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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



foliage plant, and is also worth growing for the sake of its tall 

 scapes of white flowers, developed in winter. 



B. imperialis (Illus. Hort. 1861, t. 2764). — Introduced from 

 Mexico by Verschaffelt in 1859. Stem short, herbaceous, green. 

 Leaves on hairy petioles, 4 inches to 6 inches long ; blades- 

 broadly cordate, 4 inches to 6 inches wide, very hairy, brown, with 

 irregular bands of bright green along the nerves. Peduncles 

 erect, 3 inches long, bearing a cluster of white flowers and green 

 bracts. Flowers with two ovate petals ; ovary broad, 3-angled, 

 green, with one long wing. The variety maculata has brown 

 leaves with green blotches, and the variety smaragdina has 

 wholly green leaves. Grown only for its foliage. 



B. incarnata (Bot. Mag. t. 2900, as B. insignis). — Intro- 

 duced from Mexico to the Berlin Botanic Gardens in 1822. 

 Stem erect, herbaceous, perennial, about 2 feet high. Leaves 

 unequally cordate, lanceolate, toothed, green above, reddish 

 beneath. Flowers on arching peduncles, rose-coloured ; males 

 1| inch across, with two ovate and two narrow petals; females 

 smaller, with five equal petals ; ovary 3-angled, wings unequal. 

 This is a very variable species, and includes a number of named 

 kinds, viz. acuminata, aucubcefolia, papulosa, Linclleyana, macu- 

 losa, metallica, and purpurea. The last named is probably the 

 parent of the bronzy crimson-leaved kinds named Arthur Mallet, 

 M. Hardy, Madame Lionel, and several others. These are known 

 as Bex-subpeltata hybrids. The first, viz. A. Mallet, was raised in 

 the gardens of M. Arthur Mallet, of Jouy in Josas, in 1886, the 

 parentage being given as B. subpcltata and B. Eldorado, neither 

 plant known to me. A comparison of these supposed hybrids- 

 with the pun) 1 cleaved variety of B. incarnata, all of which are 

 among the Kew exhibits here to-day, will, I think, satisfy anyone 

 as to their very near relationship. I am informed that in some 

 parts of France these varieties of B. incarnata are employed for 

 summer bedding. 



B. Kunthiana (Bot. Mag. t. 5284). — Introduced from Vene- 

 zuela to Berlin in 1858. Stems slender, 12 inches to 18 inches- 

 high, perennial, with swollen nodes. Leaves on short stalks, 

 semi-erect, lanceolate, 3 inches long, serrate, dark green above,, 

 blood-crimson beneath. Flowers white, in pairs or threes on 

 short peduncles ; males H inch across, with two large and two 

 small petals ; females with five equal petals ; ovary 3-angled. 



