EXTRACTS EROM PROCEEDINGS. 



Ivii 



A very interesting hybrid Nepenthes, with very dwarf habit, 

 attracted much notice. It is one of Mr. Dominy's triumphs in 

 hybridizing. An Amaranth, the seed of which was brought from 

 the Polynesian Isles by Mr. J. Gould Veitch, bids fair, from its 

 varied colour, narrow drooping leaves, and graceful habit, to be 

 a great acquisition. Amongst Messrs. Osborn's interesting col- 

 lection of cut specimens, were two about which information 

 was required : the one was clearly Cotoneaster rotundifolia, which 

 is even more hardy than C. mierophylla, coming from a greater 

 altitude ; the other a peculiarly fine form of Primus lusitanica, 

 with large luxuriant foliage and flowers. It came originally from 

 the Azores, but by no means, as was suggested, deserves to be 

 separated even as a variety from the Portugal Laurel, which is 

 especially luxuriant in the Canary Isles, as appears from speci- 

 mens in the Kew Herbarium, 



A curious species of Dieffenhachia came from Chiswick, which 

 was just showing its spadix. It is one of Mr. Weir's plants, and 

 is very remarkable from its producing many spathre within the 

 original one, and in consequence the spadix is much less inti- 

 mately connected with the spatha than is usual in the genus ; at 

 least such is the case with the plant examined. A description of 

 this plant appears in the present volume under the name of D. 

 Weirii. It is probably like the congeneric Dumb Cane, very 

 poisonous, even an examination of the contents of the spatha 

 proving rather disagreeable. 



Major Peach sent from Tockington, near Bristol, a specimen of 

 the Silver Fir which was attacked by a parasitic fungus (Perider- 

 mium ehtinum) which has the singular effect of not only de- 

 forming the foliage, but altering the character of the ramification. 

 The part affected forms a shrubby mass, somewhat resembling 

 mistletoe, perpendicular to the branch, and, when the young leaves 

 are just bursting, reminding one of the golden branch of Yirgil. 

 The leaves, moreover, on it are deciduous. These curious masses 

 are known in Germany, where they are not uncommon, under the 

 name of Hexenbesen ("Witches' -brooms). 



Mr. Andrew Murray produced a large branch of Laurel which 

 had been partially decorticated and had reproduced its bark. A 

 somewhat similar case occurred some years since at King's Cliffe. 

 An oak-tree by the roadside, which had repeatedly been defaced 

 by idle boys, was at length purposely decorticated for tw o or three 

 feet. The weather happened to be moist, and the denuded sur- 

 face in consequence did not dry up, and a new growth commenced 



