787 



the midrib, and which increases regularly from the base of the leaf to 

 its apex, may be traced to the imbricate vernation. In all Cycadeae 

 the vernation affords important aids for distinguishing both genera 

 and species, and these characters are the more deserving of attention 

 on account of the rare occurrence of the flowers. 



The next species to Encephalartus Caffer, in Miquel's arrangement, 

 is E. longifolius. He however represents these two species as scarcely 

 differing except in habit. The plant in the great conservatory at 

 Kew, named " Zamia longifolia," seems to me undistinguishable from 

 E. Caffer. Specimens of the same may be seen at Chelsea and Chis- 

 wick, which in those gardens are called " Zamia elegans." At Sion 

 House there is a remarkably fine plant of this species, called there 

 " Encephalartus Caffrorum." 



Probably no finer specimens of E. Caffer have ever been known 

 than two, which are at Chatsworth. They were sent to the Duke of 

 Devonshire's collection by the late Baron Ludwig, from his own gar- 

 den at the Cape of Good Hope, together with all the Chatsworth 

 specimens of this genus, excepting that already mentioned, which was 

 brought from Walton-on-Thames. These two plants cannot be less 

 than a hundred years old. On a close examination of the cicatrices, 

 which are arranged in spirals on their trunks, appearances present 

 themselves which make it probable, that not the leaflets only, but the 

 leaves also are articulated. Many of these cicatrices are concave, 

 smooth within, but showing the marks of bundles of vessels, which have 

 closed after the separation of the petioles. Although, therefore, the 

 longevity of these leaves is certainly very great, as it is in all Cyca- 

 deae, yet they appear to have their natural term of life, perhaps ten 

 years or more ; after which they are thrown off by an effort of the 

 plant resembling that which in common cases takes place every year. 

 One of these two specimens is a female, and having recently borne 

 fruit, requires a more detailed description. The cone made its ap- 

 pearance in the spring of 1847. In the following September it had 

 attained so great a size, that it was thought desirable to take a cast of 

 it in plaster, and models, made from this cast, are now in the museum 

 at Kew, in the collections of the British Museum and of the Liunean 

 Society, and in other collections both public and private. At the 

 time when the cast was taken, the prevailing colour of the cone was 

 a dark shining green, the pyramidal extremities of the rhomboids be- 

 ing of a lemon-yellow, streaked with brown. These colours were af- 

 terwards blended or changed, so that the surface of the cone assumed 

 a pretty uniform bronze colour. For a long time the cone was as 



