NEW PLANTS, ETC., FROM THE SOCIETY'S GARDEN. 307 



18. Spiraea prtjnifolia, flore pleno. Siebold and Zuc- 

 earing Fl. Japonica, i. 130, t. 70. Van Hontte, Flore 

 des Serves, §c, Oct. 1846. 



Received from Mr. Fortune in 1845, as a Prunus from the 

 North of China. (No. 457.) 



A bush, with deciduous leaves, and long slender branches, like 

 those of Spiraea hypericifolia. Its leaves are oval, finely serrated, 

 about an inch and a half long. The flowers, which are pure white, 

 grow in clusters of 3 or 4 from the centre of the buds, and are 

 agreeably relieved by 5 or 6 small green leaves that appear at the 

 same time. These flowers are rather more than one-fourth of an 

 inch in diameter, very regularly and perfectly double, and about 

 as ornamental as those of the Double White Hawthorn. 



It is a fine hardy shrub, growing freely in an) r good garden 

 soil, and easily increased by cuttings or suckers. It rises from 

 4 to 6 feet high, and flowers most abundantly. It is a very 

 valuable acquisition for the open border. 



March 15, 1847. 



19. Bletia Gebina.* 

 Calanthe Gebi?ia. Loddiges' Catalogue, No. 1846. 

 Presented by Messrs. Loddiges in the spring of 1847. 



Leaves broad, plaited, rising up the stem, from 6 to 8 inches 

 long, or more, and 2 inches wide, the uppermost acuminate, the 

 lowest obtuse. The flowers are about as large as Bletia hya~ 

 cinthi?ia, from 6 to 8 in a spike, 2£ inches in diameter, nearly 

 white, with a faint tinge of blush. The lip is pale delicate violet, 

 obtusely 3-lobed, with 7 plates upon its surface, of which 2 at 

 the side are confined to the middle lobe, and the 5 others are 

 extended to the base, which is a little stained with yellow. 



It is nearly related to B. hyacinthina, and, according to Messrs. 

 Loddiges' catalogue, is a native of Japan. No description of it, 

 however, is to be found in books. 



It is a terrestrial Orchid, which requires a slight protection 

 from frost, and to be kept rather dry while in a dormant state ; 

 afterwards it should be well supplied with moisture and heat. It 

 grows freely in a mixture of fibry peat and half-decayed leaf- 



* B. Gebina ; foliis oblongo-lanceolatis plicatis acutissimis recurvis 

 racemis strictis 6-9-floris, bracteis oblongis obtusis cucullatis membrauaceis 

 cito deciduis, sepalis patulis lineari-oblongis petalis subundulatis paulo 

 angustioribus, labello trilobo laciniis obtusis intermedia crenulata. crispula 

 lamellis 5 ad basin usque extensis duabusque brevibus lateralibus pone 

 apicem, cliuaudrio crenato. — J. L. 



