xxxiv PROCEEMNGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the same locality ; (b) a polydactylous, foliose form of Pokjstichum 

 angulare of very distinct type from the normal, but imperfectly poly- 

 dactylous ; (c) an extremely fine bipinnate form of Polypodiiun vulgare, 

 with basal pinnules over 2 inches long, and deeply cut throughout. Mr. 

 Williams stated that the remaining fronds were very much larger, but 

 damaged, which indicates a very abnormal size, as well as development. 

 Such an association of varieties is certainly quite unique, so far as any 

 record is concerned, and as all three are redundant, the conditions of 

 growth must be peculiarly favourable, which may have induced the 

 " sports." The P. vulgare is quite distinct from previous finds ; the other 

 two have been closely paralleled. Pteris aqiiilina cristata, found by Mr. 

 C. B. Green, Acton, at Faygate, Sussex. Some acres of this form exist near 

 the railway station, intermingled with about 50 per cent, of normal fronds. 



Bhamnus californicus s^;.— Mr. E. M. Holmes exhibited a specimen 

 of Bhamnus californicus, showing that the leaves in this species are 

 evergreen, whilst the nearly allied species, B. Purshianus, loses its leaves 

 in the autumn, the majority of the species of this genus being deciduous. 

 The bark of both species is collected, and is known in commerce as 

 "cascara sagrada." Attention was also directed to the fact that the bark, 

 met with in commerce under the name of Salix nigra, does not possess 

 the appearance of the bark of that species, of which the young twigs are 

 black and polished, and have at first a waxy bloom on them. The bark 

 of commerce more nearly resembles that of Sali.r alba. Mr. Holmes also 

 brought seeds (stones) of Prumis nepaleusis, which he had received from 

 Dr. Geo. Watt, CLE. (Reporter on Economic Products to the Indian 

 Government), as worthy of cultivation in this country, the fruit having a 

 pleasant acid taste, and being used as a fruit in Nepal. 



Croci, sp. and vars. — Mr. E. A. Bowles exhibited the following interest- 

 ing series of Croci. The type forms and albino varieties of C. reticulatus, 

 pure white, except for a line or two of greyish-blue at the base of the 

 segments and extending down the perianth tube. (For some years I could 

 not identify this variety with certainty, until one bulb in 1899 reverted to 

 a striped form identical with the C. reticulatus v. albicans of Herbert, 

 figured in the '^Botanical Register," vol. xxxiii. 16 (17), fig. 2.) 2. C. 

 Imperati. — Pure white internally, externally pale buff, almost white, and 

 richly feathered with deep purple on the outer segments. The seedlings 

 raised from this form produce the typical Imperati, w4th diphyllous, 

 proper spathe. 3. C. versicolor. — A form of ten confounded with Imperati 

 and knoA\Ti as luip. v. albidus. The inner segments distinctly show the 

 feathering so characteristic of versicolor, the form of Maw's, plate xvi., 

 fig. 1, d. I have wild forms, collected near Mentone, w^hich very nearly 

 approach this, and, like this, they have a ligulate inner proper spathe. 

 4. C biflorus v. Weldeni. — A pure white form, sold as Weldeni v. niveus 

 and dalmaticus niveus. C. candidus. — Typical forms, white grained with 

 blue externally, and the new yellow variety, clear orange grained 

 externally with purple ; a very floriferous and beautiful form. C. cyprius. 

 — A small blue species with rich purple bases to the segments on the 

 outer surfaces. The only species that has scarlet filaments. It, un- 

 fortunately, appears to have a delicate constitution in cultivation. C. 

 corsicus. — Proper spathe monophyllous. C. minimus.— -Vm^eY spathe 



