PORPHYRACOMA LANCEOLATA. 
Class. 
DIDYNAMIA. 
(Lance-leaved Porphyracoma,) 
Natural Order. 
ACANTHACEiE. 
Order. 
ANGIOSPERMIA. 
Generic Character. — Inflorescence in terminal 
•ikes ; flowers opposite to each other, with coloured 
afy bracts irregularly torn ; the two outer large, and 
te inner one small. Calyx diminished, five-parted, 
ibricated and unequally torn, persistent, free. 
brolla monopetalous, hypogynous, tubulose, two- 
pped ; lips unequal, upper one narrower, bifid, lower 
| le large, trifid, reflexed. Stamens two, both anther- 
is, exserted from the tube of the corolla, shorter than 
the lips. Ovary ovate, seated in a disk, two-celled. 
Style one, longer than the corolla. Stigma obtuse. 
Capsule oblong, two-celled. Seeds two in each cell, 
round, without albumen, wingless. 
Specific Character. — Perennial. Leaves opposite, 
lanceolate, slender at the base, nearly sessile, entire. 
Spike both terminal and axillary, aggregate. Bracts, 
two outside ones large, very much and deeply lace- 
rated, of a vivid purple. Flowers purple-blue. 
For a figure of this very beautiful plant, we are indebted to Mr. Glendinning of 
ae Chiswick Nursery, in whose stove it flowered in April, 1846, when our drawing 
as made. It is of very easy culture, and of similar habits to many other stove 
Acanthacese, requiring light sandy soil, plenty of pot-room, and good drainage. In 
le season of growth, give abundance of heat and moisture, but whilst in a state 
f repose, keep rather dry than otherwise. 
It is a plant of rare beauty, and deserves every attention that can be given it; 
nd its general habit and form of growth, the accompanying wood-cut very efficiently 
isplays. It is to be regretted that we are unacquainted with its native country, 
ilost of what is known about it, was published in the “ Botanical Magazine ” a short 
me ago, by Sir W. Hooker, whose words we quote. “ For the possession of this 
harming plant, we are indebted to Mr. Forkel, gardener to His Majesty the King 
f the Belgians, at Brussels, who sent it to us under the above name, but unfortu- 
ately without any history, so as to leave us in the dark as to its native country, or 
j ie author of its very appropriate name, given in allusion to the singularly richly- 
oloured spikes of deep purple, from within the scales of which the scarcely less 
