Proceedings of Societies. 371 



Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



9th November 1854. 



1. On the Associations of Colour, and Relations of Colour and Form 

 in Plants. By Professor Dickie, Belfast. 



The author alluded to the harmony of colours in plants, and endea- 

 voured to prove that the primary colours, red, yellow, and blue, are gene- 

 rally present in some parts of the plant ; and that when a primary colour 

 occurs in any part, its complement will usually be found in some other 

 part. He also showed, that in regular corollas, the colour is uniformly 

 distributed ; whereas, in irregular corollas, there is an irregular distribu- 

 tion of colour. 



- 2. Records of new Localities for Plants. By Dr Balfour. 

 3. Remarks on the formation of Ascidia. By Dr Balfour. 



The author stated that he was induced to make some remarks on the 

 formation of Ascidia in consequence of seeing lately a statement to the 

 eifect that all pitchers were formed by a hollowing out process. He was 

 disposed to think that true ascidia, such as those of Nepenthes, Sarracenia, 

 Cephalotus, and Heliamphora, were formed by folded leaves in the same 

 way as carpels are supposed to be produced. The anomalous ascidiform pro- 

 ductions on the leaves of cabbage, lettuce, &c. , might be traced to a similar 

 process, and in some instances the pitcher-like body appeared to be a 

 second leaf folded in an opposite manner from that from which it 

 sprung. Occasionally two or more leaves formed ascidia. What has been 

 called the " hollowing out process" is applicable to such cases as Esch- 

 scholtzia, Myrtacese , Rose, Hovenia, &c. This hollowing out process caused 

 a development of the circumference of the receptacle, peduncle, or other 

 part, while the central portion was undeveloped, and thus there arose a 

 cup-like body with a hollow centre. In such instances there seemed to 

 be a union, in the early state, of the circumferential cellular papillae aris- 

 ing from the peduncle or receptacle, or other part ; these became elon- 

 gated so as to form a gamophyllous rim of greater or less depth, enclosing 

 a hollow space in which certain organs were developed. The pitcher -like 

 peduncle or receptacle was often intimately connected with the calyx, and 

 was lined by cellular matter in the form of a disk. 



4. On Linaria sepium of Allman. By C. C. Babington, M.A. 



The author stated that this plant had been found by Professor Allman, 

 near Bandon, Cork, and that he (Mr B.) had been at first disposed to 

 consider it and L. italica as hybrids between L. vulgaris and L. repens. 

 Professor Allman had given conclusive evidence of the plant not being a 

 hybrid ; and from an examination of living specimens in the Cambridge 

 Botanical Garden, Mr B. was disposed to look upon the plant as a distinct 

 species, distinguished by its creeping root, erect smooth stems, linear- 

 lanceolate acute scattered leaves, racemose flowers, ovate acute smooth 

 sepals, shorter than the spur, and tuberculately-rough three-winged 

 seeds. 



5. On Diseases in Plants caused by Mites. By Mr Hardy, Penmanshiel. 



6. Botanical Notes. By Dr J. D. Hooker, in a letter to Dr Balfour. 



Dr Balfour stated, that in a letter recently received, Dr Hooker re- 

 marks (1.) that the natural order Balanophoraceae is truly Dicotyledonous, 

 and far removed from Rafflesiaceae, the latter being (as Brown pointed 



