CYPEEUS. 1?9 



above, sliglitly paler below. It is a singular and very 

 elegant plant. Native of Guiana. 



G. cristatus. — This is even a more remarkable and beau- 

 tiful plant than the preceding. The petioles are very 

 broad and sheathing at base ; leaves two to three feet in 

 length, and one in breadth; when young these leaves 

 (which have two primary veins) are entire, but they ulti- 

 mately become cleft or bifid at the apex ; bright shining 

 green in colour. Native of the West Indies. 



G, plicatus. — A superb plant for table decoration, or for 

 the ornamentation of the plant stove ; stem slender and 

 erect. The leaves are from one to two feet in length, bifid 

 at apex, dark rich green in colour, and pendent. This is 

 the G. palmata of Loddiges. Native of Columbia. 



Ctpebus. 



A large, genus belonging to the order Gyperacece, popu- 

 larly known as Sedges, and bearing a strong resemblance 

 to Grasses, from which, however, they differ in many essen- 

 tial points. Many species of this genus are made to con- 

 tribute towards the wants and comforts of mankind, some 

 being used medicinally, others yielding food, and others 

 again contributing a perfiime, which the Asiatic ladies 

 delight to use in dressing their hair. Those named here 

 are valuable for the decoration of apartments, for the 

 dinner table, or for Wardian cases ; they may be grown in 

 small pots, and thus are available for standing in orna- 

 mental vases, &c. ■ They should be potted in loam and 

 sand, with the addition of a little peat. 



G. alter rdf alius. — An elegant compact plant, bearing 



upon erect dark green jointless stems a quantity of long 



narrow leaves, arranged in a somewhat umbellate manner. 



The plant is very hardy, and is very effective for the deco- 



n2 



