Plate 338. 

 COLEUS GIBSONII. 



Wc last month figured ii new and beautiful sport of Iresine 

 Ilerhstii, belie^-ing it to be well suited both for bedding purposes 

 and for pot-culture ; we have now tlie pleasure of figui'ing 

 another plant whieh we saw tried with some success last year, 

 and which, should the season be favourable, is destined to be 

 still more grown and better appreciated this year. 



CoJeus Verschaffeltii has proved itself, in the hands of skilful 

 cultivators, and in suitable situations, to be one of the most 

 valuable and effective of bedding plants, although a great deal of 

 opposition was shown to it from many quarters. The species 

 which we now figure, less brilliant in its colouring indeed, will 

 be found, we ho])e. valuable for the same purposes. 



Culeus Gibsonii was sent home by Mr. John G. Yeitch, from 

 Xew Caledonia, where it was discovered growing in vast quan- 

 tities, its highly-coloui'cd foliage forming a most striking fea- 

 ture. It is one of the results of the tour made by him in the 

 South Pacific, which we have ouly to regret, in the cause of 

 science and floriculture, was not more prolonged, and for various 

 causes could not be as effective as he had himself wished or 

 ho]ipd it would be. Sufficient, however, has been done to en- 

 title him to the gratitude of all lovers of plants, and perhaps 

 to encourage some one to ransack those islands for their trea- 

 sures. In habit, C. Gibsonii is quite equal to C. Verschaffeltii ; 

 being dwarf and very busliy, the leaves are large, often exceed- 

 ing five inches in length, and are of a light-green colour, dis- 

 tinctly veined and blotched with dark crimson-purple. Mr. 

 Veitch says of it, " that is a most ornamental plant for pot- 

 culture, and can be recommended as an excellent companion 

 to the other species for summer flower-garden decoration, where 



