FROM THE SOCIEIY'S GARDEN. 57 



flowers form a loose straggling somewhat zigzag raceme, the 

 peduncles of which are from H to 2 inches long, with about one 

 awl-shaped bract above the middle. The flowers, which grow 

 singly, are of a deep bluish lavender colour, with the following 

 structure. The calyx consists of 5 coloured oblong sepals, of 

 which 4 hang downwards, the side ones being the broadest, and 

 the fifth, which is turned in an exactly opposite direction, is ex- 

 tended into a horizontal blunt haiiy spur with a short narrow 

 ovate acute limb. The corolla consists of two petals united by 

 their back edge into one simple somewhat fleshy spur, enclosed 

 within that of the fifth sepal, and with a hooded limb, having 4 

 small round lobes at its point, and 2 larger oblong lateral ones. 

 The solitary carpel slightly projects beyond the declinate stamens. 

 De Candolle and others speak of the petaline spur being slit on 

 the upper side, a structure of which I find no trace. 



Forskahl regarded this curious plant, it is said, as an Aconitum ; 

 Linnseus considered it a Delphinium. In reality it is neither the 

 one nor the other. Its united petals, and long sepaline spur, are 

 at variance with the distinct hammer-headed petals and convex 

 back sepal of Aconite. Its petals being reduced to two, and 

 those completely combined into one, equally remove it from 

 Delphinium. That the petaline body is really composed of 2 

 parts only seems to be proved by its origin, which looks as if 

 opposite the back sepal in consequence of the union of the two 

 contiguous edges of the lateral petals. But it is completely 

 separated from the front sepals, with which it does not in any 

 degree alternate. These considerations lead to the conclusion 

 that the old genus Consolida should be re-established, and by 

 no means confounded with Delphinium proper. 



In a scientific point of view this is a highly interesting species ; 

 but its growth is too feeble and its flowers and leaves too dimi- 

 nutive and straggling to give it any horticultural value. 



6. Eria aoervata.* 



Presented by the Honourable Court of Directors of the East 

 India Company ; among whose collections it often occurs. 



This little Eria is one of a set scarcely known in Gardens, the 

 peculiarity of which consists in the stem when fully formed 

 being nothing more than apseudobulb. These little pseudobulbs 



* E. acervata; pseudobulbis compressis uno super alterum cumulatis 

 collo brevi diphyllis, foliis rectis ensatis, racemis axillaribus 2-.3-floris, 

 bracteis pluribus super pedunculum ovatis acuminatis levolutis, sepalis 

 petalisq. ovatis acutis, labelli trilobi 3-lamellati lobis acutis intermedio 

 oblongo multo longiore. — J. T^. 



