THE GESNERA FAMILY. 337 



variegated with rose and bluish lilac, is known to be a hybrid 

 between G. spetiosa and G. caulescens. 



Among the earliest varieties of Gloxinia speciosa raised in 

 English gardens were four exhibited by Mr R. Glendinning 

 of the Chiswick Nursery, at the house of the Horticultural 

 Society, Regent Street, in June 1844, and to which a Banksian 

 medal was awarded. These were named respectively, G. mag- 

 nifica, G. insignis, G. bicolor, and G. Cartonii, and were 

 raised by Mr Carton, then gardener to the Duke of Northum- 

 berland at Syon, who was celebrated for his skill in hybridis- 

 ing. These plants were raised from a seed-bearing plant of 

 G. speciosa rubra, fertilised with pollen from G. (Sinningia) 

 guttata. For a figure of G. maculata, see ' Bot. Mag.,' t. 1191. 

 It has been grown in English gardens since 1739. 



Dolichodeira. D. tubiflora (Gloxinia tubiflora, Hook.) is one 

 of the most distinct of all Gesnerads, bearing long white pen- 

 dulous flowers from the axils of its oblong-crenate, opposite 

 foliage. It is cultivated at Kew and Chiswick, and is readily 

 propagated either from cuttings or seeds. It requires to be 

 grown in the full sunlight, in order to flower it freely. It is so 

 distinct in the form of the flower that one can only wonder at 

 its having escaped the hybridiser so long. It was introduced 

 in 1847 from South Brazil. 



Stenogaster. A small South American genus of miniature 

 Gesnerads, represented in our gardens by S. concinna ('Bot. 

 Mag.,' t. 5253; 'Flore des Serres,' xv., pi. 65), and a closely- 

 allied form, S. mnltiflora, both bearing lilac-purple flowers. 

 Seeds grow freely. The plants should be grown in thumb-pots 

 plunged in a flat pan of sandstone grit, among which the seeds 

 fall, and are not so apt to damp off as when sown in soil. 



Streptocarpus. A free -flowering genus of blue or lilac 

 flowered Gesnerads, from the Cape of Good Hope. There are 

 four species : S. Rexii, one form of which bears two flowers on 

 a scape, and is grown in gardens under the name of S. biflora ; 

 S. polyanthus (many - flowered) (' Bot. Mag.,' t. 4850); S. 

 Gardenii ('Bot. Mag.,' t. 4862); and S. Saundersii (' Bot. 

 Mag.,' t. 5251). They are free-blooming and very interesting 

 little plants, well worth the attention of the hybridiser. These 

 plants, like Gloxinias, are readily propagated by leaf-cuttings. 

 They seed freely, bearing the seeds in long twisted capsules 

 often 5 or 6 inches in length. The seeds should be sown on 

 the surface of a pan of sandy compost, as recommended for 

 Achimenes. It is interesting to observe that one of the 

 cotyledons remains, and in the case of S. Rexii forms the 

 whole leafage of the adult plant. We have already one very 



