THE FLORAL MAGAZINE 
NEW SERIES.] 
APRIL, 1877. 
[No. 64. 
FLORAL EXHIBITIONS. 
The Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting, held on 
February 14tb, was distinguished by a profusion of 
well-grown orchids, the most prominent, perhaps, being 
the beautiful forms of Phalaenopsids, sent by Mr. 
Michaels of Cholmely Park, Sir. H. Peek, Wimbledon 
House, Messrs. Yeitch of Chelsea, and others. A 
superb specimen of the old Dendrobium Pierardi, from 
the Duke of Westminster’s collection, bore over a 
thousand flowers on about twenty gracefully drooping 
stems, which, being clothed with cream-coloured 
flowers, looked like tastefully formed wreaths. One 
of the most striking objects in the exhibition was a 
noble specimen of the ci-imson-flowered Rhododendron 
arboreum, nearly twenty feet in height, which was 
in full bloom. First-class certificates were awarded to 
the following new or rare plants :—Eurycles austral- 
asica, exhibited by Messrs. Yeitch and Sons, is a 
bulbous plant, popularly known as the Brisbane Lily. 
It bears erect, umbellate clusters of pure white, 
Hsemanthus-like flowers on a short scape; the leaves, 
which attain their full size after the flowers have 
faded, are large and similar to those of some Funkias 
in shape, but of a fresh and pleasing shade of pale 
green, as bright as if varnished. The plant grows and 
flowers freely, and will be especially useful for decora¬ 
tive purposes, or for cut flowers. Osmunda palustris, 
also shown by Messrs. Yeitch, is an evergreen-habited 
Brazilian species, the soft green, brownish-red tinted 
fronds of which remind one of those of Adiantum 
tinctum in colour. They measure from 15 in. to 
18 in. in length, and are tripinnate, the smaller 
divisions being oval or ovate, and nearly 1 in. in 
length. The plant grows freely, and well deserves 
attention. Rhododendron Taylori, by the same 
exhibitor, is a vigorous and free-flowering greenhouse 
hybrid, belonging to the R. jasminiflorum and javani- 
cum section, and bearing clusters of wax-like, rosy- 
limbed flowers, the long tubes of which are white. 
Like those of the other varieties of this section of 
Rhododendron, the plants flower several times in the 
course of a season, and succeed well in a warm green¬ 
house temperature. Dracaena terminalis alba, sent by 
Mr. Wills, is an important acquisition, having quite 
the habit and character of the well-known D. ter¬ 
minalis. The leaves are lanceolate, the ground colour 
bright green, with bold, pure white variegation, the 
upper leaves being white, with here and there a stripe 
of green, and, in some cases, large patches are 
coloured white, while the rather elongated leaf-stalks 
are also edged with white. It will be a useful variety 
for general purposes. Azalea, Mrs. Carmichael, ex¬ 
hibited by Mr. Williams, is a cross-bred plant, closely 
resembling the well-known A. amcena in habit of 
growth. The flowers, which are freely produced, are 
much larger than those of the last-named sort; they 
are of good form, more than 1 in. in diameter, and of 
a rich lilac-purple colour. This variety is a welcome 
addition to early-flowering Azaleas, and one which will 
also be useful for forcing. Perpetual-flowering Carnation, 
Rose Perfection, sent by Mr. Turner, is a free-growing 
variety, which bears well-formed rosy or cerise flowers, 
very rich and striking in a young state. For decora¬ 
tive purposes, or cut flowers, it will doubtless be a 
valuable variety. Perpetual flowering Carnation, Guel- 
der’s Rose, also by the same exhibitor, is a free- 
growing variety, bearing very full white flowers. 
Like the last, it will be useful for winter and spring¬ 
blooming indoors, or for cut flowers. Cineraria, 
Mary, shown by Mr. James, is perhaps the most per¬ 
fect Cineraria hitherto raised, the petals being broad 
and smooth, and the whole flower circular and of great 
substance. It is one of the very few seedling 
Cinerarias we have yet seen worth naming. Its 
colour is a silvery rose. Cineraria, Thomas Winter, 
also sent by Mr. James, is a rich maroon-purple self- 
coloured variety like the last, but not quite so perfect 
in petal and outline. Dennstaedtia davallioides 
Youngi, exhibited by Messrs. Yeitch, is a vigorous- 
growing Fern, of a somewhat creeping habit, the 
ample bright green fronds of which are 4 ft. in 
height, and finely cut into slender pinnae. It pro¬ 
mises to become useful for general decorative pur¬ 
poses. Dendrobium crassinode Barberianum, sent by 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, is a richly coloured form of the 
thick-jointed Dendrobe, the sepals and petals of which 
are tipped with rich magenta carmine, instead of 
lilac, as in the typical species. It was imported 
by Messrs. Low and Co., of Clapton. 
