that withstood the severe Winter of 1878-79. 61 



stood unharmed till last winter, when it also succumbed. 

 The late Dr Moore of Dublin, who saw this plant in 

 April 1876, told me it was now recognised as a new species, 

 named G. calicoma, and distinguished from C. australis by 

 having flat instead of incurved leaves. The graceful 

 growth and wind-withstanding properties of this cabbage- 

 tree and its varieties recommend them as portable summer 

 decorative plants for growing in vases or large flower-pots, 

 and they may be wintered in any glass-roofed structure 

 without artificial heat. 



25. Chrysobactkox Hookeri {Anthcricum Hookcri). — A 

 showy deciduous herbaceous plant, 1^ to 2 feet in height, 

 with bright yellow flowers, having much the appearance of 

 our pretty bog asphodel {Narthecium ossifragum), but larger 

 in all its parts. Is quite hardy. 



26. PnoRMiUM TENAX (the New Zealand Flax or Flax 

 Lily : Harareke, Harakcke, Korari and Coradi of the 

 Maoris). — The highly interesting paper which was 

 read at our last meeting from Dr. Wm. Traill on the 

 growth of P. tenax in Orkney, where it flowered and per- 

 fected seeds last year, showed its greater suitability for 

 that northern climate than for the occasional severer 

 winters that we experience in the Lothians. A minimum 

 temperature of 15° seems about the lowest that it will stand 

 without injury, so that the last winter minimum of 9° 

 injured the tops of the leaves, and disfigured the plants 

 considerably. Of late years several variegated leaved 

 varieties of the P. tenax have been special objects of attrac- 

 tion in our greenhouses and flower shows, but they have 

 generally been deemed too tender for outdoor cultivation ; 

 two of these, however, stood the last winter on my rockery 

 fully as well as the ordinary green sorts, and all sent up fine 

 young leaves in the course of the summer. All tlie varieties, 

 when grown in large vases or flower-pots for outdoor decora- 

 tion in summer, contrast effectively with the surrounding 

 shrubs and flowers ; and, like the Cordyline australis, may 

 be wintered in glass-roofed structures without artificial 

 heat. 



27. Carex secta or Carex virgata, /S secta (the Grass-tree 

 of settlers). — Is so called from its forming large tufts of 

 roots from 1 to 6 feet in height, and 6 to 18 inches in 



