4 BOMAKEA ACUTIFOLIA. 



English Flower Garden is the illustration of old plants possessing merit, as 

 well as those of more recent discovery, we are induced to give it a place 

 among our ' gems.' 



The Bomareas are very closely allied to the Alstrcemerias, and were formerly 

 included with them. They differ, however, from the latter in their twining stems, 

 and several details of their floral structure. In the genus Ahtrmneria, the two 

 upper segments of the perianth differ generally from the others, either in form or 

 colour, so as to give the flower an unsymmetrical appearance. In Bomarea, it is 

 destitute of this irregularity, the two series composing the flower, although 

 differing slightly from each other, being composed of segments uniform in shape 

 and colour. 



The two upper divisions of the flowers of the Alstrcemerias have their margins, 

 froni the middle to the base, turned inwards, so as to form a sort of channel or 

 tube, which secretes a sweet fluid. In the Bomareas, all the three divisions 

 composing the inner series are, more or less, tubular and nectariferous, though this 

 peculiarity is not so marked in acutifolia as in hirtella and some others. To these 

 distinctions we may add that the flowers of the Alstrcemerias are more spreading 

 than those of the allied genus. In both genera, the seed-vessel is six-angled in its 

 green state ; but when ripe, that of Bomarea becomes triangular, the intermediate 

 angles being obliterated. It is also important to remark, that there is, as our 

 figure will shew, a great difference between the upper and under sides of the leaf 

 in Bomarea, whilst in Alstrcemeria the two surfaces resemble each other very 

 closely. 



"We trust these details will not be altogether without interest. "We have 

 hitherto adopted the course of pointing out all the most remarkable features in the 

 ceconomy of the plants selected for illustration ; and believing, as we do, that a 

 garden very inadequately answers its end when it ministers only to the senses, we 

 shall continue the same mode of treatment so long as it meets with the approbation 

 of our subscribers. 



The Bomarea acutifolia is a tuberous-rooted plant, with twining stems, growing 

 in the open ground to the height of six feet or more. The leaves are, as the 

 trivial name suggests, long and pointed, smooth, and dark green on their upper 

 surface, but paler, and strongly nerved on their under side, the nerves being- 

 clothed with numerous hairs. A curious feature, common however to all the 

 species, as well as to the Alstrcemerias, is the twisted petiole or leaf-stalk, by 

 which the position of the leaf is reversed. It would seem as if Nature had, in a 

 careless mood, originally attached the leaves upside down, and afterwards corrected 

 the error by the very simple expedient of twisting the foot-stalk. The flowers arc 

 produced in an umbel, terminating the stem, and vary in number from six to 

 twelve blossoms, which are borne singly on a pubescent foot- stalk, and furnished at 



