CURTIS’ S BOTANICAL MAGAZINE, COMPRISING THE Plants of the Ropal Gardens of Hew, i AND OF OTHER BOTANICAL ESTABLISHMENTS: IN GREAT BRITAIN ; WITH SUITABLE DESCRIPTIONS ; STR WILLIAM JACKSON HOOKER, Kk, Die. Le, Oxon. - LL.D., F.R.S., and L.S., Vice-President of the Linnean Society, and Director of the Royal Gardens of Kew. AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE CULTURE OF EACH SPECIES; By Mr. JOHN SMITH; A.LS., Curator of the Royal Gardens. DRA a VOL. VI. OF THE -PHIRD SERIES: (Or Vol. LXXVI. of the Whole’ Work.) SPADA DIT ANDAR ARORA ‘« Ne vous bornes done pas au seul plaisir des yeux, En le connoissant plus vous en ae mieux.’ ran. De Lille. LONDON: REEVE AND BENHAM, HENRIETTA STREET, C pene PRINTED BY REEVE AND NICHOLS, | -HEATHCOCK COURT, STRAND, TO DR. JOHN TORREY, THE DISTINGUISHED AUTHOR (IN CONJUNCTION WITH DR. ASA GRAY) OF THE FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA, Che Present GColume IS INSCRIBED, WITH SENTIMENTS OF GREAT REGARD AND AFFECTION, BY THE AUTHOR. RoyaL Garpens, Kew, Dec. Ist, 1850. Plate. 4.4.92 4563 4548 4507 4544 4551 4532 454] 4525 4500 4530 4552 44.99 44.98 4495 4536 44.96 4514 4527 4494, 4486 4521 4547 4526 4546 4506 4504 4539 4511 4528 4516 4545 4518 4520 INDEX, In which the Latin Names of the Plants contained in the Sixth Volume of the Turrp Serres (or Seventy-sixth Volume of the’ Work) are alphabetically arranged. ~—e Acanthophippium Javanicum. Aischynanthus Javanicus. Almeidea rubra. Anigozanthos tyrianthina. Astrapzea viscosa. Bertolonia maculata. Bolbophyllum Lobbii. Calanthe Masuca. Calceolaria Pavonii. Calliandra brevipes. Campylobotrys discolor. Centrosolenia glabra. Cephalotaxus Fortuni. Cereus Tweediei. Clematis graveolens. Coccoloba macrophylla. Ceelogyne Wallichii. Colquhounia coccinea. Dendrobium Kingianum. Dipteracanthus spectabilis. Echinocactus rhodophthalmus. Kchinopsis cristata; var. purpu- Tea: ~ Echites Franciscea ; vay. floribus sulphureis. Eugenia Brasiliensis. Freziera theoides. Fuchsia bacillaris. Gesneria Seemanni. Gordonia Javanica. Gynoxys fragrans. Hakea cucullata. Hedychium chrysoleucum. Hoya campanulata. coriacea. —— purpureo-fusca. Plate. 4531 4513 4523 4502 4501 4522 4510 4533 4515 4488 4491 4535, 4517 4519 4489 4542 44.90 4553 4508 4549 4497 4543 4540 4534 4550 4524 4509 4537 4538 4529 4505 44.87 4512 4493 Hypocyrta gracilis. Ixora barbata. salicifolia. Lagetta lintearia. Lardizabala biternata. Luvunga scandens. Mangifera Indica. Medinilla magnifica. Metrosideros buxifolia. tomentosa. Microsperma bartonioides. Nympheea micrantha. Oberonia iridifolia. Ochna atro-purpurea. Ophelia corymbosa. Opuntia Salmiana. Oxalis elegans. Oxyspora vagans. Pachira alba. longiflora. Pentstemon cordifolius. Pimelea macrocephala. Pitcairnia Jacksoni. Portlandia platantha. Primula capitata. Rhododendron jasminiflorum. Rhodoleia Championi. Spathodea levis. Stylidium mucronifolium. ———— saxifragoides. Tupa crassicaulis. Valoradia plumbaginoides. Veronica formosa. * ; Zauschneria Californica ; var. la- tifolia. INDEX, In which the English Names of the plants contained in the Sixth Volume of the Tuirp Surizs (or Seventy-sixth Volume of the Work) are alphabetically arranged. . RARER PAARL EAA nn Plate. 4492 Acanthophippium, Javanese. 4503 Aischynanthus, Javan. 4548 Almeidea, red-flowered. 4507 Anigozanthus, Tyrian-purple- flowered. " 4544 Astrapeea, viscid. 4551 Bertolonia, spotted-leaved. _ 4532 Bolbophyllum, Mr. Lobb’s. 4541 Calanthe, purple-flowered. _ 4500 Calliandra, short-peduncled. 4530 Campylobotrys, two-coloured. _ 4552 Centrosolenia, glabrous-leaved. _ 4499 Cephalotaxus, Mr. Fortune’s. 4498 Cereus, Mr. .Tweedie’s golden- flowered. 4496 Ccelogyne, Dr. Wallich’s. - 4514 Colquhounia, scarlet-flowered. 4527 Dendrobium, Captain King’s. 4494 Dipteracanthus, handsome-flow- ered. 4486 Echinocactus, red-eyed. 4521 Hchinopsis, crested; purple- = flowered var. 4547 Echites, the River Francisco ; sulphur-coloured var. 4526 Eugenia, Brazilian. 4546 Freziera, Tea-leaved. 4506 Fuchsia, red-branched. 4516 Garland-flower, olden and white. 4504 Gesneria, Mr. Seemann’s. 4539 Gordonia, entire-leaved Javanese. _ 4511 Gynoxys, fragrant. _ 4528 Hakea, cucullate-leaved. 4545 Hoya, bell-flowered. 4518 coriaceous-leaved. 4520 brown-purple-flowered. 4581 Hypocyrta, slender. _ 4513 Ixora, bearded. nA Plate. 4523 Ixora, willow-leaved. 4502 Lace-bark, Jamaica. 4501 Lardizabala, biternate-leaved. 4522 Luvunga, scandent. 4510 Mango-tree. 4533 Medinilla, magnificent. 4515 Metrosideros, box-leaved. 44.88 downy-leaved. 4491 Microsperma, Bartonia-like. 4517 Oberonia, Iris-leaved. 4519 Ochna, dark-purple. 4489 Ophelia, corymbose. 4542 Opuntia, Prince de Salm’s. 4553 Oxyspora, weak-stemmed. 4508 Pachira, white-flowered. 4549 long-flowered. 4497 Pentstemon, heart-leaved. 4543 Pimelea, large-headed. 4540 Pitcairnia, Mr. Jackson’s, 4534 Portlandia, broad-flowered. 4550 Primrose, round-headed mealy. 4524 Rhododendron, Jessamine-flow- ered. 4509 Rhodoleia, Captain Champion’s. 4536 Sea-side Grape, large-leaved. 4525 Slipper-wort, Pavon’s. 4537 Spathodea, smooth-leaved. 4512 Speedwell, handsome. 4538 Stylidium, bristle-pointed. 4529 Saxifrage-like. 4195 Traveller’s Joy, heavy-scented. 4505 Tupa, thick-stemmed. 4487 Valoradia, Leadwort-like. 4535 Water-lily, small-flowered proli- ferous. 4490 Wood-sorrel, elegant. 4493 Zauschneria, Californian ; broad- leaved var. A4S 6. R.B. A Rd Bagel Ep E NEN 5) ESS, th gE” & R Tas. 4486. ECHINOCACTUS RHODOPHTHALMUS. Red-eyed Echinocactus. Nat. Ord. Cacte®.—IcosanpRIA MONOGYNIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4124.) Ecurtnocactus rhodophthalmus ; solitarius subelatus conico-columnaris profunde 8—9-sulcatus, costis obtusis crenato-tuberculatis tuberculis compressis sub- hemisphericis, areolis obsolete lanatis, aculeis subnovem validis rectis pur- pureo-fuscis demum pallidis, centrali subduplo majore, calycis tubo obconico squamoso inermi squamis sepalisve ovatis albomarginatis, petalis spathulatis roseis basi intense rubris. Received from Mr. Staines, who procured it from the neigh- bourhood of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and we do not find the description of any species to correspond with it. In its flourishing state it is exceedingly handsome, the deep red of the base of the petals forming a ring, as it were, round the densely-clustered stamens and bright yellow rays of the stigma, adding much to the beauty of the blossom. It flowers with us in August. Descr. Our plants are from four to five inches high, sub- columnar, but tapering upwards almost from the base, deeply cut into about eight or nine furrows, the ridges obtuse, but formed into lobes or tubercles by transverse lines ; the tubercles are sub- hemispherical but compressed ; the areo/e furnished with obscure wool : the spines about nine, strong, straight, tapering, flattened, at first deep purple, afterwards pale and almost colourless, length from three-quarters of an inch to an inch, mostly spreading, but the central one, which is much the longest and strongest, stands forward. The flowers are produced from the summit of the plant, large, handsome. The calya-tube (or green portion) about an inch long, obconical, quite destitute of spines or sete, but with the scales or sepals ovate, brown with pale margins, gradually passing into the long, linear-spathulate, acute, spreading, bright rose-coloured petals, which have a dark red almost crimson spot at the base, forming a radiating circle around the column of stamens and style. Stamens numerous, very compact : filaments JANUARY Ist, 1850. * B white, slender: style as long as the stamens : stigma of nine or ten spreading, bright yellow rays, covering the anthers. W./. H. Curr. At Tab. 4417 we have said that Cactee are almost in- different as to the kind of soil they are grown in, provided it is not retentive of moisture. The present very pretty species will thrive in a mixture of light loam and leaf-mould, containing a small quantity of lime-rubbish nodules ; the latter bemg for the pur- pose of keeping the mould from becoming close and compact, a condition not suitable to the soft and tender roots of the plant. If cultivated in a pot, it must be well drained; the pot being nearly half filled with broken potsherds, and the upper layer so placed as to cover the interstices, in order to prevent the mould from mixing with the drainage. During winter, Mexican Cactee do not require much artificial heat : several species are, indeed, known to bear with impunity a few degrees of frost. Where they can be cultivated by themselves, we recommend that the plants and atmosphere of the house should be kept in a dry state during winter, artificial heat being given only during a long continuance of damp cold weather or in severe frost ; but at no time during winter needs the temperature of the house to exceed 50° at night. In sunny days in spring the house should be kept close, m order that the plants may receive the full benefit of the heat of the sun’s rays. As the summer-heat increases air should be admitted, and occasionally the plants should be freely watered, and in hot weather daily syringed over-head. J. 8. ah ial at a ie il “ae pac Pe Ree Tap. 4487. VALORADIA piumBAGINOIDEs. Leadwort-like Valoradia. Nat. Ord. PLuMBAGINE™.—PENTANDRIA MonoGynia. Gen. Char. Calyx glumaceo-membranaceus, hyalinus, eglandulosus, penta- phyllus, sepalis linearibus trinerviis marginibus conniventibus tubum gamosepa- Jum pentagonum apice cuspidato-quinquedentatum mentientibus, coste 5 seu angulis ex nervis binis marginalibus sepalorum contiguorum oriunde in sinus dentium abeuntes eisque alterne. Corolla gamopetala, hypocraterimorpha, tubo calycem superante, limbo quinquepartito. Stamina 5, hypogyna, a corolla libera, ejus lobis opposita. -Anthere lineares, basi bifide. Ovarium lineari-oblongum, stylo terminali filiformi superatum. Stigmata 5, filiformia, latere interiori pa- pilloso-glandulosa. Uftriculus (ex Hochst.) sub-coriaceus, inferne quinque-valvis, apice calyptreeformis. Semen (ex eod.) fusiforme subquinquecostatum.—Planta perennis Chinensis, vel suffrutices Abyssinici, foliis setoso-ciliatis, floribus in capi- tula bracteata terminalia et axillaria congestis, singulo tribracteato, bractea exte- riort concava lateralibus carinato-plicatis. Calycis insertione recti estivatio val- varis, corolle contorta. Boiss. Vatorapia plumbaginoides ; herbacea, ramis flexuosis angulosis parce setulosis foliis obovatis obtusis basi attenuatis margine ciliatis, floribus in glomerulos densos bracteatos 3-7-floros in axillis superioribus sessiles terminalesque dispositis, bracteis scariosis cuspidatis, corolle limbi lobis obcordatis. Vatorapta plumbaginoides. Boiss. in De Cand. Prodr. v.12. p. 695. Crratostiema plumbaginoides. Bunge, Enum. Pl. Chin. p.55 (1831). PrumBaco Larpentew. Lindl. in Garden. Chron. v.6 (184 ). p. 732. cum Ic. Boiss. in De Cand. Prodr. v.12. p. 694. Under the name of Plumbago Larpente this (when well culti- vated) really lovely plant, has among horticulturists been for the last two years a subject of much controversy, as regards its merits as a border flower. This will be alluded to by Mr. Smith under the head of “Culture.”’ It was introduced to our country by Lady Larpent, from China, and we perform no enviable duty in restoring the original specific name (given to it so long ago as 1831); for we know no lady who has deserved better of botany and horticulture than Lady Larpent. Her — garden, at Rochampton, was long distinguished by high cultivation _ and the rarity and beauty of the plants. | JANUARY Is7, 1850, ae B 2 . The species inhabits the vicinity of Pekin. We possess an original specimen from Bunge gathered there, and another from Mr. Fortune (his 7. 33). We could have wished Boissier had retained Bunge’s generic name, Ceratostigma, founded on this species, deriving that name from the minute ramifications of the stigmas resembling horns, while in the original Valoradia (established by Hochstetter in 1842) the glands are entirely sessile. On such grounds we should have to sacrifice a multi- tude of existing names. Descr. Foot perennial. Stem herbaceous, varying from six inches to a foot and a half high, flexuose, angled, and slightly setose, red, much and densely branched; éranches upright. Leaves alternate, spreading, obovate, penninerved, obtuse, at- tenuated at the base, the lower ones almost petioled : the upper _ ones smaller and quite sessile, all ciliated. Flowers collected several together, into bracteated sessile, axillary or terminal heads. Bracteas scariose, tinged with red, cuspidate, ciliated along the back and at the margin. Calyz longer than the bracts, slender, tubular, glabrous, furrowed, terminated by five, subu- late, appressed ¢eeth. Corolla hypocrateriform : the éwbe longer than the calyx: the Zimb bright purple-blue: the Ziméd regular, cut to its base into five heart-shaped, spreading /oées, slightly plaited and minutely toothed. Stamens monadelphous at the base. Anthers linear, exserted. Ovary oblong. Style gla- brous, shorter than the stamens. Stigmas five, linear, beset on on the upper side with prominent clavate or slightly stipitate glands. W.J. H. Cur. Although this plant is of but recent introduction, yet its rapid increase by cuttings has made it already very common in the gardens of this country. Owing to some circum- stances connected with its introduction and dissemination, its cultivation and its merits as an ornamental flowering plant have been the subject of much discussion with cultivators, perhaps more than it deserves; for although it recommends itself to notice by its pretty blue flowers, yet, considering its relationship and the conditions under which it flourishes in its native country, we do not think it will give satisfaction as an ornamental plant to the generality of cultivators. We learn that it is a native of China, and has been observed ‘as far north as Pekin ; but that the plant was found in a wild state on the city walls of Shanghae, “growing out of the stone-work,” and “on the raised ramparts,” ‘where it is said to be very ornamental. We naturally pre- sume that a stone wall built by the hand of man is not its original place of growth ; but as it has there become naturalized, we may infer that its natural habitat is in dry rocky places Subject to great summer heat, and enduring a considerable de- gree of cold in winter; for at Shanghae, during the summer months, the thermometer ranges from 100° to 110°, and falls in winter sometimes as low as 13°; a degree of cold not much less than that of many of our winters. This being the first year of its general cultivation here, it is, as might be expected, praised by some and called “ worthless” by others; which no doubt arises from the different conditions and local influences under which the plants have been placed by cultivators. ‘These condi- tions, probably, all differ more or less from those which cause it to become an ornamental plant in its native country, and are such as we cannot well supply, especially the principal element, viz., solar heat of a longer duration and a greater degree than our climate affords. With respect to the degree of cold it will bear, we have observed that it is injured by a few degrees of frost. Although it may live in the open ground in moderate winters, in the character of an herbaceous perennial, yet our protracted cold weather in spring will retard its growth, and thus, with a defi- ciency of heat in summer, it will make but little progress. With such views we consider it best to treat it as a tender plant, keeping it under protection during winter. If intended for the flower-border, the young plants should be placed in a warm pit or frame early in the spring, so as to have them in a forward state by the end of May; if rfjuired for an ornamental plant in the greenhouse, it may be potted in a mixture of peat-soil and vegetable mould, mixed with siftings of lime-rubbish, the pot bemg well drained, so that any excess of water will pass off freely. J. 8S. : Fig. 1. Pistil, with the base of the stamens. 2. Ovary. 38. Flower :— magnified, 4-4-8 8, — a “Tap. 4488. METROSIDEROS tTomeEnrTosa. Downy-leaved Metrosideros. Nat. Ord. Myrrace®.—IcosanpRIA MoNoGYNIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4471.) MerrosIDEROos tomentosa ; foliis oppositis ellipticis coriaceis obtusiusculis bre- vissime petiolatis supra glabris subtus ramulis calycibusque cinereo-tomen- tosis, corymbis compositis terminalibus, pedicellis bi-trifloris, ovario turbi- nato-cylindraceo, petalis minutis, capsulis leevibus. METROsIDEROS tomentosa. 4. Rich. F. Nov. Zel. p. 336. t.37. All. Cunn. Bot. N. Zeal. in Ann. of Nat. Hist. v. 3. p.113. Walp. Repert. v. 2. p. 165. * Native of New Zealand, where it was discovered, in 1769, by Sir Joseph Banks, during the voyage of the illustrious Cook. “Tt inhabits,’ says Mr. Allan Cunningham (by whom it was introduced to the Royal Gardens of Kew), “usually the rocky sea-coast and shores of the Bay of Islands, where it is called by the natives Pohutu-Kawa, and is readily distinguished among other plants by the brilliancy and abundance of its flowers, enlivening the shores of the northern island with its blossoms in December. With us in the greenhouse it has attained the height of six feet, and attracted attention by its copious compact, but spreading ramification, and the abundance and beauty of its evergreen foliage. Its blossoming this year (for the first time) was probably encouraged by planting it out, by way of experiment, in the spring, in a sheltered part of the woods of the Pleasure-ground, in a soil of rich vegetable leaf- mould. During the summer, almost every branchlet was termi- nated by the vivid scarlet blossoms, and it became a conspicuous object at a distance. Already, however, (December 1849) the frosts have damaged the foliage, and, except those from the lofty mountains, we dare not hope that any of the New Zealand trees or shrubs will bear our inland winters in Great Britain. Descr. In its native country it forms an “ ordinary-sized ¢ree, JANUARY Ist, 1850. the wood hard, close-grained, and heavy, equally valuable for ship-building and implements of husbandry.” The younger branches green and downy. Leaves opposite, on very short thick petioles, elliptical and often obtuse, but varying to ovato- lanceolate, or even lanceolate and acute, coriaceous, under a lens minutely reticulated and dotted, dark green and glabrous above, pale, whitish or ash-colour, and downy or tomentosé beneath. Corymés terminal, very tomentose: pedicels bearing two or three sessile fowers articulated upon them. Ovary or calyzx-tube between cylindrical and turbinate, woolly, crowned by the five, spreading, ovate calyx-lobes. Petals yellow, minute. Stamens copious. Filaments very long, at first beautifully invo- lute, at length erect, bright red. S%yle shorter than the stamens. W. J. H. Cur. This beautiful Metrosideros is analogous in its manner of growth to the species figured at t.4471. In its native country it is described as making its first appearance on other trees, as an epiphyte. By its strong and rapid growth it soon envelopes the parent tree, its woody roots descending till they reach the ground, and there spreading to a great extent, while the main roots, by their numbers and interlacings, ultimately become so combined that they form a trunk of a singular appearance and sometimes of an immense size. The original tree dies, and its decaying trunk becomes food for the parasite ; the latter in this respect resembling the fig-trees of the tropics or the ivy of this country. It is also said to form a tree without the aid of others. With us it grows luxuriantly if planted in light loam and kept in a cool greenhouse, and forms a handsome evergreen bush. The figure here represented was made from an individual that had become too large for our greenhouse accommodation. As it afforded the opportunity of testing the degree of cold it would bear, a sheltered situation amongst trees was selected, where it was planted in May 1849. During the summer it flowered profusely, presenting a very striking appearance for an out-door shrub, and continued to flourish till the first frosts; but we observe with regret, that this fine shrub will not live in the open air where the thermometer falls a few degrees below the freezing point. It is a plant of free growth, and is readily propagated by cuttings. J.8. Fig. 1. Flower, from which the stamens are removed :—magnified. Pitch del et Lith. 3 R.B.& R.imp. Tas. 4489. OPHELIA corymsosa. Corymbose Ophelia. Nat. Ord. GmnTrANE®.—TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Gen. Char. Calyx 5- 4-partitus, segmentis ima basi connexis valvaribus. Corolla marcescens, rotata, 5- 4-partita, plicis coronaque continua destituta, supra basin foveis glanduliferis nunc nudis nunc sguamula seepius fimbriata tectis et margine hine fimbriatis instructa. Stamina 5, 4, corolle fauci inserta, filamentis nunc basi dilatatis monadelphis nunc basi eequalibus liberis. Anthere incumbentes, nutantes, seepius virescentes. Ovariwm uniloculare, ovulis suture insertis plurimis. Stig- mata bina, terminalia, brevia, sepius revoluta, ‘stylo nullo v. brevi. Capsula bivalvis, septicida, unilocularis, placentis nunc spongiosis ‘suturalibus nunc juxta . suturas expansis. ‘Semina placentis immersa, numerosissima, minima, plerumque exalata.—Herbe fere omnes Imaicole, annue v. rarius perennes, stricta, ramose, paniculata, internodiis subequalibus, foliis oppositis, cymis extremis ‘umbelliformi- bus, hine contractis. Griseb. OPHELIA corymbosa; caule tetragono adscendente, ramis fastigiatis, foliis spathu- latis ellipticisque hine scabriusculis trinerviis, imis majoribus, caulinis bre- viusculis sessilibus, cymis fastigiatis paucifloris, pedicellis patenti-erectis, calycis segmentis linearibus acuminatis corolla 3 brevioribus, corolla 4- partite caerulee segmentis obovato-ellipticis mucronatis expansis, foveis minutis orbiculatis solitariis squamula apice fimbriata tectis fimbriarumque brevium serie cinctis, filamentis linearibus. ‘OPHELIA corymbosa. Griseb. Gent. p. 811. et’in De Cand. Prodr. v..9. p. ¥25. Swertra corymbosa. Wight, MS. in Herb. Hook. Ophelia corymbosa of Grisebach was first described from Nilgherry* specimens communicated to us many years ago by Dr. Wight, under the MS. name of Swertia corymbosa. Seeds of the plant have been recently sent to the Royal Gardens from the same country by Dr. Schmidt, and they flowered in a cool greenhouse in August 1849. Being only an annual, they would probably have succeeded quite as well in the open aur. The plant is pretty, and, though not showy, will probably answer well for bedding out, as it continues long in blossom. Descr. Root small, annual. Stem erect, a foot high, four- angled, slightly branched below ; above, every pair of leaves JANUARY Ist, 1850. bears opposite Jranches, which become corymbose at the ex- tremity. Leaves obovato-spathulate, slightly scabrous at the margin, the lower ones very obtuse, upper ones almost obovate and acute. Corymbs terminal ; bracts, or uppermost leaves, often whorled and then bearing a fascicle of pedicels. Calyx of five, spreading, narrow, almost subulate sepa/s, shorter than the corolla. Corolla pale purple with a white eye, rotate, deeply cut into four spreading broadly obovate, veined segments, at the base of each of which is a nectariferous cavity, partially closed with a vein and a tuft of hairs. Stamens four: filaments erect, shorter than the pistil. Ovary ovate, acuminate : style scarcely any: stigmas two, short, obtuse, recurved. W. J. H. Cunr. A tender annual, of slender habit, possessing more interest for the botanist than as an object of show for the cul- tivator; and as it does not ripen its seeds freely, it may be expected to be a plant of not very frequent occurrence. Its seeds should be sown in the spring, in pots filled with light peat soil, and as they are small'a slight pressure on the surface will suffice, no covering of mould being necessary. The pot should be placed in a warm pit or on a shelf near the glass in the stove, keeping it in an equable, moderately moist state, and shaded from the sun in the middle of the day. In watering, a fine rose water-pot must be used, so as not to disturb the seeds or the surface of the mould. In some cases like this, it is advisable to set the seed-pots in pans of water, the water rising to the surface of the mould by capillary attraction ; but in adopting this method, care must be taken that the mould does not become saturated, which it is very apt to do while there are no roots to draw off the moisture. When the plants have attained sufficient strength, they should be thinned out and the pots removed to a cooler and more airy situation, preparatory to their removal to the greenhouse, where they will flower during the summer. J. 8. Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Petal. 3. Pistil :—smagnified. ae ss se fe Tas. 4490. OXALIS ELEGANS. Elegant Wood-sorrel. Nat. Ord. OxaALIpE#Z.—DECANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. Gen. Char. Cal. 5-sepalus, sepalis liberis aut basi coalitis. Pet.5. Stam. 10: jilamentis basi breviter monadelphis, 5 ext. alternis brevioribus. Styli 5, apice penicelliformes aut capitati. Capsula pentagona, oblonga, aut cylindracea—Herbe perennes, caulescentes stipitate aut acaules, foliis variis sed nunquam abrupte pinnatis. De Cand. Oxa.is (Caprine) e/egans ; glaberrima, foliis peltatim trifoliolatis longe petiolatis foliolis deltoideis vel subrhomboideis angulis obtusissimis, scapis longissimis 6—-9-floris, sepalis acuminatis apice glandulis 4 linearibus aurantiacis, pe- talis violaceis basi intense purpureis, staminibus glabris longioribus squami- geris, stylis pubescentibus. a. floribus majoribus pallidioribus, foliolis subtus purpureis. (Left-hand figure.) Oxa.is elegans. H. B. K. Nov. Gen. Am. v.5. p. 234. et 466. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1, p. 695. 8. floribus minoribus, colore intensiore, foliolis subtus pallide viridibus. Notwithstanding certain discrepancies between this plant and the figure of Ovalis elegans given by Humboldt, above quoted, I have every reason to believe it to be the same; allowance being made for that figure being executed from dried specimens. Some differences also are observable between the figure and descrip- tion, for whereas the leaves are represented as hairy, the specific character speaks of them as glabrous. A more important differ- efice is in the uniformly slightly dilated filaments of the stamens in Humboldt’s figure, whereas the stamens of our plant exhibit the long stamens as furnished with a broad scale on the filament, the shorter ones subulate and naked; but this character is found to vary extremely in other flowers, and the filaments are even sometimes as uniformly subulate as in Humboldt’s figure. The species inhabits the Andes of Loxa in Columbia, bordering on Peru, at an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet above the level of the sea. It was there detected by Humboldt, and it was thence sent by Mr. Wm. Lobb to Mr. Veitch, from whom our specimens were received. It appears to be quite hardy ; and continuing, JANUARY lst, 1850. as it does, flowering through the summer and autumn, it will probably make a good plant for bedding out. It is difficult to say which of the two varieties is the best. The flowers of var. a. are the largest, but the palest coloured: var. 8. has the smaller but deepest coloured blossom. Whether the purple underside of the leaf is peculiar to a. or occasionally common to both, I cannot say. Dezscr. Roofs, we believe, tuberous. Petioles a span and more long, rising directly from the root and bearing three deltoid or subrhomboid /eaflets, radiating as it were from a centre, glabrous, having obtuse angles, generally purple beneath in a, pale green beneath in 8. Scapes longer than the petioles, glabrous, terminated by an umbel of from six to nine or ten handsome showy flowers. Pedicels at first deflexed, at length, in flower, erect or spreading. Sepails five, erect, appressed, lanceolate, somewhat mucronato-acuminate, bearing at the apex four slender, linear, orange-coloured glands, which unite into one at the very apex. Petals broad-oval, unguiculate, spreading. The entire corolla is of a purple colour, more or less deep, and varying a little in size: in the centre is an intensely dark purple eye. Stamens 10: filaments glabrous, monadelphous below ; the five shorter ones naked, the five longer ones generally with a distinct large scale, but which is more or less obsolete in different flowers. Styles five, longer than the longest stamens, pubescent: stigmas dilated and umbilicated. W.J. H. Curr. This pretty plant represents a form common to a large groupe of a very extensive genus, characterized as perennial plants having tuberous roots. The present species, being one of that groupe, and coming from the elevated region of Loxa, may be expected to prove hardy, especially if planted in a warm border, the precaution being taken to cover the border with a layer of dry leaves, fern, or other such light material, that will act as a non-conductor of frost. It is necessary, however, to be careful that such covering does not remain on too long, for it is apt to stimulate the tubers into premature growth. In cultivating this plant in pots, a mixture of light sandy loam and leaf-mould will be found to suit it. The tubers should be potted after the leaves decay in the autumn, and the pots placed in a cold frame and kept rather dry during winter. When they begin to grow, air must be freely given, and the supply of water mcreased in accordance with ‘their advancing growth. No shading is re- quired, as the flowers of most of the ‘species only open under the full influence of the sun. J. 8. Fig. 1. Sepal. 2. Stamens and pistil :—magnified. 44 97, Reeve, Benham & Reeve, imp - Fitch del ef lith . Te eT eee Oe eT ee ee Te Le Te ee ee ese Py ar heat ee oe ee Tas. 4491. MICROSPERMA BARTONIOIDES. Bartonia-like Microsperma. Nat. Ord. LoasE#.—PoLyaDELPHIA PoLYANDRIA. Gen. Char. Calycis tubus ovatus ovario adherens, limbi laciniis 5 lanceolatis patentibus. Petala 5 patentia subovata, Stamina numerosa; filamenta penta- delpha, fasciculis cum petalorum basi junctis: anéheris subrotundatis, ad mar- ginem longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Ovarium apice solummodo liberum in stylum filiformem demum deciduum attenuatum, stigmate indiviso 5-suleato. Capsula unilocularis polysperma vertice quinquevalvis. Receptacula 5, filiformia parietalia longitudinalia. Semina numerosissima minutissima ovali-oblonga angulata.—Herbe Mexicane aspere succulente: caule flexuoso ; foliis cordato- ovatis longiuscule petiolatis lobatis serratis, floribus flavis racemosis v. subsolitariis. MicrosPerMA Jartonioides ; foliis ovatis acutis lobatis serratis, pedunculis elon- gatis solitariis unifloris, floribus maximis, ealycis lobis tubo duplo longioribus, petalis acutis, staminum filamentis petala superantibus, MicrospErMa bartonioides. Walp. Repert. 0.5. p. 7177. Eveonpa bartonioides. Zuccarini in Linnea, v.18. p.500. Specimens of this charming annual, rivalling the Bartonia aurea (from which no doubt it derives its specific name), were obligingly communicated to us, through Mr. G. Charlwood, of Covent Garden, by Mr. Booth of the Floetbeck Nursery, Ham- burg, under the name of Ewenida bartonioides, accompanied by a very faithful description. It bears the open air like the Bar- tonia, is admirably suited for a border plant, and we trust that seeds of it will soon be, if they are not already, in the market. Dr. Walpers had perceived the close affinity of this with another plant, our Microsperma lobata, given in the ‘Icones Plantarum Rar.,’ IIT. tab. 234, and he very properly united it with that genus, of which it is nevertheless a very distinct and far more beautiful and showy species. It flowers through the summer months. Dzscr. An herbaceous annual. Stems about a foot long, flexuose, succulent, subtranslucent, hispid. eaves hispido- pubescent, on longish slender petioles, ovate, acute, lobed and serrated. Peduncles elongated, single-flowered, terminating the JANUARY Ist, 1850. ordinary branches, or short lateral branches, or the flowers may be said to be in a lax, leafy panicle. Calya-tube adherent with the ovary, turbinate, very hispid, crowned by five lanceolate acuminate lobes, twice as long as the tube. Petals twice as long as the calyx-lobes, ovate or rather obovate, acute, obscurely serrated, sulphur-yellow, paler, almost white, beneath.. Stamens arranged in two series and in five fascicles; each fascicle mona- delphous at the base, and attached to the base of a petal : fi/a- ments very long. Style as long as the stamens: stigma entire, but with five longitudinal furrows. W. J. H. Cur. Our acquaintance with this plant is limited ; the only spe- cimen we have seen came to the Royal Gardens in flower from Hamburg. It appears to be an annual, and closely allied in habit to Bartonia; but we fear it will not succeed out of doors as a summer border plant, on account of its soft, succulent nature, which makes it liable to injuries by heavy rain and wind. We therefore consider it best to treat it as a tender annual, sowing the seeds in a frame, and, when the plants have sufficient strength, plant them singly into pots, using a mixture of light loam and leaf-mould or sandy peat. The pots must be properly drained, and care taken not to over-water in damp weather, and to admit plenty of air, so as to keep the plants from becoming weak and drawn up. As they increase in size they will require to be shifted into larger pots, and when they begin to show flower they should be removed into the greenhouse. J. S. Fig.1. Anther. 2. Pistil. 3. Stigma. 4. Section of an ovary :—magnified. RB. & BR. Tas. 4492. ACANTHOPHIPPIUM Javanicum. Javanese Acanthophippium. Nat. Ord. OrncHIDEZ.—GYNANDRIA MONANDPRIA. Gen. Char. Perianthium ventricosum. Sepala agglutinata, lateralia ungui columns adnata, dorsale cum petalis spathulatis fornicato. Ladellum ungui- culatum, cum basi longe producta columne articulatum, limbo trilobo indiviso complicato, disco lamellato. Anthera carnosa, bilocularis. Pollinia 8, ineequalia, sessilia,—Herbee terrestres, subcaulescentes. Caulis inferne bulbosus, vaginatus. Folia oblongo-lanceolata, plicata. Pedunculus vaginatus, pauciflorus. Flores speciosi. Lindl. ACANTHOPHIPPIUM Javanicum ; petalis triangularibus, labelli trilobi lobis late- ralibus truneatis intermedio medio constructo apice ovato tuberculato basi utringue carnoso dentibus truncatis emarginatis inflexis. Lind!. AcanTHopuiprrum Javanicum. “Bl. Bijdr. 353. Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orchid. p.177. Bot. Reg. 1847. t. 47. A genus (the origin of whose name is unexplained) estab- lished by Blume upon a Java plant, detected in the woods of the mountain: of Salak in Java. Introduced, we believe, by Messrs. Loddiges, before 1844, Some years previously, another species of the genus was sent from Ceylon, the A. dicolor of Lindl. in Bot. Reg. t.1730. 'The present species is much the handsomest of the two, with larger flowers, beautifully veined with purplish-red and yellow, and altogether a very striking plant. It flowered at Kew very finely in July 1849. Descr. Pseudo-bulbs elongated, cylindrical, jointed, when young clothed with large furrowed scales, and terminated by two or three ovato-lanceolate, rather membranaceous, striated leaves. From the base of the pseudo-bulb the short, thick, bracteated scape rises, shorter than the rest of the plant, and bearing about six or eight large handsome flowers, of a yellow colour, tinged and streaked with purplish-red. The pefa/s and sepals are somewhat triangular-ovate, so placed that the entire flower is somewhat pitcher-shaped, with a remarkably oblique or gibbous base. Zip quite enclosed within this, lying up against FEBRUARY Ist, 1850. , the column, the two side-lobes of the epichilium embracing the column just below the stigma: the disk crested. Column as long as the perianth, its base very decurrent. Anther-case flattened at the top. VW. J. H. Curt. From the circumstance that the roots of this Orchid adhere firmly to the inside of the pot in which it grows, we may infer that its natural habitat is in rocky places, where there is — but little soil, and which are subject to a considerable degree of dryness during a part of the year. With us it grows freely, if potted in loose, turfy, peat soil, and kept in the warm division of the Orchideous house. It should be planted a few inches above the level of the mouth of the pot, and supported by a substantial drainage ; for plants of this habit, when potted in loose soil, are very liable, by their gravity, to sink below the margin of the pot,—which not only gives the plant an unsightly appearance, but causes the pseudo-bulbs to become crowded and weak. This precaution is the more necessary, from the downward tendency of the pseudo-bulbs (a circumstance common to many bulbous-rooted genera), each successive formation being produced from the base of the previous ones, and being sessile in their attachment to them. They are thus liable to become, in time, a crowded mass in the pot. When this happens, it is advisable to divide the mass, and select the younger and healthier pseudo- bulbs, to be repotted in the manner described above. J. 8. Fig. 1. Column and lip. 2. Lip :—slightly magnified. 44.93, BB. & Ramp, Fitch del et Lith. Tas. 4493. ZAUSCHNERIA CALIFORNICA; var. LATIFOLIA. Californian Zauschneria ; broad-leaved var. Nat. Ord. ONaGRARIER.—OcTANDRIA Monoeynra. Gen. Char. Calye superus deciduus, tubo infundibuliformi cum ovario arti- culato colorato, basi supra ovarium globoso-ventricoso, limbo quadripartito. Petala 4, obcordata, bifida, summio tubi inserta. Stam. 8. Filamenta longe ex- serta. Anthere lineares, dorso aflixe. Ovarium lineare, tetragonum ; stylus filiformis, longe exsertus. Stigma peltato-4-lobum. Capsula linearis, tetragona, quadrivalvis, indistincte 4-locularis, polysperma. Semina oblonga, comosa.— Suffrutex Californicus v. Mexicanus, decumbens ; foliis alternis ; floribus solitariis coccineis in axillis foliorum supremorum, seu spicatis, spicis foliosis. ZAUSCHNERIA Californica. a, foliis linearibus. Z. Californica, Presi, Relig. Henk. v. 2. p. 28. tab. 52. Hook. et Arn. Bot. of Beech. Voy. pp.140, 340. Torr. et Gr. Fl. N. Am. v.1. p.486. Benth. Pl. Hartw. p. 310. B. foliis lineari-lanceolatis. Z. Mexicana, Presi, l.c. p.29. %. Californica 8, Torr. et Gr. lie. y: latifolia; major, foliis ovatis. (Tas. Nostr. 4493.) Z. Californica, Lindl. in Journ. Hort. Soc. v. 3. p. 241. cum Te. Forty-five years ago this handsome plant was alluded to in an excellent Memoir on Goniocarpus, published by Mr. Kénig in the ‘Annals of Botany,’ vol.i. p.543, as existing in the Banksian Herbarium, “a beautiful new genus, a native of California, having the flowers of a Fuchsia anda fruit exactly like Epilobium. These specimens were doubtless those of Mr. Menzies, some of which we have also the good fortune to possess in our own herbarium. No further notice seems to have been taken of it till Presl, in the 2nd vol. of his ‘ Reliquize Heenkeane,’ published it under the name of Zauschneria, in compliment to Dr. Zausch- her, a Professor of Nat. History in the University of Prague. Presl added, though doubtfully, a second species from Mexico ; but if we consider his two plants as distinct, we must here make a third, for our cultivated plant, as may be seen by Dr. Lindley’s plant above quoted and by our figure, is as distinct from 7 Mewicana, as that is from Z. Californica. In some of Mr. FEBRUARY Ist, 1850. c 2 Menzies’ original specimens the leaves are almost acicular, and from the smallness of the upper leaves or bracteas, the flowers are truly spicate. It makes an excellent plant for bedding out, and our gardens are indebted to the Horticultural Society for its introduction, through their collector Mr. Hartweg. Descr. A low half-shrubby plant, varying extremely in downi- ness upon the young branches and foliage. Leaves also extremely variable in size and shape, and in the margin, generally in native specimens linear or linear-lanceolate, but broader and quite ovate in our var. y: all of them alternate, remote or crowded: the upper ones in our plant scarcely diminishing in size ; in other individuals, becoming small bracteas, one beneath each flower. Yowers axillary, sessile, solitary. Calyx very long, red, the lower portion united with the slender linear ovary ; above the ovary the calyx-tube is funnel-shaped, striated, very narrow below the middle, at the base swollen and articulated (and eventually deciduous) upon the ovary: Zimé of four lanceo- late segments. Within the mouth of the calyx are eight roundish scales, four erect and four deflexed. Petals four, deep red, ob- cordate, bifid, shorter than the segments of the calyx. Stamens eight : filaments much exserted: anthers linear, fixed by the middle of the back. Style longer than the stamens, filiform : stigma peltate, four-lobed. Fruit four-valved, as in Hpilobium, imperfectly four-celled. Seeds numerous, comose. W. J. H. Cunt. This is a perennial plant, becoming somewhat suffru- ticose towards autumn. It is closely allied to Zpilodium, and, like most species of that genus, increases rapidly by its numerous surculose roots (underground shoots). It is of easy cultivation, growing freely on dry, good garden-soil. Its showy flowers are produced abundantly during the latter part of the summer; and, as it continues a long time in flower, it is worthy of being grown in a pot, as an ornamental plant for the conservatory. It is also deserving of a place in the flower-garden, as a bedding plant, especially where variety is wanted ; for although its thin and spare habit is rather against it, yet, by planting thick and stopping back the shoots early in the season, the bed may be made to assume a very fair degree of compactness before the end of the summer. From the appearance of its roots at the time we write, we infer that it will prove a hardy perennial ; but in exposed situations it may be advisable to cover it over with leaves or some such covering. It is increased readily by divi- sion of the roots, also by cuttings and seeds. J. 8. Fig.1. Capsule. 