SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 



cxv 



SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 



May 14, 1913. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S., in the Chair, and ten 

 members present. 



Saxifraga Meriensiana. — Mr. J. Fraser, F.L.S., showed this plant, 

 a native of Western N. America, and remarked upon its position 

 intermediate between two sections of the genus. The plant bore 

 bulbils on the lower part of the inflorescence, and, like S. cernua, had 

 its flowers at the tips of the branches of the inflorescence. The 

 flowers are often defective, both the stamens being deformed and 

 the styles absent. 



Hen and Chickens Daisies. — Mr. A. YVorsley showed inflorescences 

 of the well-known ' hen and chickens ' daisy from plants which had 

 appeared in his garden, where none of this form had previously been 

 grown. 



Primula x Bowlesii. — Mr. Bowles showed flowers and foliage of 

 the hybrid Primula x Bowlesii (P. pedemontana X P. viscosa) with 

 specimens of the parents for comparison. Characters of both parents 

 were present in the plant, which had been found two years ago on 

 Mont Cenis (see pp. 123, 227). 



Clitoria ternatea and Passiflora foetida. — Lady Theodora Guest 

 sent flowers and foliage of the uncommon Clitoria ternatea and of 

 Passiflora foetida. The latter grows wild in Ceylon and in many 

 other tropical places, but is probably an escape from cultivation, most 

 of the species of Passiflora being native in Brazil. 



Orchid Hybrids. — Mr. R. A. Rolfe, A.L.S., exhibited flowers of two 

 interesting hybrid orchids raised by himself at Kew with a view to 

 ascertaining the parentage of certain wild forms. The first was 

 Odontoglossum Coradinei, Reichb. f., obtained from 0. Lindleyanum 

 crossed with an unspotted 0. crispum, the result being a yellow hybrid 

 blotched with brown, most like the seed-bearer in general character, 

 but completely agreeing with some of the wild forms of this natural 

 hybrid. The cross was made in June 1907, and this is the first of 

 several seedlings to flower. The other flower was Laeliocattleya X 

 armanda, Reichb. f., obtained by crossing Laelia Boothiana with the 

 pollen of Cattleya intermedia, and having flowers most like an enlarged 

 edition of the latter with rosy-lilac segments. Of this several seedlings 

 have flowered, the first three years ago. In this case the agreement 

 with the wild hybrid is not complete, the tip being more strongly three- 

 lobed and the flowers rather darker in colour. It is believed, however, 

 to be a form of the same hybrid, which is rather variable. Its complete 

 history is given in the Orchid Review, xix., pp. 216-218. 



