224 Floricultural and Botanical Notices. 



what resembling an achimenes, and blooming at the same 

 season. It will probably succeed with nearly the same treat- 

 ment as gesnerias, and will form an interesting addition to our 

 summer blooming plants. {Flore des Serves, September.) 



D. punctata is now just coming into bloom in our collec- 

 tion, and its neat straw colored flowers, spotted with brown, 

 render it a pretty ornament of the warm greenhouse. 



114. Epi'scia bi'color Hook. Two-colored Episcia. 



( Ges7ierikcese. ) New Grenada. 



A greenhouse plant ; grovvin? six inches high ; with white and violet flowers ; appearing In 

 summer ; culiivated in loam, peat and sand ; increased by olfsets. Flore des Serres. 1S48. pi. 398. 



" A pretty addition to the family of gesneraceous plants, 

 which incontestably contribute so much to the decoration of 

 our greenhouses. Its ample velvety foliage, laid open to the 

 sun, and its innumerable white flowers, bordered with soft 

 violet, have a charming effect." It is quite unlike any of 

 our present known gesneraceous plants : and its introduction 

 to our gardens will be hailed with pleasure by every lover of 

 plants. It is a native of New Grenada, and was sent to Kew 

 by Mr. Purdie, collector for the royal botanic garden. Its 

 treatment is the same as the Achimenes and Gloxinias, and it 

 is increased in the same manner. (Flore des Se7Tes, October. ) 



115. Ho^YA BE'LLA Hook. Elegant Hoya. (^sclepiacZa- 



cea.) Java. 



a hot house plant ; growing four feet high ; with white and crimson flowers ; appearing in 

 spring ; cultivated in leaf mould, loam, and sand ; increased by cuttings. Flore des Serres. 1848. 

 pi. 399. 



Imagine to yourself a neat shrubby plant, with fleshy leaves 

 of the size of the broad-leaved myrtle, and quite as deep 

 green and glossy : clothe this with clusters of our old and 

 well known wax plant (Hoya carnosa) and you have the 

 Hoya bella — saving that the flowers have a bright crimson 

 star in the centre, which gives it a brflliancy at once unique 

 and beautiful. It is one of the finest things that has been 

 recently introduced. Dr. Hooker has glowingly described its 

 flowers, as "resembling amethyst set in frosted silver." 

 Every body admires the wax-plant, so called, but its long 

 rambling shoots, and its dingy yellow foliage, render it at- 



