2:> 



CALCEOLARIA PUNCTATA. 



would sometimes be necessary (as with our present plant) to trace it through 

 several generations. It would tend however to prevent confusion, if " var. liybr? 

 were always placed after the specific name : or it might be still better to combine 

 the specific name with the adjective " hybridus" as Calceolaria hybrido-punctata. 

 We offer the above remarks rather with the view of exciting the attention of 

 Botanists to the subject than for the purpose of submitting any favourite mode 

 of our own. In reference to the practice of hybridizing, we cannot avoid quoting 

 a remark of Dr. Lindley, in the Bot. Reg., folio 1743, where, speaking of C. 

 angustiflora, the learned professor says, " It is a species of no great attraction, 

 but des.erves to be recorded as one of the genuine wild forms of a genus which, 

 however beautiful and interesting, has already began to sink in estimation, in 

 consequence of the ruin that has been brought upon it -by the unskilfulness of 

 gardeners. In their haste to improve the works of nature, these gentlemen have 

 converted some of the fairest races in the vegetable world, into forms in no case 

 more beautiful than the original, and in the majority of instances, unhealthy, 

 mongrel, and debased." In these excellent observations we most heartily concur, 

 well knowing how futile, generally, must be any attempt to improve by such 

 means the inimitable colours and beautiful forms which we see regularly and 

 unceasingly developed in the grand laboratoi'y of nature. There are, however, 

 some few instances in which such interference has been followed by the most 

 satisfactory results ; for example, the hybrid species of Passiflora, cceruleo- 

 racemosa and alato-coerulea, are acknowledged to surpass in beauty the parents 

 from which they were derived. So is it occasionally with Calceolarias : it is 

 impossible indeed to pass through Mr. Willmore's greenhouse without having our 

 admiration immediately excited by the varied and brilliant display of these 

 plants, most of which owe their origin to the zealous and skilful management of 

 the gardener, Mr. Williams. Many of these varieties surpass all the original 

 species with which we are acquainted, as well in the form and size of the flowers, 

 as in the richness and variety of their colours : and we may add, moreover, that 

 many of the seedlings which we have recently seen in the collection promise 

 to become still more attractive. It is worthy of remark, and is not perhaps very 

 generally known, that one of the large silver medals of the Lond. Hort. Soc, 

 which had been placed at the disposal of the Birm. Bot. and Hort. Soc, was 

 awarded about two years ago to Mr. Willmore, for the many beautiful hybrid 

 varieties of this interesting genus which he had raised and introduced to the 

 public. 



The generic name, Calceolaria, is derived from the Latin calceohcs, a little 

 slipper, in allusion to the shape of the lower lip. 



