1878.] 
AMERICAN AG-RIO ULTURIST. 
61 
Macowan’s Flame Flower. 
The well known Tritoma Uvaria, its varieties and 
allies, is justly valued for its brilliant spikes which 
give a brilliancy to the garden in the autumn 
months. We are indebted to England for the 
common name, “ Red-hot Poker Plant,” which is 
soft orange color, which is very pleasing. The 
plant seems to be a remarkably free liowerer, and its 
season is evidently a long one. The stems of tall 
species, unless staked, are apt to be bent by the 
weight of the flower spikes, and the autumnal 
storms frequently make sad work with them, acsi- 
dents from which this species is likely to be free. 
When first introduced into England, it was grown 
servedly one of the most popular of ornamental¬ 
leaved bedding and pot-plants; and being easily 
propagated, a suflicient stock is quickly obtained 
to meet the great demand which a desirable novelty 
like this is sure to create. The now well-known 
variety called “ The Shah,” which for some time 
after its introduction seemed to be “ under a cloud,” 
has at length proved to be invaluable for bedding 
macowan’s flame flower. —(Tritoma Macowani.) many-colored colecs. —(Coleus multicolor.) 
more descriptive than elegant, and when the 
English, as we see by their journals they are dis¬ 
posed to do, change this awkward name to “Flame 
Flower,” we are quite ready to accept the amend¬ 
ment, with thanks. The plants were originally 
placed in the genus Kniphophia, but later a portion 
of them were separated to make another genus, 
Tritoma. We notice that English writers are of 
late inclined to restore these, and to call them all 
Kniphophia. As the name Tritoma is well estab¬ 
lished in our gardens and catalogues, we retain it 
until we can examine into the reasons for discard¬ 
ing it for the other. Our purpose is not to discuss 
names, but to call attention to a new species, so 
recently introduced into cultivation, that it is quite 
a rarity abroad, and which we saw last October 
flowering finely in the hardy herbaceous collection 
of Messrs. Woolsou & Co., Passaic, N. J. This 
species was discovered by Prof. Macowan, in the 
mountains of South Africa, at an elevation of 4,500 
feet above the sea, and was named in his honor, 
Tritoma Macowani. With the same general appear¬ 
ance as the tall-growing Tritomas, which have been 
60 long in cultivation, it is much more delicate, and 
smaller. The leaves differ from those of the other 
epecies in being more rigid, and in having their 
edges roughened by minute teeth. The flower 
stems are not much over a foot high, (the English 
descriptions say from 1 to 2 feet,) and bear at the 
summit a spike of reflexed flowers, which, while 
they have not the firey aspect of the other species, 
are sufficiently brilliant, being of a very rich and 
only as a conservatory plant, for which use it is 
well adapted. It has proved quite hardy with 
Herr Max Leichtlin at Baden Baden, Germany, and 
in some English gardens, and will be tested by 
Woolson & Co. the present winter. The other 
6pecies of Flame Flower are usually hardy in the 
climate of New York, if given a covering of litter, 
and this species of Macowan is so desirable that, 
if not absolutely hardy, it will be worth the slight 
protection required by the others. 
A New Coleus.—C. Multicolor. 
BY W. C. BAltr.T, ROCHESTER. N. Y. 
[Last fall we saw at Ellwanger & Barry’s a new 
Coleus, which Wm. C. and Charles Barry, who had 
recently returned from Europe, had brought over 
“ by hand,” so to speak, as they had cared for it in 
their state-room during the voyage. The variety 
being quite new, we requested Mr. Barry to fur¬ 
nish us, when the plant should be sufficiently re¬ 
covered from the effects of travel, with materials 
for an engraving ; this he has done, and at the 
same time sends the accompanying notes.—E d.] 
Of the many Plant “ Novelties ” which I had the 
pleasure of seeing while abroad the past summer, I 
think that the most interesting and valuable was 
Coleus multicolor. Interesting, because of its curi¬ 
ous, distinct, and beautiful foliage ; valuable, for 
the reason that in this climate the Coleus is de- 
out as well as for pot culture. The “ Chameleon,” 
another beautiful variety, about which there was 
some question as to its value, has won its way to 
popular favor, and is now considered indispensable 
in every' collection. The new species, the form of 
which is represented by the engraving, is very ap¬ 
propriately called multicolor, on account of the 
many colors which are presented in its leaves. 
Although quite distinct from either of the varieties 
mentioned above, it seems to partake to some ex¬ 
tent of the peculiarities of both, so much so as to 
suggest that it may have originated from them. It 
is claimed for it, however, that it is a distinct 
species, and a native of the Solomon Islands. It 
was introduced to the trade last spring by the cele¬ 
brated firm of Veitch & Sons, London, who describe 
it as follows :—“ In form the leaves differ chiefly 
from the usual type in having the teeth of the edges 
greatly elongated and rounded at the tips. In color 
it is remarkable for the number of rich shades of 
crimson, red, rose, etc., into which the leaves sport; 
some of the young leaves having also a bright yel¬ 
low for the ground color marked with rose or red. 
All the shades of color in the foliage contrast finely 
with the bright green of the stem and foot stalks. 
It is a very beautiful plant, and will be found among 
the most useful of its tribe for decoration. It re¬ 
ceived a First Class Certificate from the Royal 
Horticultural Society, May 2nd. Also a Certificate 
of Merit from the Royal Botanic Society, April 18th.” 
All who have seeu the new Coleus pronounce it a 
valuable acquisition to the list of plants with oma-> 
