FLORICULTURAL NOTICES. 
21 
Stenoca'rpus Cunningha'mi. “ So long ago as 1 828, the lamented Allan Cunningham discovered 
this plant on the banks of the Brisbane River, Moreton Bay, with other interesting novelties, 
described by him in the 1st vol. of the ‘ Botanical Miscellany;’ such as Grevillea robusta, Oxleya, 
xantlioxyla , Castanospermum australe , Gyrostemon attenuatum , Acrostichum grande, dec. Not, 
however, meeting with the subject of our present plate in flower, he took no further notice of it in 
his journal than to remark, states Sir W. J. Hooker, (as I am kindly informed by Mr. Heward,) 
‘ that it is a slender tree, of most remarkable habit ; with leaves large, from the extremities of the 
branches, glossy and lobed, or laciniated ; without flower or fruit. No. 193.’ Had he seen its 
blossoms elegantly arranged in candelabrum-like umbels, clothed with the most vivid orange-scarlet 
silky pubescence, he would assuredly have ranked it among the most important of his numerous 
additions to the Australian Flora. Two rooted plants were sent home and cultivated with great 
care by Mr. Smith, (from which all others in the country have had their origin) ; but although 
they have attained a height of sixteen feet, he has never been rewarded by seeing them blossom ; 
nevertheless, he rightly suspected the tree to belong to the family of Proteacea. This idea is 
confirmed by some fruits, (destitute of seeds) which I received in 1843, from T. Bidwill, Esq., 
who gathered them in the same locality ; and from this fruit, Mr. Brown pronounced the plant to 
belong to the genus Stenocarpus. For fine flowering specimens I am indebted, in August, 1846, 
to the kindness of Messrs. Weeks and Day, from the greenhouse of the ‘United Gardeners’ Society,’ 
King’s Road, Chelsea ; and I learn from Mr. Makowski, of that establishment, that its blossoming 
is considered to be owing to the plant having been much cut in for the purpose of increase. The 
handsome evergreen, glossy foliage, has, indeed, long recommended this plant to the attention of 
cultivators, and now that its beautiful inflorescence is known, there can be little doubt but the 
demand for it will be in proportion to its loveliness. Mr. Smith remarks that it is a robust growing- 
plant, and not, like many of the Proteacese, apt to die off suddenly.” — Bat. Mag., 4263. 
Swainso'na Greya'na. “A gay flowered, half herbaceous plant sent to the Horticultural Society 
by His Excellency Captain Grey, from the banks of the Murray, in New Holland, where it had 
been previously found by Sir Thomas Mitchell. It has dull brownish, hoary leaves, from whose 
axils a profusion of large purple flowers, with a white eye, appear in the summer.” It will doubt- 
less prove as useful as S. galigtfolia , than which it is very much larger. — Bot. Reg., 66. 
Tore'nia co'ncolor. u This plant is probably regarded in herbaria as T. Asiatica ; but living 
specimens forbid its union with that species. Its leaves are roundish ovate, or even cordate, and 
by no means ovate-lanceolate ; their serratures are much smaller. The flowers have no side spots ; 
and the tooth of the larger filaments is far shorter, and more blunt. Probably it is the same plant 
as was distributed by Dr. Wight, under the name of Torenia Asiatica, No. 2205, while the true 
species is Dr. Wallich’s No. 3953. In form of leaf it agrees with some of the specimens in Dr. 
Wallich’s herbarium, called T. cor difolia, but referred by Mr. Bentham to T. Asiatica ; they, 
however, have small flowers, and are probably something else.” Noticed at page 166 of last 
volume. — Bot. Reg., 62. 
Va'nda Batema'nni. “ The honour of discovering this splendid plant is due to M. Guadichaud, 
who met with it in the Moluccas ; and introduced it to Mr. Cuming, who sent it from the Philip- 
pines ; with Mr. Bateman it produced its magnificent flowers, in the stove at Biddulph Grange, in 
June and July last. It is a very large, erect plant, with remarkably thick aerial roots, produced 
after the custom of its kindred ; sword-shaped, curved, two-ranked, hard leaves, averaging two feet 
in length ; and a still longer spike of some score of flowers, each full two inches and a half across, 
flat, leathery and long enduring. But it is not alone for their size that these flowers are so especially 
worthy of notice. Their colour is indescribably beautiful. If you look at them in the face they 
are the richest golden-yellow, spotted all over with crimson ; but when seen from behind, they 
are wholly a vivid purple, fading away at the edges into the violet of Cereus speciosissimus. So 
that, regard them which way you will, there is nothing but the gayest and richest colours to be 
seen.” — Bot. Reg., 59. 
Victo'ria re'gia. To illustrations, and giving a detailed account, &c., of this magnificently 
grand vegetable production, Sir W. J. Hooker devotes the whole January number of his work, 
observing, “ It has always been our endeavour to commence a new year in this Magazine with 
some eminently rare or beautiful plant ; but never had we the good fortune on any occasion to 
devote a number to a production of such pre-eminent beauty, rarity, and we may add celebrity, as 