2. Section of the calyx-tube. 3. Pistil:—more or less magnified. Tas. 4494. DIPTERACANTHUS spectaBi is. Handsome-flowered Dipteracanthus. Nat. Ord. ACANTHACEH.—DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Gen. Char. Cal. equalis, plus minus profunde 5-fidus. Cor. infundibuliformis, limbo subzequali 5-fido. Stamina didynama, inclusa, filamentis basi contiguis aut conjunctis ; anthere lineari-sagittate, loculis parallelis equalibus muticis. Stigma dilamellatum, basi nodulosum. — Capsula basi compressa asperma, ple- rumque a medio, raro proprius a basi, 2-8-12-16-sperma. Dissepimentum in medio membranaceum, denique maximam partem evanescens. Retinacula wun- cinata, preemorsa. Semina orbiculata, compressa, margine tumido discreto cincta. —Herbe Americane, Asiatice, pauce Africane et Australasice, repentes vel erecta, molliuscule, rarius frutices. Flores aut omnes aut inferiores saltem axillares, vel solitarii vel fasciculati, sessiles vel pedunculati, supremt subinde in racemum parvibracteatum collecti. Bracteze due majores foliacea, sepe petiolate, subjecte calyci vel fasciculo ; in racemis minores et angustiores. Bracteolee vel nulla vel exigue. Forme anomale : capsula abortu tetra- vel disperma, ovulis tamen steri- libus adjectis semini. Nees. Dirreracantuus spectabilis: herbaceus subpubescens, caule quadrangulari erecto ramoso, foliis ovatis acuminatis ciliatis basi in petiolum perbrevem attenuatis, floribus geminis axillaribus sessilibus ebracteolatis, calycis pro- funde divisi laciniis subulatis erectis, corolle (maxime) tubo geniculato- curvato inferne angusto’ superne sensim dilatato, limbi (fere 3 poll. lati) lobis subeequalibus rotundatis venosis margine crenato, capsulis vix pubes- centibus 10—12-spermis. _ This is unquestionably the largest-flowered plant of this genus, if not of the Order, the corolla being much larger than that of D. grandiflorus, Nees (from the same country), of a rich deep purple blue colour, marked with dark veins, so that it 1s eml- nently worthy of cultivation im every stove. The seeds were sent to Mr. Veitch from the Andes of Peru, by Mr. Wilham Lobb, and the handsome flowers were in perfection in Mr. Veitch s stove in August 1849 ; and to the latter gentleman we are indebted for the opportunity of figuring it. ‘The entire absence of bracts or bracteoles to the flowers will at once distinguish this from D. grandifiorus, and indeed brings it into another division of this rather extensive genus, FEBRUARY Ist, 1850. Dzscr. Plant two feet or more high, much branched, erect : the stem and branches four-angled. Leaves opposite, moderately large, nearly sessile, ovate, acuminate, attenuate at the base, ciliated at the margin, slightly pubescent on the surface, rather strongly veined and reticulated. Flowers sessile or very nearly so, two together from the axils of the upper leaves, large, very showy. Calyx quite without bracts or bracteoles, deeply cut into five erect, subulate /odes, much shorter than the funnel- shaped curved tube of the corolla: the /imé very large, purple blue, veined, the five lobes rotundate, spreading, crenate and somewhat waved at the margins. Stamens included. Ovary ovate, downy, seated on a large disk. Style as long as the tube of the corolla: stigma of two very unequal lobes. Capsule obo- vato-clavate, acute, slightly downy, bearing eight or ten lenticular seeds. W.J. H. Curr. A soft-wooded plant of herbaceous aspect, growing from one to two feet high. It is a native of the tem- perate climate of Cuenca, in Peru. It is found to succeed im a temperature intermediate between that of the stove and greenhouse, and grows freely in any kind of light garden soil. Like many of the tropical Acanthacee, after flowering it soon becomes thin and naked. It propagates freely by cuttings. The young plants should be kept in small pots during winter, and receive very little water. In the spring they require to be shifted into a large pot, where they will soon make rapid pro- gress, and produce a succession of large fine blue flowers. //. S. Fig. 1. Calyx and pistil. 2. Ovary :—magnified, a ae atch del et lith. Th: Reeve Benham & Reeve Tas. 4495. CLEMATIS GraveEo.ens. Heavy-scented Traveller's Joy. Nat. Ord. RanuNcULACE®.—PoLyaNDRIA PoLyayN1a. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4259.) Crematis (Flammula) graveolens ; scandens glaberrima gracilis, caule filiformi obtuse angulato, foliis pinnatim bi-triternatis, foliolis parvis 3-partitis 3- lobisque laciniis ovatis integris nunc hine. inciso-serratis, pedunculis axilla- ribus elongatis unifloris folio longioribus, sepalis 4 ovatis acutis crassis intus pubescentibus, filamentis subulatis hirsutis, acheniis pubescentibus caudis plumosis. CLEMATIS graveolens. Lindl. in Journ. of Hort. Soc. v. 1. p. 307. cum Ic. A small but elegant climbing species of Clematis, quite hardy when planted against a wall, as may be expected from the fact’ that it is a native of Chinese Tartary and the snowy passes of Western Himalaya, at an elevation of 12,000 feet above the level of the sea. In such situations it was detected by our friend Capt. Wm. Munro, of the — Regt., who sent seeds of it to England in 1844; and, in similar localities, it was found three years afterwards by Dr. Thomas Thomson, during his interesting journeys into Thibet (as related in the recent volumes of the ‘London Journal of Botany’), who sent the seeds to the Botanic Gardens of Kew. It flowers through the summer months. We could scarcely perceive any odour in the flower of our plant; but that may depend on the state of the atmosphere. Descr. Our plant attains a height of about six feet, forming a much branching climbing glabrous shrub. Branches slender, obtusely angled. Zeaves opposite, variously divided in a pin- nated manner, bi- or triternate; the leaftets all petioled, ovate or lanceolate, entire or one- or two-lobed, odes acute or acuminate. Peduncles longer than the leaves, slender, single-flowered. Buds drooping. lowers inclined, moderately large, pale yellowish- green. Sepals four, spreading, ovate, acute, rather thick, silky ‘™ the inside. Stamens numerous : filaments subulate, hairy : FEBRUARY Ist, 1850. anthers oblong, adnate. Achenia downy, terminated with long feathery ¢ails, which are a little hooked at the extremity. W. J. H. Curr. One of a very common genus of plants, which now numbers about 150 described species, natives chiefly of tem- perate climates. A few are herbaceous perennials; but by far the greater portion are deciduous and evergreen ligneous creepers, supporting themselves by their tendril-formed pe- tioles, and growing in a crowded manner over bushes and trees: the present species is of the latter kind. It has been under our observation for two years, and appears to be quite hardy. It will grow in any kind of garden-soil, and, like its con- geners, is suitable for covering trellis-work or for planting against a wall; but it does not appear to be a strong growing species. It is readily increased by cuttings and seeds. /. S. Fig. 1, 2. Stamens :—magnified. TAs. 4496. CORLOGYNE Wa.uicuit. Dr, Wallich’s Ceelogyne. Nat. Ord. OrncurpE®.—GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4440.) Cetocyne Wallichiana; pseudo-bulbis ampullaceis vaginisque duris-tubercu- latis, pedunculis radicalibus unifloris basi vaginatis, labelli trilobi basi saccati lobis lateralibus integerrimis cum intermedio denticulato crispo apice truncato integerrimo plicato apiculato confluentibus, disci cristis 4—5 in- completis denticulatis, columna apice dentata, Lind. Catoceyng Wallichiana. Lindl. Gen.et Sp. Orchid. p. 43. Wall. Pl. Asiat. Rar. v. 1. p. 46. 4.54. Bot. Reg. 1840.24.24. , Discovered by Dr. Wallich in the mountain district of Sylhet and Khasiya, and found in great abundance also by Dr. Hooker as he approached Darjeeling in Sikkim-Himalaya, and from him the specimens are derived, which are here represented, Its range seems to be confined to the eastern extremity of the Sub-Himalayan chain. Handsome as this plant is, individually (for only one flower arises at a time from each pseudo-bulb, and that always at a period when the leaf is absent), yet our repre- sentation of three flowering pseudo-bulbs can give no idea of the beauty of a tuft of more than twenty such bulbs, each with its flower densely compacted, which I had the gratification of seeing during my last visit to Chatsworth. Truly, next to the flowering Victoria, this was the most interesting of the many botanical rarities collected in that princely place. It flowers in the summer and autumn. Descr. The pseudo-bulbs are no less singular than the flowers are beautiful: they are flagon-shaped, dark green, warted, and frequently covered with a strong veining of loose net-work, formed by the old sheath. From the top of this pseudo-bulb, the broadly-lanceolate, solitary, membranaceous, plaited /ea/ arises; and it is not till after its decay and disappearance, that the flower springs laterally from the pseudo-bulb. It is almost FEBRUARY Ist, 1850. sessile, with a few sheathing spotted scales at the base, large, of most delicate texture and colours. Sepals lanceolate, long, spreading or slightly recurved, pink. Petals equally spreading and resembling them, but smaller. Zip large, standing forward, obovate, saccate at the base, the side-lobes complicato-connivent over the column ; the intermediate lobe (almost continuous with the long lateral lobes) is dentato-fimbriate at the margin, re- curved; and the disk of the lip is furnished with five crested longitudinal lamella : the colour of the lip is pink, white, and yellow, here and there dashed with red spots. Column very long, with a three-lobed wing at the apex surrounding the anther. W. J. Z. Cunt. A pretty Orchid, belonging to a group of Celogyne which differs from the rest of Ne gens in rit Bias éiphytal but growing on the ground in moist turfy places. The tender pseudo-bulbs are found on the surface, or but little immersed ; and the plant is in many respects analogous to the well-known Bletia hyacinthina, and other species of that genus. After the plant has flowered the leaves appear, and at their base the new _ pseudo-bulb begins to be formed. At this period it should be kept moderately moist and warm; but after the bulb is fully formed, and the leaves decay, the supply of moisture must _ be lessened, only sufficient being given to keep the mould from becoming quite hard and dry. It appears to thrive best when kept in the cool division of the Orchideous house, and placed near the glass. Turfy peat, mixed with a portion of — chopped sphagnum moss, will suit it, care being taken that the pot be well drained, and that it never be allowed to remain long saturated with water. On account of the old bulbs dying soon after the new ones are formed, it increases but slowly. J. 8. Fig. 1. Column. 2. Apex of the column and anther. 3. Pollen masses :— magnified. Fitch del et Lith R,B.& Ramp Tas. 4497. PENTSTEMON corpiro.ivs. Fleart-leaved Pentstemon. Nat. Ord. ScROPHULARINEZ.—DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4319.) Pentstemon (§ Elmigera) cordifolius; glaber vel pruinoso-puberulus, foliis breviter petiolatis lato-ovatis orbiculatisve integerrimis vel arguto-dentatis margine revolutis, panicula laxa foliata, corolla tubo longo vix dilatato, filamento sterili dense barbato. Benth. PentsTEMON cordifolius. Benth. Scroph. Ind. p.1. adnot. Hook. et Arn. Bot. of Beech. Voy. p.376. Benth. in De Cand. Prodr. v.10. p.329. Lindl. Journ. of Hort. Soc. v. 5. p. 87. cum Ie, A really shrubby and, as recorded by Dr. Lindley, though it has not proved so this winter (1849-50) with us, hardy plant, copiously branched, and at first, with its numerous very leafy branches, not having much the aspect of a Pentstemon. Such, however, it really is, and a native of California, where it was detected by Mr. Douglas in 1831: and does not appear to have been found by any traveller since, till Mr. Hartweg met with it on the mountain of Santa Inez in California in 1848, when seeds were sent by him to the Horticultural Society. It produces its bright scarlet flowers among the copious foliage during the summer months. Descr. A rather weak and straggling shrub ; but with a little Support and training it become a very handsome one, with ob- scurely four-sided stems and branches. Leaves cordate, acute, nearly sessile, subcoriaceous, evergreen (?), strongly and coarsely ser- tated. Flowering-branches numerous, leafy, bearing several Opposite dranchlets, which are terminated by a moderately-sized flower. Pedicels glandular. Calyz large in proportion to the flower, glandular, cut to the base into five rather unequal, lan- ceolate, acute, erecto-patent Jobes. Corolla an inch and a half or nearly two inches long, bright scarlet: the ‘be almost cylin- FEBRUARY Ist, 1850. drical, straight, or very slightly curved: the md deeply two- lipped ; upper lip straight, linear, emarginate at the point, lower lip spreading out into three lmear obtuse segments. Stamens longer than the tube: anthers ovate: fifth or sterile filament with a remarkably strong beard on one side, resembling a brush. Ovary ovate, seated on a fleshy disk: style as long as the filaments of the stamens: stigma obtuse. W. J. H. Cuur. This very distinct species of Pentstemon is of a slender, suffruticose, spreading habit, growing luxuriantly and flowering freely during the summer. It appears well-suited for orna- menting the fronts of shrubberies and flower-borders; but we fear it may not prove hardy, for it was much injured by the first frosts of last October, and at this time we see no symptoms of life above-ground. It will, therefore, be best to treat it as a half-hardy plant, covering it over on the approach of winter with dry leaves or other loose protecting material; but as it is easily increased by cuttings, a stock should be kept in small pots in a cool frame, ready for planting out in the spring. J. 8. Fig. 1. Stamens. 2. Pistil :-—magnified. 4498. Sn, Res aN a ., AS NSS* Car Ne dda, a KSEE R.B. & R.imp- a en oe - ' a” an Tas. 4498, CEREUS TWEEDIEI. (2 VA ; OTL A ett gh Mr. Tweedie's Golden-flowered Cereus. Nat. Ord. Cactea.—Icosanpria Monoeynia. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4417.) Currus Tweediei ; erectus cylindraceus glaucus polygonus, costis obtusis sequalibus (non tuberculatis), areolis copiosis ovalibus fusco-lanatis, spinis numerosis inzqualibus 4-5 validioribus albis fusco-variegatis quorum 3-4 erecto-patentibus, unico cum reliquis minoribus albis omnibus deflexis, flo- ribus numerosis lateralibus aurantiacis, tubi calycini elongati curvati colorati squamis remotis inferioribus ciliatis, fauce obliqua, petalis brevissimis vix calycem sequantibus, staminibus ineequalibus superioribus longioribus exsertis. One of the prettiest of the Cereus group of Cactea, of a pecu- liarly glaucous tint, bearing in the latter end of summer, when little more than a foot high, copious, rather large, and very handsome flowers, elegant in shape and bright in colour. We are indebted for the possession of our largest and flowering plant at Kew, to Messrs. Lee, of the Hammersmith Nursery, but we received seeds from Buenos Ayres through Mr. Tweedie. It flowered for the first time in September 1849. I can find no species described that at all corresponds with it. ; Dzscr. Our tallest plants are about a foot toa foot and a half high, and an inch in diameter, of a very glaucous green hue, simple, but increasing readily by offsets at the base. The shape is cylindrical, very slightly tapering upwards, numbered with many, about six- teen, moderately deep furrows, perfectly straight, the ridges obtuse and even (not tubercled or mammillate). Areole on the ridges approximate, oval, woolly, the wool brown. pines many from each areola, of which four or five are stouter than the rest, white, blotched with brown, and of these stout ones three or four (half to three-quarters of an inch long) are erecto-patent ; a solitary stout one generally together with the other lesser ones, which are white, all point downwards. Flowers, of a rich orange- crimson, are numerous from the side of the stem, three inches MARCH Ist, 1850. D2 long, curved upwards, the mouth oblique. Calya-tube funnel- shaped, the scales remote, subulate, appressed, lower ones ciliated with white hairs. Petals small, scarcely longer than the teeth of the calyx, deep yellow, acute. Stamens lying against the upper side of the tube, and there much longer than the flower: lower ones scarcely protruded. Anthers deep purple. W. J. 7. Curr. A pretty species of Cereus, of an erect, stiff habit, and apparently not of tall stature, having produced its flowers when less than two feet high. It grows freely in a soil com- posed of light loam, leaf-mould, and sand, care being taken that it be not retentive of water. The pot should be well drained, and the mould must never continue long saturated. ‘The latter precaution is especially to be observed in winter, for during that season the plant requires little or no water. We are not acquainted with its native locality, but judging from the climate of Buenos Ayres, we may suppose that it endures great ex- tremes of temperature, and often long droughts ; the thermometer in summer sometimes rising to 94°, and in winter falling so low as 36°; the mean temperature of summer and winter being respectively 72° and 54°. With us, a night temperature averaging 50° during the winter suits it; but in severe wea- ther it is not advisable to maintain that heat, for the plant does not suffer even when the thermometer is 10 to 15 degrees lower. When this is the case, however, it is desirable that a corresponding rise be maintained during the day. As the warmth of spring increases, the plant should be moderately supplied with water. In summer it should be allowed to receive the full power of the sun, with occasional syringeing over head : this operation must be performed after the heat of the day has declined, or early in the morning. J. S. Fig. 1. Areola and cluster of spines :—magnified. (In our last number, under Celogyne Wallichii (Tan. 4496.), we spoke, from memory only, of the extreme beauty of that plant at Chatsworth, Mr. Paxton has been so obliging as to inform us, it consisted of “eight pseudo- bulbs, which bore twenty-eight flowers: three of the pseudo-bulbs were large, three of a medium size, and two small. The three large ones each produced three flower-stems, and two out of three on each bulb were biflorous. Of the three medium-sized ones, one had four flower-stems, and the other two had three ‘stems each, all single-flowered. One of the two small bulbs bore two flowers on the stems, and the other bulb was single-flowered.”] 44.99. =o Ud My KL p if R.B&Ri Tas. 4499. CEPHALOTAXUS Forrunr. Mr. Fortune’s Cephalotaxus. Nat. Ord. Conrrer#.—Diq@cia PoLyanpRLA. Gen. Char. Flores dioici. Amenta staminigera axillaria, e gemmis propriis decussatim perulatis composita, amentulis pluribus, bracteis suffultis capitata. Stamina in quovis amentulo 4, 6, v. plura, axi alternatim inserta. Filamenta teretia, in connectivi processum brevem, squameformem, margine inferiore anthere loculos tres, pendulos, postice longitudinaliter dehiscentes geretem pro- ducta. -Amenta gemmulifera ex axillis perularum hornotinarum gemme foliiferee, in stipite nudo tetragono capitata. Syuame gemmuliferee plerumque octo, de- cussate, coriacee. Gemmule sub quavis squama 2, sessiles, singule wrceolo preeter apicem pervium adnato incluse, atropi, micropyle supera, plurime abor- tive. Fructus in quovis capitulo 2 vy. 3, urceolo adnato clauso, crasse carnoso, drupacei. Semen erectum, integumento exteriore osseo, Jaevi, interiore membra- naceo, albumini eequabili, nee corrugato adhzrente. Embryo antitropus, axilis, cotyledonibus duabus brevibus, radicula cylindrica, supera.