26 
NEW FLOWERS AND PLANTS. 
probably from the same locality where it was 
found by Professor Jameson. 
From the nature of its locality, there can 
be little doubt of its proving to be amongst 
the most hardy species of the genus. The 
roots of some, at least, of the other kinds — 
those of T. pentaphyllum for example — are 
certainly hardy ; that is to say, they will stand 
uninjured in the ground during winter, and 
produce young stems again in spring, flowering 
freely in summer and autumn, provided the 
situation be fairly relieved of stagnant water, 
and the surface of the ground is covered before 
severe frost sets in with some dry protective 
material, either such as half- decayed tanner's 
bark, or fine turfy peat-earth, or, where ap- 
pearance is not much an object, a good layer 
of dry fern, or litter. Nothing could be more 
beautiful than a series of our — usually consi- 
dered — greenhouse species so treated ; and 
we should have full confidence of success in 
making such an experiment. What splendid 
additions to ordinary flower-garden creepers 
would be derived from the rich colour of 
many species of Tropaeolum. 
The Tropseolums grow exceedingly well in 
a compost consisting of the turfy portions of 
sandy loam, mixed with broken charcoal, 
liquid manure, in a clear and diluted state, 
being given to the plants, when growing, 
freely, and approaching the blooming state. 
When grown in pots, they should be planted 
at once in those in which they are to flower, as 
the trellises for the branches require to be ad- 
justed as soon as they begin to grow, after which 
it becomes exceedingly tedious and hazardous 
to attempt removing the plants from one pot to 
another. Many of the species have a strong 
tendency to grow during the winter months ; 
and if they are placed in situations where they 
can enjoy plenty of light and air, without 
being subjected to cold draughts, their growth 
is more healthy at that season than what is 
often obtained in what would be thought to 
be the more favourable period of advanced 
spring ; probably they suffer from the con- 
fined heat, and, if so, this explains how it is 
that they flourish so perfectly, under proper 
regimen, in the open air. It is by no means 
advisable to endeavour to check this winter- 
growing tendency when it becomes at all ap- 
parent in any of the tubers. 
Tropasolums are freely propagated by cut- 
tings, which, however, require some care lest 
they should be suffered to lapse into a state of 
rest before the young tubers are organized for 
their perpetuation. Seeds, whenever pro- 
duced, will originate more vigorous plants. 
NEW FLOWERS AND PLANTS. 
Ch^enestes eanceolata, Miers (lance- 
leaved Chsenestes). — Solanaceae § Curvem- 
brya?. — A handsome, though somewhat strong 
growing shrub, the young branches of which 
are herbaceous, and clothed with stellated 
hairs. The leaves are rather large, alternate, 
oval or elliptic-lanceolate, clothed with soft 
stellate hairs beneath, arachnoid (cobwebbed) 
when young, but becoming ahnost glabrous 
with age. The flowers grow in umbels from 
the axils, or rather somewhat elevated from 
the axils, so as to be almost terminal, with 
the young shoots pushing past them ; they 
are drooping, the corolla cylindrical, slightly 
dilated at the mouth, two inches long, and of 
a rich deep purplish blue. Native of the 
mountains of Quindiu. Introduced in 1846. 
Flowers in summer and autumn. Culture. — 
Requires a greenhouse ; blooms well, planted 
against a wall, in summer and autumn ; light 
loamy soil ; propagated by cuttings. 
Browallia speciosa, Hooker (showy- 
flowered Browallia). — Scrophulariaceae § 
Salpiglossidece. — A pretty [annual ?] plant, 
with erect branching stems, and opposite, 
sometimes alternate, ovate-acuminate leaves, 
from the axils of which proceed the solitary 
flowers ; these are large, about two inches 
across, with a slender tube of about the same 
length, and a spi'eading limb of five unequal 
ovate-acuminate segments ; the colour is pur- 
ple, white in the throat, pale lilac beneath. 
" The flowers are thrice the size of those of 
B. grandrflora." Native of the mountains 
of Tolima and Quindiu. Introduced in 1846. 
Flowers in the latter part of summer and the 
autumn. Culture. — Requires a stove or hot- 
bed frame, flowering in the greenhouse ; light 
sandy soil ; propagated by seeds. 
ExACUM TETEAGOXU3I, VO/F. blColor (two- 
coloured, square-stalked Exacum). — Gentian- 
aceas § Gentianese. — A pretty annual plant, 
growing a foot or more in height, the stem 
tetragonous (squared) with the angles winged. 
The leaves are broadly ovate, becoming nar- 
rower upwards, sometimes even lanceolate- 
acuminate in the upper parts. The flowers 
grow at the top of the stem, in a many-flowered 
cyme or panicle, the branches of which are 
dichotomous, with a single flower in each 
axil ; they are formed of four obliquely-ovate 
recurved petals, which are of a purple colour 
(deeper or paler), white at the base — some- 
times wholly purple ; they vary remai-kably 
both in size and colour. Native of the East 
Indies. Introduced in 1846. Flowers in 
June and July. It is the J£xacum bicolor 
(Roxburgh). Culture. — Requires a stove ; 
light sandy soil ; propagated by seeds. 
Gesnera teiflora, Hooker (three-flow- 
