SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, NOVEMBER, 12. 



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midrib. This kind of hypertrophy is common in Kales, and has become 

 fixed, so that such forms come true from seed. 



Hybrid Pear and Quince. — Messrs. James Veitch & Sons sent further 

 specimens of the hybrid fruits borne on the two plants raised from seeds 

 from a single fruit of the Pear ' Bergamotte Esperen,' the result of 

 crossing that Pear with the Portugal Quince. Immature fruits were 

 shown at the meeting of September 3, and, as was then observed, the 

 fruits of one tree approached the Pear in character, those of the other 

 the Quince. The Pear-like hybrid, for which Messrs. Veitch propose the 

 name x Pyronia 1 John Seden ' was practically ripe, and had a distinct 

 Bergamotte flavour. 1 Bergamotte Esperen ' ripens much later. The 

 Quince-like fruits were still quite hard. 



Crocus. — Mr. Bowles showed specimens of a Crocus which he believes 

 to be a hybrid between Crocus speciosus and G. pulchcllus. In 1901, 

 and each season since, he has found a conn or two among seedlings of 

 C. speciosus from seeds saved from plants growing near C. pulchcllus 

 that show characters intermediate between these two species, and which 

 may be tabulated as follows : — 



C. speciosus. C. pulchellus. Supposed hybrid. 



Throat . . White Orange Yellow shading to white 



Anther . . Orange White Cream colour 



Filament . . White Orange Yellow 



Glabrous Pubescent With scattered hairs 



Corin tunic . Membranous Coriaceous A thick stiff membrane 



Iu colour the perianth segments are somewhat variable, and most nearly 

 resemble C. speciosus, but are paler and less distinctly veined, except on 

 the inner surface of the inner segments, where the characteristic purple 

 veins of C. pulchellus are clearly defined. 



Scientific Committee, November 12, 1907. 



Mr. J. T. Bennett-Poe, V.M.H., in the Chair, and nine members 



present. 



Malformed Orchids.— Mr. W. C. Worsdell, F.L.S., said that the 

 flowers shown at the last meeting showed only two sepals and two 

 petals, the lip being entirely absent ; he also showed specimens of 

 Cattleya Loddigesii (?) with double lips, and a Cypripedium with the 

 same malformation. The last two specimens came from Gurney Wilson, 

 Esq., Glenthorne, Haywards Heath. 



"Loio Country" Tea-root Disease of Ceylon.— Dr. C. B. Plowright 

 sent specimens illustrating this disease, which Mr. T. Petch attributes 

 to an undescribed species of Ustulina. " The fructification occurs in 

 two forms, conidial and ascigerous. The former consists of flattened, 

 rounded, disc-like growths upon the lower part of the stems, which are 

 covered with a copious growth of greyish conidia. The ascos pores follow 

 in due course upon these plate-like growths, and can easily be recognised 

 by their minute black concentric openings. The mycelium is white or 

 yellowish, but becomes black when it comes to the surface in a crack 

 in the bark of the root and forms irregular black lines in the wood." 



