166 STOVE PLANTS. 



edges. The flowers are freely produced, and ricli orange red 

 in colour. Native of Brazil. 



8. Humboldtianus. — This is an elegant small bush, growing 

 from two to three feet high, and being furnished with alternate 

 leaves, from half an inch to an inch in length, ovate-lanceo- 

 late, finely serrate at the margins, of a dark green colour on 

 the upper side, and covered with short hairs beneath. The 

 flowers are pendulous, between two and three inches long, 

 and of a rich scarlet, with orange throat. This is sometimes 

 met with under the name of S.fulgens. It is a native of 

 Peru. 



8. microstomus.' — A very desirable free-flowering species, 

 the leaves of which are somewhat oblong, slightly serrated at 

 the edges, quite smooth, and of a bright green. The flowers 

 are rich crimson, nearly two inches long, and produced in 

 terminal umbels. It blooms abundantly during the whole 

 winter season in the stove, but should have a cooler place in 

 summer. Native of New Grenada. 



Spigelia. 



A genus of handsome plants belonging to the order 

 Lof/aniacea. There are several kinds in cultivation ; the 

 one here described is a stove plant, which should be in 

 every collection. The soil which suits them well is a mixture 

 of loam and peat, with a little sand. 



iS. splendem. — A beautiful free-flowering plant, the leaves 

 of which are about five inches long, dark green, somewhat 

 oblong or obovate in shape, and tapering, having a few 

 scattered hairs on the veins. The flowers are upwards of 

 an inch long, tubular, and of a rich scarlet, produced in 

 profusion, on recurved spikes, in double rows, and remain 

 in beauty for a long time. No collection of plants should be 

 without this lovely gem. It is a native of Costa Eica. 



