770 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



summer. It belongs to the type of Masa Ensete of Abyssinia, and 

 comes rather near to 31. religiosa and 31. Fetiche, introduced by Vilmorin, 

 of Paris, and a native of the Congo. 31. imperialis has a subterranean 

 perennating stem, and bears a tuft of enormous and very beautiful leaves, 

 lanceolate in shape, and of a fine emerald-green colour. It flowers 

 readily in the south of Italy. The seeds are similar in shape to those 

 of M. Ensete, but much smaller, and black with a white eye. They 

 germinate readily, and the seedlings grow rapidly. The plants will grow 

 either exposed to the sun or in shade, but require plenty of humus, 

 manure, and water. They have a very different habit from the known 

 Musas. The underground stems can be preserved even when removed 

 from the soil, as is practised with Erythrina. — W. C. W. 



Musa religiosa. By C. Sprenger (Bull. R. Soc. Tusc. Ort. ix, 

 p. 280 ; September 1902). — This plant, first introduced by Vilmorin, 

 Andrieux & Co., Paris, from the Congo, where it was said to be planted 

 around the native cemeteries, was at first called 31. Fetiche. It is hardy 

 in Naples. It bears very tiny black seeds, which germinate easily, and 

 the seedlings grow rapidly. The subterranean stem is only slightly 

 raised above the ground; the plant becomes dormant in late autumn, 

 entirely losing its leaves, remaining in that condition during the bad 

 season, resuming growth the following April on the return of the 

 warmth. In its native land it rests during the dry and grows during 

 the wet season. It is a dwarf, very compact species, with dense foliage, 

 the leaves being short and broad, and thus more immune from damage 

 by wind and other agencies. The author grows it successfully in the 

 open side by side with 31. Basjor or 31. japonica, than which it is not 

 less hardy. From April to September it is provided with phosphated 

 and ammoniacal liquid manures. — W. G. W. 



Muscari latifolium. By Sir J. D. Hooker (Bot. Mag. tab. 7843)- 

 — Nat. ord. Liliacece, tribe Scillece. Native of Asia Minor. Leaves 6 to 12 

 inches long ; raceme 3-4 inches long, cylindric ; flowers dark violet-blue. 



G. H. 



MyopOPUm serratum. By A. Bruttini (Bull. R. Soc. Tosc. Ort. vii. 

 p. 199 ; July 1902). — An ornamental tree, commonly planted in some 

 parts of Sicily. It belongs to the family Selaginacece, and is a native of 

 Australia. It is evergreen. The leaves are simple, fleshy, lanceolate, 

 slightly dentate, with a conspicuous middle vein, 3-10 cm. in length and 

 1*5-3 cm. broad. The flowers are small, about 1 cm. in diameter, herma- 

 phrodite, and united in axillary clusters. The corolla is white, gamo- 

 petalous, regular, five-lobed, speckled with violet toward the centre, 

 where also occur short white hairs. The calyx is green, gamosepalous, 

 and regular. There are five stamens, alternate and concrescent with the 

 corolla : of these the posterior one is abortive, the other four fertile, 

 didynanious, the anterior ones being larger, with four locular, introrse 

 anthers exhibiting longitudinal dehiscence. The pistil consists of two 

 carpels fused together to form a bi-, tri-, or quadrilocular ovary, with 

 anatropous, pendulous ovules separated by false septa. The fruit is a 

 drupe, 8-9 mm. loiig, slightly piriform, the broadest part being next the 



