28 EASTBOURNE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
on the upper surface, in some cases two being coherent. They con- 
sisted of a flask-like cellular green sac, with a narrow opening at the 
apex, and having within it at its base a yellowish-green nucleus-like 
A close resemblance was to be traced between a buds and 
the ovules of some of our native agener oo .g- Habenaria viridis. In 
Irmisch’s ‘‘Beitrage zur Biologie and Morphologie der Orchideen,”’ 
young axillary buds of aeeousis monophylla are figured, which some- 
sine evan those of Malaxis, as there isa petra ppplene and a rudi- 
athing leaf looking like an oyular The case of 
Ualazis Salieiies the ovule to be homologous with the cer the nucleus- 
like body corresponding with the axis and the cellular open-mouthed 
sac to an embracing leaf. ‘‘On a Menispermaceous Plant called by 
ee Cissampelos Vitis, and peu) in his Flora Fluminensis, vol. 
” by J. C. de Mello, translated by John Miers, Esq.; considered to 
Sohotig et the tribe Zinosporeg, and placed in the genus Burassava. 
November 21st.—G. Bentham, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the chair. 
C. C. Grundy, Esq., and E. aaa Esq. -» Were elected Fellows. The 
, following papers were read:—‘‘Catalogue of the Composite of 
Bengal,” by C. B. Clarke. ‘‘On pre lie bs a new genus 0 of 
Hydrocharides,’’ by the same. A stemless annual found growing in 
still water in Eastern Bengal; it has narrow linear leaves 2—4 feet 
long and small solitary white flowers ee from the spathe 
during expansion. H. echinosperma is the only known species. ‘‘ On 
diversity of Evolution under one set of external raat by the 
Rev. J. T. Gullick. 
Easts Naturat History Socrery. October 18th, 1872. 
** Notes on oe Genus Lemna,” F.C. 8. Roper, F.L.S. — Anatomical 
and Physiological remarks were made on all ,the British — 
Lemna gibba had been specially studied. The author said :—‘ From 
the observations I have made on this species, I believe that it is only 
during its fully mature state, and when about to produce blossom, 
that it assumes the characteristic gibbous form, an at on the 
m: 
new edition of English Botany, states’that he haa) never seen the flower. 
. Borrer is reported to have been the first who discovered the fructifi- 
the neighbourhood of Lewes. I had in vain oe for the inflores- 
cence in this tribe of plants for many years, and only observed it for 
; 
I met with it abundantly, in blossom, in the ditch running by 
side of the Pevensey road, not far beyond Christ Church. Lee 
kept the plants to the present time, I have had a good opportunity of 
observing both the structure of the flowers and pollen, as also the ger- 
mination of the seeds, and I propose, therefore, to describe it rather 
more in detail. The ‘inflorescence—flower it can hardly be called— — 
having neither calyx nor corolla, springs from the under side of the 
frond, at the notch where the new frond is given off; it is said b 
previous writers, and copicd in most botanical works, to be enclosed 
