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ACHIMENES hirsuta. 
Hairy Achimenes. 
DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. 
Nat. ord. Gesnerace^e. 
ACHIMENES. Botanical Register, 1842. fol. 19. 
A. hirsuta ; caulibus hirsutis paniculatis bulbilliferis, foliis cordatis serratia 
hirsutis, pedunculis solitariis foliis sequalibus, corollse limbo piano laci- 
niis rotundatis serrulatis. Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 1843. misc. 103. 
This pretty plant forms another acceptable addition to the 
charming genus Achimenes, and will probably become almost 
as great a favourite as any of the species. In habit it bears 
the nearest resemblance to A. pedunculata, and like that 
beautiful thing is disposed to bear little bulbs in the axils of 
its leaves and branches. 
The history of its introduction is an instructive lesson to 
importers of plants. How often do we find gardeners throw- 
ing away the moss, and mould, and fragments that remain 
after every foreign case of plants is examined, and the prin- 
cipal part of the contents removed ; and how often perhaps do 
they thus reject the most interesting species, for if accident is 
the fertile mother of new inventions, so is she also of new 
introductions. Canna iridiflora was obtained from seeds acci- 
dentally found in an old herbarium ; several Orchidaceous 
plants have been picked off dried specimens ; and this Achi- 
menes adds another to the list. It was hidden among a mass 
of Orchidaceous plants imported from Guatemala, and sold by 
auction a few months ago; Mr. Henderson, of the Pine Apple 
Place Nursery, accidentally detected it; and thus a plant, 
which must have been often sent home with fruitless care on 
former occasions, was brought to our gardens without any 
attention whatever. 
November, 1843 . 2 a 
