212 J^Toticcs of ncrc and heaiUiful Plants 



the distinctness of this plant from the Euryalc amazonica of Dr. 

 Poeppig. It appears however, from Dr. Lindley's memoir late- 

 ly published, and from which we make the following extracts, 

 that if Prof. Poeppig was correct in referring the plant which he 

 describes to Euryalc, the one discovered by Mr. Schom- 

 burgk is quite a distinct genus. It is probable, however, that the 

 Euryale amazonica of Poeppig is identical with the Victoria re- 

 gia, or is a nearly allied species, and that Prof. Poeppig was 

 wrong in referring it to the genus Euryale. 



So much interest has been excited by the stories told in the 

 newspapers, of this extraordinary plant, that Dr. Lindley drew 

 up a memoir respecting it, of which twenty-five copies only 

 have been privately distributed. Believing that considerable in- 

 terest is felt for a further knowledge of this splendid plant, we 

 have copied largely from this memoir: — 



"An undoubted addition to a tribe of plants, at once so beau- 

 tiful and so circumscribed, as that of the Nymphs or water-lilies, 

 would be an event of interest, even if it only related to a distinct- 

 ly marked species of some well known genus. But when the 

 subject of the discovery is not only a new genus, but a plant of 

 the most extraordinary beauty, fragrant, and of dimensions pre- 

 viously unheard of, in the whole vegetable kingdom, except in the 

 colossal family of Pakis, an interest must then attach to it, which 

 can rarely be possessed by a novelty in natural history. 



"Such a plant is the subject of the following notice; a water- 

 lily, exhibiting a new type of structure, of the most noble aspect, 

 of the richest colors, and so gigantic that its leaves measure above 

 eighteen feet, and its flower nearly four feet in circumference. 

 It was met with in British Guayana, in lat. 4° 30' N., long. 58° 

 W. nearly, by Mr. Robert Schomburgk, a German gentleman, 

 travelling on account of the Royal Geographical Society, assist- 

 ed by her Majesty's government, for the purpose of examining 

 the natural productions of that part of the British dominions." 



Next follows Mr. Schomburgk's account of the discovery of 

 the flow'er, given at p. 70, already referred to. 



"Some drawings were sent home by Mr. Schomburgk, in il- 

 lustration of the previous account. He considered the plant a 

 species of the genus JVympha^^a, and was desirous that it should 

 be distinguished by the name of the Queen, a wish with which her 

 Majesty has been graciously pleased to comply. But it proves, 

 upon an examination of the drawings and papers, which the Roy- 

 al Geographical Society has placed in my hands for publication, 

 that the plant is not a JVynipbcc'a, as Mr. Schomburgk supposed, 

 but a new and well marked genus; for this reason, it has appear- 

 ed to me that the object of its discoverer will be best attained, by 

 suppressing the name of JVyniphs^a Victoria, by which he had 

 proposed to distinguish the plant, and by embodying her Majes- 



