Linnaan Society. 375 



Hooker's elaborate ' Flora boreali-americana,' we are now supplied 

 with an accurate account of the plants of those parts of America in 

 which the genera and species are most nearly allied to those of North- 

 ern Europe. It is most interesting to observe the considerable num- 

 ber of species which seem apparently correctly identified with those 

 of Scandinavia and Britain, and we are much struck with the great 

 number of European weeds which are naturalized in the United 

 States. 



It is to be hoped that, now that this work is off his hands, its 

 author will hasten the publication of the continuation of the ' Flora 

 of North America,' of which one complete volume and three parts of 

 a second, extending to Composita: inclusive, have appeared from his 

 pen in conjunction with Dr. Torrey. It is now five years since the 

 last portion of that flora was published, and we can assure its authors 

 that it is not without great anxiety that European botanists have 

 been long expecting its continuation. 



In conclusion we can strongly recommend this Manual to all bo- 

 tanists. It is published in London by John Chapman. 



In the Press. 



We are glad to learn that Mr. Ralfs' beautiful work on that in- 

 teresting tribe the Desmidiece, will be ready for distribution to the 

 Subscribers in the course of a few days. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



LINN^AN SOCIETY. 



June 1, 1847. — The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the 



Chair. 



Read a " Description oi Athalamia, a new genus oi Marchanlie<B." 

 By Hugh Falconer. M.D., F.L.S. &c. 



Athalamia. 

 Char. Gen. Flores mmculil Capituli foeminei rec.eptaculum nulhiin ; 

 foribus immediate peduiiciilo insertis, erectis. Involucruvi tuillum. 

 luvoluceUu lubulos'i, vertice bivalvia, basi inter se eoniiata. Calyptra 

 persistens, sub-bifido lacerata. Sporatujium in laciiiias 4 v. 5 demuin 

 revolutas dehiscens ; pedicello clongato sub-exseito. — Frons simplex, 

 V. rudiatiin 'A-lobu, crasse carnosa, subtus margine squauiis follacch 

 pluri-serialis inslructa ; lobi.i oblongis, concavis, margine atleiiualis ; 

 pedunculo pedicellisnue cra.siiis, succulentis, leretibus. 



Athalamia finguis, Falc. 

 JIab. 



The absence of a common recej)tacle and the erect flowers appear 

 to be the most characteristic marks of the genus Athalamia, which 

 is most nearly allied to Lunularia, Micheli, in the dehiscence of the 

 sporangium and elongation of the pedicel. 



