LAPAGERIA ROSEA. 
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LAPAGERIA ROSEA. 
Lapageria rosea, Ruiz and Pavon (rose- 
coloured Lapager i a) . — Philesi aceas. 
"Lapageria looks like a Smilax, bearing the 
flowers of a Bomarea." To render the compa- 
rison more familiar, its blossoms may be said to 
resemble those of an immense-flowered Alstro- 
meria, borne along the branches of the common 
black briony (Tamus communis) frequent in 
our thickets and hedges. Many years ago 
this fine plant was figured by the Spanish 
botanists, Ruiz and Pavon, in the Flora Peru- 
viana ; but although its existence has thus long 
been known to botanists, the plant has not, 
till within the last few years, been introduced in 
a living state into this country ; or, as far as we 
know, into Europe. In the year 1847, we are 
informed, that " the Royal Gardens at Kew 
were first favoured with one from Conception 
(Chili), through the kindness of R.Wheelwright, 
Esq., an American gentleman, who has been 
50. 
instrumental in establishing steam navigation 
in the Pacific." In the following year it 
appears that Messrs. Veitch and Son received 
it from their collector Mr. T. Lobb. We believe 
Mr. Low of Clapton was also, among English 
cultivators, one of the earliest possessors of 
living plants of this Lapageria. We may soon 
expect, therefore, to see it become more exten- 
sively diffused. 
The Lapageria belongs to Dr. Lindley's 
small group, which he calls Dictyogens, a set 
of plants intermediate between the Exogens 
and Endogens, agreeing in great measure with 
the former, in their net-veined foliage, and with 
the latter, in the structure of their woody 
matter ; though possessing on either hand, 
distinctive characters which separate them from 
these two great groups. The families of 
Dictyogens are few, and limited in extent, 
but among them are included the Yams, the 
Smilaxes (plants which yield Sarsaparilla), and 
the Trilliums. The Lapageria is closely related 
to the Smilaxes, the natural order Smilaceas, 
to which indeed some botanists unite it. Dr. 
Lindley has however formed a separate group 
of this and another plant called Philesia, 
giving the group the name of Philesiaceas. 
To come to a more exact account of the 
subject of the annexed engraving, we may 
state, that the Lapageria rosea is a most beau- 
tiful twiner, growing many feet in height, and 
having round branching stems. These bear 
alternate stalked leathery leaves, of an ovate- 
lanceolate acuminated figure, having a smooth 
u 
