82 



Report on New and Rare Plants, fyc. 



XXVIII. Alstromeria Flos Martini. Ker. 

 J. pulchra. Sims. 

 However unwilling to accede to the alteration of a name 

 once published, I cannot but agree with Mr. Ker in the pro- 

 priety of rejecting the unmeaning name of pulchra, by which 

 this plant has been published in the Botanical Magazine, tab. 

 2421, and adopting that of Flos Martini, by which it has been 

 distinguished in the Botanical Register. In its native country 

 it has been called universally Flor de San Martin, after one 

 of the most respectable of the Independent commanders of 

 that country. Roots, communicated by Mr. Place, flowered 

 finely in the stove, and produced seed, from which young 

 plants have already been obtained. It is a beautiful addition 

 to our gardens, and by far the handsomest of the genus yet 

 in the collections about London. 



XXIX. Pitcairnia staminea. Loddiges. 

 This beautiful species of Pitcairnia was sent to the Society's 

 Garden from Rio de Janeiro, by the late Mr. John Forbes. 

 It is a rigid plant, with many narrow-pointed, scaly, whitish 

 leaves, and a spike of brilliant scarlet flowers with recurved 

 petals ; the flowers are perishable, but the beauty of the plant 

 is great. 



The collection, of which this formed a part, is a good ex- 

 ample of what skill and industry can effect. It is notorious 

 that importations of seeds or plants from Rio have of late 

 had so bad a reputation that collectors here universally 

 consider them of little importance. The excellent, but un- 

 fortunate young man, however, from whom this was received, 

 succeeded, during a very short residence, in getting together, 



