32 Botanical Begister. 



Edinburgh, by C. T. Alton, Esq. — Corchorus U^ore, the pupil of the eye, 

 koreo, to purge; supposed qualities) olitorius. Potherb Jew's Mallow. A 

 plant'of no beauty, but interesting from its extensive culture in Egypt, Syria, 

 and other parts of the East, as a potherb. « In Egypt, Forskal tells us it is 

 abundantly planted in gardens, and is called Mclokych by the Arabs. Olivier 

 says the Egyptians eat the leaves during the whole summer, in ragouts, or 

 simply boiled, drained, and seasoned with olive oil ; and, in India, it is equally 

 employed as an article of food. It is, besides, said to possess slight medicinal 

 qualities, to be emollient, a sweetener, and a pectoral." The plant is said to 

 erow spontaneously in Asia, Africa, and America, and was introduced into our 

 gardens, according to Parkinson, in 1640.— Salpiglossis {salpigx, tv\xm\>et, 

 jtldssa, tongue; the style) atropurpurea ; BxgnoniucecB ? {So\)xx\e?£, Sweet.) 

 A branching, herbaceous stem, with scattered leaves of various shapes and 

 sizes, from "ovate and notched to linear and entire, and purple flowers. 

 From the Cordilleras, in 1826, to Patrick Neill, Esq., in whose garden at 

 Cannon Mills, near Edinburgh, it first flowered in September, 1826. Stove, 

 and the easiest culture ; but its duration is not mentioned. 



Edwards's Botanical Register. Continued by John Lindley, F.R.S. L.S. &c. 

 In 8vo Numbers, monthly. 45. coloured. 



No. I. of vol. XIV. contains 

 1131 to 1137. — Renanthera {ren, a kidney, anthera, anther) cocclnea ; 

 Orchldeae Vande^e. Little beyond the reports of Chinese travellers has 

 hitherto been known of" this truly magnificent plant, the beauty of whose 

 deep scarlet and yellow blossoms surpasses everything known in the veget- 

 able world. That the Chinese suspend in baskets from the ceilings of their 

 rooms several of the tribe of plants to which this belongs, some for the 

 sake of their fine flowers, and some on account of their delightful fragrance, 

 is familiar to every one. Many, if not all of this description, have been 

 introduced from time to time ; and a few have flowered with us. Among 

 those which bid defiance to the skill of the cultivator, has long been re- 

 co<^nised a species, introduced some time previous to 1817, with long leafy 

 stems sometimes attaining the height of 8 or 1 ft., and fleshy veinless 

 leaves ; it is frequently imported from China, and is now to be found in 

 almost every collection of which epiphytical Orchideae form a part, attach- 

 ing itself by means of its long tortuous roots to a damp wall, columns, or 

 other bodies placed as its support. This is Renanthera cocclnea." — This 

 plant, it appears, has hitherto been cultivated in too diy an atmosphere. 

 Mr. Fairburn, the skilful gardener to Prince Leopold, at Claremont, 

 impressed with this opinion, enveloped the stems in moss, and kept it con- 

 stantly damp, exposed as much as possible to the influence of the sun. In 

 consequence of this, the plant flowered in October last, producing a many- 

 flowered lateral panicle, 2\ ft. long, of the most brilliant scarlet, mixed with 

 yellow. In Cochin-China it is found climbing over trees. In this country 

 it is propagated without difficulty by cuttings, and may be grown in wet 

 moss in the stove, and when in flower removed to a dwelling-room, where 

 the blossoms will remain in perfection for many weeks. — Pentstemon dif- 

 fusum ; Scrophularineae. A beautiful hardy perennial, with evergreen 

 leaves, and decumbent rooting stems, by which it is readily increased. 

 A native of open grounds and banks of streams in the districts round the 

 mouth of the Colombia River, where it was found in abundance by Mr. 

 Douglas. " Grows freely either in"common light garden soil, or in the Ame- 

 rican borders, in both which situations it flowers in the utmost profusion 

 IVom June, till its growth is arrested by frost." — Bauhima cumanensis; 

 Leguminosse Caesalpinete. A tender twining stove plant, with handsome 

 foliage and inconspicuous flowers. A native of shady woods in Curaana, and 

 other parts of equinoctial America. From Rio Janeiro to the garden of 

 the Comte de Vandes at Bayswater, where it flowered under the care of 



