GLEANINGS AND ORIGINAL MEMORANDA. 



Aristolochia Picta. Karsten. From the Caraeeas. A curious and rather 

 handsome stove twiner, belonging' to the natural order of Birthworts. In the 

 nursery of Mr. Van Houtte, of Ghent. (Fig. 1.) 



A smooth twining plant, with deeply cordate acute leaves, and purple tesselated flowers, whose 

 limb is three inches long, and terminated by a short tail. In the centre, leading to the throat, is a rich 

 spot of a golden colour. " This Birthwort requires all the heat and light which the sun can give it ; 

 in its own tropical plains it is exposed to extreme atmospheric vicissitudes, for in the day the earth 

 in which it grows is heated to 167° Fahr. ; while at night, under a cloudless sky, radiation and 

 evaporation lower the temperature of the surrounding air to 59". But these variations are little felt 

 by the roots, which are plunged in a soil covered with dead leaves, &c, which check both solar heat and 

 nocturnal cold. And thus its roots are exposed to a warmth which is not only more uniform, but 

 much less diminished than it would be in our colder regions, by the action of continued rain, which, 

 in fact, in tropical countries communicates to the soil a part of the heat with which the air is sur- 

 charged. Thus, at Puerto Caballo, on a wet day (December 4), at half -past six in the evening, I 

 found the temperature of rain-water to be 78 p 25', while that of the air was only 74° 80'. Observe, 

 I had previously remarked it to be 77 9 25' B for rain- water, and only 76° 80' for the air ; and what is 

 more, on the next day (Dec. 5), after a whole night of rain, at half-past eight in the evening, I found 

 the rain-water still at 75° 37', while the air marked only 75° 25'."— Van Houtte' s Flora, v. t. 521. 



Oncidium Hastatum (alias Odontoglossum phyllochilum. Morren in 

 Ann. Gand., t. 271). An Orchid from N. Grenada, with large handsome 

 variegated flowers, and a white lip sometimes tinged with green. An 

 old inhabitant of English gardens. 



It does not appear that this was published before Professor Morren gave it the 

 name here quoted ; but it has long been known in the gardens of this country under the 

 name of Oncidium Hastatum. It is a true Oncidium, its column being short and pro- 

 tuberant at the base, and forming an obtuse angle with the lip. In point of -value it 

 is about equal to the Oncidium (Cyrtochilum) maculatum. 



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