50 



afBxa; versatilea, stigma rotuiidate dilatatum. Bulbiis foliis petiolatis, 

 Eucrosise affinis tuberculis pro corona. TF. H. 

 C. eucrosioides ; hulbo subrotuudo, foliis paucis viridibus lamina pedali 

 circ. 4-unc. lata tessellato-lacunosa, scapo 10-floro glauco tereti superne 

 minore circ. 28 unc. spatba et bracteis marccscentibus, pedunculis viri- 

 dibus sequalibus circ. uncialibus, germine oblongo trigone trisulco viridi 

 loculis circ. 23-spermis, tubo viridi declinato vix ^-unc. mellifluo, limbo 

 subcoccineo vix unciali petalis obtusis, genitalibus pallida viridibus, 

 stylo 4| unc. filamentis circ. 4f unc. inaequalibus inio producto. W. H. 



The bulbs were brought from S. Bias or S. Felipe, on the 

 West Coast of Mexico. They appear to like shade and heat. 

 At Spofforth they flowered without leaves, in the month of 

 March. Mr. Herbert thinks that he has the same bulb 

 from Guatemala. 



50. PIERIS ovalifolia. 



Don gen. sijst. 3. 832. DeCand. Prodr. 7. 599. 



A fine evergreen shrub, native of the North of India, 

 where it was found by Dr. Buchanan Hamilton and afterwards 

 by Dr. Wallich's people. It has short-stalked, oval, toothless, 

 taper-pointed leaves, firm in texture, and glossy on both sides, 

 but a little hairy on the underside. The flowers are white, 

 tinged with pink, and appear in one-sided racemes, at the end 

 of short lateral branches. The corolla is almost cvlindrical, 

 a little angular, and slightly contracted in the middle. It is 

 reported that the shoots of this species are poisonous to the 

 goats that browse upon them, on which account it was originally 

 called Andromeda capricida, a name which ought to have 

 been retained. AVe are not aware that it has flowered before 

 in this country: the specimen now" described was sent by S. F. 

 Phelps, Esq. of Warminster, whose plant is 12 feet high in a 

 pot, branching out very gracefully. It may be expected to be 

 hardy. In Nepal it is reported to form a tree 30 or 40 feet 



high. It is to be regretted that the contrivers of Botanical 



names should have so little skill, to say the least of it, in de- 

 vising them. The author of Pieris, fancied it to be the name 

 of one of the Muses! not having remained long enough at 

 school to learn that they were called Pierides, because they 

 were born in Pieria. As DeCandolle truly says, the name as 

 it stands is nonsense. 



