284 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



inches" long, half to one inch broad, spatlmlate in form. Inflorescence a panicle 

 of rather large, green, scentless flowers. 



Sanchezia nobilis, Brilliant-Jloivered Sanchezia (Boi. llaff., t. 5594). — 

 Acanthace^e. A magnificent plant, discovered by Mr. Tearce in Ecuador, in 1863, 

 and flowered in Messrs. Veitch's exotic nursery, Chelsea, in June last. It is a 

 stout, erect, herbaceous plant, with oblong lanceolate leaves, three to nine inches in 

 length, and erect, opposite bracteate fascicles of flowers, forming together a dense 

 panicle, most brilliantly coloured, the bracts bright i-ed, the corollas yellow. 



SACCOLABirM AMPULLACEUM, Bottle-lippecl !Saccolabi2un {Bot. Mag , t. 5595). — 

 Orchidese. A neat, compact, and beautiful plant, native of Kylhet, where its season of 

 flowering is the spring. It is of dwarf habit, not rising more than six inches high, 

 usually with a simple stem. Leaves barely a span long, very thick, ligulate ; flowers 

 of a deep rose colour, growing in erect, axillary racemes, which are much shorter 

 than the leaves. " It grows slowly, rarely producing ofi'sets, but is easily managed. 

 Nothing can be more charming than its bright rose-coloured racemes, which are 

 freely produced, and last long in beauty." 



Phormium tenax foliis VAEiEGATis, VaHeffated-leaved Neio Zealand Flax 

 (L'lllust. Kort., t. 481).^Asphodelace£e. The well-known and majestic Phormium 

 ienax has proved hardy in so many instances in this country that we may reason- 

 ably entertain a hope that this magnificent variegated form of it will be equally 

 capable of enduring the severities of an English winter. Apart, however, from that 

 consideration, we must award to this plant the merit of being most distinct and beau- 

 tiful and one of the most valuable variegated-leaved plants in cultivation. It has 

 been several times exhibited during the past two seasons by Mr. B. S. Williams, of 

 Victoria Nursery, Holloway, and has never lacked admirers. The variegation con- 

 sists of sharply-defined stripes of red, brown, yellow, and buff, alternating with stripes 

 of rich dark green, the plant having all the grace and richness peculiar to the 

 species. 



Cambllia Marianna Talexti {U Illiist. Mort., t. 483).— A beautiful Italian 

 seedling, latelv flowered in the establishment of M. A. VerschafFelt. The flowers are 

 larce, with very broad petals, the colour deep red, with shades of cerise and narrow 

 stripes of blush. The foliage is ample, handsome, and a fine deep shade of green. 



THE BEST FIFTY HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



SHORT time since, prizes were offered for the best selections of herbaceous 

 plants, to be published in the Gardener' s Magazine. A considerable 

 number of lists were sent in competition, and, as a " wind-up," a fresh 

 selection from all the lists was made by " The O'Shaue," who, no doubt, 

 is the best authority on the subject in the country. The O'Sliane's list 

 was submitted to Mr. Niven, Mr. J. Backhouse, Mr. Tyerm.m, and other curators, 

 collecto'S, and botanists, and the ultimate result was a list of one hundred species 

 and varieties, considered most useful as hardy decorative plants for English gardens, 

 and which was published in the Gardener's Magazine of June 23, 1866. From 

 that list we select the names and descriptions of the " best fifty," and think it 

 proper to add, that if any difficulty be experienced in obtaining any of them of local 

 nurserymen, application may be made to Messrs. E. G. Hendei'son, St. John's Wood, 

 London, or Messrs. Backhouse, of York, with a prospect of success. This is a good 

 time to obtain and plant choice herbaceous plants in beds and borders. 



Anemone Japonica, and varieties ; native country, Japan ; colour, red ; time of 



flowering, autumn ; height, two and a half feet. 

 Aquilegia alpina and Californica; Switzerland; blue; summer; one foot. 

 Delphinium, in splendid variety ; Switzerland ; blue ; summer ; three and four feet. 

 Helleborus niger ; Mid Europe ; white ; winter ; one foot. 

 Pseonia, in rich variety; summer; two feet. 



Dielytra spectabilis ; Siberia ; purple ; early summer ; two feet. 

 Baptisia australis ; North America ; blue ; summer ; three feet. 



