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CELMISIA VERXICOSA. 
Cyrtaxthes carnees, Lindley (flesh- 
coloured Cyrtanth). — Amaryllidacece § Araa- 
ryllese. — A bulbous plant, with long strap- 
shaped blunt, evergreen leaves, and a bunch 
of flowers borne on the top of a naked stalk, a 
foot or more in height ; the flowers grow 
about eight or nine on a stem, three inches 
long, narrow, pendulous, somewhat trumpet- 
shaped, of a delicate pink colour, paler at the 
base. A native of the Cape of Good Hope. 
Time of introduction uncertain. Flowering 
in August. Culture. — Requires a stove, free 
sandy soil, and to be kept growing all the 
winter, but very seldom watered; propagated 
by off-sets or seeds, but more generally by new 
importations. 
Steenbergia colchiciflora, Waldstein 
(colchicum-flowered Sternbergia). — Amaryl- 
lidaceae § Amai'ylleae. — A small bulbous plant, 
with narrow twisted leaves, and solitary clear 
yellow fragrant flowers on short stems ; they 
are cut into six segments with a long tube. 
A native of Hungary and Tauris. Introduced 
in 1816. Flowers in September. Culture. 
— Hardy ; sandy loam, and good drainage in 
winter ; propagated by off-sets or seed. 
CELMISIA VERNICOSA. 
(Br. J. B. Booker). 
THE VARXISHED CELMISIA. 
This is a very beautiful plant from the Ant- 
arctic regions, which it is desirable should be 
speedily introduced to our collections: it is at 
present only known from the beautiful draw- 
ing published in the Flora Antarctica, to 
which source we are indebted for the illus- 
tration which accompanies these remarks. 
The plant is not what is understood by a 
herbaceous plant, but it is an almost stem- 
less one, with a dense tuft of rigid linear 
remotely serrated leaves, from among which 
proceed the ascending scapes (or flower stems), 
which are furnished with small linear lance- 
olate leaves (or bracts) throughout their 
length, and are each terminated by a solitary 
flower, nearly two inches in diameter, of very 
delicate tinting, white or faint rose, which 
forms a striking contrast to the dark purple 
of the eye or disc. Ihe leaves which grow 
on some specimens in tufts nearly a span 
across, lie densely compacted, and spreading 
horizontally, radiating from the summit of the 
root, like the spokes of a wheel, and have a 
peculiar deep green, glossy, varnished appear- 
ance, shining like the surface of a shell, or as 
if covered with a thick coat of copal varnish. 
When in bloom, the plant must be an exceed- 
ingly gay one. 
Like other of the Antarctic plants, the pre- 
sent varies considerably in size from that just 
described to a much more diminutive state, in 
which the tuft of leaves scarcely exceed an 
inch and a half in diameter. In cultivation, 
it will therefore probably be desirable to 
grow the specimens with tolerable freedom, 
or perhaps the larger form only should be 
introduced, as the variation in size may be 
perpetuated through succeeding generations. 
It is found on Lord Auckland's group both 
on banks and rocky places near the sum- 
mits of the hills, at an altitude of 1200 feet 
above the sea ; and also near the sea on 
the exposed islets. Campbell's island also 
affords it, and it is there found in abundance 
in the immediate vicinity of the sea. This 
ought not to be overlooked in its artificial 
cultivation. The species ranks among Com- 
posite plants. 
