xii 
KOYAL FOKTlCTTLTITRaL SOCTETY. 
Campbell's Pizarro from Mr. Turner second. Mr. James and Mr. 
H. Hooper staged the best Show Pansics, and Mr. "Ware sent the 
best collection of hardy spring flowers. A Cultural Commendation 
was given to Mr. G. Bland, gardener to the Earl of Kilmorey, for 
Anthiirium Scherzerianum with fifteen spathes. 
mUIT COMMITTEE. 
A Cultural Commendation was given to J. B. Eernyhough, Esq., 
for a seedling plant of the Avocado Pear [Persea gratissima), grown 
in an ordinary Hyacinth -glass filled with water. It was raised from 
a seed taken from the fruit exhibited the previous September. 
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 
Andrew Murhay, Esq., F.L.S., in the Chair. 
Dr. Welwitsch made a communication on some ornamental plants 
from Angola which it was desirable to introduce into horticulture, 
and exhibited specimens. A new species of Maranta was remark- 
able for its unsymmetrical leaves, elliptical on one side, oblong on 
the other, and white beneath, except a marginal band on the 
elliptical side. A scandent species of Phrynium was a remarkable 
exception to the scitamineous habit ; its fruit also was curiously 
three-sided. It was suggested that this was a plant which, like 
some Indian species of Combretum and an JSquisetum, climbs when 
it gets an opportunity. A variety of Musa sapientum possessed 
foliage of a blood-red colour. Dr. Welwitsch also exhibited seeds 
of M. ventricosa, Welw., a near ally of M. JSnsete. A trifoliate 
species of Gardenia, about eight feet high, with flowers of 
the richest orange, produced wood resembling that of Box ; 
the natives hung up branches of it as a charm against lightning. 
Two species of Musscd7ida • were shown, one of which {M. splen- 
dida, Welw.) was a climber, easy of propagation, and with red 
sepaline lobes. Listrostachys Welivitschit, Rchb. f., was a 
remarkable exception to its epiphytal allies in habit. This 
grew upon the bare rock, spreading its branching roots upon the 
scanty soil. 
Mr. Berkeley suggested that the peculiarities of the leaves of 
the Maraoita were due to the convolute vernation. 
