330 
NEW FLOWERS AND PLANTS. 
It is the fashion to grow it in rich compost, 
and to produce very large and handsomely 
grown plants, but they are more shy of 
blooming, and rtirely prove well-flowered 
specimens at any considerable age. Plants 
may be excited too much, and we have seen 
this too often in the case of stove and green- 
house specimens. 
NEW FLOWERS AND PLANTS. 
Calanthe vestita, Lindley (clothed Ca- 
lanthe). — Orchidaceee § Vandege-CalanthidEe. — 
This is one of the most beautiful and striking 
of the family of orchids. It is a terrestrial 
species, that is, growing in soil; with rich 
green leaves eighteen inches or more in length, 
springing from ^the roots ; these leaves are 
lance-shaped and plaited, and are narrowed 
towards the base. The flowers grow on scapes, 
sevex'alof whichissuefromavigorous root ; they 
grow erect, three feet high, and are unbranched, 
but the upper foot of their height is furnished 
with flowers, forming thus a terminal erect 
raceme. The flowers are lai'ge, pure white, 
stained in the centre with a conspicuous blotch 
of deep rich crimson ; th,e sepals and petals are 
nearly equal, oblong, and reflexed ; the lip 
much longer, broad, measuring an inch and 
a half in each direction, deeply three-lobed, 
the central lobe two-parted ; the crimson blotch 
is at the base of the lip. Native of Moulmein. 
Introduced in 1847, by Messrs. Yeitch of 
Exeter. Flowers in November, and probably 
at other periods. Culture. — Requires a stove ; 
turfy loam and peat ; propagated by division 
of the root. Tlie plants must be kept cool and 
dry during their resting period. 
Stemonacanthus maceophyllus, Nees 
(large-flowered Stemonacanthus). — Acantha- 
cere § Echmatacanthi-Ruellidas. — A free-grow- 
ing sub-shrubby plant, rather showy, well 
cultivated. It grows three to four feet high, 
with round erect-growing branches, bearing 
large opposite ovate-acuminate leaves, and 
from their axils, spreading di-tri-chotomous 
panicles of flowers, on slender peduncles and 
pedicles. The flowers are large, between two 
and three inches long, handsome, of a bright 
scarlet ; the corolla consists of a long curved 
laterally compressed tube, which is broadest 
towards the apex, and divided into a large 
spreading limb of five oblong obtuse lobes, 
Avhich soon become reflexed. Native of New 
Grenada, and also of Mexico and Jamaica. 
Introduced in 1844. Flowers through the 
summer months. It is the Ruellia mucropliylla 
(Vahl). Culture. — Requires a cool stove, and 
to be grown in a genial moist climate ; rich 
loam and peat, with plenty of pot room ; pro- 
pagated readily by cuttings. 
AsTSTAsiA SCANDENS, Hooker (climbing 
Asystasia). — Acanthacese § Echmatacanthi- 
Ruellida3. — A very ornamental climbing plant, 
of shrubby character, having stout round stems. 
and branches bearing opposite, obovate, or 
sometimes ovate, acute leaves of a dark glossy 
green, thickish, and somewhat fleshy in texture, 
and attached by short thick petioles. The 
flowers grow in thyrsoid racemes, terminating 
the numerous branches ; they are numerous, 
large, and of a creamy or yellowish-white 
colour, often tinged with blush ; their form is 
somewhat funnel-shaped, with a narrow base, 
the tube curved and becoming bell-shaped 
above, where it divides into a spreading two- 
lipped limb of five broadly ovate lobes, 
crenato-crisped along the margin. Native of 
Sierra Leone. Introduced in 1845. Flowers 
in the spring months. It is the JRuellia 
quatenia (Thonning), Asystasia quaterna, 
(Nees), and Senfreya scandens (Lindley), by 
which letter name it is known in English 
gardens, {^qq Annals of Hortictdture, 1847, 
p. 207.) Culture. — Requires a stove ; peat 
and loam ; propagated by cuttings. 
Primula altaica, Lehviann (Altaian 
Primrose). — Primulace£e§Primulid£e. — Avery 
beautiful dwarf stemless herbaceous plant, 
v/ith so much the appearance of our common 
primrose when out of flower, as to have been 
mistaken for it. The flowers however are very 
different, being of a purple colour, with a 
beautiful orange eye. When grown freely, 
its foliage is very large and robust ; it is a 
most profuse bloomer, and possesses a slight 
but delicious fragrance. Native of Karak, a 
quarantine station on the Asiatic side of the 
Bosphorus, near the mouth of the Black Sea, 
and elsewhere. Introduced in 1848, by C. J. 
Darbyshire, Esq. (Recorded as ha^'ing been 
introduced originally in 1 8 1 9, but probably long 
since lost.) Flowers throughout the winter, if 
the weather is mild, commencing in October. 
It is the P. w?'i/Y//i5(Turtsch). Cidture. — Quite 
hardy ; rich loamy soil ; propagated by division 
of the root. 
Lapageria rosea, Ruiz and Paron (rose- 
coloured Lapageria). — Philesiacese (Smilacete, 
Hooker^ — A beautiful climbing plant, with 
a round branching stem many feet in length, 
and furnished with alternate ovate-lanceolate 
leathery leaves, which have a shining surface, 
and are marked with five longitudinal nerves 
or ribs. From the axils of the leaves issue 
singly the pendulous flowers, which are of a 
deep rose- red colour, and possess great beauty ; 
they are lily-like, consisting of six petals, so 
arranged as to form a narrow bell-shaped 
