Tap. 6447. 
DRAC AINA FLORIBUNDA. 
Native Country unknown. 
Nat. Ord. Lintacem.—Tribe Dracenex. 
Genus Dracmna, Vand.; (Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc. vol, xiv. p. 523.) 
Dracmna floribunda; frutex 8-10-pedalis, caule ramoso, foliis dense rosulatis 
loratis acuminatis 3—4-pedalibus utrinque viridibus margine concoloribus 
costé superne obscura centialibus ascendentibus exterioribus falcatis, pedunculo 
brevi valido, racemis cylindricis pluribus in paniculam cernuam aggregatis, 
bracteis minutis deltoideis, pedicellis singulis brevibus erecto-patentibus, 
perianthii viriduli cylindrici tubo campanulato, segmentis ligulatis tubo triplo 
longioribus, stylo breviter exserto, stigmate trilobato. 
This is one of the largest and most striking of all the 
known Draczenas. For many years the plant from which 
our drawing was made has been one of the most con- 
Spicuous members of the group of arborescent Liliacez in 
the Palm-house at Kew, but it has never flowered until 
this present summer. Now that we know it completely, it 
proves to be a well-marked new species, remarkable for its 
very large drooping panicle and the great number of its 
crowded cylindrical racemes. We received it many years — 
ago from the Botanic: Garden at Mauritius, when Mr. 
Duncan was Curator there, without any precise information 
as to its native country. Mr. Horne, the present Director 
of the Mauritius Garden, thinks it very likely the plant was 
brought from Rodriguez, but it was not seen in that island 
by Professor Bayley Balfour. Its nearest ally is the West 
African Dracena arborea of Link. 
Descr. Trunk in the cultivated specimen drawn six or 
eight feet high, tuberous at the base as in a Beaucarnea, 
branching low down. Leaves fifty or sixty, crowded in a 
dense rosette, the inner ones ascending, the outer reflexing, 
lorate, acuminate, three or four feet long, three inches or 
three inches and a half broad at the middle, narrowed to an 
SEPTEMBER lst, 1879. 
