strongly 3-nerved. Nectariferous tube very short, scarce¬ 
ly half so long as the calyx, flattened on each side, and 
a little gibbous at the base. Petals 5, very broad, roundly 
ovate; the two upper ones broadest, nearly orbicular, 
of a bluish lilac, with a large dark purple patch in the 
centre, becoming lighter at the outsides, between that 
and the base are numerous dark purple lines that branch 
all over the petals, but are nearly obscured by the large 
dark patch: lower petals of a bluish lilac, somewhat 
stained with purple, and lined with 5 purple lines from 
the base. Filaments 10, connected at the base, 7 bear¬ 
ing anthers, that are generally sterile. Style purple, 
hairy about half way up, the upper part smooth. Stig¬ 
mas 5, dark purple, spreading, the points reflexed. 
The present handsome plant is of hybrid origin, and 
belongs to the same tribe as P. atrofuscum, to which it 
is nearly related; but it is much more difficult to in¬ 
crease by cuttings, the plants producing scarcely any 
other than flowering shoots, which soon become too 
hard to strike root, so that it will most probably con¬ 
tinue a scarce plant for some time. We received the 
plant from which our drawing was made, from Messrs. 
Young, Nurserymen, at Epsom, in whose collection, we 
believe, it only is at present; from its abundant flower¬ 
ing, and the fine dark colour of its flowers, it may be 
considered a very desirable plant, particularly as it 
forms a snug compact bush, and needs very little, or no 
cutting in to keep it low and bushy, and every shoot 
that it produces is loaded with flowers; a mixture of 
light turfy loam and sandy peat is a proper soil for it, 
and very young cuttings is the best for planting; these, 
if planted in pots in the same sort of soil, in Spring, and 
placed on a shelf in the Greenhouse, and well supplied 
with water when dry, will be most likely to root, and 
will soon make nice young plants. 
