46 



ALONA coelestis. 

 Sky-blue Alona. 



PENTANDRIA MONOOYNIA. 

 Nat. Ord. NOLANACE^. 



ALONA, Lindl. (Vide infra.) 



A. coelestis. (Vide infra.) 



It has long been known to Botanists that Chile and Peru 

 abound in shrubby plants allied to Nolana, few of which are 

 yet published, but including among them some species of 

 remarkable beauty. Hitherto our gardens have possessed 

 no others than iV^. prostrata, tenella, paradoxa, and atriplici- 

 folia, of which the first and last alone remain in cultivation. 

 But they are annuals, and, with the exception of the last, 

 of small importance for the purposes of decoration. The 

 shrubs are still to procure. Of these one species, that now 

 figured, has at last been raised from some of Mr. Bridges' 

 seeds, by Mr. Best, gardener to A. Park, Esq. of Merton 

 Grove, Surrey. 



It proves to be a very fine thing, with pale sky-blue 

 flowers, each of which remains in beauty for several days. 

 Its habit is that of a soft-leaved heath, and it appears likely 

 to form a bush of some such size as a common Pelargonium. 

 What its proper treatment may be we are unable to tell, having 

 had no opportunity of studying the plant ; but we presume 

 it will thrive with the same cultivation as Scarlet Pelar- 

 goniums, and we hope it will prove a capital thing for bedding 

 out during the summer. We would, however, suggest to 

 gardeners, that as all the Nolanas appear to be shore plants, 

 salt in small quantities may be found useful in the soil. 



Our drawing was made from a plant exhibited to the 



