October 24, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
895 
Although it has been brought before the public for two years 
in succession by the raisers, it has not yet been put into com¬ 
merce, but will be so next spring. The object of holding it 
back is that it may be properly tried before placing it in 
Competition, with first-class varieties already in, existence. 
The accompanying illustration, reproduced from a, photograph, 
hardly does the variety justice as to its exact form. It would 
have required another photograph showing a side view of the 
flower to give an exact, impression of its, real structure. Other¬ 
wise, however, our Supplement gives a good idea of the flower 
taken from above, so as to show the centre. 
The Best Flowering Plants at Kew. 
“ There are more plants in the garden than ye wot of. 
Cynorchis purpurascens. 
A handsome species with one large solitary shining green 
leaf and a long raceme of many large flowers which, with the 
exception of a, white blotch on the centre, of the lip, are wholly 
purple. It. is usually found in its native habitat growing on 
the prostrate stems of a, species of Pandanus, occasionally in 
tufts of Asplenium Nidus, but always in a semi-shaded posi¬ 
tion, where moisture is redundant. Madagascar. 
Cypripedium spicerianum. 
One of the most, useful and beautiful of the species. As 
cut flowers, its blooms, because of their intermediate size and 
especially by reas'on of their large white dorsal sepal, are highly 
prized. Hence the chief reason why it. has been so largely 
used in the production of hybrids. Assam. 
Cypripedium insigne Sanderae. 
Though not so robust as the type, this very distinct variety 
is a, great acquisition, and a most desirable plant, which it. is 
to be hoped will soon find a place in all collections. The 
flowers, resembling those of the type in, size and shape, are of 
a delicate primrose-yellow, with the exception of the dorsal 
sepal, which has a broad apical margin of white. 
Miltonia cuneata. 
A robust species arising from a, creeping rhizome and pro¬ 
ducing narrowly lanceolate leaves 9 in. to 15 in. long. Three to 
eight flowers, 2-1- in. to 3 in., in, diameter, are borne in a 
raceme on a peduncle some 18 in. or more in length. Their 
sepals and petals are similar, being oblong-lanceolate, with 
pointed recurving tips and undulate margins, chestnut brown, 
tipped yellow. The white lip has a long claw and sub-quadrate 
blade. Brazil. 
Sobralia decora (S. sessilis in Bot. Mag., t. 4750), 
Though the flowers of this plant are not so' durable as those 
of many Orchids, yet their delicate colour, combined with the 
graceful habit of the plant,, ranks it as a desirable form, espe- 
1 cially where specimen plants are desired. Its stems, 1-1 ft. 
to 3 ft. long, are tufted, reed-like, jointed and sheathed by the 
bases of its lanceolate leaves. The solitary terminal flowers 
have spreading pointed sepals and erecto-patent blunt petals, 
nearly white or faintly rose-tinted. Lip convolute, yellowish, 
deeply stained rose-purple, the frontal margin being waved, 
i Mexico. 
Chirita hamosa (syn. Rottlera hamosa). 
A neat pot-plant about 9 in high, suitable for an inter¬ 
mediate house. It® campanula,te flowers are I in. long, nearly 
white, the mouth being pale blue or rose in some forms, and 
borne on axillary peduncles. India. 
Acacia platyptera. 
One of the most distinct species of a varied genus, which 
by reason of its green, broadly winged stems ha,s the appear¬ 
ance of a. herbaceous plant. In addition to its interesting 
habit, and the profusion in. which it produces; its globular heads 
of rich yellow flowers, it. has the additional recommendation of 
flowering as a small pot plant, and as such very useful for the 
greenhouse stages. Australia. 
Grevillea alpina (syn. G. alpestris). 
A small, compact, densely branched, somewhat diffuse green¬ 
house, hard-wooded plant, which, if grown in a cool frame all 
summer, forms a useful and ornamental plant 10 in. to 2 ft. 
high. It is a very profuse flowerer, the whole plant being 
covered with short drooping racemes of flowers. The in¬ 
dividual flower is small, swollen, and red at base, much re¬ 
curved and white at the point, and entirely covered with a 
fair pubescence, contrasting well with the linear leaves, which 
are silky villous underneath. Australia. 
Erica caffra. 
A slender growing, compact greenhouse plant, which at 
present is a mass of small white campanulate flowers, which 
are highly decorative and valuable as cut flowers. It is also 
known as E, strigosa and E. prolifera, and said to be a, form of 
E. persoluta. Cape of Good Hope. 
Tricyrtis hirta. 
A free flowering - , half-hardy Lilywort, which, when, accorded 
tlie protection of a cool greenhouse, forms a plant 2 ft. to 
-1 ft. high. Stems arched, herbaceous, clothed with ovate 
amplexica.ul leaves, producing in, their axils from two to seven 
erect, flowers. A good stem frequently lias 2 ft. of its length 
bearing flowers. The flowers are of six segments (the outer 
three being saccate), white, densely spotted purple, having a 
small band of yellow surrounding the nectary. Japan. 
Caryopteris Mastacanthus. 
A sub-shrubby plant, about, 3 ft, high, frequently grown, as 
a specimen, in the conservatory. Being nearly hardy, if it 
is grown against a south wall it will flower freely at a. period 
when its azure flowers are most acceptablei. China, 
Chrysanthemum uliginosum. 
Even when grown in. patches in a herbaceous border this is 
a. very decorative plant, but to' realise its value it should lie 
massed in large isolated beds 6 ft. or more across, when, as 
a,t Kew, they form a marked feature of the landscape. To 
further ensure success, attention, to the thinning of the stems 
will more than repay the short time it, requires. Eastern 
Europe. 
Myrtus Luma. 
In. almost every Cornish garden of any pretensions to size 
one or more bushes of this pretty shrub may be seen. In 
Cornwall it is known as Eugenia apiculata, which name is, 
however, but a synonym for Myrtus Luma. It, is a, native of 
Chili, and as far north as London requires greenhouse treat¬ 
ment ; in Cornwall and parts of London,, however, it is per¬ 
fectly at home out of doors, growing luxuriantly and flowering 
well. Bushes of all sizes are to be found, ranging from 5 ft, 
or 6 ft, high up to; 30 ft,, and from 4 ft. through up to 15 ft. 
or 20 ft. As a, rule, the plants are symmetrical in outline and 
perfectly clothed from base to summit. When out of flower 
the small Myrtle-like leaves give it a, distinct appearance, and 
stamp it as a valuable evergreen. In September, when, the 
flowers are borne, it makes a beautiful sight, for'the bushes 
are a sheet of white, with dark green leaves 1 showing here and 
there. The flowers are followed by small black fruits, and 
these are eaten by bird?', the seeds being earned about, with 
the result, of young plants coming up all over the gardens. 
For southern, gardens, it, is, without doubt., a. veiy valuable 
shrub, being both a good evergreen and flowering plant. 
W. Dallimore. 
Destruction of a Tree of Ailanthvs glandttlosa.— During 
the storm that raged over the south of England on September 
10th last a fine specimen of the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus 
o-landulosa) was blown down at Wells. It was about 100 years 
old, stood about 50 ft. high, and had a girrh of 11 ft. It is be¬ 
lieved there are few, if any, larger specimens of this tree in the 
country. 
