'2'Ji New or interesting Plant & 



The G. cyindsum was found by Mr. Brown about Port Jackson, and 

 also within tlie tropical parts of New Holland. The plant has l)een 

 introchiceii to the royal jjarclen at Kew, from New Holland, by Allan (.un- 

 nin<;hain, Es<|., late colonial botanist there, who has recently returned 

 from tiuit country, after many years' residence, which have been wliolly 

 and most enthusiastically devoted to the natural history and geography of 

 it ; so that science cannot fail to derive great benefit from his researches. 

 Mr. Cunningham observes (x. cymosum to inhabit dense subhumid woods 

 on the sea coast, in which ('orypha australis (the Alsophila australis, or 

 tree fern of the colony), Eustrephus latifolius, ^I'chras australis, Trocho- 

 c6rpa /aiirina, Cedrela Toona, Field/a australis, Cargill/« australis, and 

 several parasitic epidendruras, with the more splendid Australian ferns 

 and mosses, luxuriantly grow ; on the belt of a mountain bounding the 

 lUawarra, or Five Islands' District, in lat. 3-ii°, on the west, and elsewhere, 

 in like shaded situations, on the extended shores of New South Wales. 



Besides the two species of Mr, Brown, G. cymosum and (i. montanura, 

 Mr. Cunningham has discovered a third, which he has also introducetl at 

 Kew. From G. cymosum it difiers in habit, and Mr. Cunningham dis- 

 tinguishes it as " G. asperum ; ramulis membranaceo-angulatis asperis " 

 [branchlets membranaceously angulate and rough]. 



Lachenal/ff nnitabilis. Mr. Sweet, in figuring this curious and interesting 

 .species in his Fhwcr-Gurden for February, has some useful suggestions for 

 the more successful culture of this lovely spring-flowering family ; they are 

 these: — " The genus Lachenalia contains numerous handsome species,but 

 a great many of them frequently disappear from the diflerent collections : 

 we believe this effect is chiefly owing to the bulbs being exposed to the 

 heavy rains after flowering; and, being grown in pots, they sometimes 

 become sodden ; and as the bulbs are very succulent, and scarcely any of 

 them covered \Nith a dry scaly bark for protection (so different to most 

 other bulbs), this causes them frequently to rot. The better method of 

 treatment would be, to take them out of the ground as soon as they have 

 lost their foliage, and keep them dry in as cool a place as possible, that 

 they may not begin to grow too soon : by this mode of treatment they may 

 be cither planted in a warm border in spring, or in pots in a frame or 

 green-house. We have always observed that dry imported roots from the 

 (Jape flower nmch finer than ever they do after." Sand) loam is the soil 

 recommended for all the species in Luudon's Jloit. Brit. I have seen them 

 grow and flower vigorously, annually potted in heath mould alone. 



Succulent Plants. — The following remarks appertaining to the physiology 

 of these plants are offered by Mr. Maund in his livlanic Garden for Martwi, 

 I8.'ii, under descrij)tion of .S'edum Jizoou, No. 348.: — " It would appear 

 as though many species of A'empervivum, i'eduni. Cotyledon, Cactus, and 

 also other plants in the order Crassulacea', grew independently of the 

 grosser elements, earth and water. It is true that some of them will exist 

 ibr months in the absence of both. Natives, as many of the Ciicteie are, of 

 the rocks of South America, they meet a .scanty su[)ply of either ; and, 

 indeed, our own tVempervivum tectorum, or conunon house-leek, attached 

 to a cottage tiling, furnishes a familiar example of fleshy or succulent plants 

 withstanding the ettects of drought. 



" This economy, wisely bestowed on such as arc natives of hot countries, 

 is effected by a peculiar formation of their skin or cuticular covering; 

 which, as Sir J, E. Smith expresses it, constitutes ' a fine but essential 

 barrier between life and destruction.' The cuticle of leaves is, in general, 

 so formed as to admit of absor[)tion and very ready exhalation; the ujmer 

 surface of the leaf performing the offices of the former, and the lower surface 

 of the latter. How frequently do we see plants, not of the succulent kind, 

 faint under the heat of summer ! But witli the succulent tribe this cannot 



