SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, DECEMBEK 29. 



ccxxi 



Violets with branched peduncles. — Mr. Worsdell also exhibited 

 rnolets with branched peduncles from Mr. Williams. The specimens 

 were sometimes branched low down and sometimes so near the flower 

 :that two double flowers were developed almost touching one another. 



Scientific Committee, December 29, 1911. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S., in the Chair, and two 



members present. 



Tlie late Sir Joseph Hooker. — It was unanimously resolved that a 

 vote of condolence should be sent to Lady Hooker on the death of Sir 

 Joseph Hooker, G.C.S.I., C.B., O.M., F.B.S., V.M.H., Chairman 

 of the Committee from its inception in 1868 to the present time. 



Malformed Gypripedium. — Mr. G. W. Miller, of Wisbecli, sent 

 a malformed Cypripedium, which Mr. W. C. Worsdell reported upon 

 ;as follows: " This is a multifold flower, beginning to divide into two 

 flowers. There are two posterior sepals, three ordinary petals, two 

 ■staminodes, and three stamens of the inner whorl, but the third 

 one between the two staminodes merely represents one of the lateral 

 inner stamens of the second flower, which the whole is striving to 

 ■form. It is not, in my opinion, a case of reversion to the original 

 number of stamens, as it is a fasciated and not a polymerous flower in 

 this case. There is also an extra carpel." 



Phyllocactus and Gereus. — Mr. Worsley showed a stem of Phyllo- 

 cactus measuring about 6 feet 6 inches in length, and remarked that 

 many attempts had been made to separate the plants known in gardens 

 under the name Phyllocactus from the genus Gereus. Mr. Worsley 

 asserted that there were no botanical distinctions such as would justify 

 the retention of both generic names. It was, however, said that the 

 name Phyllocactus was useful as a garden name because of the dis- 

 tinction between the one or two feet high kinds that are known as 

 Phyllocacti, and the generally much longer growths of the genus Gereus. 

 The specimen Mr. Worsley showed was evidence of the unreliability of 

 this character as a mark of distinction between the genera. 



