278 THE FLORIST AND 



LycopodIUM coesiUM ARBOREUM.^-What the Tree violet is to the old ■ 

 double blue, this new variety is to the old one. The stems are near an eighth 

 of an inch thick, and the fronds are about one foot in length. The shining 

 changeable blue color that has always rendered the old kind so welcome in 

 all collections, is even deeper in this. It is the admiration of every one 

 who sees it here. It thrives well in a soil formed of broken sticks, charcoal, 

 and leaf mould, with about a fourth part of turfy loam, in a moist and 

 shady part of the Orchid House. It was obtained through Mr. Buist. 



Promengea stapelioides. — A small orchid belonging to the Maxillaria di- 

 vision. It is not a showy thing, several dozen pseudo bulbs only occupying 

 a circle of eighteen inches ; but the flower is very pretty, about an inch 

 across, imitating as its specific name imports, the color and markings of a 

 stapelia. It grows best suspended in a basket of coarse moss. Imported 

 by Mr. Cope, from Messrs. Loddiges, of London. ' : . • ' v 



Justicia bicolor. — Under this name we received from Mr. Buist this 

 spring, what I consider one of the prettiest introductions of the season* 

 The plant does not seem a strong grower, or inclined to be very bushy. 

 Ours is now, after every encouragement to grow, not over a foot in height $ 

 taut it has been completely covered with flowers for the past 3 months. 

 Each flower is of a pure white, with a large crimson blotch on the lower di- 

 vision of the corolla. It is growing in- sandy turfy loam, in a rather shady 

 greenhouse, and will probably require the protection of a warm greenhouse 

 or stove in the winter. 



Diplabenia splendens. — Although not ten years since this was intro- 

 duced into English collections it has their become a standard plant for 'ex- 

 hibitions. It was formerly considered an Echites, and, like that family is 

 a climber, or as we must here say, "a vine." The flowers appear in clus- 

 ters in the axils of the leaves, on the young wood, each being about 2 inches 

 across, of a delicate pink color. It thrives well in any turfy soil in well- 

 drained pots-in a warm greenhouse. Our plant was obtained through Mr. 

 Buist. 



My friend, William Grassie, had D. crassinoides at our last meeting in 

 flower, from the collection of Mr. Keen, West Philadelphia. It is a much 

 smaller species than the above, but very desirable. 



Thomas Meehan. 



