3 



the latter, proceeding rapidly, produced abundance of good 

 seed. Such has been the invariable result of six years expe- 

 riments, but we have failed in all attempts to mix Hippeastrum 

 with the nearly allied Habranthus or Zephyranthes. In the 

 form of its seed and capsule it has some affinity to Gladiolus. 

 I tried 30 years ago vainly to impregnate G. blandus by H. 

 crocatum. Can any person recognize the above, as the roots 

 of any known plant ? or has Mr. Plant bred an anomalous 

 monster between the two natural orders Amaryllidaceae and 

 Iridacese, though all other persons have as yet failed in 

 obtaining any mule vegetable between two genera decidedly 

 distinct in one and the same order ? I do not think disease 

 could have produced such Gladiolus roots. Mr. Plant tried 

 to make a like cross last year by the Hippeastrum on a hybrid 

 Gladiolus, and he has sent me a bulb which is its produce, 

 and two seedlings from another pod not crossed by him on 

 the same Gladiolus stem ; but it is evident, that these bulbs 

 are all true Gladioli, though the two pods have been evi- 

 dently set by the pollen of two different species or varieties 

 of Gladiolus, which the bees might effect without his privity. 

 Mr. Plant pays a great deal of attention to the state of the 

 stigma and pollen, but 1 cannot find that he has done so 

 more than I have done during the last thirty years, when I was 

 desirous of obtaining a difficult cross. Every encouragement 

 should be given by cultivators to Mr. Plant, who would 

 perhaps effect much by industry and perseverance, if his 

 means were equal to his zeal." 



W. Herbert, Spofforth, Oct. 1842. 



1. CATASETUM Waflesii. 

 Hooker in Botanical Magazine, t. 3937- 



C. Wailesii; - foliis oblongo-lanceolatis, perianthiis ovatis compressis con- 

 niventibus, sepalis petalisque acuminatis, labello subcomco cucullato ore 

 contracto integerrimo, antheris hemisphserico-compressis umbonatis 

 umbone subtus squamifero." 



This is a green-flowered species from Honduras, with all 



the appearance of C. triplentatum; Sir W. Hooker, however, 



assigns the following reasons for regarding it as a distinct 



species. ,'ti i - 



" The strange forms exhibited in the different parts of the 