—Arbores Japonica, ramis secundariis distichis. Gemme perulate, perulis persistentibus, arcte decus- satim tmbricatis. Folia alterna, subdisticha, brevissime petiolata, petiolis decur- rentibus linearia, mucronato-acuta, parum Jaleata, uninervia, subtus fasciis duabus. stomatum latis multiseriatis percursa, per triennium virentia. Amenta stami- nigera ex avillis foliorum, stipitibus dense imbricatim bracteatis insidentia, gemmu- lifera ex axillis perularum interiorwm in stipitibus nudis. Fructus secundo anno maturi. Endl. . CrpHatoraxus Fortuni; ramorum foliis exacte distichis sessilibus pectinatim dis- positis lineari-acuminatis (8-4 uncialibus) rigidis subtus pallioribus, amentis staminigeris globosis brevi-pedunculatis, pedunculo bracteato, amentulis bractea late ovata coneava erosa brevioribus. Two of the most interesting plants, interesting especially to the lovers of arboriculture, among those detected by Mr. Fortune, during his present second visit to the north of China, are most assuredly the Cupressus Junebris, Endl. (C. pendula, Staunton and Lambert, not of Thunberg), and the subject of the present plate. Messrs. Standish and Noble, of the Bagshot Nursery, are the fortunate pos- Sessors of young plants of both, and have already found them to be perfectly hardy in this climate. Both were found by Mr. Fortune two hundred miles north of Shang-see, from which latter place a Palm (Chamerops eacelsa, Th.) sent to the Royal Gardens by Mr. Fortune, has braved, unharmed and unprotected by any sort of covering, the severe winter now passed (1849-50). MARCH Ist, 1850. To judge of the graceful character of the Funereal Cypress, one has but to look at Tab. 41 of the Atlas of Plates accompanying Lord Macartney’s Embassy to China, where we learn that in the north of China it is the tree used to adorn cemeteries ;—and, with regard to the present, which is of the Yew tribe of Conifere, the large size of the foliage, with its pectinated arrangement on the branches, must give it a pre-eminence over all other Zaxinee. Our flowering-plant (male flowers only) is drawn from a dried specimen sent home by Mr. Fortune, aided by a recent twig from Mr. Standish’s nursery. These male flowers show clearly that it belongs to the genus Cephalotacus of the lamented Endli- cher. Insome respects it approaches the Japanese C. pedunculata of Sieb. and Zuccarini, Fl. Jap. v. 2. p. 133; and we regret that our bookseller has not yet supplied us with the Fasciculus con- taining this species ; but if Endlicher is correct in referrmg Zacus Harringtonia of the Pinetum Woburnense, t. 68, to it, we may safely assert that our plant is not the same, but a perfectly un- described species. Descr. In the absence of a well-grown plant, we can say little or nothing of the tree, save that it is stated by Mr. Fortune to grow to a height of from forty to sixty feet. Its branches are probably spreading or drooping, obscurely streaked or furrowed, distichous, pale brown, slender. Leaves quite distichous, alternate or opposite, approximate, three to four inches long, linear, tapering a little at the base, much and gradually acuminate, one-nerved, dark full green above, - paler beneath. From the axils of numerous leaves the male capitule of flowers appears, globose, about as large as a small pea on a short scaly stalk. This head consists of several imbricated, broadly ovate, almost round, concave, brown, erose scales, including a little amentum of stamens. A filament ter- minates in a small scale, bearing three pendulous anther-cells. Female flower and fruit at present unknown. W. J. H. Cuxr. This is described as forming a handsome, spreading, ever- n tree. It comes from the north of China, and, as might be ex- pected, is perfectly hardy. A plant in the Bagshot Nursery stood in the open air during the last winter, without being in the least injured. As it increases from cuttings as readily as the common Yew, and grows freely, we may expect to see this rare tree soon become common. We learn that Mr. Standish has already a considerable stock of young plants. J. 8. Fig. 1. Male capitulum. 2. Front view, and 3, back view of a stamen. 4. Scale of capitulum, with the little male amentum. 5. Capitulum removed from its scaly stalk :—magnified. 4500. ee RB&Rimp , Bitch del et ith. Tas. 4500. CALLIANDRA BREVIPEs. Short-peduncled Calliandra. Nat. Ord. Lrguminos#.—PoLyGaMl1a POLYANDRIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, TaB. 4238.) CaLLIANpRa brevipes ; glabriuscula, pinnis unijugis, foliolis (1-1} lin.) multijugis oblongo-linearibus falcatis obtusiusculis glabris, petiolo brevi eglanduloso, pedunculis brevibus subfasciculatis, calyce parvo corollaque campanulata gla- bris, legumine coriaceo glabro. Benth. CaLLianprRa brevipes, Benth. in Hook. Journ. of Bot. v. 2. p. 141. et Lond. Journ. of Bot. v. 3. p.404. Walp. Repert. Bot. v.1. p. 927. et v. 5. p. 604. An elegant and graceful shrub, a native of Brazil, whence seeds were received by Mr. Van Eoutte, of Ghent, who sent plants to us, marked “ Acacia, sp.” It is a species of the same general character as the C. Zweediei, but considerably smaller, and the flowers are of a much paler red. Still it is ornamental when in bloom: the leaves are geminate or unijugate, and the leaflets very closely pinnate. It flowers in October, in the stove. Duscr. A much-branching shrub, about four to five feet high, the dark brown. Leaves alternate, geminate, each portion oblong, very closely pinnated with small linear-oblong, acute leaflets, and these generally drooping. Heads of flowers on short peduncles from the axils of the leaves, few in each head. Calyx minute, four-cleft, the lobes erect, appressed, ciliated. Corolla monopetalous, yellow, funnel-shaped or almost bell-shaped, four- cleft. Stamens six times as long as the corolla: ji/aments very slender, pale red or rose-colour: dzthers minute. Our flowers do not produce pistils. W. J. H. _ Cuur, A pretty shrub which grows luxuriantly in the warm stove, if potted in light loam mixed with leaf-mould. Being a dry, fibrous-rooted plant, it requires to be freely supplied with water. With a little attention to tying up and pruning, it may: be made a compact, handsome bush. When in flower it is MARCH Isr, 1850. highly ornamental, its bright red tufts of flowers contrasting strongly against the delicate green foliage. It is readily in- creased by cuttings, which should be planted under a bell-glass and placed in bottom heat. /. S.. 7 Fig. 1. Flower :—magnified. — 4507. fa) fa - fol Tas. 4501. “LARDIZABALA BITERNATA. Biternate-leaved Lardizabala. Nat. Ord. LarpizaBaLE®.—Die@cia HEXANDRIA. Cen. Char. Masc. Calyx 6-phyllus, foliolis carnosis, exterioribus ovatis in westivatione valvatis, interioribus ‘angustioribus, spathulatis, acuminatis. Petala 6, biseriata, oblongo- y. lineari-lanceolata, acutiuscula, exteriora paullo latiora. Stamina 6. Ovariorum rudimenta 2-3 plus minusve attenuata. Fam. Calye. fol. ut in mase. Petala exteriora spathulata, inferne marginibus inflexis concava, crassiuscula. Stamina 6, filamentis brevibus, carnosis, antheris oblongis abor- tivis. Ovaria 3, cylindracea, stigmate sessili conico apiculata, multiovulata, ovulis globosis sessilibus parieti alveolato 8-seriatim immersis alternantibus. Bacce polysperme, stigmate persistente apiculate. Semina campylitropa, com- pressa, subreniformia, test& papyracea fusc4, hili cicatriculé basi et lateraliter notata; perispermum magnum carnoso-corneum albidum; embryo parvulus, subturbinatus, radicula cotyledonibus brevibus subsqualiiFrutices Chilenses scandentes, foliis bi- v. triternatis, foliolis integris v. crenato-dentatis glaberrimis nitidis exstipulatis, nervatione foliorum Berberidum, Inflorescentia azillaris, pe- dunculo basi und bractea subreniformi coriacea suffulto, in masculis plurifloro, in ‘em. unifloro. Flores purpurei ? pedicellati, pedicellis bracteolulatis, Dene. LaRDIzaBALA biternata ; foliis 2-3- (sepe simpliciter) ternatis, foliolis ob- longis acutis basi ineequalibus hinc inde subdentatis, bracteis ‘ad peduncu- lorum basin 2 magnis ineequaliter cordatis. Dene. LaRp1IzaBata biternata. Ruiz et Pav. Syst. p. 288; Prodr. t.37. Vent. in Voy. dela Peyr. v. 4. p. 265. ¢.6,7,8. De Cand.Prodr. v.1. p. 95. Dene. Mem. Lardizab. in Arch. du Mus. v.1. p.188. Hook. et Arn. Contrib, to Fl. of S. Am. in Bot. Mise, v.2. p.135. Cl. Gay, Fl. Chil. v.1. p. 69. A climbing, copiously-leaved, evergreen shrub, native of Chili, and growing as far south as Concepcion, whence it was naturally supposed to be hardy, and experience has proved the correctness of this opinion, for it has braved the winter of 1849-50 without any covering or protection, other than that afforded by a wall, both at Exeter and at Kew. George Thomas Davy, Esq., who has the credit of introducing this plant by sending it to Messrs. Veitch of Exeter, writes to them thus :—‘ When I first saw it in the Province of Concepcion, I was so much struck with the sin- gularly dark colour of the flowers, and the beauty of the foliage, MARCH Ist, 1850. _ that I gave instructions to have a root sent to me at Valparaiso, which was done ; and it is the plant now in your possession. The fruit is sold in the Chilian markets.’’ According to Decaisne, cordage is made of the tough fibre. The plant above alluded to was brought home from Valparaiso by Mr. Wm. Lobb, and was in full flower in Mr. Veitch’s Nursery in December, 1849: and to Mr. Veitch we are indebted for the specimen figured in the annexed plate. Descr. A climbing shrub, with terete, but often twisted branches, bearmg Jeaves, which, especially in the flowering branches, are generally simply ternate, but sometimes bi- and triternate: the /eaflets petioled, subcoriaceous, evergreen, ovate, here and there almost spinosely dentate, dark green above, paler and reticulated beneath. Peduncles solitary, from the axil of a leaf: at the base bearing two large unequally cordate spreading bracteas :—these we also find at the axil of the leaf, even where there is no flower-stalk. Flowers forming a dense drooping spike of numerous, rather large, deep purplish chocolate-coloured flowers. We have only seen male flowers, as here represented. The calyx is of six rhombeo-ovate, spreading, fleshy sepals, nearly equal in our specimens. Corolla of six spreading, lanceo- late, or almost subulate, white, mealy, membranaceous petals. Stamens six, united into a column, and bearing six spreading, oblong, slightly incurved, apiculated, two-celled anthers, opening at the back. 7. J. H. Cuxr. This is a native of woods in the south of Chili, and proves perfectly hardy in this climate. A plant in this garden has withstood the cold of the last three winters without injury, and Mr. Veitch informs us that in his nursery there is a specimen twelve feet high, growing against a wall. It is a beautiful evergreen creeper, with dark green foliage, and well adapted for covering high walls. It is a rapid grower, and apparently not particular as to situation; but, from its habit, we infer that shady places suit it best. J. 8. Fig. 1. Corolla and stamens :—magnified. 9 Ke 430 Tas. 4502. LAGETTA LINTEARIA. Jamaica Lace-Bark. Nat. Ord. THyMELE#.—OctTanpRIA Monoeynia. Gen. Char. Flores hermaphroditi, v. dioici. Perigonium coloratum, tubulosum, limbo quadrifido, fauce hispida. Stamina 8, perigonii tubo superne biseriatim inserta, inclusa. Sguamule hypogyne 8, lineares, distincte v. basi perparia connate. Ovarium uniloculare. Ovulum unicum, rarius 2 vy. 3, pendula, ana- tropa. Stylus terminalis ; stigma capitatum, emarginato-subbilobum. Drupa perigonio baccato villoso tunicata, mono-tripyrena, putamine crustaceo, fragili. Semina 1-8, inversa. Albumen nullum. Embryo orthotropus; cotyledonibus plano-convexis ; radicula brevissima, supera.—Frutices v. arbores dense ramose, in America tropica indigene ; libro tenaci, deductili, foliis oppositis, v. alternis integerrimis, floribus terminalibus spicatis v. racemosis. Endl. Lacerta lintearia; arborea, foliis cordato-ovatis acutis penninerviis reticle nitidis, spicis pedunculatis terminalibus, floribus hermaphroditis, perianthis urceolatis glabris, staminibus alternis brevioribus, ovariis longe sericeis. Laaerra lintearia. Lam. Encyel. Ill. tab. 289. Spreng. Syst. Veg. v.2. p. 245. Hook. in Kew Gard. Mise. 1850, ined. v.2.t.4. Dapune Lagetto. Sw. Prodr. p.63. Fl. Ind. Occ. v.1. p. 680. Lacerro. Lunan, Hort. Jam. v.1. p.473. Frutex foliis majoribus cordatisve. Browne, Jam. p. 371. t. 31. f. 5. Lavrrroxta arborea. Sloane, Jam. p.137; Hist. v. 2. p. 22. pl. 168. f.1-3. pl. 169.7. 1. Every one has heard of the “ Jamaica Lace-Bark,” and has inspected the curious and beautiful substance : few have seen spe- cimens of the leaves and flowers, still fewer have seen the living plant, nor was it, we believe, permanently introduced in the latter state to Europe till the year 1844. The year before that, our intelligent Collector for the Kew Gardens, Mr. Purdie, was instructed to take the island of Jamaica on his way to New Granada, and visit the quarters of this plant (the parishes of Vere, Clarendon, and Elizabeth), to which it seems to be confined. Mr. Purdie spent some days among woods of this tree, but could find neither flower nor fruit in a state fit to send home. But our wishes being known to Mr. Wilson, the inde- MARCH Ist, 1850. & fatigable Curator of the Botanic Gardens at Bath (Jamaica), he kindly procured seeds and young plants a few months later, and has been the means of introducing this rarity to our stoves. Our plants are now eight to ten feet high, and one of them produced, for the first time, flowers and fruit copiously in the summer and autumn of 1849. It is well known that the liber or inner bark of this tree con- sists of layers of reticulated fibre, exactly resembling well- prepared lace; and its nature is best exhibited by taking a truncheon from a branch, tearing down the bark, and sepa- rating it by the hand into as many layers as that portion of the tree is years old. ‘The ladies of Jamaica,’ Dr. Lunan observes, “are extremely dexterous in making caps, ruffles, and complete suits of lace with it. In order to. bleach it, after being drawn out as much as it will bear, they expose it (stretched) to the sunshine, and sprinkle it frequently with water. It bears wash- ing extremely well with common soap, or the “curatoe”’ soap, and acquires a degree of whiteness equal to the best artificial lace. The wild negroes have made apparel with it of a very durable nature ; but the common use to which it is applied is rope-making. ‘The Spaniards are said to have worked it into cables, and the Indians employ it in a variety of different fabrics.” —Sloane relates that Charles II. had a cravat made of the bark of this tree, which was presented to him by Sir Thomas Lynch. In the days of slavery the negro-whips were commonly made of the branches of this tree, thus :—of a portion of the branch the wood was removed, and the bark twisted into the lash. The lower part of the branch formed the handle, and if it was desired to ornament the latter, it was done by unravelling the bark at the lower end, which thus formed a kind of tassel consisting of spreading layers of lace. On the plate above quoted in the Kew Garden Miscellany, a specimen of the lace itself, a whip, &c., are represented, from the objects in the Museum of Kew. Dzscr. A éree from twenty to thirty feet high, with branches too straggling and foliage (though of a good size and glossy) too sparse to form a striking object, though really handsome when in flower. Leaves alternate, on rather short petioles, which are jointed on the branch ; hence the leaves readily fall off in drying; they are cordato-ovate, acute, glossy, reticulated, palish-green. Flowers pure white, or, in bud, greenish-white, arranged m spikes which are solitary and terminal on a main branch, or on short side-branches. Perianth urceolate, fleshy, four-toothed. Stamens included : longer filaments arising from a scale : anthers subglobose. Pisti/ included. Ovary ovate, densely silky. Sty/e shorter than the ovary. Stigma obtuse. The fruit is a smooth, oval drupe. W. J. H. 3 i Curr. In the second edition of the ‘ Hortus Kewensis’ it is Stated that the Lace-Bark tree was introduced to this garden by Rear-Admiral William Bligh in 1793; but it appears to have been soon lost, and it had been a desideratum in the garden for . many years.. Our present plants were received in 1844, and were then only four inches high. For our guidance in their cultivation, Mr. Wilson informed us that “it is invariably found growing in very dry situations on marly limestone hills, where there is not a particle of earth to be seen. The young plants grow in the crevices, or honeycomb, as it is called, and in order to obtain them with roots, a hammer or large stone is required to break away the porous limestone.” He further adds, that “the soil for growing it in should be composed of one-third marl or lime-rubbish ; for I am persuaded that pure loam will kill them.”” We are always most desirous to pay attention to information as regards the native habitats of plants; but in cases like the present we have found that, when too strictly adhered to, successful cultivation does not always follow. In our experience, we have never found any plant thrive by re- taining it in its native soil, or in soil too closely resembling it. If we could also imitate all the various influences of climate that modify and control the growth of plants in their native localities, it might then be proper for us to cultivate the Lace-Bark tree in marly soil, like limestone ; but our plants afford evidence that such soil is not required when they are grown in an arti- ficially heated atmosphere. We have used good yellow loam, mixed with a little leaf-mould and sand. In this they have attained the height of eight feet, and continue in a perfectly healthy state. In their native place the leaves are deciduous, falling off in the dry season. But the health of a general collec- tion of tropical plants, grown in a hothouse,*will not allow us to put them under the influence of their xatural dry season: we therefore find that some individuals change their habit,and become evergreens. his has been the case with the Lagetta plants ; and it is probably to an accidental circumstance that we owe the present production of flowers. One of the plants appeared to have received some check, which caused it to shed its leaves : the consequence was, that just before the unfolding of the young foliage, it produced its flowers. Like many of the Thymelacea, the Lace-Bark tree is difficult to propagate. We have never suc- ceeded by planting cuttings, nor by grafting it on species of allied genera ; but we now have hopes of propagating it by es Fig. 1. Flower. 2. The same laid open. 3. Section of the ovary —magni- Jed. 4, Pistil :—natural size. ; : 45038. R.B.& Rimp- Fitch del et ith. Tas. 4503. AESCHYNANTHUS. Javanicus. Java Aischynanthus. Nat. Ord. CyrranpRacE®.—DrIpYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tan. 4236.) AiscHynantuus Javanicus; scandens, foliis (parvis) ovatis coriaceo-carnosis immerse venosis obscure angulato-dentatis, corymbis terminalibus brac- teatis, calyce cylindraceo pedicellisque pubescentibus segmentis ovatis patentibus, corolla pubescente calyce triplo longiore, limbi lobis patentibus, staminibus exsertis. AEscHYNANTHUS Javanicus. Hort. Rollinson. Messrs. Rollinson, of the Tooting Nursery, obligingly sent us the accompanying very handsome Mschynanthus, under the name of @. Javanicus, received by them, we presume, from their Collector in Java. At first sight it bore so much resem- blance to the Z. pulcher, De Cand.,.figured at our Tab. 4264, that I was disposed to consider it a variety ; but as that happened to be in flower at the same time in the stove of the Royal Gardens, the differences were found to be too striking to allow it to be other than a good species. The plant is more compact, the leaves smaller, the flowers all over downy, as well as the pedicels, the calyx truly cylindrical (not swollen below), the limb spreading, the corolla more slender and graceful, the Stamens exserted. Descr. A scandent, yet compact-growing, soft-stemmed shrub, much branched and rooting from beneath the petioles. Stems terete ; the younger ones green and succulent. Leaves opposite, ovate or oval, sometimes approaching to oblong, between coria- ceous and fleshy, obscurely angulato-dentate, penninerved, the herves sunk in the substance of the leaf. Corymbs terminal, of many, large, handsome, richly-coloured flowers. Pedicels downy, bracteated, bracteas ovate or cordate, unequal. Calyx ample, greatly wider than the tube of the corolla it includes, downy, MARCH Ist, 1850. ‘ dark-green, red-brown above; the ¢wée cylindrical, faintly stri- ated, the five lobes of the /imé spreading horizontally. Corolla bright red, about thrice the length of the limb, the tube slender, infundibuliform, downy, laterally compressed, with a prominence under the throat: mouth oblique, imdb of four nearly equal, spreading, large, ovate /obes, the upper one notched, the rest entire and streaked and blotched with yellow. Stamens all ex- serted, especially the upper ones. Ovary very long, slender, its pedunculiform base downy and inserted into a five-lobed cup- shaped annulus. Style continuous from the ovary : stigma ob- lique, a depressed head. W. J. H. Cutt. Belonging to a genus of East Indian plants charac- terized by a trailing, or somewhat scandent, epiphytal habit, and analogous to Nematanthus and Alloplectus of tropical America, this plant requires the same kind of treatment, and they may be properly associated with tropical Orchides. It is a trailing species, of neat habit, and may either be grown in a pot or basket suspended from the roof of the house, or placed on an elevated position formed of any convenient material, such as rude bricks or garden pottery, covered with sods of turfy peat. By introducing a few small-growing ferns, or Lycopodia, the whole will soon assume a natural appearance. During summer the plant requires to be freely supplied with water; and if placed in a position exposed to the midday sun, it should be shaded. In the winter months water must be sparingly given. J.S. 32. Fig. 1. Corolla :—natural size. 2. Pistil :—magnified. 