130 
ALST1KEMERIAS. 
RUELLIA PURDIEANA. (Mr. Purdie’s Ruellia.) 
Class, Didynamia. Order, Angiospermia. Nat. Order, Acanthace^e. (Acanthads, Veg. King.) 
Generic Character. — Calyx five-parted ; lobes equal or 
sub-equal. Corolla hypogynous, funnel-shaped , limb five- 
parted ; lobes equal, spreading, obtuse. Stamens four, inserted 
in the tube of the corolla, didynamous. Anthers oblong, 
two-celled ; cells parallel, equal. Ovary two-celled. Style 
simple. Stigma oval-shaped, channelledat the back. Capsule 
oblong, quadrangular, two-celled, six to eight-seeded ; cells 
two-valved ; valves seed-bearing. Seeds adhering by a thread. 
Specific Character. — Plant a perennial shrub, growing 
from one to two feet high. Stems erect, smooth. Branches 
obtusely angular, almost round, of a yellow green. Leaves 
opposite, ovate-acuminate, penninerved, entire, smooth. 
Flowers axillary and terminal, produced only in pairs, one 
from each axil, and generally near the extremity of the 
shoots. Bracts two at the base of each flower, large, leaf- 
like. Calyx small ; segments subulate, erect. Corolla of a 
deep rose colour ; tube long, curved, widening upwards ; limb 
spreading, sub-equal, waved. Anthers sagittate, white. 
Ovary oblong. Style the length of the tube. Stigma cleft ; 
segments unequal. 
Authorities and Synonymes. — Ruellia, Linn. Ruellia 
Purdieana, Hooker in Bot. Mag. t. 4298. 
This species of Ruellia forms an excellent stove plant, flowering more or less throughout 
three parts of the year. The flowers are of a rich rose colour, approaching to crimson, 
they are not however produced abundantly, seldom more than one or two pairs being borne 
near the extremity of each shoot ; in this respect it is by no means equal to Ruellia 
macrophyUa , figured in our “ Magazine of Botany,” vol. xiv, t. 29. The foliage, however, 
is handsome, and the rich green contrasts well with the bright colour of the flowers. 
Our drawing was made in October, 1847, from a specimen which bloomed in the 
nursery of Messrs. Rollisson, of Tooting. 
It succeeds with the same treatment as other Ruellias, potted in light rich soil, and 
cuttings strike freely planted in the same kind of soil, and placed under a glass in heat. 
The generic name is given in honour of John Ruelle, of Soissons, botanist and 
physician to Francis the First. 
ALSTRCEMERIAS. 
1. Rubella. 2. Labiata. 3. Albens. 4. Marginata. 5. Pulchella rubra. 
Class, Hexandria. Order, Monogynia. Nat. Order , Amakyllidace;e. (Amaryllids, Veg. King.) 
Generic Character. — Sepals six, the two lower ones half I mg downwards. Stigmas three. Capsule roundish -oval, six- 
tubular at the base. Stamens unequal, and generally bend- I angled, tliree-valved and many-seeded. 
GARDEN VARIETIES. 
1. Rubella. Flowers large, showy. Sepals six, lower ones pale rose, wedge-shaped; 
two upper ones broader, orange-yellow, bordered with rose colour, and striped with red. 
2. Labiata. Lower Sepals of a deep rose colour, upper ones deep orange, striped with 
dark red. 
3. Albens. Lower Sepals white, tipped with pale rose colour; two upper ones dull 
yellow, tinged and striped with deep rose. 
4. Marginata. Lower Sepals white, margined with rose ; upper ones pale yellow, 
striped with red. 
5. Pulchella rubra. Lower Sepals pale rose, upper ones orange-yellow, striped with 
red, similar to those of Rubella ; but the flowers are larger, and when the two plants are 
seen together, they are very distinct. 
Our drawing of these fine hybrid Alstroemerias was made in July, 1848, from specimens 
sent from the nursery of Messrs. Backhouse and Sons, York. They are all very showy, 
and for all lovers of these kinds of plants they well deserve cultivation. Like other 
Alstroemerias they thrive in a mixture of equal parts rich turfy loam, peat, and sand. 
