294 NOTES ON NEW OR RARE FLANTS. 



The disposition of the darker colours upon the white or yellow 

 grounds are again made the distinguishing characteristics to bring the 

 flowers into sections, and are termed, 1st, flamed; 2nd, feathered; 

 andj 3rd, flamed and feathered on the same flower. The Jiame is a. 

 direct stripe or blotch up the centre of each petal. The feather is fine 

 streaks on the edges of each petal. They are again termed light or 

 heavy feather or flame, according to broad or narrow portion of the 

 deeper colours. A flower having an unbroken feather, ivithout any 

 flame, is a true feathered flower. And a writer in the " Midland 

 Florist" says, ""Why should not a flamed flower be correct, indeed 

 only correct, when it is without any feather ? It has been the custom 

 to term flowers flamed when they had that peculiar marking up the 

 centre, and with or without a feathered edge." But the writer adds, 

 " Why should not a flamed flower be correct, indeed only correct, 

 without any feather V He suggests further that those flowers which 

 have feather and flame be identified as a distinct, section, so that in 

 future the distinction should be, 1st, feathered ; 2nd, flamed ; 3rd, 

 flamed and feathered. This suggestion is precisely what our respected 

 correspondent Dahl states, in his Letter No. 1, on Tulips, which is 

 given at page 15, January Number, 1850, was the system in use at that 

 time. Certainly it ought to be the standing universal rule in all ex- 

 hibitions of this lovely tribe of flowers. The confusion and disputing 

 that Iras long existed on this latter particular has induced us to give at 

 length the remarks on the distinctions, hoping such disputations will 

 not occur in future to interrupt the harmony which at all times ought 

 to exist with florists, and especially so at their festive exhibitions. 



NOTES ON NEW OR RARE PLANTS. 



Abelia rupestris. — A small deciduous spreading shrub, with white 

 flowers about half an inch long, and somewhat like the Honeysuckle. 

 It is a native of the Chamoo Hills, in China, where it is found growing 

 amongst the rocks. It is a pretty greenhouse plant, growing and 

 flowering freely. It is sweet-scented, and keeps in flower for a length 

 of time. — (Paxton's Flower Garden, No. 400.) 



Aratjcaria Cookii. — This is a large growing greenhouse species, 

 a native of New Caledonia, in the South Pacific, a plant of which is 

 in the Horticultural Society's Garden at Chiswick. It has somewhat 

 the appearance of A. excelsa, but more compact when old, and less 

 stiff and more graceful when young. There are large forests of it in 

 New Caledonia, and Captain Cook, the navigator, makes mention of the 

 first plant of it in his account of New Caledonia, as having an elevation 

 like a tower ; this still stands, and is in a flourishing condition. Its 

 appearance now is exactly that of a well-proportioned factory chimney 

 of great height. 



Capsicum cereolum.' — Introduced by Mr. Lobb, from the west 

 coast of South America, to the establishment of Messrs. Veitch and 

 Son, of Exeter. It is a half-shrubby greenhouse plant, with bright 



