bractea, within Which the splendid head or dense 
capitate spike of. “flowers is produced. This is rendered the 
more striking from its numerous bracteas of a fine deep rose- 
red colour, all margined with a white line, the owfer ones 
exceedingly large and spreading, often reflexed, three or 
four inches in Sails ovate, acute, gradually becoming 
more obtuse as they are more internal, always barren ; 
suddenly the bractee become smaller, oblong, very obtuse, 
erect, imbricated and fertile. Flowers shorter than the 
bractew, cylindrical, about an inch long: each consists of 
a small, inferior germen, slightly downy, three-celled, each 
cell with two vertical rows of ovules placed upon the disse- 
piment at a distance from the inner angle. From the top of 
this arise the floral coverings, combined with the filament 
of the stamens into a tube having a sort of cavity or necta 
at the base within. Calyx of three imbricated, unequal, 
delicate, membranaceous, conyolute, oblong leaves. Corolla 
of one piece, broadly ovate, deep purplish-red, convolute, 
enclosing the stamen, of which the lower part of the fila- 
ment is membranaceous, (where it combines with the floral 
coverings,) the upper part broad, deep red-purple, thick, 
emarginate, the sides involute, enclosing the style and the 
yma till the latter rises above it by the prolongation of 
the style: within, near the margin, are two yellow, one- 
elle » linear-oblong anthers, opening by a longitudinal 
fissure, and containing pollen in globular grains. Style 
filiform, white, having a two-lobed gland at its base. 
Stigma red, capitate, compressed, having on one side a 
transverse, green, depressed spot, which receives the pollen. 
This collection of flowers with the richly coloured bractee 
Soon withers, and is succeeded by a large head of fruit, 
formed of many capsules, each as large as a chestnut, nearly 
globose, or obscurely three-lobed, downy, terminated by the 
withered floral coverings, and intermixed with the equal 
withered and ragged bracteas. These I have not seen wit 
rlect seeds; but I have the opportunity of representing 
| ne and a section of a ripe capsule through the kindness 
of Mr. 'Tetrarr and M, Boser. 'The latter capsule is three- 
celled, and contains numerous seeds apparently attached to 
branched funiculi (enveloped in pulp?) Seeds pear-shaped, 
having an arillus at the base, a copious albumen, and an em- 
bi the hil shape as the seed, with its radicle pointing 
n the month of August of the present year, Lord MrzTos 
was so kind as to Bitiitoicate: to aie the splendid spe- 
cimen 
