1G6 
NOTES ON FLOWERS. 
incurved ; they are dark green, but the upper 
ones, which become gradually smaller, are 
richly tinged with scarlet and yellow, becom- 
ing green, however, after flowering; the stems 
are terminated by racemose spikes of long 
three-petaled purple flowers, enclosed in scarlet 
bracts. A native of Jamaica. Introduced in 
1845. Flowers in the winter. Culture. — 
Requires a stove, and to be planted in an open 
basket, among moss and decayed wood, and sus- 
pended; propagated sparingly bydivision. (80) 
Pharbitis cathartica, Choisy (purging 
Pharbitis). — Convolvulacea? § Convolvuleee. — 
A slender twining plant, apparently annual, 
with smooth branching stems, alternate, 
remote broadly cordate, smooth leaves, (some- 
times entire, but usually three-lobed,) bearing 
flower-stalks from their axils, each producing 
one, two, or sometimes three flowers. The 
tube of the flowers is white below, rose purple 
above, funnel-shaped, with a spreading limb 
varying in colour from reddish purple to deep 
violet blue. The plant furnishes a milky 
resinous coagulating juice, which is profusely 
purgative. A native of St. Domingo, Porto 
Rico, Mexico, and New Grenada. Intro- 
duced in 1845. Flowers in the autumn. It is 
the Ipomtea cathartica (Poirret), and Con- 
volvulus ]>ortoricensis (Sprengel). Culture. 
— Half hardy, or requiring a greenhouse ; 
light rich loam; propagated by seeds. (81) 
Scutellaria cordifolia, Bentham (heart- 
leaved Skull-cap). — Lamiacea? § Scutellareas. 
— A sub-shrubby species, with nearly erect 
branching four-sided stems, growing from one 
to two feet high, opposite large downy cordate 
toothed wrinkled leaves, and long terminal 
whorled racemes of orange-scarlet flowers, 
consisting of a slender curved funnel-shaped 
tube, two-lipped at the extremity, the lower 
lip much larger than the upper one. Also 
called Perilom'ra cordifolia (Schlechtendahl), 
and Scutellaria splendens (Klotzch). A native 
of Misantla, and other parts of Mexico. In- 
troduced in 1844. Flowers in September and 
October. Culture. — Requires a greenhouse ; 
light loamy soil; propagated by cuttings or 
seeds. (82) 
Dectzia stamixea, R. Brorcn (wing- 
stamened Deutzia). — Philadelphaceas. — A 
small deciduous shrub, with short close 
branches, ovate or ovate-lanceolate serrated 
leaves, and moderate sized clusters (cymes) of 
flowers at the ends of the shoots; they are very 
numerously borne on all the lateral twigs along 
the principal shoots, and are white and sweet- 
scented, composed of five spreading oblong pe- 
tals ; it is very ornamental when in blossom. 
Native of high mountains in the north of India. 
Introduced in 1841. Flowers in May and June. 
Culture. — Hardy, growing freely in common 
soil ; propagated by cuttings of the half -ripened 
young shoots planted in sand, and placed in a 
close frame ; or by layers. (83) 
Bravoa GEiirxiFLORA, La Llave (twin- 
flowered Bravoa). — Amaryllidaceas § Ama- 
ryllere. — A perennial plant with a pear-shaped 
bulbous root, keeled, narrow, slightly lanceolate 
leaves, about a foot long, and a slender stem, 
two or three feet high, furnished with a spike 
of distant flowers on its upper half; the flowers 
grow in pairs, are about an inch long, curved 
downwards, and are of a red or dull scarlet 
colour. A native of Mexico. Introduced in 
1836. Flowers from May to August ; also 
known as Ccetocapnia cjeminifiora. (Link 
and Otto.) Culture. — Requires a greenhouse ; 
sandy loam, dryish in winter ; propagated 
by cuttings or parting the plants. (84) 
FocRCROrA loxg^eva, Karwinshi (long- 
lived Fourcroya). — Amaryllidaceag § Agaveas. 
— A woody-stemmed plant, rising to the height 
of forty feet, furnished with long narrow 
leaves, and terminated by a spike or pyramid 
of flowers thirty feet high, and from twenty to 
thirty feet in diameter at the base ; the flowers 
are in six segments, white, and innumerable. 
A native of the summit of Mount Tanga in 
Oaxaca, 10,000 feet above the sea. Intro- 
duced in 1838. Flowers in May. Culture. — 
Requires a greenhouse ; rich loam ; must be 
carefully watered in the winter while in- 
doors ; propagated by side shoots when pro- 
duced. (85) 
Podaltria btjxifolia, Lamarck (box- 
leaved Podalyria). — Fabaceas § Papilionaceae- 
Podalyrieas. — An erect, branching shrubby 
plant, with broadly ovate leaves, under an inch 
in length, and rather large, broad, butterfly- 
shaped flowers, of a rich rose colour, either 
growing singly or in pairs. A native of the 
Cape of Good Hope. Introduced in 1790. 
Flowers in May and June. It is also called 
Podahjria cjlauca (De Candolle), and Hijpo- 
calyptus glaucus (Thunberg). Culture. — 
Requires a greenhouse ; peat and loam ; pro- 
pagated by cuttings in sand under bell-glasses, 
or by seeds. (86) 
Ctrtaxthus collinus, Ker (hill Cyrtan- 
thus — Amaryllidacaj § Arnaryllere. — A bul- 
bous plant, with narrow strap-shaped glaucous 
leaves, about eight inches long, and a flower- 
stalk crowned by about nine pendulous flowers; 
the flowers are tubular, swelling near the 
middle, and divided at the mouth into six 
segments ; they are of a poppy scarlet colour. 
A native of the Cape of Good Hope. Intro- 
duced in 1816. Flowers from May to August. 
Culture. — Requires a dry airy stove; free 
loam ; no water after the leaves die ; propa- 
gated by offsets or seeds, but more commonly 
by new importations. (87) 
Strobilanthes Sabiniaxa, Nees (Sabine's 
Strobilanthes). — Acanthacea; § Ruellidse. — A 
