NEW PLANTS FROM CHINA. 
129 
keel, and forms with them an angle of ahout 
45° when expanded ; the wings are narrowly 
lanceolate and ciliated, of a pale bright rose 
colour ; the keel is rather paler, and bordered 
with a ■woolly or very downy upper edge. It 
is a greenhouse plant which will grow freely 
in almost any sort of soil, especially sandy 
peat. In summer an ample supply of water 
is required, and air at all times when the 
weather is favourable. To prevent the leaves 
from being scorched by the sun, it will be 
necessary to use shading. In winter, water 
should only be given when the soil becomes 
dry. It strikes freely from cuttings under 
ordinary treatment. 
This is a good addition to our greenhouse 
plants. — Received from Mr. Fortune, May 1, 
1845. 
Calvstegia pubescens. — This curious 
plant approaches very nearly to the C. sepium, 
or larger bindweed, of our English hedges, 
from which it differs in having firmer and 
smaller leaves, much narrower bracts, and a 
fine pubescence spread over every part. It is 
the first plant of its order that has been men- 
tioned as producing double flowers. They are 
about as large as those of a double Anemone, 
but the petals are arranged with the irregula- 
rity of the Rose ; they are of a pale very deli- 
cate pink, and remain expanded for some 
days. The calyx is quite unchanged. The 
exterior petals are very much lacerated and 
irregular in form ; those next the centre are 
narrow, drawn together into a kind of cone ; 
the next central are completely concealed by 
those without them, and diminish till they are 
mere scales, analogous to those which may be 
found in the first buds which burst in the 
spring. Not a trace can be found of stamens 
or pistil. 
It is probably quite hardy if planted in a 
dry situation. It requires a rich loamy soil, 
and is easily increased by the roots. The roots 
very much resemble those of the common 
bindweed, (Calystegia sepium.) It flowers 
freely in July and August. It is a very hand- 
some climbing plant, with large double flowers, 
which are produced freely. — Raised from a 
small portion of the root found in a dead 
Pa-ony root, in Box No. 22, from Mr. For- 
tiiurs mission in China. The box was sent 
J'rom Shanghai, and stated to contain a plant 
qf the double Convolvulus, which mas supposed 
to be dead when received at the Garden in 
June, 1844. 
RllYNUIIOSPERMUM .TASMINOIUES. LindU'lJ. 
— This is a slender climbing evergreen shrub, 
rooting along its branches, wherever it touches 
a damp surface, like ivy. When wounded, its 
branches discharge a milky fluid. The voting 
shoots are slightly downy ; the leaves oppo- 
site, ova!, deep green, quite smooth, sharp 
47 
pointed, with minute scale-like glands in the 
place of stipules. The flowers are white, de- 
liciously sweet scented, and produced in small 
irregular corymbs on the- ends of peduncles 
considerably larger than the leaves. Their 
calyx consists of 5 narrow smooth convex 
sepals, rolled backwards, and much shorter 
than the tube of the corolla, with a very shal- 
low toothed glandular ring surrounding the 
base of the latter. The corolla is about three 
quarters of an inch long, pure white, salver- 
shaped, contracted in the middle of the tube, 
with a partially spreading border, whose 5 
divisions are wedge-shaped, truncate, and 
twisted obliquely. The anthers are 5, arrow- 
headed, placed just within the orifice of the 
tube, and separated by 5 slightly elevated 
hairy lines. The ovary consists of 2 separate 
carpels, and is surrounded by 5 oblong green 
emarginate hypogynous scales, which some- 
times are slightly united at the edge. 
The structure of this plant is not precisely 
that of the genus Ehynchospermum as given 
by M. Alph. De Candolle, for the scales be- 
neath its ovary are not exactly united into a 
cup : but they are partially so ; and as there 
is no other difference as far as can be ascer- 
tained from the plant in a state of flowering 
only, it may be referred to the genus. In 
habit it is more like an Aganosma, but its 
corolla has not the tapering lobes of that 
genus, nor do the nectary or stigma corres- 
pond with it. — Collected at Shanghai, by Mr. 
Fortune. 
Brassica CHrNEN*sis. Linn.— Stemsslightly 
glaucous, two or three feet high, not much 
branched, quite smooth. Lower leaves on 
long stalks, cordate-ovate, slightly running 
down the petiole ; upper leaves amplexicaul ; 
all of them blunt, and perfectly undivided. 
Flowers bright yellow. Calyx smooth, erect. 
Pods 2 ; \ inches long, arranged in racemes li- 
foot long, rather compressed ; valves with 
many longitudinal meshes for the veins, and a 
slightly prominent dorsal line ; terminated by 
a point about half an inch long. Seeds in a 
single row, spherical, the size of mustard, deep 
purplish brown, about the colour of ill-ri- 
pened turnip seed, with scarcely any pungency 
when bitten. These pods are produced in 
very great abundance, and each contains 
about 30 seeds. It is a hardy annual which 
will grow freely in almost any sort of soil. 
The seed should be sown in April, in a shel- 
tered situation; then in May the plants maybe 
planted out where they are to remain, allow- 
ing - feet between each plant. This appears 
to be of no importance in a horticultural paint 
of view. It may be cultivated by farmers for 
feeding cattle, or it may be grown for the 
same purpose as it is in China.- — Received 
from Mr. Fortune, Nov. 23, 1844, as the 
