STEPHANOTIS FLORIBUNDA. 



131 



A FINE NE"W SUMMER CLIMBER— THE MANY-FLOWERED STEPHANOTIS. 



The annexed engraving represents a portion 

 of a shoot, shoAving the leaves and flowers 

 of the new Madagascar climber, Stephano- 

 tis fiorihunda, which is, at the present mo- 

 ment, looked upon by amateurs as the great- 

 est acquisition among the floral novelties of 

 the season. " Beautiful in the extreme, 

 and possessing a most delicious fragrance, 

 this fine climbing plant," says the last Lon- 

 don Horticultural Magazine, " is admired 

 by all who know it. Its beauty is derived 

 from the contrast presented between the 

 pearly whiteness of its profuse and hand- 

 somely formed blossoms, and the deep green 

 hue of its ample and enduring leaves ; and 

 this beauty, supported as it is, by a most 

 exquisite fragrance, gives it an indisputa- 

 ble claim to the high estimation in which it 

 is held." 



Mr. Paxto>% in his Magazine of Botany, 

 remarks, that it is next to impossible to 

 overrate its merits, they are so essentially 

 sterling. Besides having a most elegant 

 climbing habit, it bears dark shining foliage, 

 of a pleasing order, and from the axils of 

 this, the delicate creamy white blossoms are 

 protruded in large umbels. The texture of 

 the flowers being very firm, they last a con- 

 siderable time, and their odor is exceedino-- 

 ly delicious. 



The Stephanotis being a native of Mada? 

 gascar, of course loves a high temperature, 

 Indeed, the English look upon it essential- 

 ly as a stove or hot-house plant. " One 

 drawback alone," says the editor of the jour- 

 nal first quoted, " is attached to its high re- 

 commendations ; it is a tropical plant, and 

 must be cultivated in a hot-house." 



We are very happy to be able to assure 

 our American readers, that we have, at this 

 moment a fine plant of the Stephanotis, 



which has been growing in the open border 

 since the middle of May, trained on a frame 

 about eight feet high, which it now fully 

 covers, and that it has been adorned with 

 its charming white blossoms for the last two 

 months. 



Although, therefore, there is no doubt 

 that it will grow with perhaps still greater 

 luxuriance in a hot-house, we have no hesi- 

 tation in claiming, for the open ground in 

 this climate, this fine plant as a decided ac- 

 quisition to the class of beautiful summer 

 climbers, among which we already number 

 the Maurandias, the Calampetis,the Cobeas, 

 etc., all rapid growing tropical plants, which 

 when propagated in midsummer or early 

 autumn by cuttings, and the latter kept 

 through the winter in a common green-house 

 and planted after all danger of frost is over, 

 will clamber over trellises, light summer- 

 frames, columns or arches, and cover them 

 with wreaths of foliage and blossoms, from 

 midsummer till late autumn.* 



The Stephanotis belongs to the natural 

 order Asdepiadacece, to which the several 

 well known species of Asclepias, and the 

 Hoyas or Wax-plants also belong. It has 

 the milky juice of many of the individuals 

 of this order, but the flowers are larger than 

 is common in the group of plants compos- 

 ing it. The leaves are elliptical, opposite, 

 rather glossy and thick; the umbels or clus- 

 ters of flowers, are borne on a peduncle or 

 stalk, which springs out of the main stem, 

 from between the bases of the leaf stalks. 

 The flowers are salver-shaped, with the top 

 divided into five segments, and with a cy- 

 lindrical tube, which is swollen at its base. 



* AVe first s;iw this plant in high perfeciion, bearing many 

 thousands of lilossoms. last season at the fine residence of 

 .'^, HowLAM). Ejq , near Greenhurgh, Westchester ci'Uniy, 

 N. V. li was tranied under the roof of a vinery, where it 

 grew in great luxuriance. From cuttings kiudly preseuted 

 us by .Mr. HowxA!»r, we raised several plants very readily. 



