90 



Tlic Country Gentleman's Magazine 



NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 



NO. I. THE ABYSSINIAN JIBARA (Rynchopetalum montanum). 

 N the last number of the Journal of Robert Brown formed a truer estimate of its affinities 



J. Travel there is a figure of tlie very re- 

 markable Jibara, which we reproduce. The 

 writer says : — 



" There are a number of forms peculiar to Abyssinia 

 itself, the most remarkable of which, perhaps, is the 

 wonderful Jibara (Rhynchopetalum montanum) the 



when he placed it in the neighbouring order, the Cam- 

 panulacea?. If it were blue (which it is not) it might 

 be called the blue-bell of Abyssinia, rather a different 

 looking Campanula from our humble little hare-bell. 

 It is a tree 15 feet in height, with succulent leaves, and 

 in some respects bearing a great similarity to the 

 Agaves, with which it has the additional point of re- 



T!-,;; Jibnr.i Ky::cJw/'ctal!:i:i inoiitni 



zone of which begins at 1 1,000 feet, and continues, so 

 far as the soil extends, up to the highest tops, at first 

 mixed with Erica and Hypericum, then standing in 

 thousands on the short grass of the meadows, bloom- 

 ing amongst the numerous small alpine plants. 



"It has long been known as one of the most strik- 

 ing plants of the country. Jussieu and most botanists 

 have ranked it among the Lobeliacere, but we think 



semblance, that it lives until it flowers, and then 

 dies. The flower-spike is yellowish-red in colour, and 

 very handsome. Its other qualities, however, are not 

 so pleasant, its fresh juice has the smell of bugs. It is 

 very poisonous, so much so that even its shadow is 

 said to be fatal to those who sleep under it. A more 

 credilile report is, that even its smoke occasions 

 vomiting." 



