408 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Octobeb 13, 1888. 



the Continent. Later in the day an excursion was 

 made with Dr. Fries to the Pine forest at Floda. 

 Here mycological treasures came in thick and fast. 

 Agaricus porphyrius, inamsenus, rosellus, zephirus, 

 acervatus, astragalinus, picreus, decorus, acerosus, 

 Cortinarius traganus, limonius, malicorius, cinnamo- 

 meus and its variety semi-sanguineus, cinnabarinus, 

 sanguineus, gentilis, malachius, Hygrophorus caprinus, 

 agathosmus ; Russula integra, Polyporus borealis, 

 pinicola, Hydnum cyathiforme, Rhizopogon luteolus, 

 and HelTella infula ! 



Of all these, perhaps, the one which interested me 



most was Russula integra, for I was able to learn the 



' views of Elias Fries with regard to this species. In 



response to my queries respecting it, Dr. Fries 



replied, "My father said with regard to. integra, 



that " No, my courage fails me ; I dare not say 



what Dr. Fries told me, for some of our English 

 mycologists may have preconceived notions as to what 

 R. integra ought to be, and would handle me as 

 roughly as they did last year over Agaricus russula 

 and Hygrophorus erubescens. For my own part, I 

 should not mind this, but I should not like to see the 

 name of the illustrious Fries dragged through the dirt. 

 At Floda were growing Calla palustris, Goodyera 

 repens.and Monotropa hypopitys, all of them in flower. 

 We also found Clavaria apiculata on a Fir stump — a 

 fungus which must surely be British. Such a number 

 of species took most of the next day to examine and 

 sketch, but in the afternoon time was found to 

 visit Rja Skog. Here A. campanulatus, asprellus, 

 vitilis, escharodes, and euchrous were found. I was 

 taken to an Oak tree, the habitat of Trametes 

 serpens. Only one specimen was visible, and that just 

 out of reach. However, it was secured by the assist- 

 ance of Master Harrold Fries, who, by an acrobatic 

 mauceuvre, succeeded in prising it off with a knife 

 while he stood upon my shoulders. On the follow- 

 ing day I took train alone to Jonsered. This little 

 station stands on the margin of a fine lake (Sjon 

 Aspen) surrounded by a forest of Pines. For five 

 hours I wandered in absolute solitude as far as 

 humanity was concerned. A small stream falling 

 into the lake led me through the Pine forest 

 to a charming little lake with Water Lilies upon it — 

 Bifsjon (the Fox's Lake). The forest, with its under- 

 growth ofVaccinium vitis idaja, and Myrtillus, mixed 

 with stunted Juniper and Empetrum, recalled at 

 every turn our own Bothiemurchus, while a large 

 heap of sawdust, with Lindbladia effusa, and its 

 accompanying Stilbum, served only to heighten the 

 similarity. It was only when here and there a patch 

 of Cornus suecica, with its scarlet berries intervened, 

 that one realised the fact of being in Sweden, and 

 not in Scotland. An overflowing vasculum was the 

 result of the morning's walk. The species gathered 

 (which were afterwards examined by Dr. Fries) 

 included Agaricus flavo-brunneus, vaccinus, imbri- 

 catus, strobilinus, pterigenus, dryophyllus calami- 

 stratus, Cortinarius anfractus, malachius, paleaceus, 

 helvolus, brunneus, anomalus, bolaris, pholideus, 

 limoneus ; Lactarius ruber, uvidus ; Marasmius per- 

 forans, Polyporus nigricans, and radiatus. 



The next day an excursion was made to Torp, 

 where I was highly gratified by making the acquaint- 

 ance of the true Friesian Cortinarius triumphans, a 

 fungus which has often been discussed at Hereford. 

 Of equal interest was it to gather Lactarius helvus, 

 which is common enough with us in England, and 

 probably in Scotland, although we have mistaken 

 it for an allied species. Agaricus pessundatus 

 also was found, which naturally led to a long 

 conversation on the relative merits of A. imbricatus, 

 flavo-brunneus, albo-brunneus, vaccinus, and ustalis. 

 A. sindonius, eutheles, columbetta, and albus, were 

 also found, as well as Cortinarius variecolor, evernius, 

 armeniacus, and Boletus cyanescens. On the follow- 

 ing day Floda was again visited, when Agaricus 

 icterinus was found growing abundantly in a Potato 

 field. A. caperatus, inopus, flammans, that " noble 

 species," A. depilatus, and magnificent specimens of 

 the exquisite A. decorus were gathered. 



