CCXxiv PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Aberrations in Lonicera Periclymenum. — Mr. Fraser, F.L.S., showed 

 flowers of the common Honeysuckle with green petals. It was remarked 

 that this condition in Honeysuckle is very frequently associated with the 

 presence of aphis upon the plant, especially near the inflorescence. 

 Mr. Fraser also showed a specimen of the common Honeysuckle with 

 leaves shaped somewhat like those of the Oak — this form he had found 

 most frequently in plants growing in a shady wood. In Lonicera 

 japonica the aberration is very common. 



Variation in Polystichum angulare. — Mr. Druery, V.M.H., showed a 

 "seedling" from the variety of P. aculeatum (or angulare?) called 

 pulcherrimum (which was originally found growing wild), named 

 gracillimum. The parent plant had remained sterile for a very long 

 period, but at last two sporangia had been found upon it (without an 

 indusium). The spores from these had been sown, and about 75 per cent, 

 of the resulting plants had come precisely like the parent, and the 

 remainder consisted of about 5 per cent, reversions to the normal type of 

 the species, and 20 per cent, rather varying forms somewhat similar to 

 the plant shown, where the frond was cut up into a number of narrow 

 divisions. The variation had shown itself only after some time, the 

 younger leaves being of the normal form. 



Peloria in Cattlcya labiata. — From Mr. Gurney Wilson, of Haywards 

 Heath, came a very perfect specimen of a peloric Cattleya labiata in 

 which the perianth was perfectly regular, as is not unusual, and in 

 addition there were three properly developed stamens adnate to the 

 column. Mr. Wilson also showed a dimerous specimen of Cypripedium 

 insigne, which was not only a very perfect specimen of the rather common 

 aberration, but was interesting on account of the fact that this is the 

 second successive year in which the aberration has occurred in this 

 plant. 



Holly retaining berries. — Mr. Chittenden showed a branch of Holly 

 from Wisley which was still carrying the berries produced in 1907. 

 Adjacent trees had been stripped by the birds, but this and two other 

 trees in the garden had retained their berries until now. During the past 

 few days some had fallen, but otherwise the tree was as thickly berried 

 as during the autumn of 1907. 



An exotic worm from Wisley. — Mr. Chittenden showed an exotic 

 worm, one of the Planarians, Bipalium kcwcnsc from the propagating 

 pits at Wisley. The worms are of a dark greyish colour and measure up 

 to about 15 inches in length. They are found living among the crocks at 

 the bottom of the pots. They feed voraciously upon earthworms, and 

 are, no doubt, capable, by reason of their shape and size, of pursuing 

 them into their burrows. The animal is said to occur in hot-houses 

 throughout the world- 



