l:?:axt::y5 splexdes: 
2S1 
LISIANTHrS SPLENDEN& 
-"■: : : :- 
THE SPLEXI>H> liselsthts. 
Y DB :- seedling plants of this species are 
: _• in the rich botanical collection ot 
: .'. B : tani : Garden at Kew. No plants 
:.: present exist in the country, which have 
I :. blooming state. From the excellent 
'. specimens which I sve sen sent to Eng- 
land by its iiscov rer Mr. Purdue, a leserip- 
tion of Ihe plant has been published by 
Sir "W. Hooker, in bis L. ; i . rnol of 
1 and this description is accompanied 
bv an excellent outline lelineatioii of its ;:- 
■ a nee: :: this source we are indel I Ifoi 
them^:::::.r Erom which the engraving which 
■ companies the present notice, has been 
I : ared. 
Z,- '."'"-" spkndens is a lovely and distinct 
species of an extensive genus. It has long 
climbing :r trailing shining round stems 
and branches, furnished with ;-- she ovate- 
acute stalked leaves, which in their shape and 
texture hare considerable resenihlance tc th - 
of the great periwinkle of our gardens 
The form of die flow ers is some- 
what singular: they are tubular, the base of 
the tube much contracted and quite slender, 
thev are also contracted, though not sa much 
so, at me throat :r apposite extremity', the 
intermediate [ :rtion being intiated ; the tubu- 
lar part, tah^u in connexion with the small 
hng segments at its mouth, have a good 
deal the appearance, as regards form, of a 
sweet-oil flask with its plaited stand : the limb 
: r ; reading segments alluded to is formed 
five rounded crenulated lob:?. The colour 
of these flowers is red : thev are each abour 
two inches long, and grow in terminal droop- 
ing umbels, often as c - :ght growing 
: .ether in a single bunch. They appear to 
be produced at the extremities of the short 
lateral branches produced by the main stems, 
and are, therefore, no doubt tolerably plen- 
tiful on healtl y lants. 
Seeds of this plant were obtained by Mr. 
Purdie, during his recent miss!::', in search 
: plants for the Royal garden, and from 
these, sent by him to that establishrneu:. 
young plants have now (1847) been raise h 
Mr. Purdie met with it. in 1S46, growing on 
bills of re 1 day, near Canoas, in the province 
;: Antioquia, New Grenada. 
It i gkmgs : the natural order Gentianaee ~. 
an order which furnishes our gardens with 
a considerable number of very ornamental 
plants. 
But little experience has yet been acquired 
: as to its habits and cultivation. It will no 
doubt form a vigorous gr€ « ung plant, cultiva- 
| ble in a warm greenhouse, perhaps, reqnhv. _ 
a slightly increased temperature during the 
early growing period of spring. The soil of 
its natural habitat would seem at once tc 
indicate a loamy soil as being most proper 
I for it : and doubtless a compost of three parts 
I rough turfy loam, and one part turfy peat, 
mixel with sand enough to render the mass 
moderately permeah.e t: moisture, i nuld suit 
As to its dur:.:i:u. it is probably a perennial 
shm*:' ~ st fiies, and as such, to be propa- 
gated with, facility, by means of cuttiuus. 
planted in sand, and set in a situation where 
they may have a slight bottom heat and the 
usual gonditions of shale and atmospheric 
mois: are, : : ngenial to their wants. 
THE EOSE GARDBN-* 
' ; The Rose Garden, 11 now issuirg; in 
month"- parts, will in due time form a hand- 
some volume ; illustrated by coloured plat s 
and wood cuts. It is intends . t: embrace two 
divisions; the firs: division is t: comprise 
I history of the rose, formation :: rosarium, 
soils, pruning, hp::-iui::iu^. forcing, budding, 
grafting, 6c:. : and the second is levoted :o an 
arrangement of all the approved roses known, 
in which the fullest lescriutive parrhuh.rs ;.ue 
introduced, more especially with reference t: 
those points which should be — but seldom are 
— well studied as a guide in planting. Prom 
this latter livision we will quote a passage 
which will illustrate the author's style Speak- 
ing of the improvements manifest in the 
present garden varieties, as ::mpared with 
* The Rose Sanies. B -■- William Paul. : * i 
Nurser ies. [Iheshuut, Herts, London: Sherwood k . 
Part I. May, 1847 
