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Linnean Society, June 3.-Dr. G. J. Allmaii, F.R.S., president, in the chair.-The President nominated the following gentlemen as Vice-presidents for the ensuing year, viz..-Mr. G. Bentham, F.R.S.; Mr. G. Busk, F.R.S.; Dr. J. G. Jeffreys, F.R.S,; and Dr. J. D. Hooker, P.R.S.- Prof. Thiselton Dyer exhibited, under the microscope, some specimens of the very rare Alga Stephanosphcera pluvialis, known to occur only in a single locality in Britain, a pool on Bray Head, in Ireland.-Dr. Trimen exhibited specimens of two recent additions to the British flora, Zannichellia polyca?'pa, found by Dr. Boswell-Syme in the Orkney Islands in 1847, and Car ex omithopoda, discovered by two working men in Derbyshire.-Mr. Pascoe exhibited a very fine collection of Crustacea from the Bay of Naples. The following papers were then read:-On the Barringtoniacese, by J. Miers, F.R.S. The purpose of this paper is to show that the Barringtoniacese constitute a distinct order, forming an extremely natural group with peculiar and uniform characters, differing from the MyrtaceEe in their alternate leaves without pellucid dots, and in the nature of their inflorescence and fruit. They are trees, frequently of large size, rarely low shrubs, all delighting in running streams, some growing in estuaries or along the sea-shore. The author describes the characters of the order in considerable detail, and gives the diagnosis-in many cases redrawn from actual examination-of each genus and species, The number of genera he makes to be ten. The paper was accompanied with drawings illustrating the floral and car-pologlcal characters of each genus.-Note on the occurrence of fairy rings, by Dr. J. H. Gilbert, F.R.S. This paper was founded on the observations made by the author and Mr. Lawes on their experimental plots at Rothamstead. After some particulars as to the effect of different manures in varying the proportion of different kinds of vegetation in permanent pasture, especially grasses and Leguminosse, the author suggests that the determination of the source of the nitrogen in the iungi that constitute the fairy rings which frequently make their appearance on the plots would throw some light on the much-disputed ques-ion of the source of the nitrogen of the Leguminosae. It is remarkable that although, according to published analyses of various fungi, from one-fourth to one-third of their dry substance consists of albuminoids or nitrogenous matter, and 8 to 10 per cent, of mineral matters or ash, of which about 80 per cent, is potassium phosphate; yet the fungi develop into “fairy rings“only on the plots poorest in nitrogen and poorest in potash. The questions which appear still to require solution are these:-(1) Is the greater prevalence of fungi under such circumstances due to the manurial conditions themselves being directly favourable to their growth? or (2) Are the lower orders of plants-in consequence of other plants and especially grasses growing so sluggishly under such conditions-better able to overcome the competition and to assert themselves? (3) Do the fungi prevail simply in virtue of the absence of adverse and vigorous competition, or to a greater or less extent as parasites, and so at the expense of the sluggish underground growth of the plants in association with them? or (4) Have these plants the power of assimilating nitrogen in some form from the atmosphere; or in some form or condition of distribution within the soil, not available, at least when in competition, to the plants growing in association with them?-On a possibly wild form of hibiscus Rosa-sinensis, by Prof. Oliver, F.R.S.
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Societies and Academies . Nature 12, 139–140 (1875). https://doi.org/10.1038/012139a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/012139a0