234 /: New or interesting Plants 



The G. cymosum was found by Mr. Brown about Port Jackson, and 

 also within the tropical parts of New Holland. The plant has been 

 introduced to the royal garden at Kew, from New Holland, by Allan Cun- 

 ningham, Esq., late colonial botanist there, who has recently returned 

 from that country, after many years' residence, which have been wholly 

 and most enthusiastically devoted to the natural history and geography of 

 it ; so that science cannot fail to derive great benefit from his researches. 

 Mr. Cunningham observes G. cymosum to inhabit dense subhumid woods 

 on the sea coast, in which Corypha australis (the Alsophila australis, or 

 tree fern of the colony), Eustrephus latifolius, J v chras australis, Trocho- 

 carpa /aurina, Cedrela Tobna, Fields australis, Cargillia australis, and 

 several parasitic epidendrums, with the more splendid Australian ferns 

 and mosses, luxuriantly grow ; on the belt of a mountain bounding the 

 Illawarra, or Five Islands' District, in lat. 34§°, on the west, and elsewhere, 

 in like shaded situations, on the extended shores of New South Wales. 



Besides the two species of Mr. Brown, G. cymosum and G. montanum, 

 Mr. Cunningham has discovered a third, which he has also introduced at 

 Kew. From G. cymosum it differs in habit, and Mr. Cunningham dis- 

 tinguishes it as " G. asperum ; ramulis membranaceo-angulatis asperis " 

 [branchlets membranaceously angulate and rough]. 



Lachenaha mutabilis. Mr. Sweet, in figuring this curious and interesting 

 species in his Flower-Garden for February, has some useful suggestions for 

 the more successful culture of this lovely spring-flowering family ; they are 

 these : — " The genus Lachenah'a contains numerous handsome species, but 

 a great many of them frequently disappear from the different collections : 

 we believe this effect is chiefly owing to the bulbs being exposed to the 

 heavy rains after flowering; and, being grown in pots, they sometimes 

 become sodden ; and as the bulbs are very succulent, and scarcely any of 

 them covered with a dry scaly bark for protection (so different to most 

 other bulbs), this causes them frequently to rot. The better method of 

 treatment would be, to take them out of the ground as soon as they have 

 lost their foliage, and keep them dry in as cool a place as possible, that 

 they may not begin to grow too soon : by this mode of treatment they may 

 be either planted in a warm border in spring, or in pots in a frame or 

 green-house. We have always observed that dry imported roots from the 

 Cape flower much finer than ever they do after." Sandy loam is the soil 

 recommended for all the species in Loudon's Hort. Brit. I have seen them 

 grow and flower vigorously, annually potted in heath mould alone. 



Succulent Plants. — The following remarks appertaining to the physiology 

 of these plants are offered by Mr. Maund in his Botanic Garden for March, 

 1832, under description of (Sedum Jizoon, No. 348.: — " It would appear 

 as though many species of <Sempervivum, (Sedum, Cotyledon, Cactus, and 

 also other plants in the order Crassulaceas, grew independently of the 

 grosser elements, earth and water. It is true that some of them will exist 

 for months in the absence of both. Natives, as many of the Cacteae are, of 

 the rocks of South America, they meet a scanty supply of either ; and, 

 indeed, our own tfempervivum tectorum, or common house-leek, attached 

 to a cottage tiling, furnishes a familiar example of fleshy pr succulent plants 

 withstanding the effects of drought. 



" This economy, wisely bestowed on such as are natives of hot countries, 

 is effected by a peculiar formation of their skin or cuticular covering; 

 which, as Sir J. E. Smith expresses it, constitutes ' a fine but essential 

 barrier between life and destruction.' The cuticle of leaves is, in general, 

 so formed as to admit of absorption and very ready exhalation ; the upper 

 surface of the leaf performing the offices of the former, and the lower surface 

 of the latter. How frequently do we see plants, not of the succulent kind,, 

 faint under the heat of summer ! But with the succulent tribe this cannot 



