length of the calyx, flattened and channelled on each 
side, keeled at the back, and thickly covered with 
short stiff hairs. Petals 5, imbricate, plaited, the 
two uppermost roundly obovate, of a light buff colour, 
with a dark purple spot in the centre, which pervades 
the greater part of the petal, and joins 4 lines from the 
base, which are slightly branched; below these are 
other short lines on the unguis ; lower petals cuneate 
or narrowly obovate of nearly the same colour, with 
only 2 simple lines from the base, which joins the 
purple spot in the centre. Filaments 10, connected 
at the base, 7 bearing anthers. Pollen of a brown 
colour. Germen villous. Style flesh-colour, very 
hairy. Stigmas 5, purple, reflexed. 
Before we examined this fine plant we always sup- 
posed it to be a variety of P. hicolor, but now find it as 
different from that as from any other species in the 
section. In this the petals are plaited and imbricate, 
in that they are flat and distinct; they are also dif- 
ferently marked in both; the leaves, bractes, and 
calyx, are also very different : it may be a hybrid pro- 
duction, but if so, we know not whence it has ori- 
ginated. We have some recollection of another nearly 
related to it, but of still stronger growth, with smooth 
shining leaves ; the flowers, to the best of our recollec- 
tion, resemble those of the present plant. We have not 
seen it for some years, but it may be a mule between 
our plant and P. bicolar. It is a fine strong-growing 
plant, and produces abundance of flowers through the 
summer, till late in autumn. A mixture of loam, 
peat, and sand, is the best soil for it, and the pots must 
be well drained with potsherds, as nothing is so inju- 
rious to it as too much wet, particularly in winter. 
Cuttings root freely, planted in pots, and set on a 
shelf in the greenhouse. 
The drawing was taken at the nursery of Messrs. 
Colvill and Son last summer. 
