In 1882 the caulescent species Streptocarpus Kirkii was sent to Kew from 

 Zanzibar by Sir John Kirk, and, although an interesting plant, is of no value 

 in the garden. S. caulescens follovyed in 1886, an allied species also of little 

 horticultural merit. 



* Streptocarpus parviflora, of the acaulescent group, the next introduced, was 

 raised from seed brought from the vicinity of Grahamstown by Mr. Watson, of 

 Kew, in 1887, and the plant apparently has a somewhat wide range in South 

 Africa, from Cape Town to Natal. From the base of the tufted leaves, several in 

 number, 4 to 6 in. long, arise the flower-scapes 6 to 10 in. high. The corolla-tube, 

 purple within and without, with a white, slightly unequal, five-lobed limb, is in. 

 long. 



A somewhat closely allied species, figured in the Botanical Magazine as 

 t Streptocarpus parviflora, raised from seed by Mr. Lynch, of the Cambridge 

 Botanic Gardens, produces yellowish flowers with purple streaks : the plant is 

 now found to be the S. lutea of Clarke. 



The next in order of introduction, a handsome and interesting plant, J Strepto- 

 carpus Dunnii, played an important part in the production of the beautiful 

 hybrids such ornaments to our conservatories at the present day. A native of 

 Spitzkop in the mountains of the Transvaal Gold-fields, at elevations of 3,600- 

 6,000 ft., whence seed was sent to Kew by Mr. E. G. Dunn, of Claremont, Cape 

 Town, in 1884. It is a one-leaved species, producing a single prostrate leaf 

 attaining a length of 18 to 36 in. : flower-scapes numerous, form a sheaf of 

 much-branched panicles with many blooms of a rose or salmon red colour, 

 varying in tint. S. Dunnii flowered first at Kew in 1886. 



Streptocarpus Galpini, another South African species, was introduced to Kew 

 in 1890 by Mr. E. Galpin, who met with it on the " Bearded Man," a peak forming 

 one of the boundaries of Swaziland. The flowers, rich blue in colour tinted with 

 purple, are remarkable in that they are nearly regular at the mouth and not 

 oblique as in other species. 



Perhaps the most remarkable species of all is that named || Streptocarpus 

 Wendlandii, sent from the Transvaal to Naples in 1887 to Messrs. Damman, and 

 first made known in their Catalogue of Plants for the year 1890-1891. First seen 

 in England in the Royal Gardens, Kew, where seed had been sent in some soil 

 with tree-ferns from South Africa, it flowered in 1895. This notable plant 

 produces only one huge prostrate leaf, from 30 in. in length to 24 in. in breadth ; 

 the numerous flowers blue and white in colour, with violet markings. 



A hybrid named Streptocarpus X Dyeri raised at Kew by crossing S. Wendlandii 

 with S. Dunnii. 



An Australian species, Streptocarpus Faninii, closely allied to S. polyantha, 

 and very noteworthy as having helped in the production of many of the more 

 beautiful hybrids. 



HYBRIDS AND VARIETIES. 



The first hybrid Streptocarpus on record is IT S. X Greenii, the progeny of 

 two species, S. Saundersii and S. Rexii, the latter the pollen parent. It was 



* Bot. Mag. t. 7036. t Bot. Mag. t. 6636. 



t Bot. Mag. t. 6903. Bot. Mag. t. 7447. 



|| Bot. Mag. t. 7320 ; The Garden, 1892, vol. xli. pi. 849. 

 <[[ Gard. Chron. 1882, vol. xvii. p. 303, tig. 



504 



