PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



85 



Platanthera incisa. Lindl. Gen. and Sp. Orch. 21)3 [alias Orcliis incisa, fflUW ; 

 alias Habenaria incisa, Sprengel). A hardy herbaceous Orchid from. N. America, with 

 cylindrical spikes of purple flowers. (Fig. 139 ; A, a magnified flower.) 



One of the large race of terrestrial Orchids, furnished with tubercles 

 for roots, of which 1ST. America possesses many, representing in its 

 forest grounds and prairies the common Orchids of Europe. The present 

 . is one of th,e rarer species, with purple flowers, having the lip deeply 

 divided into three lobes, each of which is gashed and slit at the edge. 

 It is nearly allied to the more common PI. fimbriata, the flowers of which 

 are larger, and the petals themselves deeply fringed. The stem of this 

 plant is from 1| to 2 feet high, covered with leaves like those of the Male 

 Orchis (0. Tnascula), but not spotted. The flowers themselves are of v a 

 deep lilac colour ; and the bracts are so narrow and short as not to 

 be observable among the flowers. The specimen from which the accom- 

 panying figure is taken was received in July, 1847, from Mr. Joseph Ellis, 

 gardener to Henry Wheal, Esq. , of Norwood Hall, near Sheffield. 



Tiiibaudia macrantha. Hooker. A shrub of great 

 beauty, from the jungles of India. Flowers drooping, very 

 large, pale pink with blood-red veins. Belongs to the 

 Cranberries [Vaccinia ced) . Introduced by Messrs. Veitch. 



We represented what we considered to 

 be the Piince of the East Indian Thibaudias 

 in our Tab. 4303 (T. pulchcrrima), and in the 

 rich abundance of its handsome flowers it has 

 the superiority over this : but here, each in- 

 dividual flower is much larger and handsomer 

 than in that species. We have measured 

 these flowers two inches and a quarter long, 

 and one inch in diameter ; the texture and 

 marking resemble some handsome piece of 

 china or porcelain. The plant was raised 

 from seeds by Mr. Veitch, from Kola Moun- 

 tain, Moulmain, whence they were sent by 

 Mr. Thomas Lobb. It accords with many of 

 the characters of TMbaudia (Agapetes, De 

 Cand.) loranthifolia, Wall. ; but that species 

 is downy, and differs in other points. We 

 have rarely seen a more truly lovely plant. 

 It flowered in the stove of Messrs. Veitch in 

 December, 1850. Leaves on very short thick 

 petioles, lanceolate, much acuminated, entire, glabrous. Flowers from the woody portion of the stem, extra-axillary. 

 Two or three peduncles spring from the same point, and are pendent, thickened upwards, and red. Flowers large, and 

 hanging down. Calyx small, pale yellow. Corolla large, pure china-white, yellow at the base and apex ; the tube 

 barrel-shaped, five-angled ; between the angles are numerous distinct, oblique, wavy red lines, generally taking the 

 shape of the letter V, and more or less united : the mouth of the corolla is contracted : the five acute lobes reflexed. 

 Stamens and style considerably exserted beyond the mouth of the corolla. We learn that it is an evergreen shrub of 

 easy cultivation, and that it flowered when not more than two feet high. It is treated as a stove-plant ; but judging 

 from its allies and from its native climate, we are inclined to think it will succeed in a close greenhouse. Like many 

 species of this family, the present is probably subepiphytal, deriving its chief nourishment from an atmosphere charged 

 with moisture, and at a medium temperature ; such being the general character of the lower region of Ericacece and 

 Vacciniacece within the tropics.— Botanical Magazine, t. 4566. 



Lygodictyon Forsteri. A strong-growing very handsome climbing Fern, from the 

 South Sea Islands. Distinct in appearance ; in habit like the Lygodiums, but with more 

 massive fronds. The plant promises to be a free grower, requiring treatment suited to 



