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Division. 1; A to Car., by Various
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Title: The Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening, Division. 1; A to Car.
A Practical and Scientific Encyclopaedia of Horticulture
Author: Various
Contributor: J W H Trail
J Garrett
Editor: George Nicholson
Release Date: December 11, 2017 [EBook #56162]
Language: English
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[Illustration: ARISTOLOCHIA ELEGANS.]
THE
ILLUSTRATED
DICTIONARY OF GARDENING,
A PRACTICAL AND SCIENTIFIC
_Encyclopædia + of + Horticulture_
FOR
GARDENERS AND BOTANISTS.
EDITED BY
GEORGE NICHOLSON,
_Of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew_.
ASSISTED BY PROFESSOR J. W. H. TRAIL, A.M., M.D., F.L.S., IN THE
PARTS RELATING TO INSECTS AND FUNGI; AND J. GARRETT IN THE FRUIT,
VEGETABLE, AND GENERAL GARDEN WORK PORTIONS.
DIVISION I.--A TO CAR.
PUBLISHED BY
L. UPCOTT GILL, 170, STRAND, LONDON, W.C.
SOLE AGENT FOR THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA,
JAMES PENMAN, NEW YORK.
1887.
LONDON: PRINTED BY A. BRADLEY, 170, STRAND.
PREFACE.
THE ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF GARDENING aims at being the best and
most complete Work on Gardening and Garden Plants hitherto published.
The aim is, indeed, a high one; but the Publisher, whose taste for
Flowers has rendered the production a labour of love, has, on his part,
spared no expense that the Typography and Illustrations should be of
a very high class. It is to be hoped that earnest efforts to attain
accuracy, by consulting the best Authorities, combined with no small
amount of original research, have contributed to render the _matter_
of the Work not unworthy of the _form_ in which it is presented to the
reader. The large number of Illustrations is an important feature;
and it is believed that the figures quoted, and the references given
to various works--in which more detailed information is contained
than is desirable, or, indeed, possible, in these pages, on account
of space--will greatly add to the interest and value of the work.
Considerable trouble has been taken in revising the tangled synonymy of
many genera, and clearing up, as much as possible, the confusion that
exists in garden literature in connection with so many plants, popular
and otherwise. In the matter of generic names, Bentham and Hooker's
recently-completed "Genera Plantarum" has, with few exceptions, been
followed; that work being the one which will, for a long time to
come, undoubtedly remain the standard authority on all that relates
to generic limitation. With regard to the nomenclature of species, I
have endeavoured to consult the latest and most trustworthy Monographs
and Floras, and to adopt the names in accordance with them. Now and
then, certain plants are described under their common garden names; but
they will, in such cases, be also found mentioned under the genus to
which they really belong. A case in point may be cited: _AnÅctochilus
Lowii_ is given under _AnÅctochilus_, but the name it must now bear is
_Dossinia_, and a reference to that genus will explain matters pretty
fully, as far as the present state of knowledge goes.
I am greatly indebted to Professor J. W. H. TRAIL, M.D., F.L.S.,
&c., for his valuable contributions on Insects, Fungi, and Diseases
of Plants, branches of science in which he has long been specially
interested, and in which he is an undoubted authority.
Mr. J. GARRETT, of the Royal Gardens, Kew, late of the Royal
Horticultural Society's Gardens, is responsible for Fruit and
Vegetable Culture, for most of what appertains to Florists' Flowers,
and for General Gardening Work. For information on many special
subjects--Begonias may be cited as an example--I am obliged for much
assistance to Mr. W. WATSON, also of the Royal Gardens, Kew; in fact,
the article _Begonia_, in its entirety, was written by him. Mr. W. B.
HEMSLEY, A.L.S., has, throughout, given me aid and advice; and I have
to acknowledge constant help from several other colleagues.
The Rev. PERCY W. MYLES, M.A., has taken no little trouble in working
out the correct derivations of very many of the Generic Names;
unfortunately, in a number of instances, lack of time prevented me from
obtaining the benefit of his knowledge. I have to record my gratitude
for help in so difficult a task, this special study being one to which
Mr. MYLES has paid much attention.
