Page:Natural History Review (1861).djvu/113

Rh .—Note on the Tree Mallow.—Jour. Proc. Linn. Soc. (Bot.), vol. v., pp. 51–2.

A specimen grown in the north of England from seeds collected in the south of Ireland, and sown in April, 1858, was killed by the frost of December, 1859. When cut down, the stem measured 2 inches in diameter, exclusive of the bark. Mr. Hogg directs attention to the value of the fibre of the bark, and the importance of the cultivation of the Lavatera on its account.

—Note sur l'origine et le developpement des urnes dans les plantes du genre Nepenthes. Jour. Trans. Linn. Soc., London, 1859.—Ann. Sc. Nat. (Bot.). Ser. iv., tom., xii., pp. 222–31.

On Fropiera. A new Mauritian genus of Calycifioral Exogens, of doubtful affinity.— our. Proc. Linn. Soc., vol. v., pp. 1, 2, with 1 plate.

Founded upon specimens collected in the Mauritius by Sieber, M. Bouton, and others. In habit Fropiera resembles some Ilicineæ; but its glandular, entire leaves, with closely parallel, and also intramarginal veins, indicate a relationship with Myrtaceæ, of which order Dr. Hooker is disposed to regard it as an anomalous ally.

On Barteria. A new genus of Passifloreæ, from the Niger River.—Jour. Proc. Linn. Soc., vol. v. (Bot.), pp. 14–5.

A remarkable and anomalous addition to Passifloreæ, collected by the late Mr. Barter. The stigmas are consolidated into an indistinctly-lobed, capitate mass, exceeding the ovary in diameter. The stamens are numerous, and bi-serial.

(The following is a brief notice of a paper read by Dr. J. D. Hooker before the Linnean Society, 21st June, 1860, on the Distribution and Affinities of North Polar Vegetation. This paper will appear in the "Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.")

The Arctic Flora is comprised within a belt of 10° to 14° latitude, N., of the Arctic circle. The number of Phanerogamia hitherto collected within this belt amounts to 806 (Monocotyledons, 218, Dicotyledons, 588). Cryptogams may be approximately estimated at a little over 900. The predominating type in Arctic vegetation is the Scandinavian: Arctic Scandinavia alone containing three-fourths of the species. The Asiatic and American types are very subordinate. The general character of the vegetation is continuous in longitude, without abrupt break, excepting in the meridian of Baffin's Bay, where the contrast between the almost purely European Flora of the east coast, and the American element of the west, is very marked.

Dr. Hooker divides the region of the Arctic Flora into five provinces, viz.:—