February 18, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
393 
NEW PLANTS CERTIFICATED 
By the Floral Committee of the R. H. S. 
February 14 th. 
Odontoglossum crispum rardalinum. 
The scape bore eleven fully expanded flowers, which 
were regularly set in two rows, one on each side of the 
main axis, and the whole presented a charming appear¬ 
ance. They owed their character and general aspect to 
the pure white ground of the sepals, petals,and labellum, 
which were marked with a few large-sized purplish brown 
blotches, not merely spots, as we general!}' accept the 
latter term. The labellum has, in addition, the large 
yellow blotch peculiar to 0. crispum, occupying the 
crest and a portion in front of it. Exhibited by Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P. (gardener, Mr. 
Bickerstaff.) 
DENDROBIUM NOBILE COOKSONI. 
This is a peculiar form of D. nobile, in which the 
petals have made a bold attempt to imitate a labellum, 
as shown in the accompanying illustration, in fact, 
there is a strong tendency on the part of the flower to 
become regular ; and a flower that is normally irregular, 
and tends to become regular, is described as assuming 
the peloria state. The sepals are rose, while the petals 
have the usual purple tips peculiar to D. nobile, but 
their bases have become 
partly concave or hooded, 
with the large purple blotch 
characteristic of the lip of 
that species. The lip is quite 
normal, but well coloured. 
Exhibited by Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart., M.P., and 
H. M. Pollett, Esq., Fern- 
side, Bickley (gardener, Mr. 
Parks.) 
Ardisia mamillata. 
The specific name of this 
plant refers to the singular 
elevations or little teat-like 
processes with which the 
leaves are densely furnished 
all over their upper surfaces ; 
while these same elevations 
terminate in a coarse white 
hair or bristle, which gives 
the leaf a shaggy or bristly 
appearance. In this same 
character the species is 
strikingly distinct, and 
being of dwarf habit, will 
become useful for decorative 
purposes. A great quantity 
of bright red berries, of 
a larger size than those of 
A. crenulata, are produced 
on short lateral branches 
below the leaves. The stem 
of the plant shown was 
about 6 ins. or 7 ins. high, 
and is the tallest we have 
seen, although the plant is 
several years old. It also 
flowers very early from seed 
when the foliage is scarcely 
above the surface of the pot. Exhibited by Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Pteris cretica nobilis. 
The general appearance of this plant is, as the 
varietal name implies, bold and striking or noble. The 
older and shorter fronds form a close mass, about 4 ins. 
to 6 ins. in height, and overlap the pot; while the 
younger and taller fronds stand about 12 ins. or 14 ins. 
high. Terminating the main rachis and each of the 
principal secondary ones, is a large and broad even- 
topped or corymbose crest, and to this, as well as the 
erect character of the principal or stronger fronds, the 
bold character of this Fern is due. No doubt it will 
prove an excellent subject for market. Exhibited by 
Mr. H. B. May, Dyson’s Lane Nursery, Upper 
Edmonton, N. 
Iris Histrio. 
The four-angled glaucous leaves of k this species are 
similar to those of I. reticulata, but somewhat stouter 
or thicker. Standards and petaloid stigmas are of a 
cheerful bright blue, contrasting beautifully with the 
falls, which are much broader and strikingly variegated 
or reticulated with white on a deep blue ground. The 
foliage is not particularly conspicuous, but is longer than 
the flowers, and shows off their lively colours to great 
advantage. The latter are comparatively of large size 
for the plant, and borne singly on scapes, which, 
together with the flowers themselves, do not exceed 3 
ins. to 4 ins. in height. The plant is a native of 
Mount Lebanon, Palestine. Exhibited by Messrs. 
Paul & Son, Chesliunt. 
Dendrobium chrysodiscus. 
The pseudo-bulbs of this Orchid are compressed much 
in a similar way to those of D. tortile, are about the 
same length, and well furnished with leaves resembling 
those of the latter species or D. nobile. The flower in 
size and shape reminds us of D. Ainsworthii, and has 
white sepals and petals, tipped with rosy purple. The 
labellum is also white, with the tip similarly coloured 
to the petals ; but the lower part, which is large and 
shallowly concave, has a large crimson and yellow 
blotch. Exhibited by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., 
M.P. 
Lycaste Skinneri Imperator. 
The flowers of this grand variety were of unusual 
size and substance, commanding the admiration of all 
who saw them. The sepals are blush coloured, but of 
great size, and form an admirable back-ground to the 
richly coloured petals, which may be described as of a 
rich crimson-purple, and constitute the most attractive 
Dendrobium nobile Cooksoni. 
and imposing feature of the flower. In the numerous 
and often splendid forms of this species the labellum is 
generally the most highly coloured organ, and although 
not so in this case, is, nevertheless, heavily variegated 
with rose and crimson on a pale ground, and bears a 
yellow tongue or crest. The column is white. Exhibited 
by Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans. 
