OBSERVATIONS, 



85 



nos. In these three genera, the two external 

 petals placed laterally, undergo during 

 development an important modification. 

 The base of each is prolonged into a short 

 and rounded spur, and the two nectarife- 

 rous appendages become finally quite regu- 

 lar. The two sepals placed superior and 

 inferior also remain perfectly regular. 

 Again in the genera Fumaria and Corydalis 

 only one spur is developed, so as to render 

 the flower irregular. This spurred petal 

 becomes larger than its antagonist. 



M. Godron has examined Corydalis 

 solida, Sm. and G. cava, Schweigg in their 

 early condition while still underground. 

 He still traces the abortion of one of the 

 spurs in the petals to the flowers during 

 their development being compressed at the 

 base on one side only. In this way deve- 

 lopment of the nectary and its appendages 

 are prevented. M. Godron made experi- 

 ments with the flowers of Dielytra so as to 

 compress one of the petals at the base 

 duriug its dovelopment, and he thus ren- 

 dered it like i^^wmarm, with a single spurred 

 petal. In Dielytra and Adluma the spurs 

 develope at a later period than in Fumaria, 

 and in such a way that the raceme, in 

 elongating, separates the flowers from each 

 other, and allows the free and equal forma- 

 tion of spurs. The regular form sometimes 

 continues in the Fumaria and Corydalis. M. 

 Godron has seen Corydalis solida assuming 

 a pelorian form by two or even four petals 

 becoming spurred or calcarate. The flowers 

 in this case become sterile. 



2. Bracts are generally wanting in the 

 racemes of Cruciferee. In some of the 

 characteristic species we find bracts occa- 

 sionally in the lower flowers. In Sisym- 

 brium supinum,\ L., all the flowers are 

 produced with a pinnatifid bracteal leaf, 

 and the same is the case with Sisymbrium 

 hirsutum,- Lagasc. Brassica oleracea has 

 been seen with large oblong bracts in con- 

 nection with its lower flowers, while smaller 

 bractlets occurred at the upper part of the 

 raceme. Similar phenomena have been 

 observed in Erysimum clieiriflorvm, Wallr, , 



Arabis tu/rrita, L., Ifesperis matronalis, L., 

 Bunias orientalis, L. Sometimes the lower 

 and middle part of the inner face of the 

 bract becomes united to the base of the 

 peduncle. This has been noticed in Iberis 

 sempervirens, L., and in other cruciferous 

 plants. Sometimes when the bracts are 

 completely wanting, there are traces of the 

 decurrence of leaves at the base of the naked 

 peduncle, 



JligJi Wycornbe Natural History Society. 

 —-The members of this society met on the 

 afternoon of June 17th, for a ramble through 

 Fennell's Wood, Loudwater. Their prin- 

 cipal object was to ascertain whether the 

 Bee Orchis still grew in that neighbourhood 

 as it undoubtedly did some years ago ; the 

 search for it however was unsuccessful. 

 Fine specimens of the caterpillars of 

 Vanessa lo, the Peacock Butterfly, were 

 seen on the nettles in Back Lane, and the 

 contrast between the larva and the perfect 

 insect was noticed, the former being jet 

 black and sprinkled faintly with white dots. 

 Several species of Bramble were gathered, 

 also Hypericum pulchrum, one of the St. 

 John'sWorts, and Epilohium angustifoliumi, 

 the *' French "Willow" of gardeners. A 

 curiosity was noticed in the shape of a 

 wild Cherry Tree, the top of which was 

 almost eaten away by plant lice, {Aphi' 

 des) ; on looking among these the ants 

 were seen performing a friendly office to 

 man in thinning their numbers. The only 

 ferns seen in the wood were Lastrea filix' 

 mas, and a few specimens of Polypodium 

 vulgare ; mosses were abundant, and so 

 were Agarics. The pretty little Winter 

 Green, Fyrola minor, had been said to 

 grow in the road leading up from the sta- 

 tion, but nono of the members were able 

 to find it. The overhanging banks were, 

 however, richly decorated with the wild 

 roses, particularly Rosa canina and R. 

 arvensis. On the mullein were found very 

 large larvse of the Mullein Shark Moth 

 Cucullia verbasci ; the contrast between 

 this and its imago is quite opposite to the 

 one mentioned above, the caterpillar being 



