SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, APRIL 8. 



xlvii 



leaves of leguminous type, interesting further on account of its distribution 

 in East Asia down to Pitcairn Island. 



Petasites palmatus, A. Gr. — Native of West Asia and California, a 

 rare but very distinct marsh plant. 



Helleborus viridis. — From a wild locality near Huntingdon. 



Poterium spinosum. — From Syria, interesting in comparison with 

 other species. 



Bibes speciosum. — The Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry from California. 

 Kennedya nigricans. 

 Petasites japonicus giganteus. 



Myrsiphyllum. — Mr. Saunders showed specimens of the foliage of this 

 plant, in which the false leaves were withered at the tips. The appear- 

 ances were considered as the result of defective cultivation. 



Cypripedium. — Mr. Douglas brought a flower of a hybrid variety in 

 which the lip, instead of forming a pouch, was divided into three portions, 

 a basal portion concave and trough-like, green, marked with small purplish 

 dots ; an anterior portion, raised and humplike, striped with dark brownish- 

 purple on an olive-coloured ground. On either side of this was a wide 

 oblong projecting wing. The column was normal. 



Various Plants. — Mr. Worsley showed specimens of Hymenocallis 

 Moritziana, Tulipa Greigi with the bulbs attacked with mites, and 

 Triteleia uniflora, with two flower-stalks fused together. 



Lathyrus Seedlings. — Mr. Holmes brought specimens to show the 

 sequence of the leaves from the cotyledons to the developed stipules 

 which replace the leaves. 



Inter -carpellary Prolification. — Mr. Holmes showed a specimen of 

 this peculiarity in a Lemon. 



(Enanthe crocata. — Mr. Holmes also showed roots similar to those 

 which had recently occasioned the death of a boy near Hammersmith. 

 The wildest statements were made at the inquest, but Mr. Holmes having 

 obtained specimens from the locality, there was no doubt whatever as to 

 the real cause of death. (Fig. 63.) 



The " Sporting " peculiarities of the Persian Cyclamen. — Mr. Den- 

 man of Tremeirchion supplied the following note : — " The Cyclamen 

 persicum (latifolium) is characterised by its own * sporting ' tendencies, 

 to the investigation of which I have given much caie and attention. The 

 main points of interest are these: — (a) The Persian Cyclamen raised 

 from seeds cannot, after the third or fourth year, be induced to retain 

 its former characteristics, as regards the colour of the flowers, &c. 

 (6) Although the flowers are liable to ' sport,' they cannot be regarded 

 as specific characters, because they will not reproduce the same sporting 

 tendencies when raised from their own seed. (c) The same plant 

 frequently produces two flowers of distinctly opposite colours ; or, on the 

 other hand, a plant, say with pure white flowers, will produce a mixture 

 of colours after an interval of three or four years, (d) The sporting pecu- 

 liarities of the Cyclamen being such, what steps may be taken to ensure 

 the retaining of the distinctive colours of the plants under consideration ? 



Let us briefly consider the first point : — " The ' Persian ' Cyclamen, 

 quite apart from the other species, cannot be induced to retain its seedling 

 characteristic colour after an interval of three to four years. Now, why 



