TAB. 6169. : 
DRACANA Smrran. »* @ 
Native of Tropical Africa. 
Nat. Ord. Linraca.—Suborder AsparaGE®. 
Genus Dracana, Vand. ; (Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc., vol. xiv. p. 52). 
Dracana Smithii ; caule elato simplici gracili, foliis confertis patenti-recur- 
vis 3-4 pedalibus supra medium 24-3} poll. latis inferne angustatis 
apice acuminatis striato-nervosis lete viridibus tenuiter coriaceis, costa 
superne evanida subtus valida prominula, marginibus integerrimis 
tenuiter cartilagineis, inflorescentia paniculatim ramosa suberecta, ramis 
patentibus, floribus in axillis panicule et ramulorum apicibus fascicu- 
latis flavis, bracteis 2—5-pollicaribus lanceolatis, bracteolis minutis 
deltoideo-ovatis acutis, pedicellis brevissimis, perianthio }pollicari, 
tubo cylindraceo, segmentis tubum equantibus lineari-oblongis apicibus 
incurvis, filamentis crassis perianthii segmentis squantibus, antheris 
deltoideis loculis basi divergentibus, stylo gracili longe exserto, stigmate 
peltato 3-lobo. j 
D. Smithii, Baker MSS. 
The precise origin of the handsome Dracena here figured 
is unknown; it has been in cultivation for many years, oth 
at Kew and Sion House, and it appears to be so closely allied 
to D. fragrans that I cannot coubt its being an African 
species, and one probably introduced by Whitfield from. the 
West Coast, a quarter of a century ago. As it is, all trace , 
of its history is lost in both establishments. A reference to 
the plate of D. fragrans, published in this Magazine 
(Tab. 1081), will show how near to one another these plants 
are, this differing chiefly in its narrower, more straight, and 
much less undulated leaves, in the yellower flower, with a 
shorter perianth-tube, and in the divaricating base of the 
anther-cells. 
Mr. Baker, who I follow in keeping it distinct from 
D. fragrans, has proposed that the name of the late and 
present able Curators of the Royal Gardens (both named 
John Smith, and unrelated) should be attached to this plant, 
which is the more applicable, inasmuch as the present Curator 
had charge of the gardens of his Grace the Duke of Northum- 
JUNE Ist, 1875, 
