DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY. 139 



The collections of the Fruits and Seeds of Palms, and of 

 the Fruits and Seeds of British Plants, have been named and 

 arranged. 



The large collection of original drawings made by the late 

 Dr. Schleiden, illustrating the morphology and anatomy of 

 different Natural Orders, have been arranged and mounted, 

 with the view of binding them in volumes for easy reference 

 and preservation. 



The extensive series of slides prepared by and representing 

 the work of the late Professor De Bary, lately purchased by 

 the Trustees, has been arranged in systematic order. The 

 medium originally employed in mounting the preparations 

 having been insufficiently secured, every slide has been care- 

 fully examined and resealed, and, wherever necessary, the 

 specimen has been remounted. One-third of the whole col- 

 lection has been thus treated. 



The typical collection of British Diatomaceob belonging to 

 William Smith, and illustrating his standard work on these 

 plants, contained a considerable quantity of unmounted ma- 

 terial, which was specified in the published Catalogue. This 

 has all been prepared and mounted on slides, so as to permit 

 of the exact study of the specimens without injury. 



In the progess of the year's work the officers of the Depart- 

 ment have been engaged as follows : — 



Mr. E. G. Baker has incorporated the Polypetalous Plants 

 of various collections with the General Herbarium. The most 

 extensive and important of these was that found by Triana in 

 New Granada, and, in addition, those formed by Henry and 

 Pratt in China, Ramage in the West Indies, Pringle in Mexico, 

 Porta and Rigo in Spain, and Maries in Gwalior. Portions 

 of the collections of Borchers and Philippi from Atacama, 

 Hance from China, and Auerswald from Europe, have also 

 been incorporated. 



The collections of the late Mr. Archer Briggs were ex- 

 amined, and specimens selected for the British Herbarium. 

 The collection of the Fruits and Seeds of British Plants has 

 been arranged and added to during the year. The revision 

 of the Natural Order Malvaceae has been continued, and 

 several new species have been described. To enable Mr. Baker 

 more efficiently to carry on his work in the Herbarium, the 

 Trustees granted him a fortnight's special leave, in order 

 to visit the Herbaria at Lisbon, Madrid, Geneva, and Paris, 

 with the view of studying the types of the Malvaceae pre- 

 served in them. This work he was able to do in the month 

 of November. 



Mr. James Britten has revised several Orders of Mono- 

 0.108. petalous 



