118 



PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



Albuca Nelsoni. This new species was figured in the Gardener's Chronicle in the 

 summer of 1880, and was also described by Mr. N. E. Brown. It is a native of Natal, 

 from the district of the Umlazi River, where it was discovered by Mr. Nelson of Bradway, 

 after whom it was named, and who also, we understand, flowered the specimen from which 

 the description is given. It belongs to a class of greenhouse plants not so generally grown 

 as they deserve to be, yet not difficult to manage. In general aspect the Albucas are more 

 like the Ornithogalums than any other plants with which we are acquainted. They succeed 

 with pot culture in ordinary soil, and subject to greenhouse treatment, with a good rest 

 during the dormant season, at which time they should be kept dry. 



The entire plant quite glabrous. Bulb large. Leaves bright green, concave at tbe basal part, nearly flat in tbe 

 upper part, three to three and a half feet long, one and a quarter to two and a quarter inches broad at about one- 

 third the way up, whence they are" gradually narrowed to an acute point. Scape four to five feet high, stout, 

 firm, terete, green, floriferous for nearly half its lengtb. Bracts attenuate from the rather broad base to an acute 

 point, ascending, concave, submembranous, dull reddish on the back ; the lower ones are three to three and a 

 half inches long, and half an inch broad at the base, getting gradually smaller as they are nearer the top of the 

 scape. Pedicels stout, ascending, lower ones two to two and a half inches long or longer, upper ones shorter. 

 Flowers one and a half inches long, erect, pure white, with a broad dull brick-red stripe reaching about half 

 way down the back of each segment, fainter on the inner segments ; outer segments with a small hood or pocket 

 at apex, inner segments all connivent, with a rather large and shortly bilobed hood at apex. Stamens all fertile, 

 filaments white, anthers with ochre-coloured pollen. Ovary green, with three rounded angles, seated on a short, 

 white, trigonous stipes, which at the angles is produced into short horizontal bifid processes, and between the 

 angles of the ovary is carried up as three thin projecting plates to near the top of the ovary ; style clavate- 

 trigonous, minutely papillose, the middle portion green, the base and apex yellowish. Ovules numerous, biseriate 

 in each cell of the ovary. — Gardener's Chronicle, N.S., vol. xiv., p. 198. 



Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) robustum. Dietrich. A stove Amaryllid from Brazil, with 

 deep red flowers. Introduced by Mr. Decker of Berlin. 



Nearly related to H. cmlicum. Leaves long, two and a half inches wide, strap-shaped, not glaucous, longer than 

 the glaucous scape, which is nearly three feet high. Flowers in pairs, erect, deep carmine-red, a little inclining to 

 carmine, in form between bell-shaped and funnel-shaped, five inches long ; the divisions separated quite to the base, 

 flat, those on the outside lanceolate with a callous hooded point, on the inside oblong, acute. The coronet very short 

 and cup-shaped, scarcely a quarter of an inch deep, and quite green. — Allg, gartenzeit. 1850. No. 6. 



Lycaste chrysoptera. Morren. A stove epiphyte from Mexico, with deep orange- 

 yellow flowers. Belongs to the Orchids. Introduced by the Belgian Government. 



It seems very like L. cruenta, but, according to Professor Morren, its flowers are much larger, the colours more 

 biilliant, and the details of the lip essentially different, the appendix being three -lobed, and the middle division of the 

 lip lanceolate, acuminate, and toothletted. The yellow-flowered Lycastes related to cruenta approach each other so 

 nearly that, without knowing exactly on what their differences depend, the one may be easily confounded with 

 the other. We trust that the following memorandum will assist in clearing up the difficulty surrounding them. 

 Lyc. cruenta is taken for the standard of comparison. 



1. L. cruenta. Lindley {alias L. balsamea, A. Richard). Lip roundish, spotted with crimson at the base, the lateral 

 lobes short, the central oblong and rounded ; appendix minute, emarginate. Column hairy all over. Petals naked. 

 Guatemala. 



2. L. chrysoptera. Morren. Lip roundish, spotted, the lateral lobes short, the central lanceolate, acute, tooth- 

 letted ; appendix three-lobed. Column hairy. Petals naked. Mexico. 



3. L. macrobulbon {alias Maxillaria macrobulbon, Hooker in Bot Mag,, t. 4228). Lip much longer than broad, 

 spotted with crimson on inside, the lateral lobes short, the central ovate-oblong, rolled back, crisp, broader than the 

 laterals; appendix acute entire. Column (?). Petals naked (?). (Description and figure imperfect.) Native of Santa 

 Martha. 



4. L. cochleata. Lip nearly circular, not spotted ; the lateral lobes long, rather acute ; the central flat, circular, 

 emarginate, slightly crisp ; appendix entire, as large as the lateral lobes. Column long, hairy. Petals hairy. 

 Native country unknown. Flowers whole-coloured, deep cuange ; the sepals and petals ovate, the latter obtuse, and not 

 much smaller than the former. 



