36 



PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



other Ferns that come from warm countries, including brisk heat during the season of 

 growth, with a moderately moist atmosphere, a fair amount of root room, and plenty of 

 water at the roots whilst growing, and never to be allowed to get dry even in the winter. 

 It was shown at South Kensington in January, 1882, by Mr. Kettle, gardener to 

 H. E. Green, Esq., Kingsford Stan way, Colchester, and was awarded a First-Class Certificate. 



Pinnate fronds, firm in texture, bright green, varying in form according to age, the segments being lance-shaped 

 from a square base, each on a very short stalk, wavy, and finely toothed at the margin. Fertile segments shorter and 

 broader, bearing small oblong fruit spikes in rows on the margin, like so many, blunt teeth. It is the Lygodium 

 reticulatum of Schkhur, and of Hooker and Baker's synopsis (1868), p. 438.— Gardener's Chronicle, N.S., vol. xvii., p. 44. 



Pitcaienia corallina. There are only a few species of this division of flowering 



Bromelliaceous plants that have ever become fashionable in gardens, and amongst those 



hitherto grown there are none at all approaching this for the effective appearance of its 



brilliant drooping panicles of flowers. The plant in appearance is a good deal like the 



well-known Curculigo reeurvata, its leaves assuming much the same position, recurving 



elegantly, and giving it a vase-like form. They are also deeply plaited, similar to those 



of the Curculigo. The flower-spike is produced from the crown of the plant, and takes 



a drooping position ; the flowers are bright red in colour. The plant from which the 



annexed description is taken was grown and flowered by Mr.' Green, gardener to 



Sir G. MacLeay, Pendell Court, Bletchingly. It comes from New Granada. 



Leaves without any marginal spines, with an erect petiole about a foot long, which is margined by small decurved 

 horny brown spines, plicate like the leaf of a Curculigo, recurving abruptly about the middle when mature. Peduncle 

 rising from the base of the tuft of leaves, about a foot long, bright red like the flowers. Raceme drooping, a foot long. 

 Sepals lanceolate, horny, an inch long. Petals lingulate, furnished with a large oblong basal scale. Stamens as long 

 as the petals ; filament white, filiform ; anther linear, half an inch long ; pollen yellow. Ovary ampullaeform ; 

 style filiform, about two inches long ; stigmas spirally twisted. — Botanical Magazine, 6600. 



Cymbiditim giganteum. WallicTi. A noble terrestrial Orchid, native of Nepal. Flowers 

 deep warm yellow, with a richly spotted brown lip. (Fig. 140, a flower, natural size.) 



This is one of the most stately of Indian Orchids, producing strong, stiff, sword-shaped leaves in two rows, which of 

 themselves render the plant a noble object in the stove. The flowers add to this by their rich warm colours and large 

 size. They appear at the end of a drooping scape about a foot and a half long, and covered with loose scales towards 

 the base. Each is of the size represented in the accompanying cut, but turned upside down. The sepals and petals are 

 of a clear rich orange yellow ; while the lip, which is bearded in the middle and at the edge, is richly mottled with 

 cinnamon-brown. Owing to some error of observation, upon bad-dried specimens, we formerly reported the anther not 

 to be articulated with the column as is usual (see Gen. and Sp. Orch., p. 163), but the fresh specimens show that the 

 structure differs in no particular whatever from that of other genuine Cymbids. 



