Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 125 
ards the Sicilian flora as not an aboriginal one, but as derived from 
‘Africa on the one side, and from Greece and other Mediterranean 
countries on the other. The plants peculiar to the island are by no 
means numerous, and the flora is meagre when compared with that 
of Dalmatia and other countries on the shores of the Adriatic. In 
the course of two months’ residence in the island, Dr. Alexander 
found only about 250 species which he had not seen in Dalmatia. 
3. Dr. Alexander on the Plants found on the Apennines. He con- 
siders the flora of the Apennines from Piedmont downwards to be 
also a derived one; for excepting the genera which occupy fallow 
Jand and broken ground, such as Medicago, Ononis, Convolvulus, and 
sea-shore plants, he found no genus developed, but a species of one 
type and aspecies of another, without connecting links. On ascend- 
ing the mountains, when he got to a region where a magnificent 
flora ought to be, he found at most a hardy hill plant that had crept 
up, but nothing whatever of an alpine nature. 
On the Matese, about forty miles north from Naples, vegetation 
nearly ceased at about 60CO feet; and at the top, which is 7000 feet 
above the level of the sea, and where there is a snow-field that never 
entirely melts and therefore cold enough for alpine plants, he met 
with Aubrietia Columne (a mere variety of A. deltoides), Ranunculus 
montanus, a Geranium resembling a Carniolian species, Arabis alpina, 
an Allium not in flower, Scrophularia glandulosa, and three forms of 
Sazifraga Aizoon which are reckoned by some as species. In nearly 
the same latitude, on the other side of the Adriatic, on the Biokovo, 
near Macarska in Dalmatia, there is, at the same height, a most in- 
teresting alpine flora, andin A®tolia, on Mt. Velugo, one equally so. 
Dr. Alexander found the Apennines by no means so productive as the 
Alps of Upper Styria and Upper Carinthia; and he looks upon the 
range as probably so recent in its formation, as to be only receiving 
its alpine flora gradually from other districts. 
» 4. Dr. Balfour read a communication which he had received from 
Mr. Campbell of Islay, relative to Mummy Wheat, specimens of which 
were exhibited. The wheat sent by Mr. Campbell resembled what 
is called Bellevue Talavera. Other specimens of the so-called mummy 
wheat were shown, having all the characteristics of Egyptian wheat 
(Triticum compositum). There appeared to be great doubts as to 
the fact of the wheat found in mummy-cases having germinated. 
In all the instances mentioned, there are numerous sources of fallacy 
which have not been guarded against. The most authentic and best- 
corroborated instance of the germination of mummy-wheat seems 
to be that noticed by Mr. Tupper, who got from Mr. Pettigrew. 
grains which had been taken by Sir Gardiner Wilkinson from some 
alabaster sepulchral vases. Even in this case, however, it is difficult 
‘to prove that the grains had not been recently inserted into the vases. 
The wheat which was then produced was the same variety as that 
now sent by Mr. Campbell. 
5. A communication was read from Mr. Cruickshank, regarding 
the discovery of Typha angustifolia in Lochmaben Loch, and of Cen- 
tunculus minimus near Dumfries. 
