in the summer of 1843, to the Royal Gardens of Kew, and 

 it bloomed during the month of December of the same 

 year in a cool stove. The plants then died down to the 

 root, and it is doubtful if we shall succeed in flowering the 

 same root a second year, so little is understood of the 

 proper mode of treatment for Cape bulbs and tubers. It is 

 certain the roots often suffer from being taken up from their 

 native soil at an improper season ; and doubtless, too, we 

 have much difficulty to contend with in the change of 

 seasons they must undergo in our northern hemisphere, 

 and the want of hot sun to ripen the roots in their dormant 

 state. There is a charming mixture of green and white 

 and purple in the flowers of this plant, which contrasted 

 well with the gay blossoms of the Disa grandiflora that 

 stood beside it. 



Descr. Stem, including the spike, a foot high, green 

 spotted with red, leafy to the summit : Leaves lanceolate, 

 erect, or erecto-patent, acuminate, the lower ones sheath- 

 ing at the base, and there marked with red spots, the 

 uppermost sessile, and passing gradually into leaf-like 

 bracteas, of which the lower ones are larger than the 

 blossoms. Spike four to six inches long, many-flowered. 

 Flowers moderately large. Sepals dissimilar ; lateral ones 

 oblong, rnncronate, bent down, nearly white, upper or 

 intermediate one (galea) very large, rotundato-ovate, 

 acute, cucullate, violet-coloured with a green edge con- 

 cealing the column and petals, and terminating behind 

 in a long, green spur or horn, whence the specific name. 

 Petals small, oblong, decurved and falcate, with a broad 

 auricle at the base. Lip small, spathulate, green with a 

 large, black, velvety spot. Anther erect, two-celled. 



Fig. 1. Flower with the Sepals removed. 2. Front view of the same : — 

 magnified. 