GEORGE NICHOLSON.
ROYAL GARDENS, KEW.
[Illustration]
REFERENCE TO ILLUSTRATIONS OF PLANTS OTHER THAN THOSE FIGURED IN THIS
WORK.
It has been suggested, by an eminent Authority, that many readers
would be glad to be informed where reliable Illustrations could be
found of those Plants which are not figured in this Work. To meet
this want, references to the figures in Standard Authorities have
been given, the titles of the Works referred to being, for economy
of space, abbreviated as follows:
A. B. R. Andrews (H. C.). Botanist's Repository. London,
1799-1811. 10 vols. 4to.
A. E. Andrews (H. C.). Coloured Engravings of Heaths.
London, 1802-30. 4 vols. 4to.
A. F. B. Loudon (J. C.). Arboretum et fruticetum britannicum....
London, 1838. 8 vols. 8vo.
A. F. P. Allioni (C.). Flora pedemontana. Aug. Taur., 1785.
3 vols. Fol.
A. G. Aublet (J. B. C. F.). Histoire des plantes de la
Guiane Française. Londres, 1775. 4 vols. 4to.
A. H. Andrews (H. C.). The Heathery. London, 1804-12.
4 vols. 4to.
B. Maund (B.). The Botanist.... London, 1839.
8 vols. 4to.
B. F. F. Brandis (D.). Forest Flora of ... India. London,
1876, 8vo. Atlas, 4to.
B. F. S. Beddome (R. H.). Flora sylvatica. Madras
[1869-73]. 2 vols. 4to.
B. H. La Belgique Horticole.... Ghent, 1850, &c.*
B. M. Botanical Magazine. London, 1787, &c. 8vo.*
B. M. Pl. Bentley (R.) and Trimen (H.). Medicinal Plants.
London, 1875-80. 8vo.
B. O. Bateman (James). A Monograph of Odontoglossum.
London, 1874. Fol.
B. R. Botanical Register. London, 1815-47. 33 vols. 8vo.
B. Z. Botanische Zeitung. Berlin, vols. i.-xiii. (1843-55).
8vo. Leipzig, vol. xiv. (1856).*
C. H. P. Cathcart's Illustrations of Himalayan Plants. London,
1855. Fol.
Enc. T. & S. Loudon (J. C.). Encyclopædia of Trees and Shrubs....
London, 1842. 8vo.
E. T. S. M. _See_ T. S. M.
F. A. O. Fitzgerald (R. D.). Australian Orchids. Sydney,
1876. Fol.*
F. D. Flora Danica--usually quoted as the title of the
work, Icones plantarum ... Daniæ et Norvegiæ....
Havniæ. 1761 to 1883. Fol.
F. d. S. La Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe.
1845-82. 23 vols. 8vo.
Fl. Ment. Moggridge (J. T.). Contributions to the Flora of
Mentone.... London, 1864-8.
Flora Flora oder allgemeine botanische Zeitung. 1818-42.
25 vols. 8vo. [New Series] 1843, &c.*
F. M. Floral Magazine. London, 1861-71, 8vo. 1872-81, 4to.
F. & P. Florist and Pomologist. London, 1868-84. 8vo.
G. C. The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette.
London, 1841-65. Fol.
G. C. n. s. The Gardeners' Chronicle. New Series, 1866, &c.
Fol.*
G. G. Gray (A.). Genera floræ Americæ.... Boston,
1848-9. 2 vols. 8vo.
G. M. The Gardeners' Magazine. Conducted by Shirley
Hibberd. London.
G. M. B. The Gardeners' Magazine of Botany.... London,
1850-1. 3 vols. 8vo.
Gn. The Garden. London, 1871, &c. 4to.*
G. W. F. A. Goodale (G. L.). Wild Flowers of America. Boston,
1877. 4to.
H. B. F. Hooker (W. J.). The British Ferns.
H. E. F. Hooker (W. J.). Exotic Flora. Edinburgh, 1823-7.
3 vols. 8vo.
H. F. B. A. Hooker (W. J.). Flora boreali-americana.... London,
1833-40. 2 vols. 4to.
