STEEPTOCAEPUS. 169 



requires to be potted in a mixture of two parts loam, and one 

 peat, with a liberal addition of sand. 



S. ciliatum. — The leaves of this plant are cordate, smooth, 

 covered with a glaucous hue, and ciliated on the edges. The 

 flowers are produced in large umbels, and are rich orange 

 yellow in colour, somewhat resembling an Oncidium bloom. 

 It continues blooming during the whole summer. Native of 

 Brazil. 



Steeptocaepus. 



This is a very pretty and interesting genus of Gesneracea., 

 consisting of low-growing, free-flowering perennial plants, with 

 radical leaves. They should be potted in rich, well-decayed 

 vegetable mould, made tolerably sandy, and should be placed 

 in a rather shaded moist place, near the glass. The leaves 

 must not be syringed, for although they delight in plenty of 

 water, they do not like it over their leaves. 



S. Saundersii. — ^This extraordinary plant makes only one 

 leaf, which appears to be a continuation of the .cotyledon ; 

 this leaf is sometimes as much as twelve or eighteen inches 

 long, and upwards of six inches in breadth ; thick, tomentose, 

 deeply and coarsely toothed at the edges, and of a dark heavy 

 green on the upper surface, duU red beneath. It is a most 

 abundant bloomer, producing enormous quantities of branched 

 panicles, laden with its delicate lavender-coloured flowers, 

 which have a deep bright blue throat, with a streak of yellow 

 down the middle. Native of Natal. 



Tabeen^jemontana. 



A genus of ApocynacecB, consisting of very ornamental 

 plants, somewhat resembling Gardenia in appearance, but 

 belonging to a very distinct order. The treatment recom- 

 mended for those plants will, however, suit these admirably. 



I 



