1873.] THE PYRAMIDAL PEACH. NEW PLATYLOMAS. 157 



at the Alexandra Palace that might answer. But the best band consists of late 

 plants of Myosotis dissitiflora. It takes, however, 28 inches to do this tricoloured 

 ribbon of honour justice, and as this is more than I could well spare, I have struck 

 out the blue this season, and formed the ribbon of two stripes only. I am hardly 

 conscious of anything more cheering in the gardens of Florists, and so I venture 

 to introduce the new Order of merit to your readers. — D. T. Fish. 



THE PYRAMIDAL PEACH. 



'HIS plant is recommended in the Revue Horticole as a fine ornamental sub- 

 ject among small trees. Its shape is said to call to mind that of the Populus 

 fastigiata^ or Lombardy poplar, its branches being quite as erect as in 

 that tree ; and its large flowers, of a beautiful rose-colour, are borne in 

 profusion. It is, however, still very rare, probably in consequence of its not being 

 more generally known. 



Whence comes this Persica fastigiata ? asks M. Carriere, and he replies that 

 it was obtained from M. A. Leroy, nurseryman of Angers. Whatever its origin, it 

 is a very fine shrub, which, on account of its peculiar form, might be advan- 

 tageously used for the decoration of shrubberies. It is a shrub of moderate 

 growth, the branches very numerous and fastigiate ; the leaves are deep green, 

 very shortly denticulate, the glands reniform ; the flowers are of a pale, fleshy 

 rose ; the fruits very downy, small, subspherical, and very slightly coloured. 

 Though not to be recommended as a fruit-tree, this Persica fastigiata is well 

 deserving of culture as an ornamental object. — M. 



NEW PLATYLOMAS. 



WITH AN ILLUSTEATION. 



Hbj^ the accompanying plate will be found illustrations of two charming new 

 ^Ju dwarf greenhouse Ferns recently imported from California by Messrs, Veitch 

 ^^ and Sons, and which we refer to the genus Platyloma^ which for us includes 



'tj) many of the species called Pellcca^ by other pteridologists. The distinguish- 

 ing feature of the genus Platiiloma is that the receptacles, which are continua- 

 tions of the veins, form a series of closely set lines, more or less lengthened, at 

 the edge of the frond, and placed at right angles with it, so that the fructifica- 

 tion when mature forms by the effusion of these linear sori a broad marginal 

 band — whence the name. This structure is manifested in various degrees, — 

 for genera are mere human contrivances for purposes of classification — and in 

 fact, the little lines of spore-cases are found shorter and shorter in different 

 species, till the receptacle comes to be reduced to a single dot at the end of the 

 vein, when the plant, if it has the involucral or reflected margin we are presuming 

 to be present in all these cases, becomes a Cheilanthus. It is to the Cheilanthoid 

 group of Plat)jloina (alias Pallcea) that our present subject belongs. 



P. BRACHYPTERUM, as will be seen from the figure, is a very neat and pretty, 

 as well as a distinct-looking fern. It grows 8-12 inches high, with rigid, erect, 



