Elisena longipetala

Perianthium tubatum tubo brevi subcylindrico decurvo limbo reflexè patulo coronâ cylindraceâ deflexâ complanatè depressâ, genitalia subfasciculatè declinata recurvata, an- theræ breves incumbentes medio affixæ, ovula margaritacea erecta, semina viridia rotunda, bubus fibris crassis persis- tentibus. Plantæ Americanæ, arenis gaudentes. ELISENA longipetala; scapo ancipiti tripedali viridi, spathâ biunciali marcescente bracteatâ, floribus circ. sex, pe- dunculis ¼-uncialibus, germine trigono 5/8-unc. tubo viridi 3/8-unc. limbo albo ultra-triunciali basi virente apice revoluto, coronâ concolore complanatè subcylin- dricâ petalo imo adpressâ, dentibus interstamineis revo- lutis irregulariter trifidis, genitalibus semifasciculatè assurgenter declinatis, stylo coronam 3-uncias fila- menta unciam ferè superante, polline pallidè flavo, ovulis binis in loculo singulo, seminibus magnis, foliis 8 acutis laminâ 1¾-unc. latâ viridi 18-21-uncialibus columnâ cylindraceâ sub-16-unciali. W. H. ELISENA longipetala. Bot. Reg. 24. Misc. 79.

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This plant was imported by RICHARD HARRISON, Esq., and having flowered with him at Aighburgh, near Liver- pool, was described in the Appendix to the Botanical Re- gister for 1838. Our specimen flowered at Spofforth in the greenhouse at the end of March in a six inch pot of white sand, with a very small admixture of loam, and produced eight leaves, with a scape above a yard high, and six flowers. It would undoubtedly succeed as well as ISMENE amancaes in a bed of white sand out of doors, if it can be kept back

from shooting so early in the spring, which will probably be effected without difficulty. The bulbs of ISMENE need not be set till May, and notwithstanding the want of warmth in the summer of 1839, I. amancaes had ripened seed out of doors at the commencement of July, and some of the bulbs continued flowering till August. E. longi- petala has completely the aspect of an ISMENE. The form of ISMENE deflexa, which has the cup reclining on the lower petals, and the upper filaments too long to fall into the cup, and therefore lying like bars across its mouth, brings the two genera nearer together, and makes it a question whe- ther ELISENA may not be rather a section of ISMENE. It differs in having the filaments long, almost fasciculate, declined with the points curved upwards, and the cup narrowly cylindrical, flattened as if by pressure from above, and the tube very short. If the bulb sent to Spofforth from Lima for E. ringens be correct, it has also a long column to the leaves, and the aspect of an ISMENE, and the figure in the Flora Peruv. is quite incorrect, but, as the plant has not flowered, it may perhaps not be correct. There seems to be a third species amongst Mr. MACLEAN'S specimens from Caxamarquilla on the East side of the Andes, (alt. 10,000 feet,) which differs from ringens in having a longer spathe, and filaments only half the lenth. The leaves also differ in being blunt, if the right leaves, which are detached, have been placed with the flowers. It will be desirable that live specimens of the three species should be inspected before any decision is made as to the question, whether ELISENA Should be considered as a section of ISMENE, which seems probable. The cup of E. longipetala properly leans on the lower petal, but the flower is apt to take a little twist, which throws it on the lower petal and one of the lateral sepals. The three species agree in a similar short bent tube, unlike that of ISMENE. The fibres of both ISMENE and ELISENA are very thick, fleshy, and permanent, continuing as sound as the bulb itself when kept through the winter in dry sand. The seed of E. longipetala is large, round, and green, like that of ISMENE. I. deflexa flowered finely in the open border at Spofforth at the end of July and in August, and bore the cold wet season of 1840 better than amancaes. W. H.

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ELISENA sublimis; scapo dodrantali, spathâ triunciali sexflorâ pedunculis 3/8-3/4-unc. tubo 3/8-unc. limbo albescente biunciali filamenta ¾-unc. superante, coronâ circ. ¾-unc. acutè pluridentatâ, stylo limbum sub- æquante vel semunciam demum superante stigmate minuto. Speci- men in Andibus Caxamarquillæ a dom. J. Maclean lectum. W. H.

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