Chinese Primula, Braid’s Seedling. 
Like other Primulas coming from the same source, 
the flowers of this variety are characterised by large 
size, and are flat, fimbriated, imbricated, and of good 
substance. They may be described as rich carmine, 
with a crimson band or broad line surrounding the 
yellow eye. On account of this latter character the 
variety has also been termed Auriculieflora, constituting 
a type or strain resembling an Auricula, and might 
with advantage be infused into other first-class flowers 
of different colours. The plants shown had robust 
foliage of the ordinary triangular and lobed type. 
Exhibited by Messrs. II. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, 
Kent. 
Rhododendron, Ruby. 
Compared with others with which we are now 
becoming familiar, the floivers of this form are of 
medium size, but characterised by an intense crimson- 
scarlet colour, and a highly ornamental appearance. 
They are funnel-shaped, with a glossy and shining 
lustre. The parentage is somewhat complicated ; the 
plant being derived through different crosses of It. 
jasminiflorum, R. javanicum, R. jasminifloram carmin- 
atum, and R. multicolor Curtisii. In the present 
state of the seedling it would be difficult to say what 
the ultimate habit of the plant will be ; but from the 
fact of R. multicolor being concerned in the parentage, 
which is dwarf, bushy, and branched, we may expect 
that Ruby will also partake of that character. Ex¬ 
hibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Rhododendron, Imogene. 
The flowers in this case are funnel-shaped, large, and 
of great substance, with broad rounded lobes or seg¬ 
ments. The colour is somewhat unique, and difficult 
to describe, and might be termed soft creamy yellow, 
suffused with blush, and the corolla being open or 
broadly expanded at the mouth, it exhibits the crimson 
anthers, which add to the unusual colour of the flower, 
and that may be described as a compromise between 
the clear soft yellow of R. Teysmannii, the seed-bearing 
parent, and the warm rose of R. Taylori, the pollen 
parent, itself a hybrid. Being at once large-flowered, 
of great substance, and a highly decorative variety, the 
award was well merited. Exhibited by Messrs. James 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Tree Carnation, Phyllis. 
In this we have a vigorous 
strong-growing winter¬ 
flowering Picotee, with mode¬ 
rately broad deep glaucous 
foliage. The flowers are 
large, perfectly double, and 
without being dressed, of 
goodform. From appearances 
the variety will make a 
useful and generally popular 
subject for decorative pur¬ 
poses in winter. The petals 
are heavily striped and flaked 
with bright red or scarlet 
on a pure white ground. 
The delicate and sweet 
fragrance of the flowers also 
adds greatly to their value. 
Exhibited by Mr. Charles 
Turner, Royal Nurseries, 
Slough. 
-- 
MIGNONETTE. 
Mignonette means “little 
darling,” and is supposed 
to be an Egyptian plant, 
and to have been brought to 
England from the south of 
France, where it is called 
Hebe d’Amour, or Love- 
flower. By a manuscript note 
in the library of the late Sir 
Joseph Banks it appears that 
the seed of the Mignonette was 
sent in 1/42 by Lord Bate¬ 
man, from theRoyal Gardens, 
Paris, to Mr. Richard 
Bateman, at old Windsor ; but it may be presumed that 
this seed was not dispersed, and perhaps not cultivated 
beyond Mr. Bateman’s garden, as it is found that Mr. 
Miller received the seed from Dr. Adrian Van Royen, 
of Leyden, and cultivated it in the Botanic Garden at 
Chelsea, in the year 1752. From Chelsea it soon got 
into the gardens of the London florists, so as to enable 
them to supply the metropolis with plants to furnish 
balconies—a fact noticed by Cowper, who attained the 
age of twenty-one in the year that this flower first per¬ 
fumed the British atmosphere by its fragrance. The 
author of “The Task” soon afterwards celebrates it as a 
favourite plant in London. 
“-the sashes fronted with a range 
Of Orange, Myrtle, or the fragrant weed.” 
I have a volume of the Botanical Magazine for 1787 
which gives a coloured illustration of the Mignonette. 
I have no doubt this is a very faithful representation of 
the plant as seen in those days, and one can see how 
the plant has been improved in the past century. The 
illustration in the Botanical Magazine represents a 
small and loose spike of flowers quite inferior as com¬ 
pared with our fine types of the present day. 
Although the Mignonette is a flower of no- heraldic 
fame, it is nevertheless to be seen on the armoured 
shield of a noble Saxon house, and the origin of its 