H. F. T. Hooker (J. D.). Flora Tasmaniæ. London, 1860.
2 vols. 4to. This is Part 3 of "The Botany of
the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships
_Erebus_ and _Terror_, in the years 1839-43."
H. G. F. Hooker (W. J.). Garden Ferns. London, 1862. 8vo.
H. S. F. Hooker (W. J.). Species Filicum.
I. H. L'Illustration horticole. Gand, 1850, &c. 8vo.*
I. H. Pl. _See_ C. H. P.
J. B. Journal of Botany.... London, 1863. 8vo.*
J. F. A. Jacquin (N. J.). Floræ austriacæ.... icones....
Viennæ, 1773-8. 5 vols. Fol.
J. H. Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener.
Conducted by Dr. Robert Hogg. London.
J. H. S. Journal of the Horticultural Society. London, 1846.
8vo.*
K. E. E. Kotschy. Die Eiche Europas und des Orients.
L. B. C. Loddiges (C.). Botanical Cabinet. London, 1812-33.
20 vols. 4to.
L. C. B. Lindley (J.). Collectanea botanica.... London,
1821. Fol.
L. E. M. La Marck (J. B. P. A. de M. de). Encyclopédie
methodique ... Botanique. Paris, 1783-1817.
13 vols. 4to.
L. J. F. Lemaire (C.). Le Jardin fleuriste. Gand, 1851-4.
4 vols. 8vo.
L. R. Lindley (J.). Rosarum Monographia. London,
1820. 8vo.
L. S. O. Lindley (J.). Sertum Orchidaceum.... London,
1838. Fol.
L. & P. F. G. Lindley (J.) and Paxton (J.). Flower Garden....
London.... 1851-3. 3 vols. 4to.
M. A. S. Salm-Dyck. Monographia generum Aloes et Mesembryanthemi.
Bonnæ, 1836-63. 4to.
N. Burbidge (F. W.). The Narcissus: Its History and
Culture. With a Scientific Review of the
Genus by J. G. Baker, F.L.S. London, 1875. 8vo.
N. S. Nuttall (T.). North American Sylva.... Philadelphia,
1865. 3 vols. 8vo.
P. F. G. _See_ L. & P. F. G.
P. M. B. Paxton (J). Magazine of Botany. London, 1834-49.
16 vols. 8vo.
Ref. B. Saunders (W. W.) Refugium botanicum....
London, 1869-72. 8vo.
R. G. Regel (E.). Gartenflora. 1852, &c.*
R. H. Revue Horticole.... Paris, 1852.*
R. S. H. Hooker (J. D.). The Rhododendrons of Sikkim-Himalaya.
London, 1849-51. Fol.
R. X. O. Reichenbach, _fil._ (H. G.). Xenia orchidacea. Leipzig,
1858. 4to.*
S. B. F. G. Sweet (R.). British Flower Garden. London,
1823-9. 3 vols. 8vo.
Second Series. London, 1831-8. 4 vols. 8vo.
S. C. Sweet (R.). Cistineæ. London, 1825-30. 8vo.
S. E. B. Smith (J. E.). Exotic Botany.... London, 1804-5.
2 vols. 8vo.
S. F. A. Sweet (R.). Flora australasica.... London, 1827-8.
8vo.
S. F. d. J. Siebold (P. F. de) and Vriese (W. H. de). Flore des
Jardins du Royaume des Pays-Bas. Leide,
1858-62. 5 vols. 8vo.
S. F. G. Sibthorp (J.). Flora græca.... London, 1806-40.
10 vols. Fol.
S. H. Ivy Hibberd (Shirley). The Ivy: a Monograph. London,
1872. 8vo.
Sw. Ger. Sweet (Robert). Geraniaceæ, the natural order of
Gerania. 1828-1830.
Sy. En. B. Syme (J. T. B.), _now_ Boswell. English Botany....
Ed. 3. London, 1863-85. 12 vols. 8vo.
S. Z. F. J. Siebold (P. F. von) and Zuccarini (J. G.). Flora
Japonica.... Lugd. Bat., 1835-44. Fol.