Of course, during our rambles that mystic trio, 

 La-ctarius quietus, subdulcis, and serifluus, were men- 



tioned, and I was glad to get the views of Dr. Fries on 

 them ; but what the views of his illustrious father were 

 upon these three species I dare not say. Lastly, I 

 had the opportunity of submitting to Dr. Fries a 

 specimen of Agaricus lacrymabundus, which appears 

 in our flora under another name. What that name 

 is, I must leave my mycological brethren to find out. 

 I dare not tell them, lest Dr. Fries and I should be 

 subjected to a worse flagellation than I received last 

 year over the green gills of Bussula delica. Person- 

 ally I could bear even this, for I am not above 

 learning from Teuton or Gaul, Scot or Swede, Dane 

 or Dutchman, but I do not wish to subject any one 

 else to the vials of wrath of those who try to stem 

 the onward march of truth. Charles B. Plowright. 



Bahama group, the plants of which are still very 

 imperfectly known. C. 8. 8., in " Garden and Forest." 

 [The Palm here alluded to was named in honour of 

 Prof. Sargent, the Director of the Arnold Arboretum, 

 Brooklyn, Mass., and Editor of the excellent publi- 

 cation whence our article was taken. Our illustra- 

 tion (fig. 56), was copied from a photograph in the 

 Museum at Kew. Ed.] 



A NEW PALM. 



On April 19, 1886, in company with Mr. C. E. 

 Faxon, Mr. A. H. Curtiss, and Lieut. Hubbard, of 

 the United states Navy, I landed from the Light- 

 house tender Laurel near the eastern end of Elliot's 

 Key, one of the larger of the Florida Reef Keys, at 

 the house and Pine-apple plantation, of Mr. Henry 

 Filer. 



Our attention was at once directed to a solitary 

 plant of a small pinnate-leaved Palm, left stand- 

 ing in the clearing, which, at first sight, was 

 mistaken for an Oreodoxa, but the large orange- 

 scarlet fruit at once showed that we had stumbled 

 upon a tree unknown before in the North American 

 flora, and quite unlike any of the species of Palms 

 known to us. Specimens of the fruit, which was not, 

 unfortunately, fully ripe, were sent to Dr. Wendland, 

 of Hanover, who provisionally pronounced our Palm 

 to be the representative of a new genus, for which 

 he proposed the name of Pseudophcenix. A short 

 account of this discovery, with the announcement of 

 Dr. Wendland's new genus, but without characters, 

 was published in the issue of the Botanical Gazette 

 for November, 1886, but it was not until a year 

 later that I received through Mr. Curtiss ripe 

 seed of the Pseudophcenix, which was sent to Dr. 

 Wendland, who has drawn up from it generic 

 characters.* 



Pseudophcenix Sargenti is a slender, low tree, 

 20—25 feet high, with a trunk 10—12 inches in 

 diameter, and abruptly pinnate leaves 4 or 5 feet 

 long, the pinnas lanceolate-acuminate, 12 — 16 inches 

 long, bright green above and glaucous on the lower 

 surface. The branching spadix appears from among 

 the leaves ; it is (in the only specimen seen by me) 

 36 inches long by 30 inches broad, the main and 

 secondary branches light yellow-green, flattened, and 

 the latter thickened at the base, especially on the 

 upper side, into an ear-like process. The three-lobed 

 fruit, often one or two-lobed by abortion, is a half 

 to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, bright 

 orange-scarlet, and very showy. Only the withered 

 remnants of the flowers have been collected. 



A few individuals were discovered scattered 

 through the woods in the neighbourhood of Mr. 

 Filer's plantation, and late in the year a grove of 

 them was discovered near the east end of Long's 

 Key by a gentleman from Bay Biscayne, whose name 

 I cannot recall. There were about 200 plants, large 

 and small, in this grove, at the time of our visit to 

 Long's Key in the spring of 1887. These are the only 

 stations where Pseudophcenix is now known, but as 

 the flora of the Florida Reefs Key is Bahaman in 

 its constitution, and probably in is origin, it would 

 be a singular fact if this tree was not found in the 



* Pseudophenix.nov. gen., Herm. Wendl.— Gaussiso afflnis. 

