294 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. ux. 



IV. On Plants in the Plant Houses. By R. L. 

 Hakrow. 



During the three months that have elapsed since the 

 last meeting of this Society in July, a large number of 

 species of plants have flowered in the houses of the Eoyal 

 Botanic Garden. In August 120 species were noted, 

 including many of special interest. The large-flowering 

 Aristolochia gigas v. Sturtevafitii still retained a consider- 

 able share of popularity with the visitors to the garden. 

 In September the number increased to 145, while during 

 October it fell to 125 species. Amongst the plants which 

 have flowered two of particular interest may be mentioned, 

 as they afford an illustration of the vitality possessed by 

 some seeds. In the spring of this year Mr. W. Loudon, 

 one of the Fellows of the Society, presented to the garden 

 packets of seeds of fifty-five species of plants, originally 

 received from the Botanic Garden, Saharanpur, on the 7th 

 November 1849. The seeds were sown; those of two 

 species only have germinated after their forty-five years 

 rest, namely Cassia mimosoides, Linn,, v. WallicMana, and 

 Ipomcea ^hainicia, Eoxb., now placed as a synonym of /. 

 coccinea, Linn. Both of the species have flowered, and the 

 former has produced seeds. The flowering climbers trained 

 upon the roof of the palm house annexe being now estab- 

 lished, have flowered very freely, and, as the selection 

 includes species flowering at different seasons, the interest 

 in this feature of the house is likely to be kept up during 

 the winter months. Amongst the plants most worthy of 

 note which have flowered, some of which we are able to 

 exhibit, are the following : — 



Uraria crinita, Desv, This leguminous plant is widely 

 distributed over British India, and other Asiatic tropical 

 countries. It is of an erect habit, with a woody stem 

 bearing large imparipinnate leaves, with, commonly, four 

 pairs of large, bright green leaflets. But its chief feature 

 is its terminal or axillary racemes, nearly two feet long, 

 bearing many pairs of pinkish, caducous flowers. Our 

 plant was received from Kew during the spring of the 

 year, a very strong fasciated inflorescence, which has been 



