GASTftOLOBIUM OVALIFOLIUM.—HYBRID TRUNCATE CACTUSES. 
41 
GASTROLOBITDI OVALIEOLITJM* 
J771HIS very pretty New Holland shrub was bloomed, for the first time, last spring, by Messrs. Hen- 
A derson, of the Pine Apple Nursery, and we are indebted to them for the opportunity of publishing 
it. It is one of Drummond’s collection, and will become a very useful ornamental plant. 
It forms a dwarf branching shrub, very downy on all the young parts, glabrate when old. The 
leaves are elliptical opposite, stalked, the petioles half embracing the stem, and having erect, triangu¬ 
larly subulate, brown stipules : the summit of the leaves is bluntish, and with a soft mucro produced 
from the midrib, most evident in the young leaves. The inflorescence forms short racemes, terminal 
on lateral branches, the base of the peduncle clothed with many brown bracts resembling the stipules. 
The calyx has a bell-shaped tube, and almost equal teeth, which are rolled back in the flowering period. 
The corolla is showy, deep maroon or reddish brown-purple outside, brilliant yellow and veined 
within.—A. H. 
The culture of the genus Gastrolobium is so similar to that of Dillwynia, which is sketched at page 
26, that it is unnecessary here to repeat it.—M. 
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HYBRID TRUNCATE CACTTJSES.f 
7RHE very distinct and pretty forms of truncate Epiphyllum, or Leaf-Cactus, figured on the accom- 
A panying plate, were raised at the nursery of Messrs. Rollisson of Tooting, along with another 
distinct, but less striking variety, which differs from E. Rollissonii chiefly in its smaller size and more 
acute petals, and in having a decided coppery tinge in its colouring ; this may be called E. cupreum. 
The latter has been sold under the name of E. Russellianum elegans; E. Rollissonii under that of 
E. Russellianum rubrum; and E. Buckleyi as E. Russellianum superbum. Mr. Buckley, by whom 
these hybrids were raised, has communicated the subjoined account of their origin.—M. 
“ I had often admired the extreme beauty of the flowers of E. Russellianum, in respect to their 
colours and form, and also their graceful disposition on the plant j and it occurred to me, that if the 
E. truncatum could be made to produce flowers of the same form as these, still retaining its superior 
size, a desirable object would be attained. The hybrids you have figured are the result of an attempt 
to realize this object. They were obtained by impregnating E. Russellianum with the variety of 
truncatum called Ruckerianum. 
“No 1 [N. cupreum ] has the peculiar coppery tinge of its male parent, slightly suffused with purple from the 
female ; it has also the reflexed petals of the latter, which it resembles in form and size, whilst in growth and in 
freedom of blooming it resembles truncatum ; this is the smallest of the three. 
“No 2 [E. Rollissonii] is double the size of Russellianum , and in colour differs from both parents, being of a 
bright rose-red; the growth is similar to that of truncatum, hut the flowers have the regular (not gaping) form of 
the female parent, as well as its straight stamens and short angular seed-vessel; it is a very free bloomer. 
“ No. 3 [A. Buckleyi ] has the colours of both parents beautifully blended ; the ‘ petals’ are gracefully reflexed, 
especially the lower series ; thus presenting the appearance of two corollas. In common with No. 1 and No. 2, 
it has the short angular seed-vessel and straight stamens proper to its female parent; in habit this is more slender 
than the others, hut is still nearer the male than the female parent; in size it is intermediate. 
« These hybrids were all raised from one plant by the same cross, and at the same time ; thus 
showing, that in order to procure a numerous and varied offspring from one plant, the best way is to 
put the variety on the species. I maintain I have in this instance gained the following advantages :— 
* G. ovalifolium, n. sp.: leaves opposite shortly petiolate elliptic with a setaceous mucro, the younger ones on both sides as 
well as the branches villose, becoming glabrate on the upper surface, stipules large triangular-subulate scariose villose, racemes 
terminating the lateral branches, densely clothed with numerous stipule-like bracts, calyx villose, its teeth sub-equal revolute when 
in flower, ovary stipitate villose.—A. H. 
+ Epiphyllum Rollissonii (hyb. : $ truncatum 9 Russellianum).—Stems as in truncatum; flowers large, the divisions of the 
perianth in two remote series, sub-regular, crimson-red; petals broadly oblong, abruptly acute; filaments and style straight; ovary 
angular.—M. 
Epiphyllum Buckleyi (hyb.: $ truncatum 9 Russellianum).—Stems as in truncatum; divisions of the perianth in two remote 
series, regular, rose-purple; petals narrow oblong, tapering to an elongated acute point; filaments and style straight; ovary 
angular.—M. 
