THE GESNERA FAMILY. 335 



seed-parent being T. Warsceiviczii, fecundated by pollen 

 from flowers of Locheria magnifica. 



The. new Plectopomas raised by M. Van Houtte differ so 

 much from their type Plectopoma gloxiniczflorum, that a botanist 

 would have some difficulty in discovering the affinity, though 

 they inherit in a great measure the foliage of the type. In 

 respect to habit, they are far superior ; for instead of producing 

 their flowers towards the summit only, the plants become com- 

 plete floral pyramids, covered from base to summit with large 

 well-shaped flowers of various forms, and of innumerable 

 shades and colours. 



These beautiful varieties were originated by crossing P. 

 (Achimenes} gloxiniczflorum with Gesnera (Nczgelia) zebrina, and 

 others of the same type. 



Gesnera macrantha is the result of a cross between G. 

 bulbosa and G. bulbosa Cooperii. G. macrantha crossed again 

 with another cultural variety of G. bulbosa produced G. mac- 

 rantha purpurea, and singularly enough the last - named form 

 has been imported from the natural habitat of G. bulbosa, a 

 fact which seems to afford some proof of the constant modifi- 

 cation of plant-form going on throughout the world. The im- 

 ported flowering tuber of G. macrantha purpurea was exhibited 

 at South Kensington, 7th April 1868. 



Coloured figures and descriptions of the following hybrid 

 Gesnerads are given in the ' Flore des Serres : '- 



Eucodonia Ncegelioides diamantina, 1870, . . page 149 



Tydcza "Robert le Diable," n 



Plectopoma Eucodonioides, 



it Ncegelioides suave roseum, 1874, 



ii ii "Colibri," n 



P. myriostigm'a and P. " Ruban Rose," 1873, 



59 

 61 



71 

 61 



Tydcza Vesuvius (see 'Revue. Hort.,' 1868, p. 151) is one of 

 the finest of all the seedling or hybrid forms. It was raised by 

 M. Georges Rosciaud, who has also succeeded in obtaining 

 numerous other fine varieties, including T. venosa and T. 

 " Rachel." In obtaining these fine forms, this facile hybridist 

 fecundated several kinds of Tydcza {Achimenes} with pollen of 

 Locheria magnifica, the result being a race of brilliant rose or 

 scarlet flowered hybrid Tydczas, with rich spotting or marbling 

 on the limb of the tubular flowers. 



It does not appear to be generally known that Plectopomas, 

 Gesneras, Tydczas, Achimenes, and most other Gesneraceous 

 plants, are easily propagated from cuttings of the young growth 

 i.e., tops taken off below a joint, and inserted in a pan of 



