HYFOXIS ROOPERII.—SWAINSONA OSBORNII 
G5 
HYPOXIS ROOPERII.* 
WjfE are indebted for our drawing of this fine greenhouse perennial to the Pev. T. Rooper, of Wick 
Hill, Brighton. It is a most elegant plant, even when not in flower, but it has also the recom¬ 
mendation of being a very free bloomer, Mr. Rooper’s plant having continued in blossom from March 
until August. Under the influence of sunshine, the golden stars of these Hypoxids are very attractive, 
and especially so in this H. Rooperii, from their size as well as their number. The species is allied to 
H. stellipilis, but is a larger and much more showy plant. 
On a short stout erect rhizome, the elongate leaves are disposed in three ranks, about four being 
produced at one time in each series; they measure from nine to eighteen inches in length, and are 
about an inch and a half in breadth; the base is narrowed, and there they embrace the stem; the apex 
is drawn out into a long tapering point. Both surfaces bear stellate hairs, but those on the upper 
surface are scattered, whilst those below are more dense, and produce a hoary appearance. The flower- 
scape is about a foot long, and bears from four to six flowers, disposed in a kind of two-tier umbel. 
At the base of each pedicel is a subulate bract shorter than the pedicel itself, and having a membranous 
border; the pedicels are about as long as the perianth, and, as well as the bracts and outer surface of 
the perianth, are covered by long shaggy white hairs. The flowers are bright clear yellow inside, 
green without, and, when expanded, are nearly an inch and a half in diameter, forming a brilliant 
golden six-pointed star. The three outer divisions of the perianth are ovate-lanceolate, shaggy on the 
outside, the three inner broader, very obtuse, and hairy only at the very base. There are six yellow 
erecto-patent stamens, having an arrow-shaped base, and attached to short flat conical filaments. 
M e have not found any described species which agrees with the present, and have therefore much 
pleasure in appending to it the name of its discoverer, Captain E. Rooper, by whom also it has been 
introduced to our gardens. It was found by Captain Rooper growing near the mouth of the Buffalo 
river in Kaffraria, and was introduced in October 1848. 
This is an easily managed greenhouse or frame plant. It requires complete rest and drought in 
winter, with immunity from frost, and a sunny situation through the summer. The soil should be 
sandy, and the pots thoroughly drained. The only means of increase is by seed, w'hich Mr. Rooper’s 
plant has already essayed to perfect, but we believe no progeny has as yet been obtained.—M. 
SWAINSONA OSBORXII.f 
IHIHIS novel and very distinct species of Swainsona has been raised by Messrs. Osborn & Sons of the 
^ Fulham Nursery, and flowered with them in October 1851, when our drawing was made. It had 
been sent them by a correspondent from the Darling Downs, in Australia, where it was found growing 
by the side of water. Messrs. Osborn expect it to prove nearly hardy, it having been kept by them 
during winter plunged under shelter along with hardy herbaceous plants. The plants potted early in 
spring, and kept in a cold frame, bloomed in the course of the summer and autumn. It is a very 
ornamental half-hardy sub-herbaceous perennial. 
The habit of the plant is dwarf, and it is a very free bloomer. The stems are suffruticose, erect, 
branched, and faintly streaked. The unequally-pinnate leaves consist of many (nine to fifteen, usually 
twelve) pairs of small linear-oblong retuse leaflets, narrowed towards the base, channelled by a sunken 
midrib, and having a smooth surface to the naked eye, but under a lens seen to be sprinkled over, 
especially when young and on the lower surface, with minute transparent warts or glands. They 
have small bluntly triangular stipules at their base. The flowers are large, few in number on the 
racemes, but the latter are numerous, and grow about as long as the leaves, sometimes longer; the 
* H. Rooperii, n. sp.—Pilose; leaves trifarious, recurved, elongate, acutely keeled, narrowed below and imbricate at the base, 
tapering into a long point, clothed above with scattered stellate hairs, lanate beneath; scape four to six flowered, much shorter 
than the leaves, and as well as the bracts pedicels and exterior of perianth shaggy with long hairs; pedicels as long as the 
perianth, exceeding the subulate membranous-edged bracts.—M. 
t Swainsona Osbornii, n. sp.—Suffruticose, smooth; leaves of nine to fifteen pairs of linear-oblong retuse leaflets ; racemes few 
flowered, about equalling the leaves; pedicels without bracteoles, twice as long as the ciliate-toothed calyx.—M. 