4504. Fitch, del et Lith Tas. 4504. GESNERIA SgrEMANNI. ie Mr. Seemann’s Gesneria. Nat. Ord. GesNERIACE®.—DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA, Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4217.) GESNERIA Seemanni; elata hirsuta herbacea, foliis oppositis ternatisve sublonge petiolatis late ovatis obovatisve acutis grosse serratis, superioribus multo minoribus magis acuminatis omnibus basi obtusis, pedunculis unifloris fasciculatis ad axillas foliorum supremorum verticillatis petiolo longioribus in racemum longum terminalem dispositis, corolla villosissime lateritie tubo brevi-cylindraceo, limbi glanduloso-hirsuti equalis patentissimi lobis patentibus subrotundatis maculatis, staminibus styloque inclusis, ovario hirsutissimo, glandulis hypogynis 4—5 latis, unico bifido. A very handsome copious-flowering and _bright-coloured species of Gesneria, quite new, as far as I can find: but approaching nearest 1o G. longifolia, Lind. Bot. Reg. 1842, tab. 40, but differing much in the form of the leaves, and in the limb of the corolla. It was discovered by Mr. Seemann, at Panama, and I have thought it rving of bearing the name of its discoverer, who sent roots to the R oyal Gardens of Kew, in 1848. ‘The flowering plants were produced in October 1549. Descr. Roots tuberous, I believe, but these I had not the opportunity of inspecting. Stem two feet or more high, simple, rather stout below, nearly terete, villous with spreading hairs, as is almost every part of the plant. Leaves opposite and ter- nate, the lower ones large, broadly ovate or subobovate, on rather long petioles, coarsely serrate, acute, rather than acumi- nate; upper ones gradually. smaller and more tapering to a point, all obtuse at the base. From the whorls of the upper floral leaves, the hairy peduncles appear fasciculato-verticillate, longer than the petioles, and the uppermost ones longer even than the leaves, single-flowered. Calya shallow, cup-shaped, with five nearly regular, acute, spreading lobes. Corolla very villous, bright ‘brick-red, a little inclining to orange. Tide APRIL 1srt, 1850. B2 + nearly cylindrical, short, tapering, orange at the base: the /imdé of five nearly equal, rounded segments, spotted with deeper red, and clothed with glandular hairs. Stamens and style included. Ovary roundish-ovate, very villous, having at the base four con- spicuous, hypogynous, broad glands, of which one is bifid. W.J.H. Curr. About seventy species of this genus are now described. They are all natives of tropical America and the adjacent islands, and, being highly ornamental plants, a considerable number of them have been introduced. They may be characterized as being (chiefly) herbaceous plants, producing their showy flowers on a soft, leafy stem, that rises from a rhizome, which is either in the form of a thick, fleshy, round tuber, or it consists of a number of fleshy scales, compactly seated on an elongating axis, and, therefore, analogous to an under-ground surculose stem. The rhizome of the species now figured belongs to the latter form, - resembling that of Gloxinia and Achimenes, and requiring the same kind of treatment. It will thrive in a mixture of light loam and leaf-mould; and, in order to start the roots, they should be placed in bottom-heat in a warm stove, taking care ~ not to give much water till after they have made some progress in growth. If during the summer they happen to be placed in a position fully exposed to the south, they will require to be shaded during the middle of the day. /. 8. Fig. 1. Pistil of G. longiflora (to show the difference in the hypogynous glands from G@. Seemanni). 2.Ovary and hypogynous glands of G. Seemanni :— magnified. v; Fitch del et lith. R.B. & R-imp- Tas. 4505. TUPA cCRASSICAULIS. Thick-stemmed Tupa. Nat. Ord. Lopetiac#.—PENTANDRIA MonoGynia. Gen. Char. Cal. 5-lobus, tubo hemispheerico vel globoso. Corolla persistens, 1-labiata, dorso longitudinaliter fissa, deflexa, plana vel concava, e petalis 5, imeequaliter connatis, apice diu coherentibus constans, Jodis 3, centralibus seu inferioribus magis connatis, lateralibus plus minusve divergentibus nunquam erectis, omnibus quandoquidem sub finem florationis segregatis. Stamina 5, connata ; antheris omnibus vel 2 inferioribus apice barbatis, caterum glabris aut pilosis. Capsula infera, rarius superne libera, bivalvis.—Herbee e/ate v. suffruti- ces, caule simplici, foliis alternis sape lanceolatis medio approximatis, racemo folioso elongato multifloro. Flores sepius purpurei, raro coccinei, flavi, aut vires- centes. Succus lacteus acris in tota planta. De Cand. Tupa erassicaulis; caule suffruticoso erecto simplici crasso foliis delapsis cica- tricato cano-pubescente, foliis densis in apicibus caulis patentibus reflexis lanceolatis seu lato-lanceolatis acutis basi in petiolum brevem attenuatis serratis reticulatim venosis supra viridibus molliter pubescentibus subtus cano-tomentosis, pedunculis axillaribus solitariis unifloris folio multoties brevioribus, calycis tubo hemispheerico, limbi laciniis patentibus acuminatis, corolle flavo-aurantiacee (demum coccinez) tubo lateraliter compresso, limbi bilabiati labio superiore bifido laciniis erectis, inferiore reflexo trifido. SypHocamPyYLos canus; Hort. Belg. (not Pohl.) We have before had occasion (as have other authors) to com- plain of the careless manner in which plants are named that are sent from the continental nurserymen, and more so than of any others in the,case of some of our Belgian correspondents. The Royal Gardens received. the present plant from Mr. Makoy of Liége, without any mention of its native country, under the name of Syphocampylos canus; a species of Brazil, and which inno particular corresponds with the present plant. We doubt if it can be referred to any described species of the genus. It appears, however, to agree better with Zupa than with Syphocampylos, it the genera be really well founded. It flowers in the greenhouse in the summer and autumn. i. Descr. Our plants are nearly three feet high, and exhibit a | APRIL Ist, 1850. stout but woolly or cobwebby stem, leafy at the top, something after the manner of the Daphne Laureola. Leaves soft, four to six inches long, patent or deflexed, lanceolate or broad-lanceolate, . acute, serrated, tapering at the base into a short footstalk, dark green and slightly downy above, tomentose and hoary beneath. Peduncles axillary, solitary, one to two inches long, woolly. Calyx woolly: tube semiglobose, five-angled; the /imé of five acuminated spreading segments. Corolla yellowish or greenish- red, at length quite red: tude two inches long, nearly straight, laterally compressed; dims two-lipped, Zips long, superior one inclined upwards, bifid, segments linear acuminate; /ower lip deflexed, trifid, segment linear-lanceolate. Anthers shorter than the upper lip, all hairy at the apex. Stigma two-lipped. W. J. H. © Cuur. This is a soft-wooded, suffruticose shrub, of an erect, stiff habit, becoming naked below. It requires to be placed during winter in a temperature that, on an average, need not exceed 55°; and, on account of its soft, tomentose nature, the hygrometric state of the atmosphere should be kept rather dry. In spring it should be repotted, first divesting the ball of a portion of its old soil, and then planting in a fresh mixture of light loam and sandy peat. Care must be taken that the pot be well drained, and that at no time the mould be allowed to re- main long saturated ; for in plants of this nature, if kept too wet, the woody parts of the roots near the surface are liable to be destroyed, while the appearance of the plant, above ground, continues for a time in a healthy state. During the summer it may be placed in the greenhouse. We have not yet had sufli- cient experience respecting it, yet we believe that it would grow vigorously if planted about May in a warm border ; but as it is a late flowering plant it would be necessary to take it up and repot it, and place it under protection in time to save it from being injured by the autumn frosts. It is readily increased by cuttings, put under a bell-glass and treated in the usual way. JS. 43506. RB. & Ramp Fitch del et lith. Tas. 4506. FUCHSIA sBaciuaris. Red-branched Fuchsia. Nat. Ord. ONAGRARIEZ.—OcTANDRIA MOoNoGYNIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4082.) Fucusta bacillaris ; ramulis glabris, foliis ovatis v. ovato-lanceolatis denticulatis deciduis glabris, pedunculis axillaribus subtrifloris folio longioribus, calycis tubo cylindraceo, laciniis ovatis acuminatis petala obcordata patentia api- culata subeequantibus, staminibus subinclusis, stylo exserto, stigmate glo- boso 4-dentato, fructu subgloboso. Fucusta bacillaris. Lindl. Bot. Reg. ¢. 1480. A native of Mexico, and, as may be expected, a greenhouse plant. It has been for some time cultivated at Kew. Our specimen here figured was communicated by Mr. Veitch from his rich garden at Exeter, and is really a pretty thing when well cultivated. It flowers during the summer months. Descr. A low deciduous shrub: the. branches with reddish bark ; younger twigs green. Leaves. opposite or ternate, lanceo- late or ovato-lanceolate, entire or denticulato-serrate, small, nearly sessile, penninerved. Peduncles axillary, from one- to three- flowered. Flowers on slender, drooping pedicels, springing from the copious upper and younger branchlets, and thus forming a rather large, leafy ¢hyrsus or compact panicle. Ovary glabrous (as is every part of the plant), red, globose. Calya also deep red: its tube cylindrical, contracted where it unites with the ovary, and spreading upwards into four ovato-acuminate seg- ments. Petals deep rose, subobcordate, spreading, nerved, bearing a blunt mucro at the retuse apex. Stamens eight ; four nearly equal with the throat of the flower, four others more exserted. Style much exserted, longer than the longest stamens. Stigma globose, four-cleft. W. J. H. Cunt. This very distinct species of Fuchsia is, like the rest of the genus, of very easy cultivation. It requires to be protected during winter by keeping it in a cool pit or house. Established APRIL Ist, 1850. plants may be safely placed under the stages of the greenhouse, or in other such place, provided the plants are kept dry, and the place sufficiently cool to prevent them from beginning to grow before sprmg. They must then be taken out of the pots, the roots divested of part of the old soil, repotted in a mixture of light loam and leaf-mould, and then be placed so as to receive the necessary stimulants for bringing them into a flowering state. As they advance in growth and begin to show flower, they may be removed into the greenhouse. In summer the plants thrive if set in an open border, along with other Fuchsias and such like summer plants. They are readily propagated by cuttings. J. 8. ? Fig. 1. Flower :—magnified. 4567. a ae Tas. 4507. ANIGOZANTHOS tyriantTuIna. Tyrian-purple-flowered Anigozanthos. Nat. Ord. Hamoporace™.—HeExanpria MoNnoGyNIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4180.) ANIGOZANTHOS tyrianthina; caule elato tereti dichotome paniculato superne purpureo cano-tomentoso, foliis plerisque radicalibus lineari-acuminatis rigidis striatis rectis glaberrimis marginibus serrulato-scaberrimis, spicis paniculatis secundifloris bracteolatis, pedunculis pedicellis perianthiisque externe tomento denso tyrianthino tectis, perianthii (intus glabriusculi straminei) laciniis lanceolato-acuminatis tubo curvato brevioribus, stami- num mes | ayer brevioribus, antheris exappendiculatis. » many fine things discovered by Mr. Drummond during his excursions in the interior to the south-west of the e. Swan-river settlement. He could not fail to be struck with the . Ree magnificence of this plant, three or four and more feet high, o growing in masses, and bearing paniculated branches and co- pious flowers clothed with dense tomentum of the richest Tyrian purple. Seeds have been sent home, but they have not yet germinated. Happily, however, as stated on a former occasion, the well-dried specimens of the species of this genus retain their form and colour almost equally with the living plant, and we are hence able to present an accurate figure to our readers. Its nearest affinity is perhaps with the 4. fuliginosa, Bot. Mag. t.4291; but the flowers are very different in shape as well as in colour. Descr. From a short, thick, woody caudex descend numerous woolly fibres, which penetrate apparently in a very sandy soil. Stem, or, as some might call it, /eafy scape, erect, three to five feet high, terete below, simple and hoary with downy tomentum, above dichotomously branched or paniculated, and clothed with dense purple wool. Leaves, those springing from the root, a foot long, linear, slightly channelled, rigid, striated, equitant APRIL Ist, 1850. on aes ee at the base, erect, acuminated, pale green, the edges very sca- brous with minute teeth or serratures. eaves, of the stem, generally at the setting on of a branch, shorter and smaller, gradually passing upwards into dracteas. Flowers copious upon the terminal branches, pedicellate, arranged in secund, close spikes, and externally, as well as the pedicels and peduncles, clothed with a dense wool of the richest tyrianthine purple. Tube of the perianth rather long, curved, swollen at the base where the ovary is: the segments much shorter than the tube, but longer than the stamens. Within, the flower is nearly glabrous and straw-coloured. Anthers muticous. W. J. H. Curr. This belongs to a genus of Australian plants, similar in habit to the common Flower-de-Luce. It has narrow, sword- shaped leaves, that rise from a thick fleshy rhizome, which in- creases by lateral offsets, and in time becomes a crowded, cespi- tose mass; the flowers are produced in a kind of corymb, on a naked, generally erect flower-stalk, rising above the leaves, which, on account of their permanent nature, may be termed ever- green. Several species of the genus have been long known to us as garden plants. They are of a robust nature, requiring protection during winter, but will flower in the open air during summer, at which time they require a liberal supply of water. On account of their dense habit of growth “it is advisable to divide the mass, and select the young and most vigorous plants for repotting, which should be done in autumn or early in spring. The soil in which they are planted is not important, any kind of light loam suiting them. As the species now figured is not, to our knowledge, yet introduced into this country, we can only infer that a similar treatment will be suitable. /. 8. Fitch del et lith. 4508. LB. & R.imp Tas. 4508. PACHIRA aALBa. White-lowered Pachira. Nat. Ord. Bompacn®.—MonaDELPHIA PoLYANDRIA. Gen. Char. Pacutra, 4ubl. (CARoLINEA, Linn. fil.) Calyx nudus, subtrun- catus, persistens. Petala 5, oblonga, longissima. Stamina basi monadelpha, superne in adelphias plures dodecandras fasciculata. Stylus longissimus. Stig- mata 5. Capsula lignosa, multivalvis, 1-locularis, polysperma. Semina nec gossypio nec farina induta, arillo carnoso forsan cincta.—Folia palmatim com- posita. De Cand. (under Carolinea). Pacrara alba; arborea inermis, foliis deciduis septenatis, foliolis petiolulatis elliptico-lanceolatis acutis glabris, corolla extus pilis fasciculatis tomentosa, tubo staminifero apice lobato, filamentis dichotomis. Pacutra alba. Walp. Repert. Bot. v. 1. p. 329. CAROLINEA alba. odd. Bot. Cab. t. 152. Hook. Exot. Flora, cum Ie. This constitutes a small tree, branching chiefly at the top, a native of Brazil, flowering in our stove in the winter months, and unfortunately at a season when no leaves appear. The trunk is unarmed, clothed with ashy-green bark. The flowers are large, and exhale a slight fragrance. We retain the name Pachira as the oldest, and unobjectionable. The Pachira tomentosa, Mart. Nov. Gen. et Sp. Bras. v. 1. p. 84. t. 56, comes very near this, especially in the flowers ; but the leaflets of the leaves are much broader and very tomentose. Drscr. Stem erect, with us twenty-two or twenty-three feet high, branched and leafy at the top. Leaves on long footstalks, septenate, /eaves petiolulate, elliptical-lanceolate, glabrous. Flowers solitary from the naked branches. Peduncles stout, bracteated when young. Calyx _ nearly subhemispherical-globose, dark green, the limb a little contracted, and entire. Petals five, large, lingulate, obtuse, leathery, cream-white within and gla- brous; outside fuscous and clothed with a fasciculated, dense, compact down, soon reflexed. Stamens monadelphous. — Fila- ments very long, spreading, forked, and all springing from a APRIL Ist, 1850. cylindrical tube, which includes the ovary and part of the style. Anthers kidney-shaped, one-celled, opening vertically. Ovary ovate, five-ribbed. Sty/e longer than the dense mass of stamens, rather short, red upwards. Stigma obsoletely five-lobed. W..7.H. Cur. This is one of the magnificent Silk-cotton trees of Brazil, but without the brilliant-coloured flowers of some allied species. ‘The plant from which the drawing was made is a very old inhabitant of this garden, having for many years shown itself conspicuously in the great old hothouse, where, on account of its strong tendency to grow upwards, it was necessary to cut it back every year to prevent its branches growing through the glazed roof. It is now removed to the palm-house, where it will have ample room for some years to come. Being a rude and fast grower, it requires no particular treatment. It is a deciduous tree, losing its leaves during the winter, and pro- ducing its flowers in the spring just before the expansion of the new leaves. It can be increased by cuttings of ripened wood, placed under a bell-glass and plunged in bottom-heat, care being taken that they are not kept too wet, for, being thick and some- what soft-wooded, they are liable to rot. J. S. ‘ Fig. 1. Section of a portion of a flower, showing the staminal tube, &c. :— natural size. Ms, 7 AY Hy Uf R.B.& R. imp. ES eS — >" a ¢ meets TAR, 4509. RHODOLEIA CHAMPIONI. Capt. Champion's Rhodoleia. Nat. Ord. HAMAMELIDE®.—DEcANDRIA DIGYNTA. Gen. Char. Ruopo.eta, Champion, MS. Calyx minutus, truncatus, cum basi ovarii adnatus, demum accrescens, persistens. Corolla nulla. Stamina 10, libera, calyci inserta ? Ovarium basi pluriglandulosum, biloculare, pluriovula- tum. Styli duo, longissimi, decidui. Stigma obtusum. Capsula bilocularis, loculis polyspermis. Semina oblique subtriangularia, compressa,—Arbor humilis Chinensis. Folia alterna, sempervirentia, elliptico-ovata, obtusa, petiolata. Flores capitati, in singulo capitelo 5, basi coadunati, involucro duplici florem perpulchrum emulante circumdati : ext. e foliolis imbricatis sericeis fuscis : int. e foliolis nume- rosis coloratis (roseis). Fructus compositus e capsulis 5, radiatim dispositi. RHODOLEIA Championi. Ruoporsta. Champ. MS. with a drawing. China has already afforded many beautiful plants to the gardens of the curious in Europe, and our present relationship with the Celestial Empire will doubtless be the means of the introduction of many more. We have lately been gratified by receiving from Hong-Kong, both from Captain Champion and Mr. Braine, seeds, and, from the former gentleman, a dried flower and leaf, together with a drawing by a Chinese artist, of a perfectly new and most beautiful plant, which, after as accurate an inspection as our materials will allow, we do not hesitate to refer to Hamamelidee. All we know (and we desire to apologize for the deficiencies) we lay before the public as speedily as possible. Better specimens will doubtless, by and by, reach us ; and, though our seeds have not yet germinated, we do not yet despair of them. Captain Champion, writing from Hong- Kong, December 1849, says, “This is admitted by all here to be the handsomest of Hong-Kong flowering trees, and new to Europeans till I discovered it in February last. It is a small tree, but would probably, like the Camellia, blossom as a shrub profusely, each branch bearing six to eight flowers. Flowers (capitula) at its extremity ; and these two inches and a half in APRIL Ist, 1850. diameter. Sepals (leaflets of outer involucre) about twelve. Petals (leaflets of inner involucre) rose-coloured, about eighteen. Stamens thirty to. forty (probably fifty in each head, Ep.). Fruit of five radiating capsules; each about the size of a small hazel-nut, birostrate, two-celled, many-seeded : in the young state crowned by two long filiform styles. Leaves long, petiolated, bright green, glaucous beneath. /owers in February, and the fruit only attains its full size and ripens in September, splitting when ripe from the apex downwards.