FLORICULTURAL NOTICES. 
239 
;o give birth to such large and handsome flowers.” The only previous description of this curious 
I ipecies is by Professor Lemaire, and he was ignorant of the blossoms. The plants at Kew are 
ibout four inches high, of an ovate form, rather suddenly contracted above the middle, and 
iepressed at the top, deeply costate, with about twenty prominent costee, which are obtuse and 
5 omewhat mammillose at the margins ; in the centre of each mammilla is an oblong, white, woolly, 
;lose-packed areola, with numerous rather short spines, or aculei, whose arrangement is very 
- ^ oeculiar. They are of two kinds ; the greater number, twenty and more, are about three lines 
■ long, and spread out almost horizontally in two rows, closely placed in a pectinated manner, 
, ivhitish or yellowish-white, tipped with red or brown, almost united at their base, the middle ones 
he longest, between these two rows are a few smaller ones.” Two or three flowers spring from 
near the top of the same crown ; their size is rather large for the plant, and the colour of the 
petals is of a sulphury hue at the bottom, and a delicate rose-colour in the upper part. 
Bot. Mag., 4190. 
Franci'scea acumina'ta. This handsome Brazilian shrub is well known in nurseries and 
gardens under the title of F .Pohliana — a name not known in botanical works. It is a desirable 
stove species, of a much branched habit, with rather small, oblong, acuminate foliage, and 
bearing its flowers freely, even on very small plants, in conspicuous clusters. Bot Mag. 4189. 
I Gongo'ra trunca'ta, “ Whatever opinion,” Dr. Bindley observes, “ may be entertained 
I respecting the specific distinction of other Gongoras, no one can doubt that this is very different 
from all that have been previously discovered. It is a Mexican species, introduced from Mexico by 
Mr. Rucker, who received it from Mr. Linden, in 1840. We do not find anything peculiar in 
the pseudo-bulbs or foliage ; the characters of the species reside exclusively in the flowers, 
I'jvhich are pale straw-colour, with some brownish-purple speckles, and a yellow lip. Before 
pxpansion they are almost of the form of a bean, which is owing to their sepals being so blunt, 
that when flattened, they are nearly Jialf-oblong. The lip has no speckles at all, and looks as if 
rarnished. We do not admire the scent, which is quite peculiar.” Bot. Reg. 56. 
Habra'nthus co'ncolor. The main difference between Zephyranths and Habranths, which 
are nearly related, “is found in the interior of the flower, where the Habranths have on the out- 
I side of the stamens a small cup, composed of a membrane or of certain toothings or scales, which 
, are deficient in the Zephyranths, or at least hardly discoverable. In habit, the one-flowered 
Habranths are the same as the Zephyranths. In the present species the cup consists of a 
membranous ring cut into irregular toothings or lacerations, and here and there slit down to the 
base. The flowers, although [pale green, are very pretty, and form a lively ornament of the 
greenhouse or cold frame, in the early spring. Mr. Hartweg found it in pastures near the city 
of Leon, in Mexico, whence he sent its bulbs to the Horticultural Society,” where it flowered last 
April. Bot. Reg. 54. 
I Schombu'rgkia undula'ta. a year ago Dr. Bindley regarded this as the finest of the Schom- 
burgkias, but is now obliged to change his opinion in favour of S. rosea, a new discovery by 
P Linden, and said to be far beyond this in beauty. S.undulata was found by Linden “in 
December, 1842, in New Grenada, at the height of 2,400 feet above the sea, on the rocks near 
Pandi, a place which, in his herbarium, he calls — ‘ The natural bridge of Icononzo.’ The wild 
specimens have about twenty flowers in a head, and the plant will therefore become much more 
. beautiful as the cultivated specimens get into better health. Their colour alone distinguishes 
, them from both S. crispa and marginata, and the form of the lip from S. tihiclnisF Concerning 
S. rosea, Mr. Linden writes, “ This magnificent species is found on rocks, on the northern slope 
of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Martha. Bracts, peduncles, and lip, are all of a bright rose- 
colour ; the petals are deep red. It was met with 5,000 feet above the sea, between the villages 
of S. Antonio and S. Miguel, on the territory of the Auruhuacos Indians.” Bot. Reg. 53. 
Tacso'nia MOLLi'ssiMA. A greenhouse plant from New Grenada, allied to 2’. tripartita. It 
is said that the flowers drop off* before they expand if planted in the stove. The blossoms are 
large, and of a handsome rose-colour. Bot, Mag, 4187. 
