X 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



(Pisum arvense), &c. Among the remaining cards, some which showed 

 that when Improved William 1st, with semi-wrinkled seeds, is crossed 

 with a wrinkled Pea, the resulting types of seed do not follow the 

 Mendelian ratio of 3:1, were particularly interesting. This Pea con- 

 tains starch grains of similar form to those which are found in round 

 seeds, and not of the form found in wrinkled seeds, so that unless the 

 wrinkled character of the seed were unconnected with the form of the 

 starch grains the usual Mendelian ratio could scarcely be expected. Mr. 

 J. H. Drummond contributed a series of specimens from his own 

 herbarium and from the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, by 

 the courtesy of the Director, showing that the plant Mr. Sutton had 

 collected in Palestine was in all probability Pisum humile of Bossier, and 

 not Pisum sativum or P. arvense. 



Wild species of Asparagus and Bhubarb. — Mr. Sutton also exhibited 

 plants of Asparagus, probably Asparagus filicinus, and Rhubarb, appa- 

 rently Bheum Moore roftianum, sent him from the Punjab by a corre- 

 spondent. The roots of the Asparagus were tuberous, and were no doubt 

 organs in which water was stored. The young leaves of the Bheum were 

 cup- shaped, the leaf-stalk springing from the base of the cup. 



Hippeastrum hybrid. — Mr. Worsley showed a flower of a deep dragon's 

 blood red, a first cross between the two species Hippeastrum aulicum and 

 H. vittatum. The flower is of very good form and splendid colour. 



Polystichum sp. — Mr. Fraser, F.L.S., showed specimens demonstrating 

 the resemblance between Polystichum lobatum, Presl., and P. Lonchitis, 

 Roth. If the pinnae of the latter were lobed or lobulate instead of being 

 merely serrated, the two forms would be closely similar, judging from the 

 size and form of the pinnae in the two cases. The likeness between 

 Polystichum lobatum, Presl., and P. aculeatum, Sw., was less obvious. 



Seed from S. Africa. — Mr. Holmes, F.L.S., reported that the seed 

 exhibited by Mr. Veitch was Voandzeia subterranea, often called Bam- 

 barra ground nut, and used in tropical and South Africa as food. 



Malformed Orchids, dc— Mr. Odell showed some malformed Orchids, 

 and some flowers of Auricula wherein the filaments of the stamens were 

 becoming transformed into petals, thus showing the beginning of a double 

 flower. 



Dendrobium hybrids.— -R. G. Thwaites, Esq., Streatham, sent flowers 

 of Dendrobium Thiuaitesiae x D. Wiganiae xanthochilum and D. 

 Wiganiae x D. Wiganiae xanthochilum, both being white with a zone 

 of purple on the disc of the lip. He wrote : " Of the first cross three 

 have flowered like those sent, and of the second six plants have flowered. 

 You will notice the pollen caps and stems are also white. I feel sure it 

 would be quite useless to use those flowers for obtaining white hybrids, 

 and it may be that the unsuccessful attempts to obtain white flowers 

 (hybrids from apparently white parents) is due to coloured parentage 

 somewhere behind the flowers used. These and other results, though 

 apparently confusing, may later on assist in throwing light upon the 

 question of albinism, as, notwithstanding the contradictions which are 

 appearing, I feel sure there is some logical law relating to it." 

 D. Wiganiae is a hybrid between D. nobile and D. signatum, D. Wiganiae 

 xantlwchilum being a seedling out of the same pod, while D. Thwaitesiae 



