44 GLEANINGS AND ORIGINAL MEMORANDA. 
diffma of Ker, and tbe plant afterwards published under the name of prostrata, in the Botanical Cabinet, yet we find 
specimens bearing in gardens both names, and not uncommonly with both names misapplied. The accompanying 
figure rept^scnts a piece of a very vigorous plant growing, as it should grow, when cultivated properly. 
In Van Diemen's Land there is another species like this, and probably in our gardens, viz., the A. siliculcBformis of 
Cunningham, a much smaller plant, with very smooth, almost shining, phyUodes, which never become wrinkled, and 
are not more than half the size of those of A, difusa, 
306. Acacia URornYLLA. Beniham. {alias Acacia smilacifolia Fielding^ Sertiim Flantarum, 
U 3. (1843).) A liandsome greenhouse shrub^ with pale yellow halls of flowers. Native of Swan 
Eiver Colony. Flowers in January and February. 
« Would that all the species of the vast groupe of phyllodineous Acacice were as easily defined as this. The phyllodia 
are here of a very peculiar character, generally broad ovate, subfalcate, almost spinescently acuminated, with longitudinal 
and transverse nerves, as in Smilax, whence the appropriate name of Mr. Fielding. The plant was raised from seeds, 
sent in 1843, by Mr. Drummond, from the Swan River Colony. It flowers in January and February."— i?o^ Mag,, t. 4573. 
(According to Preiss among mud and stones m shady places, among the mountains continuing Darlings range, not far 
from the head-waters of the Swan ; and also in damp shady places on the river Canning, flowering in the cold season.) 
It is described as a moderate-sized shrub, with angular branches, and the young phyllodes pubescent. Phyllodes 
obliquely ovate, slightly falcate, drawTi into a slender setaceous point, hairy or glabrous, the upper edge obscurely crenate, 
the two surfaces marked with three nearly equidistant nerves, united by tz-ansverse ones, taperhig at the base more or 
less gradually into a rather short footstalk, which bears a conspicuous gland at its summit above. Stipules two, 
minute, subulate, red, spinescent. Peduncles two to five from one axil, each much shorter than the leaf, longer than the 
petiole, each bearing a single head of pale yellow flowers, acute lobes. 
t 
307- QuERCUS AGRiroLiA. Nee, A hardy evergreen oak from California. Introduced by tlie 
Horticultural Society. 
A few miserable living plants of this species were sent home by Hartweg from California, and are now beginning to 
grow in the Society's Garden, It will probably be a hardy evergreen tree, concerning which Nuttall^ who knew it in its 
native country, has the following remarks : 
" Tliis species, almost the only one which attains the magnitude of a tree in Upper California, is abundantly dispersed 
over the plain on which St. Barbara is situated, and, being evergreen, foi'ms a conspicuous and px'edominanfc feature in 
the vegetation of this remote and singular part of the Western world. It appears more sparingly around Monterey, and 
scarcely extends on the north as far as the line of the Oregon territoi'y. It attains the height of about 40 or 50 feet, with 
a diameter rarely exceeding 18 inches ; the bark is nearly as rough as in the Red Oak. The wood, hard and brittle and 
reddish, is used only for purposes of fuel, or the coarse construction of log-cabins. 
*' As an ornamental tree for the south of Europe or the warmer States of the Union, we may recommend this species. 
It forms a roundish summit, and spreads but little till it attains a considerable age. As a hedge it would form a very 
close shelter, and the leaves, evergreen and nearly as prickly as a holly, would render it almost impervious to most 
animals. The leaves vary from roundish ovate to elliptic^ and are of a thick rigid consistence ; the serratures are 
quite sharp j the young shoots are covered more or less with stellate hairs, and for some time tufts of this kind of down 
remain on the under side of the midrib of the leaves, which are, however, at length perfectly smooth, and of a dark-green 
above, often tinged with brownish yellow beneath. The staminiferous flowers are very abundant, and rather conspicuous; 
the racemes the length of 3 or 4 inches ; the flowers with a conspicuous calyx and 8 or 10 stamens ; the female or fruit- 
bearing flowers are usually in pairs in the axils, or juncture of the leaf with the stem, and sessile, or without stalks. The 
cup of the acorn is hemispherical, and furnished with loose brownish scales ; the acorn, much longer than the cup, is 
ovate and pointed. We do not recollect to have seen this tree properly associated with any other, except occasionally the 
Plaianm racemosa ; their shade is hostile to almost every kind of undergrowth. By Persoon this species is said to have 
been found on the eastern coast of North America, while Pursh attributes it to the north-west coast, about Nootka Sound. 
It does cot, however, extend even to the territory of Oregon, as far as my observation goes.'* Nee says, " I have only 
seen branches collected at Monterey and Nootka. The leaves of the young plants are perfectly smooth when first 
developed, of a thin consistence, with numerous slender sharp dentures beneath ; they are of a brownish yellow colour, 
and appear smooth and shining." The long narrow acorns, almost conical, are a remarkable feature in the species. — 
Journal of the HoHicultwraX SocieUj, vol. vi., p. 157. 
308. Chysis al'eea. Lindley. A stove epiplijte belonging to Orchids, with rich golden yellow 
flowers. Native of Equatorial America. Plowers in January. 
From the collection of Messrs. Lucombe and Pince, of Exeter, by whom it was purchased at one of Mr. Stevens's 
Bales of Columbian Orchideae, in 1G50, as the ''Red BullVmouth." The specimen figured in the Bot Mag. t. 4576, 
under the name of CA. axirm, var. maculata, Sir W. Hooker was at first disposed to consider a distinct species from C. aurea, 
Imts, or hracte$€eti3, but a further investigation led him to the conclusion that it was rather a highly coloured variety of 
a aurea, to which he observes that « C. hractmem is very nearly allied, nor do I find the chief distinction which 
