380 
Dr T. S. Traill on Barystrontianite^ a new 
stylo persistente aucto coroiiata, perianthi foliolis emarcidls suf- 
fulta, unilocularis cortice chartaceo. Placentae quatuor seu 
qiiinque carinis capsulae exterioribus alternantes, tenues, lineares. 
Semina numerosa ovata lateritia angulata, totam capsulae farctae 
cavitatem implentia, placentis duplice serie ope funiculorum 
brevissimorum adfixa. Integumentum simplex crassum. Al- 
bumen coriaceo-carnosum solidum. Embryo minutus, globo- 
sus, nigrescens, basi seminis supra funiculum extra perisper- 
mum, forsan etiam extra integumentum positus ! This plant, 
so remarkable from the structure of its seed, has a Tery poison- 
ous root. 
Dr Wallich has in the Botanic Garden four beautiful species 
of Pledychium from Nepal; of these, the syicatum elliptic 
cum have been engraved ; and he has besides several new ones 
from Sylhet. He has also growing the Boscoea, first brought 
by Dr Hamilton from Nepal ; with almost innumerable Orchi- 
deae, among whicli are the very ornamental Epidendrums, called 
by Dr Plamilton prcEcox and humile. 
Art. XXVII. — Notice respecting Barystrontianite^ a New 
Mineral found at Stromness in Orkney '^. By Thomas 
Stewart Traill, M.D. In a Letter to Dr Brewster. 
A^greeably to the wish expressed in your letter to my 
friend Mr Scoresby, I transmit to you a notice of the Mineral 
found near Stromness in Orkney. 
It occurs in masses disseminated in a rock described by Pro- 
fessor Jameson as intermediate between schist-ore and indura- 
ted clayf’ (see Mineralogy of Scottish Isles). Its colour is 
greyish- white externally, where it appears somewhat disintegra- 
ted ; but approaches to yellomsh-white internally, where its 
lustre is weakly shining and pearly. It is translucent on the 
edges ; brittle, soft. Its specific gravity is 3.703. It eifer- 
vesces briskly with acids. It does not melt before the common 
blowpipe. 
* a full account of this mineral, drawn up by Dr Traill, will be published in 
upxt Part of the Tripisactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.- — E d. 
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