373 



NEW PLANTS. 



INCIDIUM MARSHALLIANUM {Gard. Chron., 1866, p. 682).— This 

 com3s near to O. pcctorale, but is far more splendid ; the flowers are of 

 a golden yellow, marked with maroon brown spots on tlje sepals and 

 petals. The auricles of the lip are very prominent and quadrate. It oc- 

 cuiTed amonpst numerous Oncidia crispajntroduced^by Messrs. Low and 

 Co,, and flowered with W. Marshall, Esq., of Enfield. 



Adiaxtum Farleyexse {Gard. Chron., IS6Q, p. 730). — This superb Maiden- 

 hair fern is closely related to A. tenerum, from which it differs in the larger size of 

 the pinnules and the regularly dichotomo-laciniate condition of the margin of the 

 sterile pinnules, which aro also free from the small serratures which occur so dis- 

 tinctly on the sterile portions of the fronds of A. tenerum. " To these differences 

 may be added the dimorphous development of the plant, so entirely different are 

 the elegantly-fringed sterile pinnules from the more contracted fertile ones. As a 

 garden plant it is far more beautiful than either A. tenerum or A. trapeziforme, 

 with which it has been compared. It is, in fact, one of the most graceful species 

 jet known, and perhaps the most lovely genus of the pre-eminently lovely family 

 of ferns." 



Adiantum VELUTiNUM'(6rart?. Chron., 1866, p. 777). — A nohle stove fern, intro- 

 duced from Columbia by M. Linden. It is remarkable for the tall stature of its 

 much-branched ample supra-decompound fronds,^wliich attain from three to four feet 

 in height, and also for the whitey-brown felt of cobweb-like intricate liairs or hair- 

 scales which give quite a velvety appearance to the rachides, especially on the 

 tipper surface. The ultimate pinnules are about an inch in length, dimidiate, with 

 the anterior base truncately rounded, curved backward at the base, and rounded or 

 sub-acuminately produced and slightly falcate at the apex. The sori occupy nearly 

 the whole width of the marginal lobes, and are oblong or reniform according to 

 their length, usually one only, but sometimes two, occurring on the lobe. In the 

 form of its pinnules and general character the plant has some resemblance to A. 

 "VVilesianum, but is altogether more robust. 



Athyhium prolifeeum {Gard. Chron., 1866, p. 778). — A graceful Ceylon species 

 with pendant fronds a foot and a half long, of a nari'ow linear-lanceolate form, 

 nearly equal in width throughout ; the pinna3 are scarcely more than an inch in 

 length, and have one or two separate pinnules at the base, and then become decur- 

 rent. The fronds bear young plants near the apex of the rachis, sometimes two or 

 more on the same frond. It forms an elegant plant for suspending in a small 

 fancy basket amongst orchids, and requires stove temperatui-e. 



ADi\NTnM LiNDENi {Gard. CA;-o«.,' 1866, p. 778). — This elegant species of 

 Maidenhair was introduced from the Amazons by M. Linden. It is one of the 

 larger stove species, with the habit of ^. Wilesianum and^. velutinum. Tlie:pin- 

 nules are large, rather distant, and distinctly lobcd, the lobes being parallel and 

 quite entire at the sides, and bluntly toothed along the apex ; the pinnules are also 

 remarkably acuminate, and measure an inch and a half in length. The rachis 

 is smootli on tlie lower and velvety on the upper surface. 



Cattleta Dowiana {Gard. Chron., 1866, p. 22).— Orchldeaj. A superb species 

 from Costa Rica, quite distinct from everything else in the genus. The expanded 

 flowers are nearly seven inches across, and the fringed labellum not less than four 

 inches long, the latter having protruded about an inch beyond the point of the un- 

 expanded buds. The sepals and petals are of a mellow straw colour, while tlie lip 

 is one uniform mass of the darkest purple velvet, streaked regularly throughout with 

 gold threads. The entire stock of this fine plant is in the hands of Messrs. Veitch. 



QuEKcus Ravenscroftiana (Garrf. Chron., 1866, p. 1018).— A supposed oak, 

 " said to be ornamental in appearance," not yet known to be hardy, not yet having 

 been seen in flower or fruit, and about which indeed no one knows anything e-xcept 

 that it has oblong elliptical leaves about two inches in length, which are sessile and 

 disposed alternately on each side of the twig. Mr. A. Murray has the coolness to 

 describe this as " a very remarkable species," and to name it after Mr. Ravens- 

 croft, of Messrs. Lawson and Son's establishment, a very worthy gentleman, who, if 

 to be complimented at all, deserves some better usage than to have his name asso- 

 ciated with an imaginary species. 



