Archibald Menzies had bequeathed to the Botanic Gar- 

 den, his interesting and valuable Herbarium, which was chiefly form- 

 ed in the course of his voyages round the world with Vancouver and 

 other circumnavigators. Dr. Menzies was the last survivor of Van- 

 couver's companions, having lived to the age of eighty-eight. He 

 was a native of Perthshire, and studied at this university, towards 

 which he continued throughout life to entertain the warmest feelings 

 of attachment. 



The Chairman adverted, with deep regret, to the loss which the 

 Society, in common with the botanical world, had sustained by the 

 death of Mr. Falconer of Carlowrie, who was a most zealous and 

 successful cultivator of the science, and who enjoyed, in a high de- 

 gree, the esteem and respect of his friends. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Notice of the Discovery oi Phascum alternifolium (Brinck, &c.) 

 in Dumfries- shire, and of Arenaria verna on the west coast of Scot- 

 land. Communicated by Mr. J. Cruickshank. — This Phascum is not 

 the plant of Hooker, which is the Archidium phascoides of continental 

 botanists. The present plant was formerly discovered in Britain, but 

 long ago, and in very small quantity. It is, in the opinion of Mr. 

 Wilson, a good species. Arenaria verna was found at Drumlanrig 

 by Mr. Cruickshank. It is very rare, if existing at all, on the west 

 coast of Scotland. 



2. Notice on the occurrence of Avena alpina and Saxifruga um- 

 brosa in Yorkshire, by Mr. J, Tatham, jun. — Mr. Tatham says, 

 "Avena alpina grows here (Settle) at an elevation of between 600 

 and 800 feet above the sea. When growing in our elevated open 

 pastures the plants are generally single, also on our limestone cliffs ; 

 but when in our natural woods, which are mostly hazel, it is found 

 in large tufts, where you may get perhaps fifty specimens in the 

 space of a few inches. I believe I could send from the same tuft 

 specimens of alpina with the panicle quite as simple as any pratensis. 

 I consider Saxifraga umbrosu as really wild here. It is met with in 

 Hesletim Gill, which is a deep ravine at the foot of Pen-y-ghant, 

 and Fountains Fell. There are only two houses in about three miles, 

 and these not near the place. Actcea spicata, Rihes petraum, &c., 

 grow along with it. The valley nms from west to east, and the 

 Saxifraga is found only on the south side, which receives no sun- 

 shine except in summer. Some of the plants are inaccessible, the 

 cliffs are so steep." 



The impression of the meeting was that no specific distinction 

 existed between the plant now shown as Avena alpina and A. praten- 

 sis, and the same remark may be applied to all other specimens of 

 the former hitherto exhibited from British stations. 



3. On three new Species of British Grasses of the genus Poa, 

 by Richard Parncll, M.D., F.R.S.E.— The author stated that these 



