484- Floricultural and Botanical Notices. 



The well-known iSaxifraga oppositifolia immediately cx^curred to 

 his recollection ; and he at first imagined that he had either dis- 

 covered that species, or one nearly allied to it ; but, upon closer 

 inspection, he perceived that it was no iSaxifraga, but a genus 

 apparently new." Specimens having been examined by Dr. 

 Lindley, he found it closely akin both to Primula and An- 

 drosace ; but differing from both these genera in its " ovarium, 

 which exhibits the greatest instance of reduction of ovules yet 

 known in the order ; and its dispermous capsule, with oblong 

 concave seeds, readily and essentially distinguish it." The plant 

 was raised in the Horticultural Society's Garden, and flowered 

 in 1835, and subsequently in April 1836, from seeds sent home 

 by Mr. Douglas. It grows pretty freely in peat and sand, ripen- 

 ing its seeds sparingly. In the Horticultural Society's Gardeu, it 

 is kept in the green-house, only two plants of it having been 

 raised ; but it is probable that it will thrive better treated like 

 an alpine plant, in a cold-frame. There is a second species, 

 Douglas/a arctica Hook., which was collected by Dr. Richardson 

 on the shores of the Arctic Sea. {Bot. Reg., Aug.) 

 Orchiddcece. 



2540. ONCI'DIUM [Bot. reg. 1887 



*I.,ancea»M»2 Lindl. Lance's £ C3 or and fra 1| jn.jl V.Y.C Surinam 1834 D p.r.w. 



A splendid plant, " than which a more acceptable addition to 

 the hot-houses of this country has seldom been made." It was 

 brought over by John Henry Lance, Esq., in 1834, upon his re- 

 turn to England from Surinam. Dr. Lindley mentions a plant 

 of this species which he saw in the rich collection of epiphytes, 

 belonging to the Messrs. Rollisson of Tooting, June 29. 1836, 

 which he considered as the most perfect instance of successful 

 cultivation which he had yet witnessed among epiphytes. The 

 plant had leaves 18 in. long, and upwards of thirty flowers 2\ in. 

 in expansion, with all the markings of the sepals and petals of 

 the richest chocolate brown, and of the lip of the deepest violet. 

 In fragrance, there was a resemblance to the spicy odour of 

 that sweetest of all flowers, Aerides cornutum." This plant was 

 exhibited at the Horticultural Society's Garden on July 9.; and, 

 as appears by our report, p. 443., the gold Knightian medal was 

 awarded for it. In the Horticultural Society's Garden, On- 

 cidium Lanceaw/m is cultivated along with other epiphytes, in "a 

 damp hot-house facing the north. It is planted in a mixture of 

 sandy peat, potsherds, and decayed wood; and under these cir- 

 cumstances it thrives very well." In Surinam, it is found generally 

 attached to the stems or branches of the tamarind, the sapodilla, 

 i>i the calabash trees, appearing to prefer those to any other : 

 liowever, on being tied to the branches of the orange, the sour- 

 sop, the mammee, and even the Brugmans/a arborea, it grew 

 well upon them all. {Bot. Reg., Aug.) 



