Of the present singular species we have found no ac- 
count. Its inflorescence, in this instance, consisted of a 
single sessile upright highly fragrant white flower, little less, 
when fully extended, than four inches long, issuing from 
a bivalved spathe wrapped round by the upper leaves of the 
short stem; at the two upper joints of which, in hollows on 
each side within the surrounding sheath, we perceived the 
rudiment of either a flower or branch. Calyx herbaceous, 
enclosed, an inch and half high; tube of the corolla slender, 
higher than the spathe; limb tripetaloid, segments obliquely 
reflectent, obovate-oblong, twice shorter than the tube, 
unevenly crenulated. But the strangest anomaly presents 
itself in the stigma, which is clavately elongated, chanuelled 
on one side, and coated by a brown hard substance like 
resin, from some small points in which issue several fine 
elastic tough threads, floating down in ringlets among 
the, anthers that lie without the mouth of the tube below, 
and in which the pollen appeared to be moist, and gru- 
mously granulate. To such stigma we know of nothing 
analogous among vegetables. Have we been imposed upon 
by some extraneous substance or some casual excretion? We 
state the appearance with diffidence, even after the most 
scrupulous inspection, and shall scarcely feel secure till we 
meet the like in another sample. ` 
Native of Buenos. Ayres. Flowered in one of the hothouses 
at Castle-Hill, the seat of Lord Fortescue, in Devonshire; 
from whence the specimen was received by Mr. Edwards 
in March last. The lower foliage was copied from an un- 
coloured drawing made by Lord Fortescue, who bad the 
goodness to communicate it to Mr. Edwards for that pur- 
pose; the stem and flower having been sent up by the 
gardener without the root-leaves. Its only culture for five 
years past had been, in being suspended by a.string in the 
hothouse. 
a The bivalved spathe. & The 3-parted calyx. c The tube of the co- 
rolla and one segment of the limb. . d A stamen, e The pistil, 
ew. 
