REMARKS ON THE PANKE. 213 



site, very ample, smooth, emargiuate-cordiform, ovate, obliquely acu- 

 minate, five-nerved, denticulated-mucronate at the edges ; both sides 

 covered with numerous stomata. The nervation is finely reticulated. 

 The young leaves are of a dark red, and appear pubescent ; the petioles 

 (young) form a sort of ring around the branch, and are abruptly de- 

 fixed behind, as well as the buds contained in their axil. The shoots, 

 freshly cut, shed a grave smell, indicating some quality, which it 

 would be interesting to study, as being perhaps pharmaceutic. 



We have not yet seen it in flower,' and cannot therefore affirm that 

 it really belongs to the genus Thunbergia, of which, however, it cer- 

 tainly presents all the habitus. The fury of its vegetation has, without 

 doubt, prevented it, up to the present time, from producing this 

 agreeable result, which one must hope will be obtained by judicious 

 pruning. As soon as we have seen these flowers, we shall hasten to 

 have them figured, and to describe them conveniently. In the mean 

 time, we can confidently recommend this being planted both in the 

 hot or the greenhouse (indifferently) ; it will perfectly answer the 

 purpose of which we have spoken. 



ARTICLE V. 



REMARKS ON THE PANKE. (GUNNERA SCABRA). 



BY CH. J. OF MR. VAN HOUTTe'S NURSERY, GHENT. 



When from the commencement of the 18th century, father Feuilltte 

 proclaimed the pharmaceutic, culinary, and economic qualities of a 

 plant, the Panke, of which the Chilians made advantageous use 

 under all these three points of view, he could not have imagined that 

 his voice would not be heard, that his efforts would rest powerless. 

 Is that not eventually the fate of all who have endeavoured to bless 

 their fellow men with any useful invention ? Was Solomon De Caux 

 believed, James Watt, Fulton, and even Parmentier himself, the dis- 

 coverer of the potatoe ! 



At length, more than 100 years ago since that voice was extinct 

 which announced to Europeans the utility of the Chilian plant, thanks 

 to the generous efforts of one of the principal horticulturists of the 

 Continent, the Panke is finally introduced into Europe, and society 

 may in future reap the same advantages from it as do the Chilians 

 themselves. 



