83 



afterwards Schomburgk found it in British Guiana, and through 

 his exertions it found its way to England and to the continent. 

 In the year 1842 he detected it again on an affluent of the 

 Essequibo, and in the year 1845 Mr. Bridges discovered it 

 in Bolivia ; — since which time it has been met Avith by several 

 travellers, though previously to that period each instance 

 of finding it had been unexpected. In the year 1849, Mr. 

 Spruce, who made a voyage purposely in search of it on the 

 Amazon, succeeded in sending leaves and flowers preserved in 

 spirits to England. 



The Victoria is represented by our own beautiful water lily 

 or pond Illy, (Nymphsea odorata,) so familiarly known and 

 esteemed. Whoever is familiar with its habits can recall, the 

 quiet beauty of its surroundings in some still and placid spread 

 of water, or on the margin of some larger pond. But instead 

 of a smooth and delicate surface, the foliage of the Victoria 

 bristles with myriads of sharp cellular spines, investing both 

 the leaves on their under sides and the leaf stalks alike. Nor 

 do we meet with the soft and tender green or purplish tinted 

 calyx as in our own Nymphaea — instead of which the stout 

 strong sepals bristle equally with the rest of the plant. Yet 

 when the hour of expansion has arrived we see a new feature 

 developed. Unlike our delicately attired water lily, which 

 opens its ivory white petals to meet the first sun's rays, which 

 glance over the waters, this royal plant has opened under 

 cultivation at the approach of the evening. Being so fortunate 

 as to be able to watch the expansion of a flower, through the 

 attentive kindness of Mr. A., I take pleasure in describing its 

 changes and aspects as they were presented to me. 



If we were to consider the flowering, that last and perfected 

 consummation of vegetable existence, vre should have some- 

 thing of this kind. — First, the bud presents itself, supported 

 by its stout spiny stem and lying on its side just above the sur- 

 face of the water. As the sun rises and heats the atmosphere, 

 it assumes a variety of positions, — now standing almost perpen- 

 dicular ; now lifting itself gradually ; and now rolling slowly 



