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ALSTRCEMERIA PELEGRINA ALBA. 
(SPOTTED FLOWERED ALSTRffiMERIA WHITE VARIETY.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
HEXANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
AMARYLLIDEiE. 
Generic Character Sepals , 6, the two lower ones half tubular at the base. Stamens unequal, and 
generally bending downwards. Stigmas , 3. Capsule roundish oval, six-angled, three- valved, and 
many-seeded. 
Specific Character Stem erect. Leaves linear, lanceolate, alternate, without stalks, and shining. 
Corolla spreading, three outer sepals wedge-shaped, three-toothed ; the whole yellowish white. 
The present handsome variety has not, to our knowledge, been previously figured 
in any work. We know comparatively nothing of its history, but from its great 
beauty it ought to be in every collection of plants. The A. pelegrina , from seeds 
of which we believe it sprang, is a native of Peru, where it grows on mountains. 
Linnaeus introduced it into Spain through the instrumentality of Baron C. 
Alstroemer, who sent, amongst many other things, seeds of this plant. It found 
its way into the Royal Gardens, at Kew, in 1753. 
The roots of all the species of this splendid genus abound in a nutritive fcecula , 
which may be prepared for food ; the natives of Chili obtain from the roots of one 
of the species a substance resembling arrow-root. 
They all thrive, if planted in a mixture of about equal parts of rich loam, sand, 
and leaf mould. A. hirtella and ovata do very well on a warm border, and the 
former will ripen seeds very freely, which, as soon as ripe, should be gathered and 
sown in pots, and the young plants turned into the borders the following spring. 
Although the Flos Martini , pulchella, or Uookeri, Simsii, salsilla , &c. &c., are 
generally treated as stove plants, they will grow much stronger and flower finer in 
the open borders. They endure our winters pretty well with but a slight covering 
in severe weather. 
A. ligtu is often very shy at flowering : this may be easily remedied by observing 
the rules laid down by Mr. Sweet, in his “ Botanical Cultivator,” page 16, where he 
says, “ A. ligtu will blossom freely by letting the pots be dry for a considerable 
time, till the shoots are all dried up ; then fresh pot them, give a good watering, 
and put them in a moist heat.” 
Practical observation has confirmed us in the opinion of Mr. Lindley*, that “ the 
safest way to treat (all) the species is, to plant them in light loamy soil, in 
a border within a glazed pit, which is just heated enough to keep out frost in 
winter. Here they will grow with great vigour, throwing up strong suckers in all 
directions, and flowering beautifully ; their leaves will not, on the one hand, be 
parched by the drying cold winds of April, nor, on the other, scorched by the sun 
at Midsummer. Thus protected, they will perform all their natural functions, as if 
in their native soil ; and an abundance of food will be sent down into the roots, 
which will be thus prepared, upon the return of the growing season, to send up new 
shoots with the greatest vigour.” 
* Botanical Register, 1410. 
