T873-] ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 325 



foot high, and though not showy, is worth a place on account of its grateful 

 perfume. This species has white flowers with a green hairy spot on the discal 

 portion of the lip, and is very closely related to Dendrobium candidum, a plant 

 with similar coloured flowers, but only half the size of those borne by this spe- 

 cies, though as many as five or six are frequently borne on a short lateral spike 

 produced near the apex of its slender pseudo-bulbs. D. tortile has showy flowers 

 borne in a similar manner to those of the old though beautiful D. nobile. The 

 petals are of a bright rosy lilac, slightly twisted like a cork-screw, hence its spe- 

 cific name, and having a pale primrose-coloured lip. D. primulinum bears a few 

 of its deliciously-perf umed flowers on thick pendulous pseudo-bulbs. The sepals 

 and petals are of good substance ; lilac streaked with rosy purple, the lip being 

 of a faint lemon-yellow or straw colour. A fine specimen of the rare and inter- 

 esting Australian D. Kingianum was producing its three or four flowered inflor- 

 escence of rosy purple flowers on slender terminal spikes. A great plant, of 

 some species of Cyrtopodium, bears a long branched spike of yellow flowers 

 heavily blotched and spotted with brown, and is remarkable from having the 

 bractas coloured like the floral segments. We noticed the old Epidendrum 

 cochleatum flowering very freely. This plant is interesting as having been one 

 of the first epiphytal Orchids introduced to this country. Several fine healthy 

 plants of Phalffinopsis were in flower, including P. rosea, P. amabilis, P. gran- 

 diflora, P. Luddemanniana; and near them a healthy batch of Nepenthes seemed 

 -quite at home. The slate stage beneath these plants was covered with a layer 

 of fresh green moss, a substance admirably adapted for holding moisture, and 

 preventing aridity, the ill effects of which almost every plant-grower knows by 

 experience. In addition to the above there are many unattractive small-flowered 

 Orchids — that is to say, unattractive to an ordinary observer. Amongst these 

 may be noticed Eria rosea, and the dull purple-blossomed Stelis muscifera, 

 flowered and figured by the Loddiges at their renowned establishment at Hack- 

 5iey many years ago ; also its congener S. micrantha, together with Liparis ros- 

 trata, a curious but unattractive species allied to our common British tway- 

 blades. Passing onwards we notice the Victoria regia, with leaves no larger 

 than tea-saucers, already occupying its place in the Lily tank. At one end of the 

 Lily-house is a flne plant of Vanilla in robust health. This has flowered freely, 

 ■and bears a cluster of its fragrant fruit. Some of our readers will remember 

 that Mr E. Bennet was very successful in growing and fruiting this aromatic 

 plant when at Osberton, Notts. 



In the Erica-house we notice Aponogeton distachyon flowering very freely 

 in a large bell-glass. This is a very interesting hardy aquatic from the Cape 

 of Good Hope, and deserves to be more extensively grown either in tanks out 

 of doors or in cool ferneries, wherever there is convenience. It gi'ows very 

 luxuriantly in the "aquatic" pond in the Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, and 

 'bears a profusion of its white flower-spikes. In this house we also note an arbo- 

 rescent Geranium, G. anemoncefolium, forming single stems a foot or more in 

 lieight, having a symmetrical head of finely-cut palmate foliage, and bearing a 

 profusion of its bright purple flowers on great branched panicles. This is a very 

 effective plant when well grown, and we have noticed some fine well-flowered 

 specimens in the Birmingham Botanic Garden. Another arborescent plant, 

 Oxalis crassa, is very remarkable, its ternate leaves being borne on a caudex five 

 or six inches high. The leaves of this plant are thick, and have a superposed 

 layer of air-cells, which gives them an appearance similar to the foliage of Mes- 

 embryanthemum crystallinum. The flowers are yellow. Sonchus platylepis 

 is a very ornamental plant, with lanceolate, pinnatifid, glaucous leaves, arranged 



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