 Fructus atipitatus drupacens cerasiformis aurantiacus, e car- 

 pellis 1—3 globoais, stigmatum residuis basilaribus vel in 

 fructibus lobatis lateralib ;s vel centralibus, epicarpio coriaceo, 

 mesocarpio grumoso, endocarpio tenuiter vitreo-crustaceo. 

 Semen liberum subgtobosum erectum, hilo basilari, raphe 

 adscendente utrinque ramis, 2—3 manifestos curvatis, albumine 

 oequabili; embryo basilarir Fl. fern, in fructu ; calyx parvus 

 pateriiormis leviter 3-denticulatus. Petala 3 ovata obtusa, 

 viridia refracta. Staminodia 6 manifesta apice atropurpurea. 



Palma mediocris, erecta, foliis pinnatisectis. segmentis 



duriuscnlis ima basi valde replicatis. Species 1. P. Sargenti, 

 Herm. Wendl. Elliott's KeV, Florida. 



NOTES ON HAKDY PLANTS. 



Among the first of these to cross the memory is 

 that charming alpine, Arnebia echioides, which year 

 by year demonstrates its wonderful profuse blooming 

 propensities. On September 26 it was as finely 

 in flower as one is wont to see it in springtime ; and 

 to be able to remark this of so valuable a plant, can 

 only make it still more valuable. It is also worthy 

 of note that its flowering so late is not a mere 

 accident, or occasioned in any way by the remark- 

 able season through which we have passed, for I well 

 remember that when I first made the acquaintance 

 of this gem (nearly nine years ago), itwasinfull flower 

 in the end of September. There are few plants 

 among the whole army of hardy subjects around which 

 so much interest is centred as in this; while from 

 a decorative point of view it is quite unique. 

 The flowers on first expanding are of a clear canary- 

 yellow, having fine dark spots on each flower ; these 

 gradually deepen in colour till nearly black, when 

 a change takes place and the flowers assume a pale 

 straw colour, the spots disappearing at the same 

 time. It is a plant that can safely be recommended 

 to all by reason of its sterling worth, for anyone 

 may grow it perfectly in a rich light fibrous loam, 

 and it is perfectly hardy. When full grown and 

 established it is not more than 18 inches high, con- 

 sequently is well suited for the rockery or the front 

 row in the border among good things. Its methods 

 of propagation are by division, by seeds, and by root 

 cutting. The first named is best carried out in 

 early spring, and the last in winter-time, when 

 the plants are the least active, detaching the thicker 

 portions of roots, and cutting into lengths of 1 inch 

 or more and placing in gentle heat. Seeds are pro- 

 duced rather sparsely in some seasons, but in others 

 a fair crop may be secured ; in either case sow as soon 

 as ripe in very sandy soil. Small groups of this have 

 a marvellous effect when in flower, and I cannot 

 too strongly urge all who have it to endeavour 

 to increase it by all means in their power. 

 It is destined to become one of the most popular 

 of hardy plants, and when sufficiently plentiful, will 

 make a grand plant for spring bedding. Since its 

 introduction the demand has more than equalled the 

 supply, for its cultivation and propagation were not 

 so readily understood as now, so that we may soon 

 expect to hear of it in abundance (see our figure, 

 vol. xxi., 1879, p. 689). 



Hellebores. — A seasonable reminder with respect 

 to those of the niger section may prove of service. 

 The majority of hardy plants are usually transplanted 

 directly after flowering, and experience has proved 

 this a very satisfactory course to pursue. With the 

 Hellebores or Christmas Roses it is not so ; particu- 

 larly is this the case on certain soils — e.g., light 

 sandy or gravelly soils. If any one having plants 

 of these will take the trouble to examine them just 

 now, they will find quantities of large fleshy roots 

 emerging from the base of the newly formed crowns ; 

 therefore I consider that if the planting is done 

 just prior to those roots being emitted, you are 

 going a long way towards giving your plant a fair 

 start: and a good start with many things besides 

 Hellebores is the secret of success. This season, 

 consequent, doubtless, on the great rainfall which 

 has been so generally felt, this basal root-action is 

 much earlier than usual ; and I was surprised to find 

 a few days ago in the varieties major and maximus, 

 new roots fully 8 inches long ; last year at the same 

 date the new roots were just issuing from the 

 crowns, thus illustrating the necessity of earlier 

 planting in seasons like the present. Where large 

 clumps exist, and it is desired to increase the stock, 



