EXTRACTS OF PROCEEDINGS. 



cxxix 



SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 



Mr. R. McLaciilan, F.R.S., in the Chair, and eight members 



present. 



Rhododendron and Azalea.- — Mr. Yeitch exhibited two plants 

 raised from a cross between Azalea indica Stella (male) and 

 Lord Wolseley (female), a Rhododendron of East Indian parent- 

 age. [R. jasminiflorum x R. javanicum = Princess Royal ; 

 Princess Royal x R. Brookeanum var. gracile = Duchess of Teck ; 

 Duchess of Teck x R. javanicum=Lord Wolseley.] Both plants 

 were from the same pod, but while one was about a foot in height 

 the other was scarcely 8 inches, though six years old. The former 

 bore a truss of orange- coloured flowers of about the same colour 

 as those of Lord Wolseley. The corolla was somewhat smaller, 

 with not so broad a limb, and in texture approximated the Azalea. 

 Mr. Henslow undertook to examine and report upon the anatomi- 

 cal structure of the leaves, to see if there were intermediate 

 characters. A botanical certificate was unanimously awarded to 

 Mr. Yeitch for this interesting cross. 



Peas diseased. — Dr. Oliver reported upon the plants sent by 

 Mr. Pownall to the last meeting, but having insufficient 

 specimens he was unable to assign a cause for the injury. Fresh 

 material having been received with roots attached, he undertook 

 to report further upon it at the next meeting. 



Change of Sex induced by a Pa rasitic Fungus. — Mr. Plow- 

 wright forwarded an interesting communication upon the effect 

 of Ustilago violacea on Lychnis vespertina. He artificially 

 impregnated a female plant with spores from the anthers of a 

 male plant of Lychnis diurna infested with the Ustilago. 

 Although the hybrid offspring raised were perfectly healthy, yet 

 the female parent plant itself (L. vespertina) bore nothing but 

 male flowers in the following year, every one of which was 

 affected with U. violacea. A fuller account will appear later in the 

 Journal of the Boyal Horticultural Society. It was suggested by 

 members of the Committee that the explanation is that the 

 change of sex is due to compensation. Whatever tends to lessen 

 the vitality or vigour of the female organ may heighten that 

 of the male, as occurs frequently in hermaphrodite flowers, and 

 when they are normally unisexual then the lost sex may reappear, 

 when the energy is diverted from the one usually present. More- 



