I873-] CULTURE OF PITCHER-PLANTS. 203 



shaped, often nearly a foot long, and from two to three inches broad 

 at the mouth, from whence they gradually taper downwards into the 

 prolonged base of the midrib. A specimen of this species, grown by 

 Mr Baines, bore upwards of fifty finely developed pitchers, and was 

 one of the most remarkable plants ever seen. The liepenthes Hookerii 

 of gardens is a variety of this plant, having shorter and rounder 

 pitchers, more heavily blotched with purple than in the normal type. 

 Of this plant again there are two sub-varieties, one being covered with 

 whitish hairs and the other being perfectly smooth. 



iV. pTiyllampliora. — This is one of the commonest species, and one 

 of very vigorous growth. Its cylindrical stems shoot up six to eight 

 feet high, bearing lanceolate oblong leaves twelve to sixteen inches 

 long. Pitchers four to six inches long, about an inch in diameter and 

 very freely produced. I have found this plant valuable as furnishing 

 an abundance of leaves and pitchers for cutting. They have a very 

 pretty effect, arranged along with choice flowers and ferns, and have 

 the additional merit of lasting for a long period in the drawing-room 

 vase. This species is a native of China and the Malayan Archipel- 

 ago, and is often sold and distributed as N. distillatoria, an old species 

 described by Linnaeus, a native of Ceylon, the normal type being 

 extremely rare in cultivation. 



iV. rubra. — This is a variety of N. distillatoria, having peculiar 

 flask-shaped pitchers four or five inches long, and of a purplish red 

 colour throughout. 



N. sanguinea. — This is a fine species and rare in cultivation, having 

 triangular smooth stems and ovate oblong leaves. The pitchers borne 

 by this plant are large, being upwards of a foot long and about three 

 inches in diameter. They are downy and of a beautiful crimson 

 colour. It is a native of Malacca. 



N. gracilis. — Stems smooth, three cornered ; leaves, small, being 

 about six inches long, and an inch wide ; pitchers two to four inches 

 long, narrowed in the centre, and having a pair of narrow fringed 

 wings. The older pitchers are destitute of the latter appendages. 

 This plant bears a profusion of its small greenish pitchers, and like 

 "those of N. phyllamphora they come in very acceptably for cutting 

 and decorative purposes. It is a native of Sumatra, and is also 

 found in Borneo, altitude 1500 to 2000 feet. 



A smaller variety of the latter plant is often called ^. loevis in 

 gardens. 



N. Dominiana. — This is one of Mr Dominy's hybrids, IST. Rafflesiana 

 being the seed-bearing parent, fertilised with pollen from an undeter- 

 mind species from Borneo. It somewhat resembles IST. Rafflesiana, but 

 is much finer when weU developed. Its pitchers are six or seven 



