Germen somewhat triangular, with six prominent ridges, corresponding 
with the number of segments of the perianth, %/e subulato-filiform, 
longer than the stamens, triangular at the base and white, purple above 
terminated by three linear Stigmas. * 
Of this splendid species, seeds were received at our Botanic 
Garden during the year 1822 from Chili, of which country it 
is a native, and where they were collected by our valuable cor- 
respondent Mr Cruikshanks. In the summer of 1823, they 
blossomed in our stove, being planted in common soil, and 
plunged in the tanpit, where they continued for more than a 
week in great perfection. 
I had in vain searched through the descriptions of the se- 
veral individuals belonging to this genus, both in Humboldt 
and KuNTH's Nova Genera, and in Persoon's Synopsis, with- 
out being able satisfactorily to refer it to any of them, when I as- 
certained that it was figured and described by Dr Sims in No. 429. 
of the Bot. Mag. under the name of Alstr. pulchella, although 
not well according with the character of Linn^us's pulchella, 
a species which indeed no one seems to understand, and which 
appears to be discarded from the Flora. I readily therefore fol- 
low Dr Sims in the adoption of his specific name. It is remark- 
ed by that excellent author, that this plant is almost without a 
doubt the original Ligtu of Father Feuillee in the Fl. Peruv., 
although LiNN^us quoted that as a synonym and applied the 
name to a different species; and that any attempt to restore 
the original name would only create more confusion. 
The figure in the Botanical Magazine is professedly taken 
from a weak specimen, which will account for the difference in 
our two figures. 
Fig. 1. Summit of a flowering plant, natural size. Fig. 2. Leaves a ste- 
rile stem, or those of the lower part of a fertile one. Fig. 3. Single 
^ov,ex,shghthj magnified. Fig. 4. Summit of a stamen. Fig. 5. Anther 
m the act of bursting. Fig. 6. Pollen. Fig. 7. One of the two inner 
segments of the perianth, exhibiting its convolute base, which circum- 
stance forms one of the characters of the genus. 
