486 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The mycological library contains 800 volumes and 2,300 
essays, with 210 volumes and essays on lichenology; and the 
mycological herbarium, the property of the present Director (Prof. 
Saccardo) contains 16,000 numbers, contributed from about 
seventeen other public collections, and 15,000 numbers of his 
own or his correspondents’ collection. 
In conclusion mention should be made of the fossil plants, 
consisting of a collection of fossils from Yenetia and Dalmatia. 
The specimen of Latanites Maximiliani is supposed to be one of 
the biggest and most complete known. 
OBSERVATIONS ON SOME OF THE PLANTS 
EXHIBITED. 
December 13, 1898. 
By the Rev. Prof. G. Henslow, M.A., Y.M.H., &c. 
L^lio-Cattleyas.— In calling attention to some so-called 
“ Bigeners ” between species of the two genera Lcelia and 
Cattleya Mr. Henslow observed that we must be cautious lest 
we are misled by systematists’ views of species and genera. 
Bigeners are well known to be rare; but if classificatory 
botanists could be always consistent, Laelia and Cattleya would 
be regarded as one genus, inasmuch as the perianths, &c., do 
not differ from each other more than two species of either genus, 
respectively. The chief distinction upon which these two genera 
are based is that while Cattleya has four pollen masses in one 
series, Lcelia has eight in two series, but they are a little 
unequal. Now these two genera are connected by three others, 
which have eight pollen masses in two series; but the pollen 
masses of the upper is often very much smaller than those of 
the lower series. 
Here, then, is a clear case of a graduated set of genera from 
Cattleya to Lcelia ; and it is of course an arbitrary arrangement 
to separate them to suit the conveniences of classification. 
Hence, though we call Laelio-Cattleyas “ bigeners,” they 
would seem physiologically to be hybrids between two species of 
one and the same genus. 
Asparagus Sprengeri.— This was introduced from the Cape 
about four years ago, and already two varieties have appeared 