—Conditions of growth exactly those of Camellia Japonica, I should say ; and the tree of about the same degree of hardihood: the young trees Mr. Braine has transported thrive very well. There was a tree of Camellia Japonica in flower in the same wood, also C. oleifera, and another probably new species, together with Dr. Siebold’s Benthamia, a new and very fine Perguluria, an Ornus, six or seven Oaks, a Chestnut, a Liquidambar, and other rare trees.” The opinion of my valued friend Mr. Bentham on my im- perfect materials, is worth recording. “Your plant,” he says, “is allied to Altingia (or the Javanese Liguidambar), and Sedg- wickia. Sedgwickia is described as exinvoluerate, and in my specimens there is no appearance of there having been any in- volucre ; but the young shoots issue from buds covered with . Inbricate scales, of which the inner ones are larger and more coloured than the outer ones ; and one of my heads of fruit pro- ceeds from one of those sets of scales, without any leaves inter- vening, so that the scales form almost an involucre. The true American Liguidambar is also without involucre ; but the Ja- vanese one is described as having a deciduous one, and probably Altingia, Liquidambar, and Sedgwickia will be found to be three distinct genera—all apetalous and with an almost obsolete calyx, all pleiandrous, bicarpellary, distylous, pluriovulate :—and in all these characters, as well as in the capitate inflorescence and concrete capsules opening at the apex, your new genus agrees with them. But fa whorled, all of them impari-pmnate, with from four to six pair of opposite, ovate, acuminate, coarsely serrated, glabrous, sessile leaflets. Panicle terminal, corymbose, with numerous large flowers. Calyx green, tipped with red, spathaceous, subcylin- drical, close-pressed to the tube of the calyx, split open more than half-way down on one side, striated, with several dark- coloured glands near thes base, irregularly toothed at the apex : teeth small, three to five. Corolla campanulato-infundibuliform, white, delicately spotted and streaked with rose ; tube widening upwards : limb obscurely two-lipped ; upper lip of two rounded lobes ; lower of three similar ones, but, larger and more spread- ing; all slightly waved. Stamens four with rudiment of fifth. Style included. Anthers oval. Ovary cylindrical, narrow, arising from a five-lobed gland or disk. Style geniculated on the ovary. Stigma bilamellate. W. J. H. Cuxr. This is a tropical tree of robust growth, requiring the temperature of the stove, and growing freely in light loam. It is propagated by cuttings planted under a bell-glass in white sand, and plunged in bottom-heat. /. 8. Fig. 1. Calyx and pistil. 2. Stamens. 3. Pistil and glandular disk :— magnified. ; Frederic Reeve, imp. iparnenaanatany Meee ST ECT ET Ay PE a. ey SEW 2 Oa Tas. 4538. STYLIDIUM MUCRONIFOLIUM. Bristle-pointed Stylidium. ‘Nat. Ord. StyLipIE#.—GYNANDRIA DIANDRIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4529.) Srytip1um (§ Nitrangium) mucronifolium ; caulibus brevibus inferne ramosis, foliis glabris lineari-subulatis setaceo-mucronatis, scapis vel pedunculis terminalibus nudis superne paniculaque glanduloso-pilosis, corollis luteis aurantiaco-pictis, labello utrinque appendiculato, ovario cylindraceo-elongato. Sryzrprum mucronifolium. Sond. in Plant. Preiss. v. 1. p. 383. Raised by Messrs. Lucombe and Pince, from Swan River seeds, and communicated to us by that firm under the name here adopted, and by which is doubtless intended the plant so called by Sonder, with which, however, it does not wholly agree, for neither is the labellum in our plant “inappendiculate,” nor can the leaves be said to be “radical.” The first character is, indeed, easily overlooked in the dried plant, from which Sonder was likely to have drawn up his description ; and with regard to the latter, tufted rosules of apparently radical leaves do, in several Stylidia, elongate into real leafy stems or branches. Again, the nearest natural allies of our plant are unquestionably S. ciliatum, Lindl. (Bot. Mag. t. 3883), and 8. saxifragoides, Lindl. (Bot. Mag. t. 4529); but Sonder has separated them by nearly thirty species ; the two just mentioned belonging to the section Tolypangium, Endl., our present plant to the § Nitran- gium, Endl.:—two groups only distinguishable by the more or less elongated ovary or capsule—assuredly a very artificial cha- racter. Our species is very pretty and produces its copious bright tufts of flowers in August. Descr. Roots wiry, brown. Stems in our plant tufted, two to three inches long, copiously leafy. Zeaves glabrous, patent, — linear-subulate, broader at the base, tipped at the point with a setaceous mucro. Peduacles, rather than scapes, terminal, soli- tary on each branch, a span high, above, and the pedicels - OCTOBER Ist, 1850. and calyx clothed with slender hairs tipped with glands, so delicate as to be scarcely visible to the naked eye. Panicle subrotund or oval, many-flowered, rather compact. Corolla rather bright yellow, with zigzag orange lines round the mouth. Ovary or capsule much elongated, slender, cylindrical. W. J. H. Cuxr. The present species of Sty/idium, being analogous in habit to S. saxifragoides, figured at Tab. 4529, requires the same treat- ment as there mentioned. In summer these small weak plants should be placed in a situation where they may be maintained in a moderately moist state, without having daily recourse to the water-pot; and in winter they should be placed in a dry airy place, taking care in damp weather that no water lodges amongst the fascicles of leaves, for when this happens the plant is liable to be destroyed. J. 8. . | Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Front view of do. 3. Leaf :—magnified. Fitch del et ith. Frederic Reeve, =P: PNM Tas. 4539. GORDONIA Javanica. Javanese Entire-leaved Gordonia. Nat. Ord. TeRNSTR@MIACEX.—POLYANDRIA MoNOGYNIA. Gen. Char. Calyx persistens, nudus v. decidue bracteolatus, pentaphyllus, foliolis imbricatis, rotundatis, concavis, subzequalibus. Corolle petala 5, hypo- gyna, calycis foliolis alterna, basi subcoalita, obovata v. obcordata, wstivatione imbricata. Stamina plurima, hypogyna, pluriseriata, petalorum basibus adhe- rentia ; filamenta filiformia, libera v. inferne in fasciculos quinque subcoalita, anther introrse, biloculares, oblonge, basi v. supra basim aflixe, erecte v. versatiles, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Ovarium liberum, quadri-quinquelocu- lare. Ovula in loculis 3-5, angulo centrali biseriatim inserta, pendula. Stylus simplex, stigma quinquefidum. Capsula ovoidea v. subglobosa, quadri-quinque- locularis, loculicide quadri-quinquevalvis, valvis lignosis, medio septa inferne column seminiferee abbreviate cohzrentia gerentibus. Semina in loculis 2-4, compressa, biseriatim pendula, imbricata, superne in alam membranaceam, ob- longam, obtusam producta. Embryo exalbuminosus, rectus ; cotyledonibus ovatis, longitudinaliter plicatis ; radicula brevi, supera.—Frutices in Americe borealis et Asie tropice et subtropice alpibus indigent ; foliis alternis, breve petiolatis, coria- ceis, integerrimis v. crenatis ; pedunculis axillaribus, solitariis, unifloris. Endl. Gorponia Javanica; foliis breviter petiolatis oblongo-lanceolatis acuminatis glabris integerrimis penninerviis, pedunculis solitariis axillaribus unifloris folio brevioribus sub calycem bi-tri-deciduo-bracteato, bracteis spathulatis, calycis sepalis ovali-ellipticis concavis parce hirsutis, ovario hirsuto 5-locu- lari, stigmatis lobis rotundatis subfoliaceis, capsula pisiformi semi-5-valvi. Gorponta Javanica. Hort. Rollison. Our Garden is indebted to Messrs. Rollison, of Tooting, for the plant of which a specimen is here figured ; and, not being able to discover any published species to which it can be re- ferred, we retain Messrs. Rollison’s name. It was discovered by their collector in Java, probably in the mountains; and has much the general habit of Thea or Camellia, when its blossoms appear, in August and September. Descr. Our plant is about two feet high, branched, and generally glabrous. Branches terete. Leaves alternate, ellip- tical-lanceolate, coriaceous, evergreen, acuminated, entire, pemni- nerved, below tapering into a short petiole. Peduncles solitary, axillary, single-flowered, from the base of most of the upper OCTOBER Ist, 1850. leaves, and shorter than the leaves, erect, bearing two or three deciduous, spathulate, green bracteas below the calyx. Calyx of five very concave, rotundato-elliptical, erect, slightly hairy sepals. Petals five, obovate, white, spreading, obliquely twisted. Stamens very numerous. Ovary globose, obscurely five-lobed, five-celled, hairy. Style columnar. Stigma peltate, of five, large, rounded, somewhat leafy, rays or lobes, the centre umbilicated. Fruit the size of a large garden-pea, globose, depressed at the top, half five-valved, woody. W. J. . Cunr. A neat evergreen tea-like shrub, a native of Java, which flowers freely when of small size. Not being aware of its locality, we have treated it as a stove plant; but, judging from the nature of many of its allies, we may be right in presuming that it is from an elevated and temperate region, and if so, it would probably succeed in a warm greenhouse. It grows readily in loam and peat or leaf-mould, and is easily increased by cuttings. J. 8. Fig. 1. Calyx and pistil. 2. Pistil. 3. Section of the ovary :—magnified. 45 Frederic Reeve, MP: Tas. 4540. PITCAIRNIA Jacksont. Mr. Jackson's Piteairnia. Nat. Ord. BRoMELIACER.—HEXANDRIA Monoaynia. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4241.) PircatRNia Jacksoni ; foliis subulato-ensiformibus carinatis subtus albo-furfu- raceis supra medium spinoso-serratis, scapo simplici, pedicellis patentibus calycibusque farinosis, sepalis obtusis, corollee curvate petalis lineari- oblongis subtortis longitudine staminum intus ‘squamosis squama bifida _ serrata, stigmatibus ciliatis. This very handsome Pitearrnia was flowered by Mr. Jackson, . the eminent nurseryman of Kingston, Surrey, who imported it in a very young state, among tufts of Orchideous plants from Guatemala. Its nearest affinity is probably with P. bromelia- folia (Bot. Mag. t. 824, where the differences will be at once apparent) and equally belongs to the division “petalis basi squama instructis.” Among them we find no species with which this accords, and hence we name it in compliment to Mr. Jackson. It is, as may be presumed, a stove-plant, and flowers in the summer months, making a striking appearance ~ with its copious large scarlet flowers. Descr. Root of many tufted fibres. Plant throwing up many suckers from the base. Leaves a foot and more long, subulato-ensiform, striated, attenuated above and below, upper half only spinuloso-serrated, the rest entire, above dark green and naked, below clothed with a whitish floccose or pulverulent substance. Scape leafy below, pulverulent, bearing an erect raceme of handsome scarlet flowers. Pedicels bracteated, ‘stand- ing out almost horizontally and, as well as the calyx, pulverulent. Calye of three, imbricated, erect sepals, about three-quarters of an inch long, red with a yellowish margin. Corolla scarlet, nearly three inches long, curved. Petals \inear-oblong, not at all spreading, slightly spirally twisted: near the base within is a conspicuous, membranous, two-lobed scale, the lobes slightly serrated. Stamens as long as the petals. Ovary glabrous, OCTOBER IsT, 1850. oblong-ovate: style rather longer than the stamens: stigmas three, ciliated. W. J. H. Cutt. Tropical America and the West Indian islands are the native places of the genus Pitcairnia. They generally inhabit dry places, where there is little or no soil. They increase by suckers, and ultimately become dense ceespitose tufts, sometimes found growing on trees. They appear able to bear a great: degree of heat and drought, but in a state of cultivation they improve in appearance by allowing thema due share of moisture. ‘This pretty species has flowered in the Orchid-house, under the influence of a moist and warm atmosphere, in which it appears to thrive. A soil composed of light loam and peat suits it. It is increased by taking off the young suckers, which root freely without the aid of a bell-glass. /. 8, Fig. 1. Pistil. 2. Base of a petal :—magnified. f E : ee F 2 ra Tas. 4541. CALANTHE Masvca. Purple-flowered Calanthe. i ee Nat. Ord. OncHIDEH.—GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. Gen. Char. Perianthium explanatum, liberum, v. sepalis lateralibus labello paullulum adnatis, subequale. Zadellum cum columna connatum, lobatum v. integrum, calearatum v. muticum, disco lamellatum v. tuberculatum. Col/umna brevis, rostello seepius rostrato. Pollinia 8, basi valde attenuata, quaternatim glandule bipartibili adherentia.—Terrestres : scapis erectis multifloris. Folia lata, plicata. Flores albi, aut lilacini, raro lutei. Lindl. CaLantuEe Masuca; scapo erecto, foliis latis oblongis petiolatis acuminatis longiore, racemis multifloris, labello tripartito basi tuberculis seriatis 5- cristato, seriebus intermediis elevatioribus, laciniis lateralibus linearibus subfalcatis intermedia cuneata emarginata in unguem linearem laciniis lateralibus eequalem angustata, caleare longissimo falcato clavato, columna brevi obliqua antice bifoveata, ovario pubescente. Lindl. CaLantur Masuca. Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orchid. p. 249. Bot. Reg. 1842. Mise. p.51. 2. 51. Buietra Masuca. Don, Prodr. Amstyoaiortis veratrifolia. Blume, Bijdr. p. 370 ? Native of India ;—according to Dr. Lindley, of Nepal, Ben- gal, Ceylon, and probably Java.” It blossomed in 1842 with Messrs. Rollisons, at Tooting, but, though a handsome and really striking plant, it had never been figured. Our fine tuft of the plant at Kew, which blossomed in July and August, was derived from Mr. Clowes’ collections. Descr. Terrestrial. Zeaves large, herbaceous, oblong-lanceo- late, tapering below, acuminated at the apex, plaited and striated. Scape erect, a foot and a balf high, generally shorter than the leaves, terete, glabrous, terminated, by a many-flowered raceme with handsome purple flowers. Bracteas large, subulato-lan- ceolate, membranaceous: the upper ones coloured. Sepals and petals similar, oblong, acuminate, spreading. Tip tn- partite, deep purple: lateral lobes linear-oblong, subfalcate, intermediate one broadly subcuneate : the base of the lip delow extends into a very long narrow spwr, furrowed on one side and OCTOBER Ist, 1859. bifid at the point : the base of the lip above on the disc bears a five-crested tubercle, the crests transversely furrowed. Column very short. Anther sunk into a deep hollow of the column. Pollen-masses eight, in two rows, much attenuated at the base. W. J. H. Cur. This, being an East Indian terrestrial Orchid, requires to be grown in a moist tropical stove. It thrives in turfy peat containing a small portion of loam. On account of its soft fleshy roots adhering to the sides of the pot, it is desirable to use a shallow wide-mouthed pot, in order to avoid tearing the roots by frequent shiftings. In summer it may be freely watered, but the pot must be well drained, so as to allow the water to pass off freely. Shading is necessary during bright sunshine. In winter it should be placed in a drier atmosphere, and especial care must be taken that no water be allowed to lodge in the folds of the young leaves. J. 8. | Fig. 1. Column, lip, and spur. 2. Column and base of lip. 3. Pollen- masses. 454 2. Fitch del et Lith Frederic Reeve, imp- Ta. 4542. OPUNTIA SauMIANA. Prince de Salm’s Opuntia. Nat. Ord. Cactacna#.—IcosanDRIA MONOoGYNIA. Gen. Char. Perigonii tubus ultra germen non productus ; phylla sepaloidea subulata, petaloidea dilatata, rosaceo-expansa. Stamina numerosa, libera, effusa, limbo breviora. Stylus stamina vix superans, cylindraceus, superne fistulosus, inferne obclavatim incrassatus. Stigma 5—T-radiatum, radiis crassis, erectis. Bacca late umbilicata, pulposa, carnosa vel corticosa, pyriformis vel ovoidea, tuberculata.—Plantee carnose ; caule tereti, equali, ramoso, aut articulato ; arti- culis globosis, cylindraceis vel planis, spiraliter tuberculatis. Tubercula foliole subulato, deciduo, in awilla pulvilligero, instructa. Pulvilli aculeis biformibus, se- taceis scilicet et rigidis, interdum epidermide secedente tunicatis, armati. Flores per aliquot dies aperti, flavidi, genitalibus limbo brevioribus. Salm-Dyk. Opuntta Salmiana ; erecta, ramosa, cinereo-leteviridis, ramis cylindraceis etu- berculatis, areolis subconfertis tomentosis albidis, senioribus pulvinatim globosis inferne aculeis 3-4 setaceis minutis rufescentibus instructis (Pfeiff.), floribus versus apices ramorum glomeratis, ovario turbinato esquamato nune prolifero, petalis obovato-lanceolatis sulphureis roseo tinctis. Opuntia Satmrana, Parment. in Pfeiff. Enum. p.112. Salm-Dyk, Cactea, p.70. This pretty and very distinct Opuntia is said to be a native of Brazil. Our collection is indebted for the possession of it to the Royal Gardens of Herenhaussen. It blossoms freely, and the ordinary-looking stems and branches are ornamented by the variegated red and yellow and rather copious flowers in Sep- tember and October. In the generic character we follow that given by the venerable Prince de Salm-Dyk in his recently- published volume entitled Cactez,”” a work which ought to be in the hands of every cultivator of this curious tribe of plants. Drscr. Plant small, one to two feet high, erect, branched, branches erecto-patent, cylindrical, rather of an ashy-green colour, destitute of tubercles, obtuse at the apex. Areoles scattered, forming white downy tufts of wool, bearing six to eight unequal, brown, small aculez, the largest less than half an inch long. Flowers moderately sized, clustered at the apex of a branch. Ovary obovate, not scaly but areolated, and bearing aculet like the branches, and, what is remarkable, after the floral OCTOBER Ist, 1850. coverings have fallen away, often producing young plants, —proli- ferous. Sepals and petals undistinguishable, or, in other words, the former gradually pass into the latter. In bud the flower is red, when fully expanded the ground-colour is sulphur-yellow, streaked with red and rose-colour in the centre: the petals are obovate, and the spread of the flower about two inches. Stamens not numerous, yellow. Rays of the stigma five or six, yellow- green. W. J. H. Cur. This slender straggling species grows and flowers freely if potted in light loam and leaf-mould, and placed under the full influence of the sun in summer. It should be frequently syringed in the mornings or evenings, during hot dry weather, but care must be taken that all superabundant water passes off freely, and that the soil does not remain long in a saturated state. In winter water must be given very sparingly, and the temperature of the house during the night need not at any time exceed 55°. It readily increases either by cuttings or by seeds, as also by gemme produced on each areole of the fruit, which ultimately form separate and distinct plants. /. 8. Prederic Reeve, imp. les: 4543. . PIMELEA MmacrocePHALa. Large-headed Pimelea. Nat. Ord. ToyMELE®.—DIANDRIA MonoGynla. Gen. Char. Flores hermaphroditi v. dioici. Perigonium coloratum, infundibu- liforme, limbo quadrifido, fauce esquamata. Stamina 2, fauci inserta, perigonti laciniis exterioribus opposita, exserta. Sguamule hypogyne nulle. Ovarium uniloculare. Ovulum unicum, pendulum, anatropum. Stylus lateralis ; stigma capitatum. Nua monosperma, corticata, raro baccata. Semen inversum. dlbu- men parcum, carnosum. Lmbryo orthotropus ; cotyledonibus plano-convexis, carnosulis ; radicula brevi, supera.