T. H. S. Transactions of the Horticultural Society. London,
1805-29. 7 vols. 4to.
T. L. S. Transactions of the Linnæan Society. London,
1791-1875. 30 vols. 4to.*
T. S. M. Emerson (G. B.). Trees and Shrubs ... of Massachusetts.
Boston, Ed. 2, 1875. 2 vols. 8vo.
W. D. B. Watson (P. W.). Dendrologia Britannica. London.
1825. 2 vols. 8vo.
W. F. A. _See_ G. W. F. A.
W. O. A. Warner (R.) and Williams (B. S.). The Orchid
Album. London, 1882. 4to.*
W. S. O. Warner (R.). Select Orchidaceous Plants. London,
Series i, 1862-65. Fol.
Series ii, 1865-75. Fol.
W. & F. Woods and Forests. 1883-4. 1 vol. 4to.
* Is still in course of publication.
THE
DICTIONARY OF GARDENING,
An Encyclopædia of Horticulture.
The following are the Abbreviations used:--_fl._ flowers; _fr._
fruit; _l._ leaves; _h._ height; _deg._ degrees; _rhiz._ rhizomes;
_cau._ caudex; _sti._ stipes.
The Asterisks (*) indicate plants that are especially good or
distinct.
=A.= In compound words from the Greek the initial _a_ has usually a
privative meaning; as _aphyllus_, without leaves; _acaulis_, without a
stem, &c.
=AARON'S BEARD.= _See_ =Hypericum calycinum= and =Saxifraga sarmentosa=.
=AARON'S ROD.= _See_ =Verbascum Thapsus=.
=ABELE TREE.= White Poplar. _See_ =Populus alba=.
=ABELIA= (named after Dr. Clarke Abel, Physician to Lord Amherst's
Embassy to China, in 1817, and author of a "Narrative of a Journey
to China" (1818); died 1826). ORD. _Caprifoliaceæ_. Very ornamental
shrubs. Corolla tubular, funnel-shaped, five-lobed. Leaves petiolate,
dentately crenated. Well suited for the cold greenhouse, either as
trellis or pot plants; free-flowering when well grown, and of easy
culture. May be treated in sheltered and warm climates as hardy; and
can be grown out of doors during summer in less favoured spots. They
thrive in a compost of peat and loam in equal parts, to which a small
quantity of silver sand may be added. Increased by cuttings in summer,
and by layers in spring, under a frame. Only two species, _floribunda_
and _rupestris_, are much grown in England.
=A. floribunda= (many-flowered).* _fl._ rosy-purple, about 2in.
long, in axillary clusters. March. _l._ opposite, oblong. _h._ 3ft.
Mexico, 1842. The best and freest flowering evergreen species.
=A. rupestris= (rock).* _fl._ sweet-scented, small, pink, in
pairs at the ends of the branches; sepals of leafy texture, with
a reddish tinge. September. _l._ small, oblong. _h._ 5ft. China,
1844. A deciduous, branching, hairy shrub.
=A. serrata= (serrate-leaved). _fl._ pretty pale red,
sweet-scented, very large, in one-flowered terminal peduncles;
sepals leafy. March. _h._ 3ft. China, 1844. A fine evergreen
species.
=A. triflora= (three-flowered).* _fl._ pale yellow, tinged with
pink, small, arranged in threes at the ends of the branches; sepals
long and linear, clothed with long hairs. September. _l._ small,
lanceolate. _h._ 5ft. Hindostan, 1847. A small evergreen branching
shrub.
=ABERRANT.= Deviating from the natural or direct way; applied, in
natural history, to species or genera that deviate from the usual
characters of their allies.
