figured in the London Flor. and Bot. Magazines. 305 



forests, lay hold of the trunks and limbs of trees, fix themselves 

 upon their bark, root on their surface, often twine round and stran- 

 gle them in their embrace, or sometimes hang down like cords or 

 cables, from tree to tree, contributing, along with wild vines, 

 bauhinias, and other powerful twisting leguminaceous plants, 

 aristolochias, passion flowers, and the like, to render the forests 

 impassable." The plant has a very stout, strong stem, from the 

 joints of which issue the roots, which cling to the trees for sup- 

 port. The flowers, which are white, arise from the axils of the 

 leaves, and somewhat resemble a caladium, to which genus this 

 species formerly belonged: " Caladium," however, " like many 

 of the genera of the botanists of the last age, was a heteroge- 

 neous assemblage of various plants, having only a sort of prima 

 facie resemblance; it is now confined to certain tuberous kinds, 

 while the caulescent species go into other genera, of which Phi- 

 lodendron is one." 



This plant, Dr. Lindley states, " in its organs of vegetation 

 constitutes a case of excessive development, in part arising out 

 of high heat, light and moisture, and in part dependant upon its 

 own specific nature. The strong stem that bears its leaves and 

 sheathes is the same part which, in the European arum, remains 

 under ground, in the form of a round leafless tuber. When it is 

 concentrated, as in the latter case, it contains a large quantity of 

 nutritious fscula, mixed with an acrid principle; while in a dif- 

 fuse state the ffecula disappears, and the acrid part alone remains. 

 Hence the arborescent araceous plants are simply dangerous and 

 nutritious, or, the dangerous parts being removed by washing, 

 simply nutritious." It is a native of Brazil, and requires stove 

 cultivation: the specimen was received from the Rev. Frederick 

 Beadon, in December last. [Bot. Reg.^ May.) 



Art, VI. Calls at Gardens and Nurseries. 



G. C. Thorburn''s, Ravenswood, L. I., New York. — June lid, 1337. 

 Mr. Thorburn has just commenced the erection of a geranium house at 

 his garden at this place, connected with his seed-store in the city, which 

 is to be devoted ahnost exclusively to the cultivation of this very beau- 

 tiful and fashionable tribe of plants, the new varieties of which are so 

 much superior to anything heretofore produced. We are exceedingly 

 glad that Mr. Thorburn has become so much interested in this family 

 as to cause the erection of a house for them alone; for we are con- 

 vinced, that, when a superb collection is seen in full bloom, and the 

 plants properly grown, no gentleman who can appreciate the beau- 

 ty of a plant, and has the means within his power, would be contented 

 until he had added to his other structures for growing plants and flow- 



voL. m. — NO. viii. 39 



