526 GENERAL REVIEW. 



THE AMERICAN PITCHER-PLANT FAMILY (Sarraceniacece). 



We have here a curious group of herbaceous plants, all 

 natives of the North American bogs, if we except Heliamphora 

 nutans, which is found in Guiana. They are represented in 

 our gardens by about a dozen species and varieties of Sarra- 

 cenia or " Side-saddle Flowers," and by the rare and beautiful 

 Californian Darlingtonia, which, like the Sarracenias, has a 

 hollow inflated petiole, narrow at the base, and widening as it 

 nears the apex ; and the petioles, or " pitchers," as they are 

 popularly called, are well known to entrap insects in large 

 quantities. All the species are propagated by offsets or by 

 carefully dividing established plants ; but a still surer method 

 is to cut the root-stock up into small pieces, sowing them like 

 seeds in a genial bottom-heat of about 70. Seed is readily 

 obtained from strong-flowering plants by cross-fertilising the 

 large five-lobed umbrella-like stigma of one individual with 

 pollen from other flowers, and the seeds so obtained should be 

 sown as soon as ripe on the surface of a finely-prepared seed- 

 pan, after which treat it exactly like seeds of Chinese Primulas. 

 The most distinct species of Sarracenia are S. Drummondii, 

 S.flava (a variable plant), S. rubra, S. psittacina, and the com- 

 mon " Huntsman's Cup," S. purpurea (see ' Bot. Mag.,' t. 840). 

 Grown in spongy peat and living sphagnum moss, these plants 

 and the Darlingtonia are very attractive. It would be interest- 

 ing to know whether hybrids between the last-named plant and 

 the genus Sarracenia can be obtained. Natural seedlings of 

 the last-named vary considerably; and I remember seeing a 

 plant in the Holloway Nursery in 1873, exactly intermediate 

 between S. purpurea and S. flava. We have two well-authen- 

 ticated hybrid Sarracenias, and there is yet a wide field in this 

 genus for more honours to be won. 



S. Moorei is a hybrid raised by Dr D. Moore of Glasnevin, 

 between S. flava fertilised with pollen from S. Drummondii, 

 and is exactly intermediate between the two parent plants. 

 The plant grows eighteen inches to two feet in height, and 

 bears purple flowers (see 'Gard. Chron.,' 1874, p. 702). 



S. Stevensii is another hybrid of great interest, and was raised 

 by Mr Stevens of Trentham. It is the result of a cross be- 

 tween S. purpurea and S. flava, and in habit of growth 

 resembles the last-named with the red veins of the other parent 

 (see 'Card. Chron.,' 1874, p. 738). 



S. Williamsii, an intermediate which originated in the Hoi- 



