Biological Notes

Abstract

FLORA OF NEW GUINEA.—Letters from Sydney of January 12 state that the Italian traveller, D'Albertis, had returned there from his last trip to New Guinea, and was engaged in preparing an account of his voyage up the Fly River. His fine collection of dried plants is in the hands of Baron von Mueller at Melbourne, who is describing many of the new plants in his “Papuan Flora.” Among them is a grand Hibiscus, which Baron von Mueller has named Hibiscus albertisii; its nearest affinity is with Hibiscus tupiliflorus of Hooker, of Guadaloupe and Dominica, in the West Indies. There is also a new Mucuna, which he has named Mucuna bennetti. D'Albertis describes this as one of the most beautiful of all the flowers seen in New Guinea; it is abundant on the banks of the Fly River, and the pendulous masses of large red blossoms cover the loftiest trees from the base to the summit and form one of the most gorgeous sights it is possible to conceive. There was also a yellow flowering species of the same genus which was rare, and only met with in the interior of New Guinea, in lat. 6° south, on the banks of the Fly River. The flowers of this species were only seen en the tops of the trees, forming a dense mass of blossoms, There was likewise another species of Mucuna met with, bearing blue flowers. All these and a number of other novelties will duly appear in Baron von Mueller's forthcoming part of his “Papuan Flora.”