165 
FLORTCULTURAL NOTICES. 
NEW OR BEAUTIFUL PLANTS FIGURED IN THE LEADING BOTANICAL PERIODICALS 
FOR JULY. 
Canava'lia ensifor'mis. " Where there is ample room in a warm stove, this climber is well 
worthy of a place. It has genei'ally been considered to be a native of Jamaica, sometimes of the 
East Indies ; but, in this latter case, it seems to have been confounded with the C. gladiata, a truly 
Indian plant. Dr. M'Fayden, whose book is full of valuable remarks, observes, ' Sloane considers 
this species to be indigenous to the island of Jamaica, and says that the seeds were, in his time, 
used by some as food, and given to fatten hogs. I do not find, however, on inquiry, that any use 
is, at present, made of them, except that they are commonly planted by the negroes along the 
margin of their provision grounds, from a superstitious notion, probably of African origin, but 
very generally entertained, that the * overlook ' (which is the trivial name of this plant) fulfils 
the part of a watchman ; and, from some dreaded power ascribed to it, protects the property from 
plunder,' The above notion of its being a native of Africa, seems to be confirmed by the fact 
that seeds were sent to Mr. Veitch, of Mount Radford, Exeter, from Ashantee, together with 
those of many other native plants. It flowered in Mr. Veitch's nursery, in November, 1842." 
The plant is considered an annual, with handsome foliage, and reddish purple flowers, very like 
those of the common Sweet Pea. Bot. Mag. 4027. 
Dendro'bium cucumePvINUm. «A native of New Holland, whence it was sent to Messrs. 
Loddiges, from Mr. Wm. Mac Leay. Of the locality for it in that country we are uninformed. 
It very much resembles a heap of little cucumbers, whence the name has been derived. Those 
bodies are apparently leaves, terminating the short articulated stems ; but they require further 
examination, for they may be of the nature of pseudo-bulbs. The flowers appear from the base 
of the cucumbers in threes. They are dirty white, with long narrow sepals, and petals striped 
with pink, and a three-lobed lip, whose middle division is crisped very much, and fine wavy 
elevated ridges along its centre." It is a most curious little plant, adapted for growing on a log 
of wood. Bot. Reg. 37. 
Ly'caste pla^na. The genus Lycaste is a division from Maxillaria. This species is " a 
Bolivian plant, imported by Messrs. Loddiges, with whom it flowered in October last. It is 
conspicuous for the large size of the leaves, and is, in fact, vei'y near L. macrophylla, from 
which it diff'ers in the petals being quite even, not undulated, and in the lateral sepals being much 
more exactly oblong ; added to which is a greater degree of bluntness on the tubercle of the lip. 
The beauty of the flowers of L. plana is far greater than the macrophylla, which wants the rich 
red wine-colour of the plant before us." It is cultivated in turfy peat, in a warm-house, and no 
part of the pseudo-bulbs should on any account be buried in the soil. Bot. Reg. 35. 
Marce^tia excoria*ta. This genus consists of a group of curious little Melastomaceous 
plants, having almost the habit of heaths. They are all found in tropical America, in mountainous 
places, or in elevated sandy deserts, and give a peculiar feature to the places where they grow. 
In our gardens they are almost unknown ; that here spoken of, from the collection of his Grace 
the Duke of Northumberland, at Sion, being the first that we have met with in cultivation. It 
will succeed best in a stove, potted in one half leaf-mould, mixed with loam and sand in equal 
parts. A good drainage is necessary, and plenty of water at the roots at all times. While in 
flower, syringing should be dispensed with altogether, for the moist atmosphere in a stove is quite 
sufficient. After the flowering season is over, the plant should be cut back ; at least all slender 
branches should be removed, in order to produce a supply of young wood for flowering the 
following year. It is propagated by cuttings." The species has small opposite leaves, and 
numerous pinkish-white blossoms. Bot. Reg. 31. 
Mormo'des luxa^tum. In mentioning the existence of this singular plant," says Dr. 
Lindley, " we some time since spoke of it thus : — ' When Mr. Ross, the collector to G. Barker, 
Esq., of Birmingham, was in the neighbourhood of Valladolid, in Mexico, there was brought to 
him some masses of a plant reported to be of great beauty. They arrived safely in England, and 
one of them has at last flowered, proving to be this species ; a most extraordinary plant, of large 
