92 
NOTES ON FLOWERS AND ELOWERIiN G PLANTS. 
Victoria regia, Lindley (Victoria Water 
lily). — Nymphreaceas § Euryalideas. — This is 
the most magnificent aquatic plant known. 
It has the character of our water lilies, but is 
very much larger. It is supposed to be a 
perennial, but this is not positively known ; 
the root is large and tuberous, with numerous 
fibres. From these tubers proceed the float- 
ing leaves on long prickly stalks ; they are of 
prodigious size, four to six and a half feet in 
diameter, nearly round, peltate, with from two 
to five inches of the margin turned up all 
round, forming a rim like that of a tea-tray ; 
the upper side is green, the lower side deep 
purple, with copious prominent prickly veins. 
The flower stalks spring from the root ; they 
are prickly, and each bear one flower, rising a 
little above the water ; the flowers are from 
a foot to fifteen inches in diameter, fragrant, 
with very numerous oblong concave petals, 
which gradually pass into filaments, the outer 
ones being white, changing to pink, the inner 
deep rose coloured. A native of South Ame- 
rica, found chiefly on the waters tributary of 
the Amazons, and Rio Plata, and probably 
existing in all those great rivers which inter- 
sect the immense plains eastward of the Andes. 
Introduced to Kew in 1846 ; but the plants 
have since died. Time of flowering un- 
known. In the River Berbice, it was met with 
in a flowering state on the 1st of January. 
Culture. — Requires stove heat, and a large 
body of water, which should be warmed in the 
growing season to from 80 to 90 degrees : the 
roots should be planted in loam ; propagated 
by seeds, probably also by division. (29) 
Statice eximia, Fischer and Meyer 
(large pink Sea Lavender). — Prumbaginaceaa 
§ Staticeas. — A perennial plant, growing from 
one to two feet high, with a tuft of oblong 
ovate root leaves, and a leafless branching 
flower scape, the branches consisting of a 
dense bundle or cluster of small pinkish lilac 
flowers, which, from their number and ar- 
rangement, have a very pretty appearance. 
A native of open places in the south of Son- 
garia, on the Chinese limits. Introduced in 
1844. Flowers from July to September. 
Culture. — Hardy ; sandy loam and peat ; 
propagated by division of the plant, or by 
seeds. (30) 
Crocus nivalis, Bory St. Vincent (snowy 
Crocus). — Iridaceae. — A small bulbous plant, 
growing three or four inches high, the flowers 
slightly in advance of the leaves, rather small, 
but compact and well formed, of a deep violet 
purple colour, with an orange blotch at the 
base. A native of the mountain of Delphi, 
in Euboea, and other mountains of Greece. 
Introduced in 1845 (?) Flowers in March 
and April. It has been called C. sublimits 
(Herbert). Culture. — Hardy ; any common 
soil ; propagated by off-sets from the roots ; 
seeds are liable to variation. (31) 
Crocus Veluchensis, Herbert ( Veluchian 
Crocus). — Iridaceaj. — A small bulbous plant 
growing about three inches high, with com- 
paratively large flowers rather in advance of 
the foliage ; the flowers are well formed, the 
petals somewhat concave, of a violet tint vary- 
ing in intensity, but having a darker trans- 
verse bar near the top of each segment ; in 
some instances, the tip above this bar is nearly 
white. A native of Mount Veluchi, in 
.ZEtolia. Introduced in 1845 (?) Flowers in 
March and April. Culture. — Hardy; common 
soil ; propagated by off-sets from the roots ; 
seeds are not to be depended on, as they often 
produce varieties. (32) 
Caloscordum nerineflorum, Herbert 
(Nerine-flowered Caloscord). — Liliaceaa § 
Scilleas. — An interesting little bulbous plant, 
with a few roundish very slender leaves a span 
long, and throwing up from the small bulbous 
root a slender flower stem of six or eight 
inches high, beai-ing at the top an umbel of 
a dozen or more rather pretty rose-coloured 
flowers, about half an inch in diameter, and 
composed of six somewhat recurved oval seg- 
ments. The plant is nearly allied to the 
Alliums or garlics, but has none of their smell. 
A native of Chusan. Introduced about 1842. 
Flowers in summer. Culture. — Requires a 
frame or greenhouse ; peat and loam ; propa- 
gated by off-sets. (33) 
Cyananthus lobatus, Wallich (lobed 
Cyananth). — Polemoniaceae (?) — A pretty 
little branching perennial plant, with small 
fleshy roots, and upright stems bearing alter- 
nate, stalked, rhomb-shaped, incised leaves, 
and at the tips, a solitary flower, an inch and 
a half across, of a violet purple colour, divided al- 
most to the centre into five spatula-shapedlobes. 
A native of the higher ranges of the Hima- 
layan mountains. Introduced in 1844. 
Flowers in August and September. The 
position of this plant in the ' natural arrange- 
ment' of vegetables, is yet (1847) a botanical 
enigma. Culture. — Hardy, but requires to be 
kept somewhat dry and at rest when not grow- 
ing ; sandy peat and leaf mould ; propagated 
by cuttings. (34) 
Pinus Grenvilleje, Gordon (Lady Gren- 
ville's Pine). — Pinacea? § Abieteaa. — A large 
and very robust growing tree, attaining in 
Mexico, a height of from sixty to eighty feet. 
The leaves grow in fives, thickly set, and of a 
dark green, very long, and slightly saw-edged, 
the sheaths at the base nearly an inch and a 
half long, and rather rough and scaly. The 
cones grow singly ; they are pendulous, quite 
straight and tapering regularly, about sixteen 
inches long, and three inches and a half 
broad at the base. The buds are very large, 
