114 



NF.W PLANTS, ETC., 



blight golden yellow, and form a beautiful contrast. This 

 shortness of tlie stamens is a striking feature in tlie species. 



It is a small hardy greenhouse shrub, which grows freely in a 

 mixture of sandy loam and peat. It is increased by cuttings of 

 the young wood in the usual way, and flowers from August to 

 November. It is handsome enough to deserve general cultivation. 



Nov. 25, 1848. 



13. Epidendrum gravidum.* 



Received from Mr. Hartweg, in February, 1837, and said 

 to be collected at Xapatam, in Mexico. 



This curious species has a scape, nearly 6 inches high, bearing at 

 the end about four long-stalked, horizontal green flowers, which 

 never open, but stand on the end of a large fusiform deep olive- 

 green ovary, covered with pale-green warts. The stalk of the 

 ovary is about half an inch long, the ovary itself IJ inch, and 

 tiie flower scarcely half an inch. 



It is certainly as far removed from beautiful as any plant can 

 be ; but its singular distended ovai^y, which is not very unlike 

 a green leech studded with grains of carbonate of lime, has a 

 most curious appearance. The plant does not seem to possess 

 the power of opening its flowers, such as they are. 



A mere botanical curiosity. 



March 16, 1849. 



14. CcELiA MACROSTACHYA. Li/idlei/, hi BentJium^s Plantce 

 HartwegiancB^ p. 92. 



Received some years since from Mr. Hartweg, who col- 

 lected it in Guatemala ; and also from Mr. Skinner. 



The expectations respecting the ornamental appearance of this 

 plant have not been realized. It has been found in a wild state 

 with a close flower-spike as much as a foot long, and its blossoms 

 are reported to be deep red ; but in cultivation it has hitherto 

 gained no such size, and the colour is only a pale rose, without 

 any brilliancy. 



It produces ensiform leaves from 1 to 1^ inch broad, and nearly 

 18 inches long, and the flower-spike should stand at nearly the 

 same heiglit. At the base of the spike are a few broad concave, 



* E. gravidum ; scapo paucifloro apice flexuoso IegvIuscuIo, floribus pen- 

 dulis longipedunculatis clausis, pedicellis la3vibus, ovariis fusiformibus 

 maximis verrucosis, labelli trilobi lobis lateralibus linearibus intermedio 

 ovato acuto venis elevatis, columnse angulis superioribus inflexis. — J. L. 



