supplementary to the Encyc. of Plants and- Hort. Brit. 8 1 



18 in. long. The flower-stems are 4 or 5 feet high, and branch 

 most luxuriantly, forming a head of flowers a foot or more in 

 dimension. Mr. Paxton thinks that it might be planted in the 

 open ground, where it would "form a most striking object in the 

 summer season, and might easily be removed in a pot to the 

 green-house in winter." It is propagated either by seeds, or 

 division of the root. (Paxt. Mag. qfBot., Jan.) 



Polystachya luteola Hook. Exot. Fl. t. 105. ; syn. Dendrobium 

 polysticton Swartz. This plant, Dr. Lindley observes, is certainly 

 from the West Indies ; and it is by mistake, that the specimen 

 of it in the Liverpool Botanic Garden is said to be from the 

 East Indies, and to have been received from Dr. Wallich, as it 

 does not appear among any of the doctor's collections. (B.M. R., 

 Oct., No. 143.) 



+P. zeylanica Lindl.; syn. Dendrobium polystachyum Thouars 

 Orch. Afr. t. 85. In both this plant and P. luteola, Dr. Lindley 

 has observed that the disk of the labellum is covered with a fine 

 frost-like mealiness, which is removed by the slightest touch, and 

 which is '* a curious modification of the hairs found in other 

 plants. When undisturbed it consists of threads with egg- 

 shaped joints, which are filled with air." The slightest touch 

 destroys the cohesion between these joints, " so that when they 

 are placed on the field of the microscope, the latter appears as 

 if covered with the eggs of some insect ; it is only when they 

 are removed from the labellum with great care, that their real 

 articulated structure, and their analogy with such hairs as those 

 of tradescantia, is made out." (B. M. R., Oct., No. 144.) 



+ Trigonidium Egertorimnum Bate, in litt. A very distinct 

 species, a native of the Bay of Dulce in Honduras, where it was 

 discovered by G. U. Skinner, Esq. " It approaches nearest to T. 

 obtusum, from which its acute petals, and narrow leaves (fre- 

 quently fully a foot and a half long), and clustered pseudo-bulbs 

 abundantly distinguish it. Its flowers are of a pale liver colour, 

 dashed and veined with brown, and from a resemblance which 

 they are supposed to bear to a ' Dragon's mouth,' the plant has 

 received that appellation from the inhabitants of Honduras," 

 (B. M. R, Oct., No. 1 35.) 



+ T. acuminatum Bate, in litt. " Found in Demerara by 

 Mr. Colley and other collectors." The flowers are straw-co- 

 loured, elegantly pencilled on the inside with a rich brown. 

 (B.M.R., Oct., No. 136.) 



Amaryllidacese. 



+ Agave Saponaria Lindl. Found by Mr. Skinner in Peru, 

 where it is used as a soap plant ; " its thick succulent root pos- 

 sessing the property of forming a lather with water. It has 

 dingy purple flowers, and is nearly allied to A. lurida." (B. M. R. t 

 Oct., No. 141.) 

 Vol. XV. — No. 107. g 



