81 
STREPTOCARPOS REXIL 
It is somewhat extraordinary that this plant, which certainly is one of great 
beauty and interest, should rarely be seen in our stoves or greenhouses ; two or 
three years ago it was frequently to be met with, but we do not recollect to have 
seen it since 1834. There is a fashion in all things, and novelty as respects 
flowers is now a complete mania. 
The subject of our present article was, it appears, introduced from the Cape of 
Good Hope in 1823 ; it first was called Didymocdrpos Eexii, from an idea perhaps 
that the capsule or seed-vessel was twin or double, or composed of two capsules 
spirally twisted together, and it laid the foundation and formed the type of a natural 
order, named Didymocarpece (see Hooker's exotic Flora, No. 227). It was then 
leferred to the Linnean Class, Didynamia. Subsequently, however, it has been 
removed from the fourteenth to the second class, Diand.via, and occupies a place in 
the natural order, Bignonidcece. (See Loudon's Hort. Br. p. 468, No. 3279.) 
The title Streptocdrpos has been correctly bestowed on ^ the plant, by Dr. 
Lindley, on account of the peculiar structure of its seed-vessel, which consists of 
two flattened, coloured, elastic straps, involving several fibrous processes, rolled or 
twisted together spirally. This capsule is several inches long, borne on the 
summit of a still longer flower-stalk, and contains a great profusion of very minute 
seeds, every one of which appears to be fertile, even if produced in November and 
December. The plant is a very abundant and continuous blower, its flowers appear- 
ing very early, and opening in rapid succession till nearly the close of the year^ 
They are almost white, relieved with beautiful stripes of a deep purple tint, an inch 
and a half in length, with a long tube, and a somewhat irregular iimbus or border, 
cut into five segments. They rather resemble a Gloxinia^ but have not the curved 
swelling throat of that flower. 
The leaves are long, tongue-shaped, thick, rigid-intexture, and covered with close 
set hair or down, with which indeed the whole plant abounds from its earliest 
development. 
The seeds speedily vegetate ; and the first seed leaves (Cotyledons) rise in 
opposite parts, one much larger than the other, supported upon a minute stem? 
clothed with delicate silky pubescence. They advance very slowly in growth ; 
continue throughout the winter in full verdure ; and early in the spring the young 
plants appear as if they had but one leaf though two are present, the smaller being 
scarcely discernible unless minutely investigated. A pot of seedlings presents a 
curious object, the whole surface of the soil being covered by the larger elongating 
single leaves, lying in close contact one over the other. In this state they may be 
raised with great facility, by holding the leaf with the finger and thumb of one hand, 
while a small slip of wood or bone is passed under the plantlet, which brings up 
with it a certain quantity of soil that adheres to its delicate fibrous roots. Thus, 
plant after plant may be safely eased out, and transferred to very small pots, six or 
VOL. IV. NO. XI. M 
