PORPHYRACOMA LANCEOLATA. 
(Lance-leaved Porphyracoma.) 
Class. Order. 
DIDYNAMIA. ANGIOSPERMIA. 
Natural Order. 
ACANTHACEJE. 
Generic Character. — Inflorescence in terminal 
spikes ; flowers opposite to each other, with coloured 
leafy bracts irregularly torn ; the two outer large, and 
the inner one small. Calyx diminished, five-parted, 
imbricated and unequally torn, persistent, free. 
Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, tubulose, two- 
lipped ; lips unequal, upper one narrower, bifid, lower 
one large, trifid, reflexed. Stamens two, both anther- 
ous, exserted from the tube of the corolla, shorter than 
the lips. Ovary ovate, seated in a disk, two-celled. 
Style one, longer than the corolla. Stigma obtuse, 
Capsule oblong, two-celled. Seeds two in each cell, 
round, without albumen, wingless. 
Specific Character — Perennial. Leaves opposite, 
lanceolate, slender at tbe base, nearly sessile, entire. 
Spike both terminal and axillary, aggregate. Bracts, 
two outside ones large, very much and deeply lace- 
rated, of a vivid purple. Flowers purple-blue. 
For a figure of this very beautiful plant, we are indebted to Mr. G-lendinning of 
the Chiswick Nursery, in whose stove it flowered in April, 1846, when our drawing 
was made. It is of very easy culture, and of similar habits to many other stove 
Acanthaceae, requiring light sandy soil, plenty of pot-room, and good drainage. In 
the season of growth, give abundance of heat and moisture, but whilst in a state 
of repose, keep rather dry than otherwise. 
It is a plant of rare beauty, and deserves every attention that can be given it ; 
and its general habit and form of growth, the accompanying wood-cut very efficiently 
displays. It is to be regretted that we are unacquainted with its native country. 
Most of what is known about it, was published in the " Botanical Magazine " a short 
time ago, by Sir W. Hooker, whose words we quote. " For the possession of this 
charming plant, we are indebted to Mr. Forkel, gardener to His Majesty the King 
of the Belgians, at Brussels, who sent it to us under the above name, but unfortu- 
nately without any history, so as to leave us in the dark as to its native country, or 
the author of its very appropriate name, given in allusion to the singularly richly- 
coloured spikes of deep purple, from within the scales of which the scarcely less 
