EXTRACTS OF PROCEEDINGS. 



cxxxix 



LECTUHES. 



During the afternoon Professor G. Henslow delivered a short lec- 

 ture upon the plants exhibited. He commenced by referring to a 

 fine group of Lilies introduced by Mr. C. Maries, collector for Messrs. 

 Yeitch in Japan. It included a Lilium auratum var. platyphyllum, 

 with a very large blossom but with the foliage of L. speciosum, 

 from which L. auratum is usually very distinct in haviDg narrow 

 leaves. Several fine plants of L. auratum var. virginale (considered 

 the same as var. Wittei by Mr. Elwes), aud a new variety of L. 

 speciosum named gloriosoides by Mr. Baker, having strongly in- 

 curved petals, were also noticed. The lecturer referred to Mr. 

 Tillery's experience in the difficulty of raising intermediate hybrids — 

 the seedlings of L. speciosum crossed by L. auratum or vice versa — 

 in either case being almost the same as the female parent. The 

 great development of the tubercular epidermal processes in some 

 species afforded an illustration of a method of hindering crawling 

 insects from extracting honey, which would not be of service to the 

 plant in not pollinating it. Eucryphia pinnatifolia, of which some fine 

 blossoms were exhibited by Messrs. Veitch, is one of four species, 

 two being natives of Chili and two of Tasmania. This diversity of 

 habitat, like the Fuchsias of New Zealand and South America, 

 appears to indicate a former union between South America and 

 those islands long since Bevered, but still retaining certain species, 

 which indicates their former continuity. A fine series of Coleuses 

 sent by Mr. Cannell, and a variegated Croton from Mr. Bull, fur- 

 nished material for remarks on variegation, and the lecturer suggested 

 that possibly variegation may be referred to two distinct conditions. 

 In the case of white or yellowish foliage it was found to be by Prof. 

 Church an arrested state resembling almost colourless seedlings, and 

 even a similar state to colourless parasites, so that every uncoloured 

 cell might be almost regarded as parasitically attached to its 

 neighbouring green cell. Brightly coloured foliage, however, was a 

 different state, for the colouring matter was (not like green ehlorophyl) 

 in the epidermis, as it is in petals, so that the Coleus had, as it were, 

 a transposition of colour from its proper locality into the leaves. 

 Moreover, green ehlorophyl was often present, but concealed below 

 the purple. 



