68 
FLORICULTURAL NOTICES. 
i 
paratively small cost ; they, however, in many places exist in common with 
Snowdrops , Daffodils, &c., in great abundance among herbaceous plants. 
We imagine the little labour and care required to ensure the assistance of the , 
early flowering plants referred to, in chasing away the gloom and chilly barrenness 
that mark the aspects of the parterre and flower-garden in winter and spring will 
not be grudged. 
In such conspicuous situations, all the beautiful varieties of Crocuses , with 
the delicate markings of some, and the showiness of all, the fragrance of the 
Hyacinth, with its varied tints, are well deserving of any effort by which they can be 
attained. 
Independently of employing bulbs, dwarf evergreens, &c., to relieve the naked 
appearance of the parterre, and any conspicuous points of view at the period we have 
been considering, very much may be done by planting some early-flowering shrubs of 
a more valuable nature closely adjoining the flower-grounds. The Daphnes of various 
kinds, Andromeda floribunda, early-flowering Rhododendrons, &c., which would not 
only be very beautiful during the time they flower, but trained to handsome 
specimens, far from being unsightly during summer and when out of flower, would 
create an agreeable object in contrast to the glowing splendour that at that season 1 
under good management reigns around. 
FLORICULTURAL NOTICES. 
NEW OR BEAUTIFUL PLANTS FIGURED IN THE LEADING BOTANICAL PERIODICALS 
FOR MARCH. 
Allople'ctus di'chrous. Besleria dichrous, B. bicolor , Alloplectus Schottii, A. sparsiflorus, 
and Hypocyrta discolor, are names all stated to be synonymous with that of this plant by Sir W. 
J. Hooker, who writes: — “ Of this singular stove-plant I think it will be found that the above syno- 
nymes are correct. To this country the plant was introduced from Brazil by T. Gr. Lorraine, 
Esq., and has been distributed under the name of Hypocyrta discolor of Lindley, in the work 
{Bot. Reg ., 1845, Supply p. 19) above quoted.” The plant is erect-growing, shrubby below, her- 
baceous above, with opposite, ovate-oblong, entire, fleshy leaves ; and bearing nearly sessile clus- 
ters of flowers, whose calyces are dark black, purple, or blood-coloured, and corollas pale yellow, 
very woolly. Bot. Mag ., 4216. 
Cu'phea strigillo'sa was found “by Mr. Hartweg on the top of the Cumbre, a mountainous 
ridge between Oaxaca and La Sierra,” in Mexico. “ It is one of those curious productions in 
which it would seem as if the work of Nature had stopped before it had finished ; for instead of 
six petals, the customary number in the genus Cuphea , it has invariably only two, and they are 
stuck on one side only of the calyx, giving the gay orange and scarlet flowers a very singular 
appearance. These flowers look, moreover, much like those of a Tropceolum , such as tricolorum, 
formed on the stem of a Lopezia, an odd similarity, which may be recommended to the attention 
of the ingenious author of the Vestiges of the Natural History of the Creation.” Syn. Cuphea |1 
pubiflora. Bot. Reg., 14. 
Cycno'ches Loddige'sil u This very striking Orchideous plant, the species upon which the 
genus is founded, is a native of Surinam, and was introduced from thence by Messrs. Loddiges, | 
through J. H. Lance, Esq. As may be expected, it requires great heat and moisture, and, thus 
