NOTES ON FLOWERS. 
209 
terete, ashy brown, scarred with close trans- 
verse lines ; the summit is broadly convex, 
with a deep depression in the centre, glaucous, 
divided into six or eight ridges, which are 
more or less divided transversely into rounded 
unarmed tubercles, each having a small tuft of 
^a'ect hairs, but no aculei or prickles. The 
flowers are small, of a light pink colour, grow- 
ing from near the centre of the crown. A 
native of Mexico. Introduced in 1846. Flowers 
in the summer months. Culture. — Requires 
a greenhouse ; well-drained sandy loam ; kept 
moderately dry in winter ; propagated by 
seeds, or by planting the offshoots. (120) 
Tigridia conchiflora, var. Watkinsoni 
("Watkinson's shell Tiger-flower). — Iridacese. 
— A bulbous-rooted plant, growing up a foot 
and upwards in height, with sword-shaped 
leaves, and large very showy blossoms, of a 
rich orange colour; the three outer segments 
of the flowers are orange-yellow, the inner 
segments deeply spotted with red and brown; 
they last but part of one day, but produce a 
good succession. A garden hybrid, raised 
about 1836. Flowers in July and August. 
Culture. — Half hardy ; light rich sandy soil, 
and a warm situation ; propagated by offsets, 
and by seeds. (121) 
Dendrobium chrysotoxum, Lindley (gold- 
fringed Dendrobe). — Orchidacere § Malaxese- 
Dendrobidas. — A beautiful epiphytal plant, 
with narrow club-shaped pseudo-bulbs, bear- 
ing from two to four oblong coriaceous leaves, 
and loose gracefully drooping lateral racemes 
of deep golden yellow blossoms; the sepals 
are oblong and obtuse, the petals of the same 
form but larger, and both a clear pale yellow ; 
the lip is orange-yellow, most delicately and 
curiously broken up into innumerable minute 
fringed teeth. A native of India. Introduced 
in 1845. Flowers in March. Culture. — Re- 
quires a stove ; turfy peat soil ; propagated by 
division of the plant. (122) 
Odontoglosstjm Warneri, var. purjmra- 
tum (purple var. of Mr. Warner's Tooth- 
tongue). — A small epiphytal plant, with ovate 
pseudo-bulbs, bearing linear-lanceolate leaves 
at top, and throwing out from their base short 
riicemes of from five to eight pretty blossoms ; 
the sepals and petals are striped with purple 
on a white ground, the lip large, clear yellow, 
three lobed, the centre lobe being divided, 
thus forming four segments. A native of 
Mexico. Introduced in 1844. Flowers in 
January. Culture. — Requires a cool stove or 
greenhouse ; turfy peat ; propagated by divi- 
sion of the plant. (123) 
Crocus cancellatus, var. margaritaceus 
(latticed Crocus, variety). — Iridaceas. — A small 
bulbous plant of four or five inches high, with 
medium-sized white flowers, marked at the 
base with yellow and brown, and having a 
blueish tint inside; it is a handsome cup- 
shaped flower, growing up just before the 
leaves. A native of Mount Delphi, in Negro- 
pont, and Mount Taurus, varying in colour. 
Introduced in 1843 (?) Flowers in October. 
Culture. — Hardy ; common soil ; offsets. (124) 
Eriopsis biloba, Lindley (two-lobed Eri- 
opsis). — Orchidacea? § Vandea>Maxillarida3. 
— This is a handsome species, producing large 
plaited leaves, two or three together upon the 
summit of an oblong fleshy stem, from the 
base of which it throws up a long spike of gay 
orange-coloured blossoms ; they are not very 
large, and are compactly formed, deep yellow, 
edged or tipped with deeper orange ; the 
column is green. The history of its introduc- 
tion is unknown, but it is probably some west- 
ern species. Flowers in September, Culture* 
— Requires a stove ; to be potted in turfy 
peat ; propagated by division of the 
plant. (125) 
Echinocactus Visnaga, Hooker (the Vis- 
naga). — Cactaceas § Echinocactidas. — This is a 
most remarkable plant. To the characters of 
the melon-shaped cacti, in it an enormous size 
is superadded. A specimen in the Royal Bo- 
tanic Garden at Kew forms a solid mass of 
fleshy vegetable matter, measuring about four 
feet and a half from the base to the top, and 
having a circumference at a foot from the 
ground of upwards of ten feet : the number of 
the deep perpendicular angles or ribs into 
which its surface is divided is forty-four ; the 
form of the plant is oblong-subcylindrical ; at 
the top is a cushion-like tuft of down ; the 
ribs are strongly armed with tufts of spines, 
which in America are used as toothpicks. A 
native of rocky places in the mountains of 
San Luis Potosi. Introduced in 1845. Cul* 
ture. — Requires a greenhouse ; sandy loam 
and brick rubbish, well drained ; propagated 
by seeds or offshoots. (126) 
Stapelia Curtisii, Roemer (Curtis's Sta- 
pelia). — Asclepiadacese § Stapeliaa. — A tufted- 
growing succulent under-shrub, with four- 
cornered articulated green branches, with 
small spreading teeth on the angles : the 
flowers, which are fetid, are produced from 
near the bottom of the branches, and are 
divided into five cordate sharp- pointed seg- 
ments, with a raised ring in the centre; the 
flowers are wrinkled on the inside, of a bright 
yellow ground colour, spotted with small 
blotches of reddish brown. A native of the 
Cape of Good Hope. Introduced in 1787. 
Flowers in September. Also known as Orbea 
Curtisii (Haworth). Culture. — Requires a 
greenhouse; loam, sand, and brick rubbish; 
little water in winter; propagated by cut- 
tings. (127) 
48 
