MISCELLANEOUS. 
285 
appear in April and May. In sheltered situations, as under the hank of a water-course, it 
may be found in fruit, flower, and leaf, for the greater part of the year. 
This shrub is called Bayee by the Hill Belooches, who make no use of it. Its young 
shoots and buds are remarkably fragrant when bruised. In the cold season it yields a small 
quantity of a tasteless inodorous brittle gum, almost entirely soluble in water. It flowers 
in March and April, and its leaves and young shoots appear in April and May. It is a 
native of Beloochistan, and the hills which separate that province from Scinde, probably 
also of Afghanistan ; attaining its southern limit about Kurrachee . — Hookers Journal of 
Botany. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
New and Rare Plants in Flower. Portlandia 
grandifloi'a. At Ealing Park we recently observed 
the above-mentioned old stove evergreen in a much 
finer state than it is usually to be met with. 
It is a genus which few collections contain, and 
still fewer flower well, although in possession of it ; 
but that it is susceptible of being rendered pro- 
liferous of blossoms, and a plant of no inconspi- 
cuous mien when in a blooming state, was attested 
by the condition of the specimen we saw in Mrs. 
Lawrence's collection, exhibiting its pure white, 
deliciously scented, Brugmanzia-like flowers with 
the greatest freedom, which being axillary in the 
manner of their production, the contrast with the 
dark green ample foliage is a most agreeable one. 
Mr. May, the principal gardener at Ealing Park, 
states that in according it the usual treatment of 
vigorous-growing stove genera, he experienced no 
difficulty in inducing a plentiful development of 
inflorescence during the greater portion of the 
year. 
Funkia grandifiora. We noticed the above 
beautiful new species in the Lily Nursery of Mr. 
Groom, Clapham Rise, displaying a profusion of 
long-tubed, conspicuous flowers, partaking of the 
whiteness and sweetness of the delicious Tuberose. 
It is of continental origin ; the foliage good ; and 
although at present pot-grown, and treated by 
Mr. Groom as a half-hardy species, it will doubt- 
less prove to be as hardy, and to succeed in a warm, 
well-drained border, with the precaution of a slight 
protection in winter, equally as well as any of its 
congeners. 
Ipomoea. A new species, grown from seeds in- 
troduced by their ow r n collector from Java, is at 
present blooming in Messrs. Rollisson’s Nursery, 
Tooting ; but whether an annual or not, is at 
present unknown. It is growing in the stove, and 
has the appearance of being a vigorous free-flowering 
stove climber, with alternate bright green leaves 
and rich crimson- violet, Petunia-like flowers dis- 
tinctly margined with white, and more than two 
inches across; the tube nearly two inches, and 
footstalk about one inch in length. 
Chirita Moonii. The largest specimen we have 
yet seen of this fine species latterly came under 
our notice in the Dowager Duchess of Northum- 
berland’s grand conservatory at Syon House, exhi- 
biting a profusion of its noble Digitalis-like 
blossoms. Every collection, where the Gloxinia 
and Gesnera are grown, should also include the 
species of Chirita under notice, a plate, and ample 
directions respecting the culture of which are 
given in an early number of our new Magazine. 
Gesnera picta. This is one of Messrs. Veitch’s 
introductions, and a strong, rather coarse-growing 
species with good foliage, well adapted for a large 
roomy stove or stove-conservatory, like that at the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which recently con- 
tained a fine specimen in a copious condition of 
bloom. Messrs. Yeitch produced two specimens 
of this plant at the Horticultural Society’s meeting 
in Regent Street, on the 4 th ult., exhibiting little 
difference (except in brilliancy of colour) in their 
orange-scarlet inflorescence, although a very consi- 
derable distinction was apparent in the foliage — 
the leaves of one being rough, dark green, and 
chocolate, coloured beneath ; those of the other 
smoother, of a paler verdure, and whitish-green 
underneath. 
Gloxinia Knightii, and G. Perryana. Two very 
distinct and pretty seedling Gloxinias, distin- 
guished as above, were a short time ago blooming 
in the Exotic Nursery at Chelsea, of the gentlemen 
whose names they respectively commemorate. 
The first-mentioned variety has very neat foliage 
of a glossy verdure, and handsome well-expanded 
flowers, white and brilliant carmine in colour ; the 
latter is a handsome foliaged, red-flowering seedling ; 
the interior of the corolla being richly stained with 
glowing crimson. 
Fuchsia pumila. One of the prettiest plants 
for forming a dwarf bed in the flower-garden, or 
for the decoration of small vases, flower-stands, &c., 
that we have for a long time met with, is the 
above appropriately named Fuchsia. The general 
aspect of this pretty little plant is very neat and 
compact; the foliage minute, and dark green, 
forming a pleasing contrast when gaily bespangled 
with its red flowers, the corollas of which are of an 
intense bluish violet. When grown in the open 
border (as at the Wellington Road Nursery, where 
we noticed it planted out) it attains about a foot 
in height, but at Messrs. Knight and Perry’s 
Nursery, Chelsea, we observed it in a very dwarf 
condition. 
