ae a 
67 
* Our plant of Vanilla planifolia has produced flowers— 
but no fruit—for several years. Last year in the No. for 
March of the Annals of Natural History, I saw Professor 
Morren’s paper on the production of Vanilla in Europe, and 
having followed the directions therein given for its artificial 
fecundation, I succeeded in getting a number of the fruit to 
set,—they have been about a year in coming to maturity. 
Professor Morren says twelve months and a day is the exact 
period. 
“The artificial fecundation consists in carefully removing 
the retinaculum, which covers the stigmatic portion of the 
column and separates it from the anther. The anther, which 
is turned inwards, must then be drawn out and pushed down, 
until it comes in contact with the bearded stigmatic part of 
the column. As the flowers are of short duration, those which 
are now sent will probably be withered before they reach you: 
they may however be brought out in succession for some time, 
by planting the branch in a pot among earth, and keeping it 
in a stove, or perhaps in a warm room. Ina stove I had a 
branch last year, which brought out flowers in succession for 
three weeks." 
143. SARCOCHILÜS wnguieulatus; racemo 3-4-floro, labelli unguiculati 
trilobi ungue convexo lineari lined media exaratâ, lamina cava, lobis late- 
ralibus semi-ovatis obtusis intermedio supra trinervi subtus globoso apice 
papilleeformi. 
A native of Manilla, where it was discovered by Mr. 
Cuming. The flowers are light straw-colour, the side lobes 
of the labellum white streaked with crimson, and the mid- 
dle lobe rounded, fleshy, and dotted with crimson. It is 
rather a pretty species, for which I am indebted to Mr. 
Bateman. 
144. ANAGALLIS alternifolia. Cavanill. ic. t. 506. f. 2. 
A very pretty little herbaceous plant, with trailing shoots, 
covered with ovate leaves, and delicate yellowish flowers 
tinged with pink. It belongs to the section J irasekia, and is 
nearly allied to the charming Anagallis tenella of our own 
bogs. It was raised at Carclew from earth sent from Rio 
Janeiro, and I owe specimens to the kindness of Sir Charles 
Lemon. The leaves smell something like Valerian. I find 
no distinction between it and my wild specimens of the species 
