NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 235 



sequently that every change in the weather is the effect of some deter- 

 minate cause? That this cause proceeds more or less from the 

 influence of the heavenly bodies, by the rapidity of their motions, or 

 by their essential and physical characters, is now acknowledged by 

 many observers. I was first induced to take cognizance of this effect^ 

 of the sun and planets over our atmosphere a-year or two ago, and I 

 have repeatedly observed very decided changes take place near the 

 time when these bodies arrived at such positions or angles capable of 

 reflecting their rays to the greatest advantage ; some observations 

 upon which shall be the subject of another paper, for insertion in the 

 Cabinet, and as the consideration involves a subject of so much 

 interest to us all, 1 hope they may merit your approbation. The 

 sole purport of my addressing you on this ocasion is to admonish my 

 gardening friends to adopt such precautionary measures as are requi- 

 site to the protection of their tender plants from destruction, by a 

 great increase of cold and sharp frost, which I venture to predict we 

 shall have about the First of October next ; and I invite particular 

 attention to my prediction, as upon its verification I shall claim the 

 indulgence of being allowed one of your pages in a future number for 

 some further observations. 



PART II. 

 LIST OF NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 



Achimenes argyrostigma. Silvery-spotted. (Bot. Mag. 4175.) Gesneraceae. 

 Didynamia Angiospermia. — The collector sent out from the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens at Kew, discovered this new species in New Grenada. The leaves are 

 peculiarly beautiful, of a rich velvetty dark green, with a tinge of purple, spotted 

 with white, very similar as in the silver-spotted Begonia. The flower-stems 

 rise to about a foot high, having a spike of flowers about half the length. Each 

 flower is about a quarter of an inch across, of a white-cream colour. The plant 

 blooms during the whole of summer. It flourishes best by rearing it in a moist 

 and hot stove, and when arrived at some vigour to remove it to a cooler place ; 

 thus treated, it continues in beauty a much longer period. It requires a general 

 treatment similar to the other species previously in our collection. 



Bkgonia Martian!. Von Martin's Elephant's Ear. (Pax. Mag. Bot.) 

 Begoniacea?, Monsecia Polyandria. — It is a perennial plant, having tuberous 

 roots ; the stems are beautifully striated and transparent, like the clearest bal- 

 sam. The flowers are large, produced in raeemous heads. Each flower is about 

 two inches across, of a pietty rosy-crimson colour. It is in the collection of 

 plants in the garden of R. G. Loraine, Esq., of Wallington Lodge. It is a 

 stove plant, and well deserves a place in every one. 



Boi.boi'hvm.uji umbei.latum. Umbel-flowered. (Bot. Reg. 44.) Orchi- 

 dacea;. Gynaudria Monandria. It is a native of Nepal, and is in the collection 

 at Chatsworth. The flowers are straw-coloured, spotted with purple. Each 

 flower is about half an inch across. 