—Frutices Nova Hollandia insulisque conter- minis provenientes ; foliis oppositis v. rarissime alternis, floribus eapitatis termina- - libus, foliis involucrantibus, rameis similibus v. dissimilibus, interdum connatis, rarius spicatis v. awxillaribus, perigonii tubo sepissime medio articulato, articulo inferiore persistente. Endl. 4 Prmetea macrocephala; glabra, ramis erectis subrobustis, foliis oppositis sub- secundis lato-lanceolatis acutis subcoriaceis obscure penninerviis glaucis, involucralibus 4-6 latioribus capitulis multifloris brevioribus, ovario (eum basi adheerente perianthii) hirsuto superne truncato, perianthii tubo elon- gato gracili pubescente supra ovarium: articulato deciduo, limbi laciniis oblongis obtusis ciliatis, stylo sublonge exserto. One of the many good Swan River plants raised by Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., Exeter Nursery, from seeds received from Mr. Drummond. It is new to Dr. Meisner, as he recently informed us, and has no place in the ‘ Plante Preissiane. Per- haps its nearest affinity is with P. fincloria, Meisn., though the leaves do not change to the very peculiar green described as characteristic of that species, and it wants several other distin- guishing marks. It bears the number 426 in Mr. Drummond's Swan River specimens in my Herbarium. It is a highly in- teresting addition to our greenhouse plants, easy of culture, and free to blossom in the summer months. : Descr. Shrub two to three feet high, somewhat simple, or fastigiately branched ; dranches erect, glabrous, rather robust (for a Pimelea), reddish below, green above, terete, leafy up to the involucre. Leaves opposite, glabrous, the upper ones, especially, NOVEMBER Ist, 1850. erect and secund, all of them large for the genus and thick, subcoriaceous, broad-lanceolate, glaucous, acute, sessile ; lower ones more spreading. Jnvolucre of four to six leaves, larger and broader than the cauline ones, shorter than the capitulum. This latter is two inches and a half across. //owers numerous, dense, very pale rose-colour. Ovary (adherent with the base of the tube of the calyx) turbinate, quite truncated at the top, hairy. Tube of the Perianth slender, long, downy, articulated on the truncated summit of the ovary; the segments of the limb ob- long, spreading or recurved, ciliated at the margins. Stamens and s¢y/e much exserted. Anthers orange. W. J. H. Curr. An Australian genus, consisting of slender twiggy shrubs, and now numbering above fifty described species. The greater number are natives of Van Diemen’s Land and the extra-tropical coasts of Australia, many being found at Swan River and at King George’s Sound on the south-west coast : a few extend northward to within the tropics, and several are natives of New Zealand. About twenty species are known to have been introduced into the gardens of this country. ‘The first was P. linifolia in 1793, followed by P. rosea in 1800; between the latter year and 1823, P. drupacea and P. pauciflora were intro- duced: the first two, being pretty flowering species, were fre- quent inmates in the greenhouse, whereas the two latter, having inconspicuous flowers, were seldom seen, except in collec- tions where rarity and number of species were desired. In 1823 we were so fortunate as to raise plants of P. decussata, which, on account of its being of neat habit anda free and showy flowering species, soon became a favourite with culti- vators, but has of late been in some measure superseded by its more showy rival, P. spectabilis, which was introduced about ten years ago. The species now figured is of recent introduc- tion, and, from what we know of it, will turn out to be another showy species. It is, like its allies, a greenhouse plant, and grows vigorously if planted in turfy peat-soil, containing a little Joam, and kept sufficiently drained. Over-watering is unde- sirable, especially during dull damp weather in winter and spring ; and in hot weather the sides of the pot must not be exposed to the direct rays of the sun. It will propagate by cuttings, placed under a bell-glass, and treated in the usual way, but it has been found to produce the best plants if grafted on stocks of P. decussata. J. 8. Fig. 1. Lower leaves. 2. Flower :—magnified. Frederic Reeve imp ‘Tas. 4544, ASTRAPAHA viscosa. Viscid. Astrapea. Nat. Ord. ByTTNERIACE#.—MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. Gen. Char. Flores wmbellati (seu capitati), involuero communi polyphyllo (quandoque obsoleto) cincti, foliolis subrotundo-ovatis. Calyx 5-dentatus, extus l-bracteatus. Petala 5, more Malvavisci convoluta (convoluto-clausa, Lindl.). Stamina in tubum longe coalita, 5 sterilia, 20 (v. 15) antherifera. Ovarium 5-loculare. Stylus 1. Stigmata 5. Ovula in Joculis pauca, inappendiculata. Lindl. AsTRAPRA viscosa ; arborea, ramulis viscosissimis, foliis cordato-rotundatis 3-5- angulato-lobatis serratis, lobis acuminatis, stipulis cordatis acutissimis, pedunculis axillaribus subterminalibus solitariis supra medium bibracteatis, involucro communi obsoleto, bracteis cordatis concavo-carinatis, pedicellis lobisque calycinis ovatis extus hirsutis, petalis patentibus, stammum tubo urceolato, filamentis sterilibus elongatis, antheris 15. Asrrapma viscosa. Sweet, Hort. Brit. (name only.) Dompeya Amelie. Guillemin in Archives de Bot. v. 1. p- 367. This is really a noble plant or tree, thirty feet in height, as now seen in the great stove of the Royal Gardens of Kew, with a large rounded head of copious branches, and dense foliage, studded, in the spring months, with numerous snowball-like capitula of flowers, each flower stained with a deep blood- coloured eye. M. Guillemin, |. c., has very correctly given the history of its introduction. “ Cette belle plante, he says, “ norte le nom d’ Astrapea viscosa dans Hortus Britannicus de M. Sweet, simple catalogue ott sa patrie originaire est indiquee. Il paroit qu’elle fut regue, en 1823, de Madagascar ; qu on la cultivé d’abord en Angleterre” (Royal Gardens, Kew), “pus: dans les divers jardins du continent européen. Yet, notwith- standing it has been thus liberally distributed from England upon the continent under the very apt name of Astrape@ea viscosa, M. Guillemin thinks fit to refer it to Dombeya (though it . truly an Asérapea, if that genus be distinct from Dombeya), an to change the appropriate specific name to D. Amelia, 0 ~ pliment to the estimable, now widowed, ex-queen of the French, NOVEMBER Ist, 1850. a fugitive in England ; “S. M. la Reine des Francois, frappée de la beauté de cette fleur (at the garden of Neuilly), ayant chargé M. Redouté d’en faire la peinture, cet artiste celébre a bien voulu communiquer & M. Guillemin un échantillon de la plante,”’ &c. Our own knowledge of this amiable personage suffices to assure us that such a change would be considered no compliment to herself. The flowers have a honey-like smell. Descr. Arborescent, with a dense crown of branches and copious foliage. The young herbaceous éranches and nascent leaves, accompanied by large, cordate, afterwards deciduous stipules, are exceedingly viscid. Leaves on long petioles, the largest of them a span and more Jong, cordato-rotundate, five-angled (the smaller ones three-angled), the angles or lobes acuminate, the margins serrated. From the axils of the leaves towards the extremity of the branches, the peduncles appear, a span long, bearig two cordate dracteas above the middle. ‘The flowers of the young capitulum are clothed by the large deci- duous bracteas (one to each flower), and at the base of the capi- tulum three or four such bracteas form an imperfect involucre. These bracteas disappear on the full expansion of the many flowers into a globose head, four inches and more in diameter. Pedicels hairy. Calyzx-segments ovate, acuminate, hairy exter- nally. Petals five, twisted, broad-cuneate, pure white, the base deeply dyed with crimson. Staminal tube urceolate, bearing five perfect short stamens, and five elongated sterile i/aments. Ovary hairy, globose. Style divided at the top into five reflexed branches. WW. J. H. Cuxr. This is a tropical, soft-wooded, branching tree, of quick and robust growth, soon arriving at a height that renders it unsuitable for hothouses of the ordinary dimensions. In the Royal Gardens it has rapidly attained the height of up- wards of twenty feet; but, as it branches freely, it may, with management, be kept within bounds by frequently cutting back the leading shoots. It grows readily in light loam, and should be rather freely supplied with water, as its numerous fibrous roots take it up very quickly, and the size and texture of its leaves present a large and free evaporating surface. It is easily increased by cuttings, planted under a bell-glass, the pot being plunged in bottom heat. 7. &. | Fig. 1. Flower from which the petals are removed :—magnified. 45485. Frederic Reeve imp: Fitch del et lith Tas. 4545. HOYA CAMPANULATA. Bell-flowered Hoya.. Nat. Ord. ASCLEPIADEH.—PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4397.) Hoya campanulata; volubilis, glabra, foliis breviter petiolatis oblongis acutis subcoriaceis penninerviis, pedunculis petiolo longioribus, umbella multiflora, corolla late campanulata 5-lobata lobis brevissimis obtusissimis. Hoya campanulata. Blume, Bijdr. p. 1064. Lindl. Bot. Reg. 1847, t. 54. Puysosterma ? campanulata. Decaisne, in De Cand. Prodr. v. 8. p. 632. Walp. Repert. Bot. p.493. Cysripranruus campanulatus. Harsk. Cat. Pl. in Hort. Bot. Bogor. p. 126. A very remarkable stove-plant, native of copses in the moun- tainous districts of Java, detected by Blume, and imported into England by Messrs. Veitch and Sons (to whom we are indebted for living plants) through the medium of their collector, Mr. Thomas Lobb. We agree with Dr. Lindley that, remarkable as 1s the form of the corolla, there is nothing to justify its separation from Hoya; and it does not accord with Physostelma of Dr. Wight, to which Professor Decaisne has doubtfully referred it. If dis- tinct from Hoya, it should bear Harskal’s name above quoted. Blume makes a section of it: “ Corolla campanulata, angulato- 5-plicata, corone foliolis angulo exteriori adscendentibus integer- rimis”? It bears its curious, somewhat waxy and pale buff- coloured flowers in August. Descr. A long-stemmed twining shrub, with slender branches. Leaves opposite, oval-oblong, acuminate, scarcely coriaceous, penninerved. Petiole nearly half an inch long. Pedunele slen-— der, drooping, as is the large capitate umbel. Pedicels very slender. Calyx small, of five lanceolate sepals. Corolla large, an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half in diameter, between membranaceous and fleshy, somewhat waxy, buff-coloured, broadly and shallow-campanulate, plicate, the margin cut into NOVEMBER Ist, 1850. five, broad, obtuse, very short lobes. odes of the staminal crown acuminate, slightly ascending. W. J. H. Curr. A climbing plant, which, as regards its habit, may be considered a thin-leaved Hoya. Being a native of Java, it requires to be kept in a warm and moist stove. A mixture of light loam and peat will suit it, and during its season of rest care must be taken that it is not saturated with water. Its pendulous umbels of flowers are shown most to advantage by training the plant up a rafter, or something similar, in a nearly horizontal direction. It is easily propagated by cuttings. J. S. Fig. 1. Staminal crown :—magnified. 6. oo ngs 4, 4 Tas: 4546. FREZIERA THEOIDES. Tea-leaved Freziera. Nat. Ord. TERNSTREMIACEH.—POLYANDRIA MoNOGYNIA. Gen. Char. Calyx bibracteolatus, pentaphyllus, persistens, foliolis imbricatis, exterioribus minoribus. Corolle petala 5, hypogyna, calycis foliolis alterna, subeequalia, orbiculata, wstivatione imbricata. Stamina plurima, hypogyna, pluriseriata ; filamenta brevissima ; anthere introrse, biloculares, oblongz v. li- neares, basi insertee, erecta, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Ovarium liberum, tri- quinqueloculare. Ovula plurima, loculorum angulo centrali biseriatim inserta, pendula, campylotropa. S¢ylus brevis, simplex ; stigma tri-quinquelobum. Bacca sicca, styli basi rostrata, tri-quinquelocularis. Semina in loculis plurima, rarius pauca, pendula, arcuata, testa crustacea, nitida. Embryo cylindricus, in axi al- buminis carnosi homotrope arcuatus ; cotyledonibus et radicula supera.—Arbores Americane, plereque Peruvianee Andicole, pauce in Antillis monticole ; foliis al- ternis, petiolatis, coriaceis, serrato-dentatis, stipulis nullis, pedunculis avil/aribus unifloris, solitariis v. fasciculatis, basi bracteolatis, floribus parvis, albis. Freziera thevides; foliis elliptico-lanceolatis acutis serrato-dentatis basi in pe- tiolum brevem attenuatis, floribus nutantibus, pedicellis axillaribus subsoli- tariis unifloris, antheris apiculatis dorso penicellatis, stylo apice trifido. Frezrera theoides. Swartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. 0.2. p.971. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 524. M*Fad. Fl. Jam. v.1. p.115. Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. 2. p. 596. Eroreum theoides. Swartz. Prodr. p. 85. A Jamaica shrub or small éree, inhabiting the higher moun- tains of that island, and remarkable for its very near resemblance, both in the leaves and flowers, to the black Tea of China, Thea Bohea; and Dr. M‘Fadyen informs us, in his useful ‘ Flora of Jamaica,’ that the leaves are astringent, and in taste resemble those of the green Tea. Although described by Swartz, no figure has yet appeared of it; nor are we aware it had yee introduced ‘alive to Europe, till recently sent by our friend Mr. N. Wilson, of the Botanic Garden, Jamaica, to the Royal Garden of Kew. From these flowering plants our drawing was . in September 1850. oe : Drscr. A shrub four or five feet high m our stove; i Jamaica, according to Dr. M‘Fadyen, it attains a height neha | feet: everywhere glabrous. Leaves alternate, on short pelroles, NOVEMBER Ist, 1850. coriaceous, very dark green, elliptical-lanceolate, acute, serrated, penninerved, the zerves uniting within the margin. Peduncles in our plants all solitary, axillary, curved down, single-flowered. Flower drooping, an inch and a half across. Calya bibracteolate at the base, five-sepaled ; sepals broad ovate, acute, green, mar- gined with red. Petals cream-white, obcordate. Stamens nu- merous, attached to the base of the petals. Axthers oblong, opening by two pores, apiculate or furnished with a tuft or pencil of hairs at the back. Ovary subglobose, glabrous, tapering into a short séyle, trifid at the point. Fruit “a berry, the size of a small cherry, globose, purple, juicy, three- or four-celled. Seeds many, angulated.” W, J. H. Curr. Although not a showy flowering plant, its neat and evergreen habit renders it worthy of a place in general collections of stove-plants. It much resembles the well-known Ardisia crenulata, but grows more luxuriantly ; as, however, it bears cutting back, it may be kept to a proper size, and will form a neat bush. Being a native of Jamaica, it should be grown in a moderate stove temperature, and will thrive in any — kind of light loam, water being freely given it during dry wea- — ther in summer. It is readily propagated by cuttings, planted : = ses a bell-glass, and plunged in a moderate bottom- eat. J. WS. Fig. 1, 2. Stamens. 3. Pistil :—magnified. : ic Reeve 1mp- Fitch, del et lith. : Frederic Tas. 4547. ECHITES Franciscea; var. floribus sulphureis. The River Francisco Echites ; sulphur-coloured var. Nat. Ord. ApocyNE#.—PENTANDRIA DigyNnIa. Gen. Char. Calye 5-partitus, lobis interne omnibus vel solum interioribus glandulosis aut squamatis. Corolla hypocraterimorpha vel infundibuliformis ; tubo plus minus elongato, cylindrico vel basi cylindraceo et supra vel apice in- fundibuliformi, exappendiculato, intus supra staminum insertionem plerumque hispido ; Jodis wstivatione sinistrorsum convolutis. Anthere ubi tubus corolle latior fit inserte, subsessiles, medio stigmati adhwrentes, sagittate, lobis inferiori- bus polline destitutis. Nectarium e glandulis 5, lobis calycis alternantibus, li- beris vel plus minusve connatis, nunc 2 vel 3 connatis aliis distinctis. Ovaria 2, nectaria plerumque longiora, sepius glabra, ovulis ©. Stylus 1. Stigma capitatum, ovoideum vel pyramidato-pentagonum, basi membrana integra vel lobata umbraculiformi reflexa stipatum, apice simplex vel bilobum. Fod/iculi 2, elongati, cylindrici vel torulosi, coriacei. Semina lineari-oblonga, ventre carinata, superne comosa ; aldumine parco; embryone axili; cotyledonibus planis, facie ad- pressis, radicula supera longioribus.—Frutices vel suffrutices scandentes, rarius herbe suffrutescentes erecte, omnes speciebus dubiis exceptis Americane ; foliis oppositis, integris, ciliis glandulosis interpetiolaribus, glandulisque interdum su- perne ad basim limbi; cymis axillaribus vel terminalibus, sepius in racemum sim- plicem elongatis ; floribus albis, flavis, roseis vel purpureis, sepe Sragrantibus. Decaisne. Ecurtres Franciscea; ramis racemis foliisque puberulo-velutinis, foliis ovatiS acutis mucronatis, racemis simplicibus axillaribus folio subbrevioribus, lobis calycinis triangulari-acuminatis pedicello duplo brevioribus externe pilosis tubo corollee quadruplo brevioribus, corolla glabra tubo infra mediam partem angustiore sursum infundibuliformi Jobis longiore. .4. De Cand. Ecurres Franciscea. Alph. De Cand. Prodr. v. 8. p. 454. Lindl. Bot, Reg. 1847, ¢. 24. -B. pallidiflora ; floribus minoribus sulphureis roseo-oculatis. (TaB. NostR. 4547.) This pretty plant was received from the Paris Garden under the name of /. Franciscea, a native of Brazil, cultivated in the stove. It is, however, a very distinct variety from the original species of that name, and, as such, worthy of a place here. Curr. This is a freely-growing stove creeper, and may be NOVEMBER Ist, 1850. . either grown in a pot, and supported by neat rods or a wire trellis fixed to the pot; or planted out in a border against a back wall or pillar. A mixture of light loam and peat will suit it. The usual precautions must be taken that the soil does not become stagnant by over-watering,—a rule to be carefully ob- served with plants generally, especially those with fine fibrous roots, when cultivated m large pots. Great mischief results from injudicious watering ;—not so much from giving too great a quantity of water when a plant really needs it, as from the common practice of watering often, and giving a little each time. The consequence is, that either the lower roots receive no water, or the soil becomes a stagnant wet mass, which, even if no more water is given, will take a long time to come to the proper degree of dryness; in the meantime the roots suffer, as is shown, when too late, by the unhealthy appearance ‘of the plant. J. 8. Fig. 1. Pistil and stamen :—magnified. 4- - 4 JS. Fitch, del et lith Reeve & Nichols, imp Tas. 4548. ALMBIDEA aedea: Red-flowered Almeidea. Nat. Ord. Rutrace®.—PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Gen. Char. Calyx minimus, 5-partitus, deciduus. Petala 5, calyce multoties longiora, unguiculata, spathulata, sequalia, erecta. Stamina 5, petalis alterna; jilamentis complanatis supra medium barbatis, antheris linearibus basi bifidis. Nectarium cupuleforme, ovarium cingens. Stylus 1. Stigma obtuse 5-lobum. Carpella 5, biovulata (ovulo superiore adscendente, inferiore suspenso), axi centrali adfixa, demum abortu pauciora, libera, 1-sperma, ad umbilicum mem- branacea, parte membranacea ruptili, umbilico seminis adhzrente, arilleformi.— Semen reniforme. Embryo curvatus. Cotyledones magne, biauriculate, corru- gate. Mucilago vix ulla inter cotyledonum plicas.—Arbuscule Brasilienses, foliis simplicibus sparsis petiolatis nitidis glanduloso-punctatis, floribus racemosis. De Cand. _ ALMEIDEA rubra ; foliis lato-lanceolatis basi acutis, racemis compositis, pedun- culis glabris, petalis obtusissimis. Atmerpea rubra. St. Hil. Hist. Pl. Remarg. Brés. v. 1. p.144. De Cand. Prodr. v.1. p.729. St. Hil. Fl. Braz. Merid. v.1. p.86. ¢. 18. Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. 1. p. 789. This handsome plant, with flowers of the size and colour of Lemonia spectabilis, but arranged in a compound raceme or thyrsus, is one of six species of a shrubby new genus, detected in Brazil by M. Auguste de St. Hilaire. He dedicated it to his friend and patron Don Rodriguez Pereira de Almeida, and re- ferred it to the “ Rutacées proprement dites”’ (Tribe Diosmee,DC.); but remarks that it is of all others of that group the most allied to Cuspariee. “It possesses the calyx and nectary of Cuspa- rie@ ; its stamens are those of Galipea ; its ovules, two in num- ber, are attached as in Cuspariee ; its false arillus is the same — as in Monniera ; and, in fine, its embryo, destitute of perisperm, with the radicle curved and the corrugated cotyledons, the one enveloping the other, resembles that of Galipea Fontainesiana.” Our plant was received from Mr. Makoy of Liége, and its flowering-season with us is the autumn. a Drscr. A ramous shrub, three to five feet high, with /eaves— which are alternate, broadly lanceolate, acute at the base, acu- NOVEMBER Ist, 1850. minate at the apex, penninerved, quite entire at the margins. Petioles an inch long or more. Panicle, or compound raceme, thyrsoid. Pedicels glabrous, thickened upwards, with small deciduous Jracteas. Flowers often two or three together, mode- rately numerous. Calyx short, cut into five acute teeth. Petals obovato-spathulate, very obtuse, spreading, deep rose-colour (as is the calyx). Filaments of the stamens linear, contracted below the anther, slightly downy, grooved towards the base, and above the groove are two hairy tubercles. _Anthers oblong. Ovary of five lobes, pellucido-punctate, surrounded by an entire, cup- shaped nectary. Style longer than the stamens. Stigma capi- tate, obscurely five-lobed, W. J. ZH. : Curr. The genus to which this plant belongs is from tro- pical America, chiefly Brazil ; its species therefore require to be grown in a stove temperature. The one here figured flowered during the month of September in the Palm-house. It should be potted in a mixture of light loam and Jeaf-mould, and receive the benefit of bottom-heat, which we consider of great impor- tance in cultivating, and maintaining in a healthy state, plants of slow growth like the present. It is increased by cuttings plunged in bottom-heat. 7. 