NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
89 
BEGON [ACEvE. 
Begonia monoptera. Single-winged Begonia. This is one of the many- 
species of this handsome genus, for which our stoves are indebted to Mr. Otto, of 
the Royal Berlin Garden. It was introduced from Brazil to that collection in 
1826, by Mr. Deppe. This is a handsome and deserving species ; the flowers are 
white, and consist of four petaloid spreading sepals ; these, contrasted with the 
green leaves, and the latter again compared with the red stem and likewise red 
stalk of the leaf, present a very striking appearance. The flowers are produced in 
July. Bot. Mag. 3564. 
THE INDIAN FIG TRIBE (CACTEiE). 
Cereus serpen tin us. Serpent-like Cereus. This beautiful plant flowered 
in Mr. Mackay's nursery at Norwich, who describes it as a night-blooming species, 
and that the blossoms remain expanded about the same time as the C. grandiflorus ; 
they are strongly scented, and the plant is more hardy than that species, but less so 
than the Echi?iocacti. The flowers are large, of a whitish flesh colour within, and 
reddish colour without. Bot. Mag. 3566. 
asclepiade^:. 
Ceropegia stapeli-formis. Stapelia-like Ceropegia. This remarkable 
plant is probably a native of the East Indies, and should be grown in the stove, 
where it produces its extraordinary flowers about April. The corolla is two inches 
long ; the tube curved, swelling below, and constricted just above the base, greenish 
white, spotted above and below with deep purple ; the tube expanded upwards to 
form the limb, which is cut in Ave segments, dark purple without, and glabrous, 
white, and hairy within ; they soon separate, and are curved backward, the sides are 
closely reflexed, so that the upper side presents a sharp keel, giving a very singular 
appearance to the blossom. Bot. Mag. 3567. 
CACTEiE. 
Echinocactus sessiliflorus. Sessile-flowered Echinocactus. This is a 
very pretty species. The beautiful short white and distinctly placed fascicles of 
spines form a singular contrast with the dark green of the plant, and, together with 
the short and much depressed stem, readily distinguish it from E. Ottonis. Mr. 
Frederic Mackie, whose skill and experience in horticulture are very great, observes, 
that he is very successful in flowering the different species of Echinocactus, by 
growing them very near the glass, and during the summer time in a very high 
temperature, by keeping the upper glasses of the house close ; strong light and heat 
being necessary to expanding their blossoms in perfection. Some of them will 
close immediately on being removed to a cooler place. It is also very necessary to 
have the pots well drained, as the roots are liable to decay if the earth is at all 
soddened with moisture. I think that setting the free growing species in poor 
soil is quite a mistake, for we invariably find that they thrive better in good soil, 
provided it be well drained, and if they are planted in small pots. Bot. Mag. 3569. 
VOL. IV. — NO. XL. N 
