212 
Dusuin Naturat-History Society. 
June 16, 1854.—James R. Dombrain, Esq., in the chair. 
Saxifraga geum, §c. 
Mr. Andrews said, that before commencing the papers for the 
evening, he was desirous of placing on record some plants that had 
been first noticed in this country at the meetings of the Society. The 
first was a very remarkable form of Saxifraga geum, fine specimens of 
which he submitted to the meeting. It was found by Mr. Andrews 
in the Great Blasket Island, in 1842, and noticed in the Society at the 
December meeting of that year. It was remarkable for its strong 
growth and dark hirsute leaves, but more particularly in the glands 
which surround the ovary, and which in the flowering state of the 
plant present a beautiful appearance, the glands being of a deep rose- 
colour. It seemed remarkable in connecting the Saxifragacez with 
the Parnassize and Crassulacee; it produces perfect seeds, and 
the seedlings present the same. characteristics as the parent plant. 
Dr. Harvey, who took specimens to England, writes : —‘“ Charles 
Darwin was very much interested in your Blasket Saxifrage, particu- 
larly at the fact of its producing perfect seeds. He is working out 
some observations on the continuability of varieties by seed, and 
wishes much to know whether the seedlings from this Saxifrage pro- 
duce the metamorphic glands of the parent. I told him I thought 
they did, but would get the full particulars from you.” My friend, 
Mr. Simon Foot, who cultivated the plant, confirms the fact of the 
seedlings having the same formation of glands as the parent, and in- 
formed me that Dr. Lindley observed to him that he considered 
it would prove to be a plant of great interest. Plants of Saxifraga 
Pedatifida, Arabis Crantziana, and Saxifraga leucanthemifolia were 
exhibited, as originally noticed in the Society ; the two former dis- 
covered by the Right Hon. John Wynne, of Haslewood, the Saxifrage 
in Mayo, and the Arabis on Benbulben, Sligo. The Saxifraga leu- 
canthemifolia, which exhibited numerous foliaceous buds on the flow- 
ering branches, and which, on falling off, became young plants, was 
brought by Dr. Scouler from Portugal. On flowering, the following 
year, this peculiarity in the plant was seen and brought forward, as it 
had not been noticed by any continental botanist. The plants do not 
perfect their seeds. 
