WIGAUDU. 329 



and reddish brown in colour. The leaves are pinnate ; 

 pinnssa six to twelve inches long, and about two inches in 

 breadth, broad and sessile at the base, tapering to a tail- 

 like point, the apical pinnis broad and bifid ; colour rich 

 bright green. Native of Costa Bica. 



W. regia. — This is a more slender plant than the pre- 

 ceding, and is one of the most elegant of plants for din- 

 ner-table decoration. The petioles are long and slender, 

 and the leaves in a young state are bifid, eventually be- 

 coming pinnate. When immature these are of a deep 

 reddish crimson, changing to bright green. This ex- 

 tremely handsome small-growing species should be in 

 every collection. Native of New Grenada. 



WiGANDIA. 



These plants belong to the small order Hydroleaoeoe, 

 ■which is not particularly conspicuous for its contributions 

 to our gardens. The species of this genus given here 

 are, however, amongst the finest of exotic plants which 

 have been used for the decoration of our gardens in the' 

 open air during summer. Wigandias succeed well in a 

 mixture composed of loam and peat, with the addition of 

 a little sand and well-decomposed manure. To obtain 

 good handsome plants- for the sub-tropical garden, they 

 should be struck from cuttings every year, in about Feb- 

 ruary or March, or they propagate very freely from pieces 

 of the roots planted in a propagating house early in Feb- 

 ruary. The young plants require to be well hardened 

 before being planted out in June. 



fV. caracasana. — A noble shrubby plant, attaining in 

 cultivation, under ordinary circumstances, some five or six 

 feet in height, but becoming much larger if permitted. 

 The chief beauty of the plant is found in its magnificent 



