HORTICULTUKAL JOURNAL. 327 



species lias a limber foliage and elongated stalks, appearing drawn up, de- 

 fects which the beauty and long duration of its flowers do not repay. The 

 B. Lapeyrousei has, as I said, firm, strong stalks, admirable leaves, pedun- 

 cles and pedicels short, and large compact bouquets of flowers of a beautiful 

 satiny rose which ornaments the plant from the base to the top. This plant, 

 which I cannot praise too highly, does not grow above two feet high. 

 L. Van Houtte in the Flore des Serves. 



Cereus "MacDonaldm:, Hook. — This is a new species similar in color 

 and form to the C. grandiflorus, but with much larger flowers, the bud alone 

 before opening measuring 14 inches, and the flower is greater than that in 

 diameter. The stalks are like those of 0. grandiflorus, but the angles are 

 scarcely perceptible.* It will be a great addition to our collections, as it 

 grows rapidly and flowers easily. It is night-blooming. The species was 

 sent to Kew from Honduras, of which country it is a native, by the wife of 

 Gen. Mac Donald. 



Gesneria Donckelaariana. — Judging from the figure and description 

 of this in the Flore des Serres, it should be the handsomest plant of the 

 family to which it belongs. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, and of a 

 deep green. The flowers are borne on a deep purple stalk, simple below 

 and panicled above with numerous flowers. These are gloxinia-shaped, of a 

 bright crimson, the inside of the tube yellow. M. Donckelaar the younger, 

 claims it as a hybrid between Gesneria discolor and Ligeria rubra (Gloxinia 

 speciosa). M. Decaisne doubts this and suggests that it is a distinct species 

 introduced by accident among other • individuals of the family. He pro- 

 nounces it the richest in flowering and color of the genus. 



Fuchsia Souvenir de la Relne. — If the plant be nearly as striking as 

 the figure of this variety, it is the handsomest variety extant. The tube of 

 the calyx is crimson extending in a fringe a little into the sepals ; the rest 

 of which are white, tipped with green. The corolla is deep crimson. It is 

 a seedling of M. Coene of Gendbrugge, Belgium. 



Cliaxtiius puxiceus var. magnificus. — This is a leguminous plant, said 

 to have been introduced from Navigator's Island, which Dr. Planchon doubts, 

 because the original species was discovered in New Zealand ; and this plant 

 requires only the green-house. The leaves are small and deep green ; the 

 flowers are brilliant vermillion and fully 3J inches across, are borne on 

 short peduncles. 



Philesia buxifolia. — This species, with the Lapageria rosea, form the 

 sub-order Philesise, a division of Smilacese. It is a shrub, with numerous 



* In the figure the stalk resembles that of C. extensus. Salm. 



