ERYTHRINA BIDWILLII. 
(Mr. Bid will's Coral Tree.) 
Class. Order. 
DIADELPHIA. OECANDRIA. 
Natural Order. 
LEGUMINACEJ3. 
Generic Character.— Calyx tubular, with a trun- 
cate subdentate mouth, or spathaceous. Corolla with 
a very long oblong vexillum. Wings and dipetalous 
Keel, much shorter than the vexillum. Stamens dia- 
delphous, straight, the tenth one adhering more or less 
to the rest, but sometimes free. Legume long, torulose, 
many-seeded, two-valved. Seeds ovate, with a lateral 
hilum. 
GARDEN HYBRID. 
From Messrs. Veitch and Son, of Exeter, we received the specimen from which 
our drawing was made of this very beautiful hybrid. The late Dean of Manchester, 
in a communication inserted in the " Botanical Register," vol. xxxii, t. 9, states it to 
have " been raised from E. herbacea, impregnated by E. Crista galli, and is 
considered remarkable as being the only certain hybrid papilionaceous plant we have. 
It is a beautiful kind, of intermediate habits. Its vigorous shoots die down to the 
roots after flowering, and have leaves of an intermediate form, approaching in colour 
and gloss rather to those of E. herbacea. 
" The flowers are intermediate both in size and colour, but, like those of 
E. Crista galli, borne by threes at the axils of the leaves, as well as on a terminal 
spike, while those of E. herbacea are borne on a leafless spike, proceeding from 
the root." 
All the coral trees have handsome foliage, and rich showy flowers. They deserve 
to have a place in every collection of stove plants ; especially as they are easily 
managed, and grow freely in any light, rich, loamy soil. 
Some of the species do not, however, produce their flowers freely, but these may 
be brought into bloom by being grown vigorously in strong heat and moisture : 
when they have lost their leaves, withhold water at the roots, giving no more than 
just sufficient to prevent their perishing with drought. After they have begun to 
