76 



Report on New and Rare Plants, fyc. 



The flowers, when fully open, measure about three inches 

 across, their outer segments are ovate, lanceolate, of a clear 

 but powerful ultra-marine colour, at the edges and end 

 whitish, at the base yellow, and crossed upwards by broken 

 bands of bright brown ; their minor segments are lanceolate, 

 erect, recurved, not more than a third the size of the outer, 

 above the middle bright sky blue, in the middle white, at the 

 base cochleate, yellow, with brokeii brown spots. The an- 

 nexed engraving of this beautiful plant is taking from a drawing 

 made by Mr. Charles John Robertson. 



The plant is wholly distinct from any other, and may be 

 distinguished from M. ccemlea, to which it stands next, by 

 the following definition : 



M.Sabini; foliis ensiformibusadsummam vaginam cultratis, 

 scapo ultra flores longe producto, spathaa foliolis acuminatis 

 data, perianthii lanceolatis : exterioribus majoribus. 



The species has been named in compliment to Captain 

 Edward Sabine, of the Royal Artillery, F.R.S. &c. to whom 

 the So«ety is under much obligation, for the numerous and 

 important services he, during his voyage to Africa and South 

 America, in his Majesty's ship Pheasant, commanded by 

 Captain Douglas Charles Clavering, F. R. S. &c. ren- 

 dered the Society, in the protection and assistance afforded 

 the collector who accompanied him; whose mission, without 

 such a,d, would have failed to produce the extensively be- 

 neficial results expected from it. The Marica Sabini is 

 easdy propagated, and will consequently soon become, on 

 account of the beauty of its flower, one of the finest oma- 

 ments of every stove. 



