SOPHORA, foliis sericeis, oblongis, alternatis, pilo mollissimo lucido omnino tectis, apice acutis, revolutis, ad basin stipulis parvis; floribus simplicibus, axillaribus, pallide purpureis; caulis argenteus. SOPHORA with silky leaves, oblong, alternate, and entirely covered by a very soft shining hair, sharp-pointed, and rolled back, with small stipulæ at their base; flowers grow singly from the axillae of the leaves, and of a pale purple; stem silvery. REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 1. The empalement. 2. The standard. 3. One of the wings. 4. The keel. 5. The chives and pointal. 6. The same magnified. 7. Seed-bud and pointal, summit magnified. This delicate Sophora may literally be said to be an old plant with a new face, as we have been long familiar with the foliage, but entirely unacquainted with its flowers, till very lately we found it in luxuriant bloom (and we believe for the first time in this country) in the conservatory of G. Hibbert, esq. this month (December), probably not the regular period of its inflorescence, but the effect of casualty assisted by the uncommon mildness of the season. It would be a vain endeavour to attempt to do justice to the beautiful shining silky appearance of the leaves; and when aided by its delicate purple flowers, its attraction is equal, if not superior, to any of the genus. The want of freedom in its flowering is a defect not entirely confined to this species only, but is in some degree attached to most Sophoras. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and requires as much air as can with safety be administered to it in this country. [Illustration] PLATE CCCCXLI. EPIDENDRUM FUSCATUM. _Brown-flowered Epidendrum._ CLASS XX. ORDER I. _GYNANDRIA DIANDRIA._ Chives on the Pointals. Two Chives. ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. NECTARIUM turbinatum, obliquum, reflexum. HONEY-CUP top-shaped, oblique, and reflexed. See Pl. XIII. Vol. I. Epidendrum cochleatum. SPECIFIC CHARACTER. EPIDENDRUM, foliis lanceolatis, caulem vagina alterne tegentibus, contortis, atro-purpureo discoloratis; floribus umbellatis terminalibus fuscatis, leviter punctatis, vel striatis. EPIDENDRUM, with lance-shaped leaves, alternately sheathing the stem, twisted, and discoloured with a deep purple; flowers terminate the branches in umbels, of a brownish colour, dotted or striped. REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 1. The nectary, or honey-cup. 2. The blossom detached. 3. The seed-bud, chives, and pointal, the hood lifted up that covers the chives. 4. The same magnified.