32 



PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



A stiff glaucous greenhouse shrub, with large 



Belongs to Daphnads. 



PlMELEA MACHOCEPHAEA. HooJcet', 



nodding; heads of cream-coloured flowers. Native of Swan River. 

 Introduced by Lucombe & Co. (Fig. 135.) 



One of the many Swan River plants raised from seeds received 

 from Mr. Drummond. Perhaps its nearest affinity is with P. time-' 

 loria, Meisn., though the leaves do not change to the very peculiar 

 green described as characteristic of that species, and it wants 

 several other distinguishing marks. It is a highly interesting 

 addition to our greenhouse plants, easy of culture, and free to 

 blossom hi the summer months. Shrub two to three feet high, 

 somewhat simple, or fastigiately branched ; branches erect, smooth, 

 rather robust (for a Pimelea), reddish below, green above, terete, 

 leafy up to the involucre. Leaves opposite, smooth, the upper 

 ones, especially, erect and secund, all of them large for the genus, 

 and thick, rather leathery, broad-lanceolate, glaucous, acute, sessile; 

 lower ones more spreading. Involucre of four to six leaves, 

 larger and broader than the stem ones, shorter than the flower- 

 head. This latter is two inches and a half across. Flowers 

 numerous, dense, very pale rose (cream) colour. Calyx-tube 

 slender, long, downy, articulated on the truncated summit of the 

 ovary ; the segments oblong, spreading or recurved, ciliated at 

 the margins. Stamens and style much exserted. Anthers 

 orange. 



"An Australian genus consisting of slender twiggy shrubs, and 

 now numbering above fifty described species. The greater number 

 are natives of Van Diemen's Land and the extra-tropical coasts of 

 Australia, many being found at Swan River and at King George's 

 Sound on the south-west coast : a few extend northward to within 

 the tropics, and several are natives of New Zealand. About twenty 

 species are known to have been introduced into the gardens of this 

 country. The first was P. linifolia in 1793, followed by P. rosea 

 in 1800 ; between the latter year and 1823, P. drwpacca and 



P. pauciflora were introduced : the first two, being pretty flowering species, were frequent inmates in the greenhouse, 

 whereas the two latter, having inconspicuous flowers, were seldom seen, except in collections where rarity and number 

 of species were desired. In 1823 we were so fortunate as to raise plants of P. decussata, which, on account of its being of 

 neat habit and a free and showy flowering species, soon became a favourite with cultivators, but has of late been in some 

 measure superseded by its more showy rival, P. spectabilis, which was introduced some years later. The species now 

 figured is of recent introduction, and, from what we know of it, will turn out to be another showy species. It is, like its 

 allies, a greenhouse plant, and grows vigorously if planted in turfy peat-soil, containing a little loam, and kept sufficiently 

 drained. Over-watering is undesirable, especially during dull damp weather in winter and spring ; and in hot weather 

 the sides of the pot must not be exposed to the direct rays of the sun. It will propagate by cuttings, placed under a bell 

 glass, and treated in the usual way, but it has been found to produce the best plants if grafted on stocks of P. decussata." 

 —Bat. Mag., t. 4543. 



Ioxopsis ten eh a. Lindley '. A very pretty stove Orchid from the West Indies, with 

 panicles of delicate white or pale lilac flowers. (Fig. 136, a, a diminished figure; h, flowers 

 little more than natural size ; c, lip magnified.) 



This seems to be common upon trees in many parts of the West Indies. It was first brought to notice by Sir Charles 

 Lemon, who received it from the Havannah. It has been beautifully flowered by Messrs. Henderson, of the Pineapple 

 Nursery, who produced it at a meeting of the Horticultural Society, having obtained it from Jamaica. It also occurs 

 among Mr. Linden's dried plants, No. 484, from the Oaraccas, where it was found by Fruck and Schlim. It is not 

 impossible that it may be no more than a large-lipped variety of I. utricularioides, a plant we have long lost sight of ; 

 but, until that can be certainly ascertained, the name should not be disturbed. If it shall turn out that these must 

 be regarded as one species, then we suspect that Ionopsis pallidiflora will also have to be abandoned. What must be 

 done, however, before any good opinion upon such a point can be given, will be to ascertain the exact state of the lip 

 hi all these plants. At Fig. c is a correct representation of what exists in the species now figured from J amaica, and in 

 those from Havannah, and the Caraccas, viz. : two small narrow ears stand at the very narrow rounded base of the lip ; 



