68 
FLORICULTURAL NOTICES. 
Be'cium bi'color. Related to the genus Ocymum, and being a half-hardy shrub, which was 
raised from some Abyssinian seeds sent to the Horticultural Society from Paris. It has " downy 
stems, ovate-lanceolate, serrated, slightly petiolated leaves, and verticillasters of beautiful flowers 
arranged in short spikes. The calyx has a broad upper lip, like that of an Ocymum ; the lower 
lip is deep, truncate, bordered with a close fringe of white hairs, and terminated in front by a pair 
of feeble teeth. The corolla is large, white, with lilac veins, and nearly an inch long." It seems 
a pretty plant, and, " coming from a warmer climate than many other kinds which we commonly 
find in greenhouses, it will not bear such a great degree of cold in winter. It will flower freely in 
the autumn and winter in a temperature of from 40° to 45°, and is adapted for conservatories 
which are kept about this temperature. When potted in any light common soil, it grows freely, 
and is very easily multiplied by cuttings." Bot. Reg. 15. 
Bra'ssia Wra v yje. " This new species of Brassia was sent to the splendid collection of J. C. 
Harter, Esq., of Broughton New Hall, near Manchester, by G. U. Skinner, Esq., from Guatemala, 
in 1840. It has now (October, 1842) flowered for the first time, under the skilful management 
of Mr. William Ashton, gardener to Mr. Harter. It had been communicated by Mr. Skinner to 
that and other collections under the name of Oncidium Wrayce, to which genus, previous to its 
having flowered, it had been supposed to belong ; and Mr. Skinner properly preserves the same 
specific appellation now it is proved to be a new species of Brassia." The flowers are of the 
common yellow and green colour, spotted with dirty brown. Bot. Mag. 4003. 
Bromhea'dia palu'stris. " We owe the possession of a fine flowering specimen of this in 
Kew Gardens, and from which the drawing was made, to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland. 
It has flowered likewise with J. D. Llewelyn, Esq., of Penllegar, who received the living plants 
from Mr. Cuming, with the memorandum, as Dr. Lindley assures us, that they were dug out of a 
bog in Sumatra : — a strange habitat for a plant of this kind ; but which has given rise to the 
specific name. It was, however, many years ago, detected at Singapore by Mr. Finlayson ; and 
from his imperfect specimens it was, firstly, referred by Dr. Lindley to Grammatophyllum ; and 
afterwards, when the structure of the flower was known from living specimens, it was deemed 
worthy to constitute a new genus. It is a tall-growing, graceful plant, with very delicate flowers." 
Its habit is like that of a slenderly caulescent Epidendrum, and the blossoms present the general 
appearance of those of Cattleya or Lcelia. The sepals and petals are white, and the lip is streaked 
with purple, and is yellow in the centre. Bot. Mag. 4001. 
Dendro'bium rho'mbeum. " This pretty species has much general resemblance to D. aureum, 
from which, however, it differs in having smaller blossoms, a labellum without serratures, and 
the flowers in short racemes instead of pairs. It is a native of Manilla, whence it was sent by 
Mr. Cuming to Messrs. Loddiges, with whom it flowered in August last. The imported specimen 
is less vigorous than it may be expected to become hereafter, in which case the number of flowers 
will be probably augmented. Here, as in some other cases, the column is furnished near the base 
with a deflexed horn lodged in a niche just above the insertion of the lip." The stems are 
pendent, and the flowers are pale-yellow, with a darker lip. Bot. Reg. 1 7. 
Gesne'ra di'scolor. This species is figured in the Botanical Magazine with the name of 
G. polyantha, which is referred to Decandolle's Prodromus. It has been introduced by Messrs. 
Veitch and Son, Exeter, from the Organ Mountains of Brazil, and exists in their collection. 
Mr. Gardener describes the leaves as a foot long, exclusive of the petiole, and nine inches broad ; 
and we have witnessed them very nearly this size at the nursery of. Messrs. Young, Epsom, where 
the species was first made known and flowered. 
Hypocaly'mma robu'stum. " One of those beautiful little Myrtaceous plants peculiar to the 
south-west of New Holland, which might be easily mistaken for small almond or peach bushes, 
so much are the flowers like them, and so seldom do we find bright rosy blossoms among the 
Myrtles. It is a native of the Swan River Colony, and has been raised by Messrs. Lucombe, 
Pince and Co., of Exeter. The leaves, when bruised, smell very agreeably of lemon. It is a 
greenhouse plant, and requires to be potted in a compost consisting of loam and heath-mould, with a 
small portion of silver sand. The pot must be well drained, so as to allow all noxious matter to 
pass off. Water should be freely given during summer, and plenty of air at all times, except 
during frost, when the temperature should not be below 35°. It may be propagated by cuttings 
in the ordinary way." The leaves are small, narrow, and mucronate, while the pretty pink 
blossoms are axillary, and numerous. Bot. Reg. 8. 
