supplementary to 'Enc. of Plants and Hort. Brit. 727 



CCXLI. Scitamincce. 



8. ALPI'NI^ ?. 

 niagnifica Boj. magnificent ^ [23 spl. 10 au R Mauritiusl830. D r.l Bot. mag. 3192 



This is a strikingly ornamental plant, and a remarkable member of the 

 order Scitamineae. Its leaf-stems are from 10 ft. to 12 ft. high, leafy. 

 Scape or flowering-stem, 5 ft. to 6 ft. high, very stout, leafless, sheathed ; 

 the uppermost sheath is dilated, and forms a large, leafy, green bractea ; 

 ■within which is produced the splendid head, or dense spike, of deep pur- 

 plish red blossoms, 1 in. in length. This spike is rendered the more 

 striking from its numerous bracteas of a fine deep rose-red colour, all mar- 

 gined with a white line, the outer ones exceedingly large and spreading, 

 often reflexed, .3 in. or 4 in. in length ; diminishing progressively in size 

 and length to the centre of the spike. This collection of flowers, with the 

 richly coloured bracteae, soon withers, and is succeeded by a large head of 

 fruit formed of many capsules, each as large as a chestnut; nearly globose, 

 downy, terminated by the withered floral coverings, and intermixed with 

 the equally withered and ragged bracteas. 



This superb plant was, a little while ago, only known by dried speci- 

 mens, and the figure published by Roscoe in his Scitmnineous Plants ; but 

 roots were, through the medium of Mr. Telford of the Mauritius, intro- 

 duced by the late Mr. Barclay, and sent to Lord Milton's collection at 

 Wentworth House ; where His Lordship's excellent botanical gardener, Mr. 

 Cooper, so treated them as to induce a plant to blossom in the stove in 

 August, 1832. Professor Bojer has suggested the propriety of constituting 

 from this plant a genus distinct froip Alpfni« ; and it is probable that this 

 will eventually be done. (^Bot. Mag., Nov.) 



CCXLVH. Aspkodclece. 



•1064a TRICHOPE'TALUM iirerf/. (Thrix,trichos, hair; petalon, a petal: inner series of perianth 



fringed.) 6. 1. Sp. 1—3. 

 gracile Lindl. slender ^ J^ cu 3 jn.au W.Gsh Chile 1828. D r.m Bot. reg. 1535 



To judge of the habits of this plant from the branch and leaf figured, 

 Anthericum ramosum will give a good idea of it. It has fleshy fascicled 

 roots ; the stem is sparingly branched (subramose) ; and from 1 ft. to 3 ft. 

 in height, according to the sterility or richness of the soil. The leaves are 

 glaucous, and linear sword-shaped ; the flowers are curious in their fringed 

 petals ; the hairs forming this fringe are inserted in a double row, are 

 thick, rough, and composed of short joints. The plant, under good culti- 

 vation, flowers and seeds abundantly from June to August. Under this 

 plant. Professor Lindley presents the following remarks on the 



Culture of most half-hardy, bulbous, or fleshy-rooted Plants ivith annual 

 Stems (which we do not present as supplying practical directions to our 

 brother-gardeners, who could doubtless themselves give valuable advice on 

 such points, but because the philosophical theory by which he accounts 

 for practical results are really worth their attention) : — " Trichopetalum 

 gracilis, like many (perhaps most) half-hardy, bulbous or fleshy-rooted 

 plants with annual stems, succeeds better if committed to the open ground 

 in a frame, or pit which is well drained, has a southern aspect, and from 

 which the frost is entirely excluded. In such a situation, exposed to the 

 open air all summer long, it will form its leaves in perfection, and will not 

 lose them until they have completely fulfilled the purpose for \yhich they 

 are created; namely, the elaborating a supply of food, upon which, in the 

 succeeding year, the new stem will be fed, and by aid of which the flowers 

 will be developed. Plants, under such treatment, if unhealthy when first 

 submitted to it, will probably not indicate any great renovation the first 

 year ; but, in the second, the good effects cannot fail to be distinctly per- 

 ceptible. This is the only way in which Cape roots can generally be cul- 

 tivated successfully ; for few of them are capable of living, or at least of 



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