Tas. 6184. 
D IO N:. EDUEE, 
Native of Mexico. 
Nat. Ord, CrcapE#.—Tribe ENCEPHALARTEA. 
Genus Dron, Lindl, (Alph. DC. Prod., v. xvi., pt. 2, p. 587). 
Dion edule ; trunco 8-5 pedali, foliis junioribus pilosis demum glaberrimis 3-5 
pedalibus pinnatifidis anguste lanceolatis rigidis, segmentis utroque latere 
ad 100 erecto-patentibus lineari-lanceolatis subulato-acuminatis pungentibus 
multinerviis, rachi supra plana subtus convexa, strobilis g pedalibus cylin- 
draceis breviter crasse pedunculatis albolanatis basi bracteis ovato-lanceo- 
latis longe acuminatis densissime villoris stipatis, squamis ¢ pollicaribus 
cuneatis pallide cxruleis apicibus lanuginosis trapezoideis apice inferiore 
densissime antheriferis, strobilis $ ovoideis densissime lanuginosis squamis 
apicibus longe productis ovato-lanceolatis, 
Dion EDULE, Lindl, Bot. Reg. Misc., 1843, No. 82, Miquel in Linnza, 
v. xix. (1846), p. 415, e¢ xxi. (1848), p.567; Walp. Ann., v.i., p. 747, et V. 
iii., p. 453; Lemaire, Ill. Hortic.v. ii,, Mise. p. 91 cum Ie. ; A. DC. Prod., 
V. XVi., pt. 2, p. 537. 
D. imbricatum, Mig.; D. aculeatum, Lem., et D. angustifolium, Miq., omnia » 
l.c., Lemaire, J.c. 
ZaMIA? Maelen, Miquel in Linnea, xviii. (1844), p. 97. 
Puatyzamia, Zuccarini in Abhandl. Math. Phys. Kl. Bayer Akad., v. iv., p. 28, 
t. 4. 
For greenhouse decoration the remarkable Cycad here 
figured is at once the most easily cultivated, effective, and 
_ on account of the flatness of its rigid frond, the most easily 
of its class kept free of that pest of Cycads, the scale insect. 
ca It is a native of Mexico, where it is said to be found in 
various provinces, and has been in cultivation since 1843, 
_ when it was brought from that country by a Mrs. Lavater, 
who presented a plant to the Horticultural Society. Dr. 
Lindley remarked that about the same time Messrs. Loddiges 
bought a stock of the plant. The earliest Kew plant was 
_ Teceived from Siebold. With less apparent justice Lemaire 
attributes to Lindley “un inconceyable lapsus calami” in 
Stating that the seeds were destitute of embryo; a statement 
that we have no reason to doubt the correctness of, seeing 
how often such is the case in Cycadec. 
