Plate 115 . 
RHODODENDRON, “ DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH.” 
This really magnificent greenhouse Rhododendron, which we now figure from the rich 
collection of Messrs. Yeitch and Sons, of Chelsea, was exhibited at the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s Show, and received a first-class certificate, on March 4th last. It is a hybrid between 
the two well-known Rhododendrons, R. Princess Royal and R. Lobbii. The original of our 
Plate was a small but robust and very floriferous seedling, which bore a truss of glowing 
vermilion-scarlet flowers, of wax-like consistence and great beauty; the brilliant coloration 
of the flowers being still more heightened by the rich dark glossy green tint of the foliage. 
In past volumes of the “ Floral Magazine” we have figured many Rhododendra, but in point 
of compact handsome habit and truly refulgent colour no other plant can bear comparison 
with the subject of our present Plate. Rhododendron Duchess of Edinburgh comes 
nearest to R. Lobbii, which old plant, with R. Rrookianum-favum, still holds its place in 
Messrs. Veitch’s Catalogue. The subject of our Plate is only one other of the many success- 
ful hybrids for which Messrs. Veitch’s Nursery at Chelsea has for so long been famous. 
The cultivation of greenhouse Rhododendrons is so simple, and now so well understood, 
that little more need be said under the head of culture than that in the mixture of leaf- 
mould, turfy loam, and peat commonly used for these plants, the peat should be especially 
good and sweet, with plenty of sand in its composition. The failure sometimes attributed 
to peat in the culture of these plants is doubtless entirely owing to the peat used being bad, 
sour, and without sand. Duchess of Edinburgh does well under ordinary greenhouse 
treatment. 
Plate 116 . 
ENCHOLIRIUM CORALLINUM. 
On March 4th this highly curious and beautiful Bromeliad was exhibited at the meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society, by Mr. William Bull, of Chelsea. The species coming 
under Encholirium are sometimes referred to the genus Vriesia ; and in the first Plate of our 
first volume we figured the singular epiphytal Vriesia brachystachys , from the collection of 
Messrs. Veitch (since which time, we may incidentally say, Messrs. Veitch have acquired 
V. psittacina, a very superior plant, to V. brachystachys). It is not improbable that the 
subject of our present Plate is also an epiphyte in its native country— viz., Brazil — as are so 
many Bromeliaceous plants of tropical forests; here, it is of course a stove plant, and of very 
easy culture, but should not be kept too moist. As will be seen in our supplementary sketch 
(showing habit), it naturally forms a tuft of spreading leaves, which are of a linear strap- 
shaped form, bluntly apiculate, channelled, of a thin papery texture, dull greyish green above, 
purplish on the under surface, and very faintly marked with transverse stripes. The flowers 
grow in a handsome distichous spike at the top of a scape about two feet high, and are 
exceedingly showy, the bracts being of a bright deep crimson, while the flowers have the 
three outer segments of the perianth yellow and the three inner ones green, which latter are 
slightly protruded when in bloom. The bracts on the stem are also deep crimson, and the 
scape itself deep purple crimson. 
