OCTOBER, 



145 



NEW RHODANTHES. 



WITH AN ILIUSTKATION. 



The two plants we now figure, rank, we think, among the finest of the 

 additions which have lately been made to the class of half-hardy annuals. 

 Compared with the old Rhodanthe Manglesii, it will be seen that the new ones 

 are, the one much larger and finer coloured, and the other quite distinct 

 in character. Hence, as both are highly ornamental, we doubt not both will 

 become popular flowers. 



We are indebted to Mr. W. Thompson, of Ipswich, by whom they have 

 been introduced from Western Australia, for the specimens figured. Mr. 

 Thompson will, we believe, be in a position to let out one or both of them 

 next season. 



Rhodanthe mactjxata {Jig. 1), is that which in general habit approaches 

 most nearly to R. Manglesii ; but it differs in being larger and stouter-growing, 

 in having the leaves more round than oblong, and wholly green with scarcely 

 any. perceptible glaucous tinge, in having the flower-heads about twice as large, 

 and in having the inner series of the ray-like involucral scales, which are of a 

 rosy pink for the greater part of their length, stained at the base near the disk 

 with a deep sanguineous blotch, to which the name maculata, given to it by 

 its discoverer Drummond, the veteran Swan River botanist, bears reference. 

 The plant is erect-habited, branching upwards, bearing broad, roundish- 

 oblong, amplexicaul green not glaucous leaves, each terminating in a small 

 recurved point. The bracts are leafy throughout the inflorescence. The 

 flower-heads are large, the dry involucral scales having an expansion of about 

 an inch and a half, and surrounding a yellow disk. The scales are toothed at 

 the tip ; the outer ones silvery and transparent ; the inner ones in several 

 series, striated, rose pink, marked at the base with a crimson blotch, which is 

 stained in the centre with a darker sanguineous hue. The yellow disk is, 

 consequently, surrounded by a two-coloured deep crimson ring, exterior to 

 which is the broad rose-coloured ray. The " buds " are pendent, while the 

 matured flower-heads take a horizontal position. These memoranda, aided by 

 a reference to the figure, will show what a beautiful thing this R. metadata is. 

 Whether, therefore, regarded as a major variety of R. Manglesii, or a distinct 

 species, it is a most charming introduction for our gardens. 



Rhodanthe atkosanguinea {Jig. 2), differs more decidedly from the older 

 plant, in having its stems somewhat corymbosely branched from the very base, 

 in having long spathulate glaucous leaves, pitted on the upper surface, and in 

 haying the florets of the disk of a dark bronzy red. The same features distin- 

 guish it from R. maculata, than which the plant itself is dwarfer, and more 

 slender, branched quite at the base, thus producing several long stems, almost 

 or quite equalling the primary one, all of them being reddish towards the top, 

 where they bear a patently-branched inflorescence, subtended by minute bracts 

 which are scarcely apparent. The lower leaves are spathulately-oblong, blunt, 

 shortly amplexicaul, 3 inches long, and half an inch wide ; the upper ones 

 larger, ovate-oblong, perfoliately amplexicaul, with an incurved, somewhat 

 hooded point ; the whole of them being glaucous and pitted on the upper surface. 

 The flower-heads are numerous, with a dark bronzy red disk, and a self-coloured 

 striated ray of a deep rose colour, expanding to about an inch across ; the outer 

 scales being, as in the allied plants, of a transparent silvery hue. The " buds " 

 in this species are erect, and the mature flower-heads semi-horizontal. While 

 in bloom, the dark-coloured disk becomes speckled with yellow, as the florets 

 successively protrude their anthers. Altogether its aspect is very pleasing. 

 VOE. i. r, 



