174 TKANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lviii. 



III. On Plants in Plant Houses, with Exhibition 

 OF Specimens. By Pi. L. Hakrow, 



During the montli of January about forty species of 

 plants have produced their flowers in the houses of the 

 lioyal Botanic Garden, the majority being inmates of 

 tropical houses. The effect of brighter and longer days^is 

 already apparent in these houses by the plants starting 

 into new growth, the new foliage generally presenting a 

 pleasing appearance. This is especially noticeable in the 

 Palm House amongst Cycads, Palms, and ornamental foliage 

 plants. Amongst the most worthy of flowering plants may 

 be noted : — 



Clcrodendron sjdendcns, G. Don. This is an evergreen 

 species with oblong shining leaves, produced upon a slender 

 climbing stem. Flowers are scarlet, with yellowish green 

 stamens and pistil, and are borne in terminal corymbose 

 panicles sometimes more than six inches across, and thus 

 forming a gorgeous winter-flowering stove climber. It is a 

 native of Sierra Leone, and, although introduced in 1839, 

 is still rarely seen in cultivation in this country. 



Vanda Amcsiana, Pchb. This is a comparatively recent 

 introduction, first imported by Messrs. Low & Co., of 

 Clapton, from the southern Shan States of Burmah, where 

 it is said to grow at an elevation of from four to five 

 thousand feet. The plant is of a small erect habit, leaves 

 fleshy, rounded, with a grooved upper surface. The 

 racemes of flowers are very fragrant, the sepals and petals 

 being tinged with a slight p»urple shade, yet this colouring 

 seems to be variable in the species, some plants producing 

 almost pure white flowers which last a considerable time in 

 perfection. 



Medinilla Javancnsis, Blume. A tropical evergreen 

 shrub growing to about four feet in height, with four- 

 angled stems, elliptic sessile leaves, with very prominent 

 venation. It is a floriferous species with terminal panicles, 

 bearing numerous pink white flowers of a waxy appearance, 

 the anthers being dark purple. Messrs. RoUison were the 

 first to introduce this species, at whose nursery it first 

 flowered in 1850, from which a figure was prepared for the 

 "Botanical Magazine," 4569. 



