TRIGRIDIA CONCHIFLORA WATKINSONI. 
(Watkinson’s Shell Tiger-flower.) 
Class. 
MONADELPHIA. 
'Natural Order. 
IRIDACEiE. 
Order. 
TRIANDRIA. 
Generic Character Perianth six-leaved, petal- 
id, three outer ones large, ovate, hollow at the base 
id sessile ; three inner ones smaller, clawed, con- 
acted in the middle. Stamens three; filaments 
lited into a long tube. Stigmas three, bipartite. 
ipsule oblong and angular. 
Specific Character. — Stem angular. Leaves ensi- 
form, nerved. Perianth , three outer pieces oblong - 
ovate, acute ; three inner above the medium size, ovate, 
acute. 
Watkinsoni, a hybrid, habit of plant like T. pavonia. 
Flowers, three outer pieces orange-yellow, three inner 
pieces, deeply spotted with red and brown, sagittate. 
The Tigridias are now usually found in company with plants of an inferior or 
3Cond-rate description ; they are, therefore, commonly grown in situations where their 
lowy flowers are seldom seen to advantage. This is to be regretted; for although 
ery fugitive in their duration, they yet deserve far more attention than is usually 
estowed upon them. 
T. conchiflora Watkinsoni was raised by Mr. J. Horsefield of Whitfield, near 
fanchester, from seeds of the conchiflora fertilised by the pollen of pavonia. The 
dlowing is Mr. Horsefield’s own account of it : — “ About ten or twelve years ago 
cut out the anthers of a flower of T. conchiflora , as soon as it opened in the 
loming ; towards noon of the same day, I took the burst anthers of a flower of 
T . pavonia , and dusted the stigmas of the former flower. The seed-vessel ripened, 
ad a few seeds came to perfection ; three of these produced plants whose flowers 
imbine the properties of the two species. In habit and strength this hybrid 
isembles T. pavonia , the male parent; but in colour and the markings of the 
ower, it resembles T. conchiflora, the female parent; the large outer sepals, 
owever, are of a very deep yellow, inclining to orange, and sometimes elegantly 
veaked with red lines ; whilst the spotted centre equals, if not surpasses, the 
rilliancy of either of the species. One of its greatest merits is being so free a 
loomer, and as easy to cultivate and increase as T. pavonia, whereas T , conchiflora 
rather delicate, increases slowly, and is easily lost. I have grown the two together 
>r some years, and whilst I can scarcely keep up a stock of T. conchiflora, the 
ybrid increases abundantly.” 