8. Fig.1. Stamen. 2. Calyx, pistil, and nectary, 3. Transverse section of an Ovary :—magnified, \ /T Ml ly ] y Reeve & Nichols, imp >)... Bitch dcl et hth. Tap. 4549. | PACHIRA Lonciro.ta. Long-flowered Pachira. Nat. Ord. Bompacr®.—MoNADELPHIA PoLYANDRIA. Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4508.) PacHIRA macrocarpa ; foliis 7—11-natis, foliolis oblongo-obovatis basi cuneatis apice acuminatis glabris, floribus maximis, calyce brevi-tubulo truncato basi glanduloso, petalis longissimis albis extus sericeo-velutinis, staminibus petala equantibus flavo-coccineis, antheris anguste linearibus curvatis, stylo gracili, stigmate 5-lobato. CAROLINEA macrocarpa. Cham. et Schlecht. in Linnea, v. 6. p. 423. Walpers, Repert. Bot. v.1. p. 329, Hort. Makoy. e , eae: '@ 3 M. Auguste St. Hilaire, under the genus Pachira, justly ob- serves, “Le diagnostic des espéces de ce genre est fort difficile & établir ; car ses fleurs, qui généralement ne se développent pas en méme temps qui les feuilles, ont été souvent seules observees et recucillies par les voyageurs ; et, uniformes dans leur structure, elles ne présentent pas entre elles des differences assez saillantes pour qu’on puisse les caractériser en peu de mots.” These ob- servations will apply eminently to the P. (Carolinea) macrocarpa of Chamisso and Schlechtendal, in the Linnea above quoted ; and, indeed, the authors candidly remark of their plant, “ Flores ex alabastro nobis imperfecte noti.” Nor should we venture to call this plant “ macrocarpa,” but that it was received from Mr. Makoy under that name, who probably derived it from Berlin, where the seeds of the original macrocarpa were raised. It is a native of Mexico. ‘The flowers are truly magnificent, and yet produced in the present instance from a young and small plant. As a species it comes very near the P. aquatica of Aublet, and may probably prove identical with it. Desor. Of the ordinary size of the native plant we are ignorant. Our flowering specimen had not attained a greater height than four feet, and what gives this a decided advantage over our P. alba, lately figured (‘Tab. 4508), it bears the flowers and foliage together. eaves large, glabrous, digitate, with from seven to DECEMBER Ist, 1850. eleven /eaflets, which are oblong-obovate, entire, acuminate, cuneate, and tapermg at the base into a short footstalt. Flowers very large. Calyx short-cylindrical, truncated; thick and lea- thery, clothed with minute, velvety down, bearing a circle of conspicuous glands at the base. Peéals full six inches long, hnear-strap-shaped, the upper half reflexed, white and smooth within, pale greyish or greenish-brown and slightly velvety externally. Staminal tube rather short, divided into innumerable parcels, each again divided“into eight to ten fi/aments, which are yellow below, the rest deep red. _Anthers narrow linear, arcuate. Style longer than the stamens, deep red, slender. Stigma small, five-lobed. W. J. H. Cuur. This, like Pachira alba, figured at Tab. 4508, is a tall tree of rapid growth, and, as it requires the temperature of a stove, it is adapted only for growing in lofty hothouses, such as the Palm-house in the Royal Gardens, in which a plant has quickly attained the height of twenty-five feet, and, according to _ its present rate of growth, will soon double that height. It has not yet flowered, the present figure having been drawn from a plant that bloomed when not more than a foot in height, and which had but recently been struck from a cutting. It is a fine- looking tree, not subject to insects of any kind, and differs from Pachira alba in its leaves not being deciduous : in our cultiva- tion it appears to have no season of rest. It will grow freely in any kind of light loam, kept in a proper state of moisture, and increases by cuttings placed under a bell-glass, and the pot plunged in bottom-heat. J. S. 4550 ichols imp Fitch del et lith. ; Reeve & Ni Tas. 4550. PRIMULA capitTaTa. ftound-headed mealy Primrose. Nat. Ord. PrimuLAcE®.—PENTANDRIA MOoNOGYNIA. Gen. Char. Calyx subcampanulatus vel tubulosus, plus minus profunde 5-den- tatus vel etiam 5-fidus. Corolla hypocraterimorpha vel infundibuliformis, limbo 5-fido, lobis plerumque emarginatis, fauce ad limbum dilatata, tubo tereti calyeem eequante aut superante. Stamina inclusa. Filamenta brevissima. Anthere seepe acuminate, Ovarium globosum aut ovato-globosum. Ovula « peltatim amphitropa. Capsula ovata, 5-valvis, valvulis integris aut bifidis apice tantum dehiscentibus, seminibus minimis numerosis.—Herbee foliis plerumque radicalibus, scapo simplici, floribus umbellatis involucratis rarius verticillatis sepissime spe- ciosts. Primuta (§ Aleuritia) capitata ; foliis oblongo-lanceolatis denticulatis rugosis subtus precipue farinosis, scapo elongato superne incrassato, floribus dense capitatis, involucri foliolis lanceolatis, calycibus furfuraceis profunde 5-lobis lobis latis ovato-acuminatis, corolla hypocrateriformis limbo tubum_ trans- verse rugosum equante lobis profunde emarginatis. Raised at the Royal Gardens of Kew, from seeds sent by Dr. Hooker, which were gathered in June 1849, from plants growing on gravelly banks at Lachen, Sikkim-Himalaya, one of the Passes into Thibet ; elevation, 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. It is, although of the same groupe of Primule with the P. denticu- lata of the Nepal mountains and our own P. farinosa of the north of England and Scotland, a remarkable and well-defined species, the flowers being actually sessile, and so crowded as to form a compact globose head, like that of many species of A/- lium. or Armeria. Dr. Hooker observed that it yields a faint fragrance, which it does in cultivation, but this, in part at least, is derived from the farinaceous substance of the leaves and flowers. It flowers with us in a pot in the rock-border, in- October. : Drscr. Root, or rather rhizoma, an almost globose, rough, dark brown ¢uder, bearing a few fibrous radicles from imme- diately beneath the Zeaves, which latter are all radical, three to_ five inches long, oblong-lanceolate, rather obtuse, denticulate, DECEMBER Isr, 1850. tugose, farinose beneath, tapering below into a short footstalk, red at the base. Scape often a foot long, moderately stout and thickened upwards, mealy, terminated by a dense globose head of flowers, bracteated at the base, the outer dracteas lanceolate, and forming a small, reflexed cnvolucre. Calyx sessile, mealy, large, campanulate, deeply 5-fid, the segments ovate, acumi- nate, subpatent. Corolla with the tube nearly twice as long as the calyx, almost white, mealy, a little inflated upwards, and transversely wrinkled ; Zimé of five, obcordate, spreading /odes, deep purple above, pale beneath. _Anthers small, nearly sessile, inserted below the middle of the tube. Ovary globose. Style filiform, as long as the tube. Stigma large, capitate. W. J. H. Cur. In habit this approaches our native species, P. farinosa and P. Scotica, and although it is a native of a high region and consequently subjected to a great degree of cold, yet, like other alpine species of the genus, it will probably require some slight protection in this climate, especially under our artificial mode of cultivation. During the past summer we had a number of plants growing very luxuriantly,—apparently too much so, for not one of them has yet shown any appearance of flowering. The present figure was drawn from a plant that had not been so well taken care of, and was stunted in its growth. Several of the vigorous plants suddenly died: it is therefore safest, till we become better acquainted with this species, to grow it in a frame during winter; and in summer to set it in a shady place, that it may escape the heat of the sun in the middle of the day. It appears to suffer by frequent watering overhead, the pot should, therefore, be placed in a pan, so as to receive water from the bottom. 7. 5 Vig.1. Flower. 2. Corolla laid open :—magnified. a ER wo os adnate aoa eee coe Tas. 4551. BERTOLONIA macutata. Spotted-leaved Bertolonia. Nat. Ord. MeLastomacr#.—Decanpria Monoeynta. Gen. Char, Calycis tubus campanulatus, lobis 5 obtusis sepius latis brevissimis interdum concretis in limbum integrum. Petala 5, obovata. Stamina subine- qualia; anthere ovate, obtuse, 1-porose, basi attenuate, vix aut non auriculate. Ovarium non setosum. Capsula trigona, trivalvis, valvis apice quasi retuso-sub-. uncinatis transverse sub apice sectis et operculi faciem ideo exhibentibus. Semina cuneato-triquetra, scabra.—Herbee Brasilienses, radicantes, Folia petiolata, ovata, cordata, 5—ll-nervia, crenulata. Cyme corymbose, terminales. Flores albi aut purpurei. BERTOLONIA maculata ; caule repente ramoso et petiolis quam folia brevioribus pedunculisque hirsutis, foliis cordatis lato-ovatis subintegerrimis 5-nerviis passim maculatis hirsutulis, pedunculis axillaribus, floribus in cyma uni- laterali, calycibus hispidulis. Mart. BERTOLONIA maculata; De Cand. Prodr.v. 8. p.114. Mart. Nov. Gen. et Sp. 2 : Bras, v. 3. p. 116. ¢. 257. This is one of the many lovely tropical plants now cultivated in our stoves, distinguished by the “ folia discolora ;” that is, the upper and underside differmg in colour, and the upper with a rich and glossy surface, refracting the rays of light m such a manner as to give a coppery or velvety hue, not easily repre- sented in a drawing. he subject of our present plate was received at the Kew Gardens from Mr. Henderson, St. John’s Wood Road Nursery, under the name of Hriocnema eneum ot Naudin. But the plant is no Hriocnema. It belongs to the curious and beautiful genus Bertolonia, “ dont le caractere essen- tiel consiste,” as M. Naudin has himself well expressed, dans la forme tout-d-fait insolite du calyce et de la capsule ;” and it is equally certain that it is the B. maculata of De Candolle and of Martius above quoted, t. 257. his fruit or capsule is an elegant object, especially when the eye is aided by a small power of the microscope ; for it is singularly inflated, with three very prominent angles and several ribs, and every rib, as well as the margin of the lobes of the calyx, is beset with bristles, termi- 2 ‘ DECEMBER Ist, 1850. —_ aye nated by a gland. In many, and perhaps all the Bertolonias, a singular appearance is given to the specimens by the persistent dead and perfectly bleached thickened flower-stalks and fruits upon the otherwise healthy plant. In our representation of the plant the term “maculata” may be deemed incorrect; but exactly in this state Martius represents. his native specimen, and he observes of the leaves, “supra saturate viridia et saepe more Pulmonarie officinalis maculata.” Our wild specimens from Mr. Gardner (Herb. Braz. n. 1009) have a pale cloud or blotch extending to both sides of the costa; and we have a variety or allied species from St. Sebastian (gathered by the late Mr. Fox and given to us by Mr. Bunbury), with quite distinct oblique red spots between the nerves in regular series the whole length of the leaf. Martius found our present species in the province of Bahia, Mr. Gardner in that of Pernambuco. Descr. Stem short, decumbent, rooting at the base, simple _ or slightly branched, densely clothed with ferruginous _ hairs. Leaves opposite, long-petioled, cordately ovate, acute, obscurely toothed, membranaceous, five-nerved, hispid above and at the Margin, dark velvety green, often obscurely blotched, beneath purple. Peduncle terminal or subterminal, red, setose, bearing a circinate, one-sided raceme of flowers. Calyz turbinate, trigo- nal and ribbed, the ribs ciliated: Jobes of the calyx ovate, ciliated,—all the cilia or sete glandular at the apex. Petals five, obovate, acute, rose-coloured. Stamens ten, nearly equal. Anthers oblong, tapering upwards, uniporose, with a slight gibbosity at the back of the hilum. Style rather thick, a little tapering. Fruit as above described. W. J. H. Cuxr. This pretty little plant is a native of Brazil, and conse- quently requires to be kept in a warm stove. It has not been many months under our notice, but appears to grow and flower freely, in a small pot, in light peat-soil. As it has very fine fibrous roots, care must be taken that it be never allowed to remain too long dry. Judging by its habit of growth, it is not likely that much increase of it can be obtained by cuttings, but, to all appearance, it will produce perfect seeds. /. S. Fig. 1. Stamen. 2, Calyx and pistil. “3. Transverse section of the ovary. 4. Fruit :—magnified. Reeve & Nichols, imp F: e : + Fitch Tas. 4952. CENTROSOLENIA cuasra. Glabrous-leaved Centrosolenia. Nat. Ord. GrsNERIACEX.—D1IDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Gen. Char. Calyx 5-partitus, segmentis serratis. Corolla tubulosa, basi postice calcarata, fauce parum ampliata, in limbum brevem latissime 5-lobum expansa. Stamina prope basin tubi inserta, didynama cum rudimento minuto quinti, in- clusa. Annulus hypogynus obscurus, glandula postica maxima. Ovarium ob- longo-conicum, hirsutum. Séylus apice dilatatus, subcapitato-stigmatosus. Frue- tus capsularis ? Benth. CenTROSOLENIA glabra; foliis disparibus, maximo oblique obovali-oblongo serrato costis subtus petiolisque pilosis exceptis glabro, opposito parvo lan- ceolato, corolla pubescentis lobis inferioribus longe fimbriatis. Benth. CENTROSOLENIA glabra. Benth. MSS. An interesting and rather handsome Gesneriaceous plant, imported by the Royal Gardens of Kew from La Guayra, through Mr. Wagener, a German collector, who has been long travelling in that country. It forms a stove-plant, and keeps up a succession of flowers with us through the autumnal and early winter months. We submitted the figure to Mr. Bentham for his opinion, as he has paid much attention to the family to which it belongs, and has published the results of his observa- tions in the 5th volume of the ‘London Journal of Botany,’ p. 357, &e. ‘That gentleman considers the plant as clearly con- stituting a second species of his new genus Centrosolenia (I. c. p. 362), and he has obligingly furnished the accompanying character and description. M. Decaisne’s genus 7richanthe, since published, probably in the ‘Revue Horticole,’ for 1548, he believes to be identical with Centrosolenia. If so, it must give place to the latter name, which appeared in 1846, and con- sequently has the right of priority. Dxescr. An erect plant, with a succulent, reddish-brown, terete stem, a foot or more high. eaves succulent, glabrous, the lower ones six to eight inches long, opposite, and each pair is singularly unequal in size :, one being small, lanceolate, and acu- DECEMBER Ist, 1850. minate ; the other large, ovate, tapering at the base into a stout petiole, and acuminate at the apex, the margin serrated. Pedi- cels aggregated, axillary, downy, six to seven lines long, hairy. Calyx entirely free, the four lower lobes lanceolate-linear; about — nine lines long, with one or two shorter or longer teeth above the middle, coloured and slightly hairy ; the upper lobed, much shorter, and narrow, deflected by the spur. Corolla tubular, enlarged upwards, projected below into a short obtuse spur, the whole tube about an inch and a half long, clothed outside with a short thin down, the Zimé divided into five broad short lobes, of which the three lower are fringed with long thread-like laciniz ; inside of the corolla smooth. Stamens inserted near the base of the corolla: filaments smooth, anthers cohering, slightly fringed with hairs at the lower end. .Rudiment of the fifth stamen small. Annular disc nearly obsolete, with a large posterior gland. Ovary conical, hairy, with two lamelliform, bipartite, parietal placenta. Style smooth, thick, somewhat clavate, with the stigmatic extremity rarely emarginate. Benth. Cuur. A tropical soft-wooded plant, of robust, straggling growth, and, like many other Gesneriaceous plants, of an epi- phytal habit, and will grow freely on decaying vegetable matter imawarm and moist atmosphere. The plant here represented was raised from seed, and has grown luxuriantly in a mixture of light loam and peat-soil. It is readily increased by cuttings, which produce roots without the aid of a bell-glass. J. 8. _ Fig. 1. Base with the spur of the corolla and stamens, side-view. 2. Ante- rior view of ditto. 3. Pistil and hypogynous glands i—magnified, 7 i & ; a Tan. 4553. OXYSPORA VaGANs. Weak-stemmed Oxyspora. Gen. Char. Calycis tubus oblongus ; lobi 4, ovati, mucronulati. Petala 4, lan- eeolata, oblique acuta. Stamina 8, (in-)zequalia, filamentis planiusculis. Anthera elongatée, basi in calcaria dio obtusa producta, connectivo vix perspieuo. Capsula 4-lneutaris, 3 4-valvis. Semina minima, scobiformia, vix curva, utrinque aristata, hilo concavo terminali.—Suffrutices Nepalenses. Folia petiolata, elliptico-oblonga, acu- minata, denticulata, 5—T-nervia, superne glabra. ‘Thyrsus paniculatus, terminalis. Flores albi, subcernui.. De Cand. ~ OxysPora nutans ; subscandens, ramis nutantibus, foliis subcordato-ovatis acu- minatis crenulatis ciliatis, subtus ‘ramrflis petiolisque leviter tomentoso- _ pilosis pilis simplicibus demum fere (vel omnino) glabris, panicula elongata -nutante, connectivo antherarum omnium deorsum calearato, calyce capsuli fero costato. Wall. . hate 4 Oxysrora vagans, Wall. Plant. Asiat. Rar. 0.1. p.78. t.88. Wall. Cat. n.4075 Mrtastoma rugosa. Roxb. MSS. Hj. Icon. pict. in Hort. Bot. Cale. asservata. Though not so strikingly beautiful as the O. ora paniculata, ; figured by Dr. Wallich in his superb ‘ Planta Asiaticee Rariores,’ yet this is very nearly akin to it; and but for the well-known ac curacy of my valued friend just mentioned, and the fact of his havi seen both species in a living state, I should have been dispc to have considered the present a lax-branched and lax-flower variety of O. paniculata :—the more so, as he quotes from -Roxburgh’s MSS. a still more lax and drooping variety O. paniculata is indeed a stouter and stronger plant, wit. stem and panicle erect, and “connectivo antherarum obsolete calcarato ;” whilst in our plant, which quite with the Wallichian specimen in my herbarium, the connectivum _ of the longer anther is less distinctly spurred than the sho ones. TI possess, too, several specimens from Assam, fro | Griffith and others, of some among which itis, at least in the difficult to say to which they should bel | figured is, however, assuredly the vagans of | and Wallich, and has been raised from seeds sent by | fro hill country bordering on the plains in the approach Da - If less bon it i — sais than the | ; subscandent and the panicles all very - Dusur. Shrub three to five feet high, loosely branched ; the branches long and weak, drooping, obscurely four-angular, the ounger ones tomentose. Petioles long. Leaves ovate or sordate-ovate, acuminate, five- to seven-nerved, glabrous above, obsoletely downy with short hairs, or quite glabrous below, where also the nerves are very prominent and red. Panicles terminal, drooping, lax, often a foot long. Primary branches opposite, secondary forked. Calyz-tube elongated, tetragonous, pale dish-green, with a limb of four small teeth. Pefals four, of bright rose-colour, obovate, acute. Stamens eight, four long d four short ; the four smaller anthers are pale-coloured, and ve a distinct spur pointing downwards at the back of the ectivum; the four longer ones are deep purple, much havea small spur. Style much decurved. W. J. H. ut. This showy plant was raised last year from seeds, and — autumn it produced flowers. It is of a slender habit, | internodes, and is not disposed to produce lateral s. It grows freely if potted in light loam and leaf- and kept in a moderately warm stove, and propagates © cuttings treat d in the usual way. JS... pit Gs Pee stamens. 2. Calyx and pistil magnified. ‘Sapna’