Field Note. 



^77 



blossoms or seeds, but there seems to be a narcotic principle in 

 the rhizome which is non-poisonous. According" to Griining the 

 tannin is non-g-lucosidal and yields when warmed with a dilute 

 acid g-allic and ellagic acids, together with a phlobaphene ; but 

 I think it is very doubtful if g^allotannin is really present, or any 

 other substance yielding- the acids mentioned. As far as I can 

 judg-e the chemical analysis recalls that of the Ranunculaceae, 

 although according- to some recent authorities the Nympha^aceas 

 should be placed in the Monocotyledons. 



Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), — ^Just at the beginning- 

 of spring, on casting our eye over moorish tracts or along 

 the edges of long--neglected grassy fields, we may exclaim with 

 the poet : ' In yonder marshes burns the fiery-flaming* Marigold.' 

 Whether it be the new-fledged fund of vitality, or the specially 

 resuscitating stimuli incident to a perennial bursting- into exist- 

 ence at the earliest promptings of the g-enital season, it is certain 

 that this plant produces an uncommonly large amount of carotin 

 and chlorophyll. The root encloses much starch and some 

 iron-g-reening- tannin. The dried leaves contain about i '6 per 

 cent, carotin and wax, with traces of fatty matter, also much 

 tannoid with reactions like quercitrin, a large quantity of 

 pectosic mucilage, but not much proteid or starch, and 97 per 

 cent, of ash, which had 43*5 per cent, soluble salts, 19*1 lime, 

 4 magnesia, 5*3 SO^, 5*5 P-^'O", and 87 chlorine. The flowers 

 yield 2-6 per cent, carotin and wax, much tannoid,. and very 

 much mucilage, but little sugar and no starch (distinguished 

 from common Buttercup and lesser Celandine) and (air-dried) 

 6*4 per cent, ash w^iich contains 55*2 per cent, soluble salts, 

 9*2 lime, 6*2 magnesia, 10*9 P'O', 7*1 SO"", and 5*5 chlorine. 

 It would seem that in this plant the starch is chiefly con- 

 centrated in the root, and although the stem and leaves abound 

 in mucilage the quantity of oxalate of calcium is inconsiderable 

 in all parts. The acrid taste of the plant is not due to anemonin, 

 as in so many allied Ranunculaceae ; it is apparently that of a 

 bitter principle derived from a decomposed saccharine matter. 



LIVERWORTS. 



At the meeting of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union at 

 Scotton, on 28th July, the following Liverworts were taken : — 

 Pellia epiphylla, P. calycina, Marchantia polymorpha, Riccia 

 fluitmis, Fossomhronia ccBspiliformis, Nardia sea lewis, Kinitia 

 trichomajiis, CepJialozia hicuspidata, LopJiocolea bidentata, and 

 Scapania irrigiia. — J. Reeves. 



1905 September i. 



