SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, MAY 14. 



XXXV 



to them. According to M. Mirande, the lesions produced by various fungi 

 on leaves, e.g. Ramularia, Cercospora, Septoria, Ovularia, Coryneum, and 

 Gloeosporium, have the same effect in producing the red colouring matter." 

 The exciting cause in the case of the hawthorn leaves shown appears to 

 have been the attack of aphides. 



Geaster fornicatus. — Mr. Mawley showed an excellent specimen of this 

 curious fungus found growing by the roadside at Berkhamsted. 



Contortion in Carnation. — Dr. Masters showed a specimen of carnation 

 having a curiously contorted stem, similar in appearance to the fasciated 

 and contorted stems often seen in the teasel. It was referred to Mr. 

 'Worsdell, who promised to report upon it at the next meeting. 



Pelargonium Sport. — Dr. Masters also showed specimens of flowers 

 taken from a show pelargonium which normally produced irregular 

 single flowers with purple blotches upon the upper petals. A lateral 

 branch from this sported, so that it bore regular flowers and had the 

 stamens replaced by petals. This sport was reproduced by cuttings. 



Scientific Committee, May 14, 1907. 

 Mr. G. Massee, V.M.H., in the Chair, and fifteen members present. 



Contorted Carnation. — Mr. Worsdell F.L.S., said he had further 

 examined the curious carnation plant shown by Dr. Masters at the last 

 meeting, and remarked that De Vries had suggested that such contorted 

 growths were the result of a reversion to a spiral arrangement of leaves, 

 departing from the opposite decussate arrangement usual in the plant. 

 Dissection of the bud appeared to support this view. In the specimen 

 shown the leaves were also curiously rolled back. 



Fungus on Rctinospora. — Mr. Massee, V.M.H., said that the fungus 

 shown at the last meeting by Mr. Saunders on Retinospora was Gymno- 

 sporang ium clavariifo rme. 



Growth of Fern in Bottle. — Mr. Druery, V.M.H., showed the result of 

 placing a small half-inch piece of the base of a frond of Scolopendrium 

 vulgar e on a layer of well- washed silver sand, one inch deep, thoroughly 

 moistened, at the bottom of a pickle jar. The severed piece bore 

 an incipient bud. The pickle jar was then tightly closed by means of 

 a glass stopper, provided with a rubber ring. The exhibit represented 

 the result of two years' growth without the admission of any air, the 

 stopper having been wired on. The fern had a number of fronds about 

 six inches in length, and new ones were rising ; there were also one or 

 two seedlings, believed to be Lastreas. A mass of filamentous algfl? 

 covered the sand and part of the bottle. The whole of this vegetative 

 growth had been developed under the presumed air-tight conditions 

 described. Members pointed out, however, the possibility of the diffusion 

 of air even under the conditions described, and the fact that, as tap water 

 had been used in washing and moistening the sand, a certain quantity of 

 soluble earth salts had been originally admitted into the bottle. 



Picea orientalis. — Mr. Bowles, F.L.S., showed, on behalf of Canon 

 Ellacombe, inflorescences and cones of this beautiful conifer. 



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