BBIEF NOTICES OF NEW AND BABE PLANTS. 45 



produced in long spikes, and arc of a beautiful orange colour, rather paler than those of the Enj- 

 rimum Peroffskianum, one of its reputed parents. They are deliciously fragrant, with a strong 

 scent of violets ; and on this account it will ho a favourite pot-plant for the window in early spring. 

 It is as easily increased or cultivated as the common wall-flower, and may he purchased for a trifle 

 of any Nurseryman. Strange stories have been told of the origin of this plant, its introducer affirming 

 it to be a hybrid between CheirmtAus ochroleucus, and the annual Erysimum Peroffskianum ; but it is 

 extremely improbable that two genera so distinct in the structure of their seeds, will hybridize, and 

 we therefore attach but little credence to the statement, until it shall be confirmed by fresh 

 experiments. 



Comaclixium AUKANTi.YCVM. {Composite^) .—A very beautiful half-hardy perennial, with the 

 general appearance of au African Marigold, but with large scarlet flower-heads, resembling those of 

 the Zinnia. It was raised from seeds found in the earth accompanying a lot of Orchids from 

 Central America, by Mr. Ortgies, foreman in Mr. Van Hontte's hot-houses. It flowered last autumn 

 in the open air at Ghent, and will therefore be likely to prove useful for summer decoration. We 

 observe that it is already in the hands of English Florists, but its price is at present rather high. 

 It appears in some catalogues under the name of Tithonia splcndens.. 



Dielytra Chrysantha. ( Fumariaeeo* J.— If less striking than the beautiful D. spectabilis, this 

 novelty will be a very acceptable addition to our hardy perennials. The foliage is much more 

 divided than in spectabilis, and is of a glaucous tint, resembling that of the Garden Eue. The 

 (lowers are produced in stiff erect branching panicles which rise above the leaves ; they are very 

 numerous, rather more than an inch in length, and of a bright golden yellow colour, but arc less 

 drooping in their habit than those of spectabilis, many of them, are indeed, almost erect. It has been 

 raifl d from Californian seeds by Messrs. Ycitch, of Exeter, and flowered in their nursery for the 

 first time last September. If it proves to be an autumn flowerer, its value will be increased. We 

 may also hope that hybrids between it and spectabilis will soon be obtained. It is figured in Paxton's 

 Flower Garden for January of the present year. 



Leptosiphon luteus (Polemoniaceee) .— Although the name of this very pretty annual is to be 

 found in most of the Botanical dictionaries, it does not appear to have been actually introduced to 

 this country till very recently. Messrs. Veitch of Exeter have had the good fortune to obtain it through 

 their collector in California, and we may therefore hope its brilliant yellow flowers will, before long, 

 be familiar to our readers. One of the varieties produces pale lemon-coloured blossoms, in another 

 they are as dark as an orange. It is as easily cultivated as the common L. androsaceus. 



Malcolmia littorea (Crueifirtc). — Every body knows the little Malcolmia maritima, or Vir- 

 ginian stock, though why it sbould have received this name is not very clear, seeing that the plant is 

 a native of Europe. The Malcolmia littorea is a much finer species, recently introduced from 

 Portugal by Mr. Wellwitzsch. It is probably a biennial, but in this country is best treated as an 

 animal, as it will hardly endure our winters. It grows about a foot high with narrow, blunt, 

 stalkless leaves, which, as well as the stems and branches, are covered with a whitish pubescence. 

 The flowers are large for the genus, and are produced in terminal, many-flowered racemes, of a bright 

 pink-purple, varying in depth in the different stages of development as in M. maritima. It may be 

 treated as a hardy annual, and will flower during the summer and autumn. It is found not only in 

 Portugal, but also as far north as Nantes, and southward it extends along the western shores of the 

 Mediterranean. It has also been detected in Barbary and Morocco. [Figured in Bot. Mag. for 

 September, 1852.] 



Salvia iiiaxs (Labiate). — The Salvia hians is by no means new to this country, but, like many 

 other species, it is very rare ; and we are therefore glad to find that seeds of it have been lately introduced 

 by .Major Madden from Simlah, to the Glasnevin Botanic Gardens. It is a beautiful hardy herba- 



