xlii PEOCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the petals, as in Brookweed (Samolus), of the allied order Primulaceie. 

 The anthers are extrorse, dehiscing, while forming a central, erect column, 

 but spreading on the petals subsequently. It is figured in Bot. Mag. t. 

 6373. Fungi. — Mr. Lynch also sent some specimens of Peziza lanuginosa 

 (described as Sejmltaria SumnerianainMsiSsee's "Fungus Flora"), growing 

 in the grounds of the Cambridge Botanic Garden. 



Scientific Committee, Apeil 9, 1901. 

 Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and thirteen members present 



Pseud o-fasciation of Ash. — A specimen was exhibited of a diseased 

 Ash-bough by Mr. Odell, who described it as follows : — " This is a diseased 

 condition of the inflorescence resulting in the fusion of the pedicels into a 

 thick and shapeless mass, which hardens into quite a woody structure. 

 These sub-fasciated clusters are said by Professor Kerner, and also by Mr. 

 A. Murray, F.L.S., to be due to the attacks of a minute Phytoptus. The 

 accompanying specimens were obtained from trees growing by the river 

 Ouse at Olney, in North Bucks, where I recently observed that this 

 diseased condition was common to the Ash trees growing along the ^■alley 

 of the Ouse ; in some cases only slightly, in others the trees were thickly 

 covered with the ' fasciated ' clusters. It did not appear that the trees 

 were in any way stunted or affected by the disease ; but as the result is to 

 prevent the development of seed, it may be that the vegetative processes 

 are stimulated by the partial and abnormal suppression of the reproductive 

 functions." The condition is figured in Masters' " Vegetable Teratology," 

 p. 421. 



Masdevallia, sp. — Mr. Chapman brought the following species, upon 

 which Dr. Rendle reports as folloAVS : — ^^Masdevallia Lowi, Kolfe {Gard. 

 CJiron. 1890, 416), is said by Miss Woolward, in her monograph of the 

 genus, on Consul Lehmann's authority — ' who has had the advantage of 

 examining Prof. Reichenbach's dried specimens ' — to be the same as 

 M. trinema, Reichenb. f., ' Flora,' 1886, 538. As M. Loiui was not 

 described till after Prof. Reichenbach's death, when his dried specimens 

 could no longer be consulted. Consul Lehmann's opinion would seem to 

 be based on memory. A comparison of the flower of M. Lowi with the 

 description of M. trinema suggests that Mr. Rolfe was justified in regard- 

 ing his plant as a distinct species. The sepal tails of M. trinema are said 

 to be much longer than the triangular bodies, whereas in M. Loivi they 

 seem to be always markedly shorter. The bidentate tip of the column 

 marks another discrepancy, that of M. Loivi bearing several fimbriations. 

 Moreover, Reichenbach's statement that the dimensions of M. trinema are 

 those of his M. Gaskelliana, points to a smaller flower than that of 

 M. Loioi.'' 



Cy]^ripcdium icitli two lips. — Mr. Chapman also showed this not 

 uncommon phenomenon; As the flower had three sepals and two petals 

 beside the lips, the result had occurred in consequence of, or in correlation 

 with, a bifurcation of the axial cord belonging to the lip. This was borne 

 but by a dissection of the flower. 



Potenum spinosum. — Mr. Saunders exhibited a plant of this species 