=ABIES= (from _abeo_, to rise; alluding to the aspiring habit of
growth of the tree; or, according to some, from _apios_, a Pear-tree,
in allusion to the form of the fruit). Spruce Fir. The synonymy of
this genus is much confused, plants belonging to several genera being
frequently referred to _Abies_ in nurserymen's catalogues and gardening
periodicals. ORD. _Coniferæ_. A genus of about twenty-five species,
widely distributed over the mountainous regions of the Northern
hemisphere. Cones cylindrical, or but slightly tapering, erect; catkins
generally solitary; the carpels not thickened at the tip; and the
leaves solitary, partially scattered in insertion, and more or less
two-ranked in direction. Scales deciduous, falling off as soon as
the seed is ripe, leaving the axis on the tree. All the species bear
seeds at a comparatively early age; most are hardy. For culture, _see_
=Pinus=.
=A. amabilis= (lovely).* _shoots_ rather rigid, furrowed with
elongated cushions, covered with numerous small dark hairs.
_l._ scattered, crowded, 1-1/2in. to 2in. long; linear obtuse,
dark green above, silvery beneath. The cones are described as
cylindrical, and about 6in. long. _h._ 180ft. California, 1831. A
magnificent conifer, very massive in appearance.
=A. baborensis.=* _l._ linear, dark green, silvery on the under
surface, very numerous, those of the larger branches shortly
pointed, and those of the branchlets more obtuse and pointless,
1/2in. to 1in. long. _cones_ erect, cylindrical, usually in
clusters of four or five, 5in. to 8in. long, and about 2in. in
diameter; scales reniform, greyish-brown, inclosing a thin, dry,
and shrivelled bract. _h._ 40ft. to 60ft. Algiers, 1864. This is a
very beautiful medium-sized tree. SYN. _A. Numidica_.
=A. balsamea= (Balm of Gilead or Balsam Fir).* _l._ silvery
beneath, apex emarginate or entire, somewhat recurved and
spreading, 3/4in. long. _cones_ cylindrical, violet-coloured,
pointing upwards, 4in. to 5in. long, and 1/2in. broad; scales
3/4in. broad, and the same in length. _h._ 40ft. to 60ft. United
States and Canada, &c., 1696. A medium-sized slender tree.
=A. bifida= (bifid). Identical with _A. firma_.
=A. brachyphylla= (short-leaved).* _l._ linear, spirally inserted
round the branchlets, but pointing laterally in two directions,
3/4in. to 1-1/2in. in length; lower ones longest, obtusely pointed
or emarginate, bright green above, with two silvery lines beneath.
_cones_ 3in. to 4in. long, purple. _h._ 120ft. Japan, 1870. A
recently introduced magnificent fir, with an erect stem, regularly
whorled horizontal branches.
=A. bracteata= (bracted).* _l._ rigid, linear, flat, distichous,
2in. to 3in. long, bright glossy green above, and glaucous beneath.
_cones_ about 4in. long, with the bracts developed into long rigid
leaf-like linear spines, 2in. long, and slightly curved inwards.
_h._ 25ft. Southern California, 1853. A very handsome tall slender
tree, but, owing to its very early growth of new shoots, it is much
injured by the spring frosts.
=A. Brunoniana= (Brown's). Synonymous with _Tsuga Brunoniana_.
=A. canadensis= (Canadian). A synonym of _Tsuga canadensis_.
=A. cephalonica= (Cephalonian).* _l._ subulate, flat, dark green
above, and silvery beneath, acute. _cones_ erect, cylindrical,
green when young, afterwards reddish, and brown when ripe, 5in. to
6in. in length, and about 1-1/2in. in diameter; scales broad, thin,
and rounded, shorter than the bracts. _h._ 50ft. to 60ft. Mountains
of Greece, 1824. A very desirable tree for growing in exposed
situations.
=A. cilicica= (Cilician). _l._ linear, slightly curved or straight,
1in. to 1-1/2in. long, dark green above, and glaucous beneath,
crowded, in two ranks. _cones_ cylindrical, 6in. to 8in. long;
scales broad, thin, entire, coriaceous. _h._ 40ft. to 60ft. Mount
Taurus, in Asia Minor. This species seldom produces a good specimen
tree in England, and cannot, therefore, be recommended for general
cultivation.
=A. concolor= (one-coloured).* _l._ linear, flat, obtuse, glaucous
green, distichously arranged in double rows, those in the lower
rows 2in. to 3in. long, upper ones shorter, channelled above.
_cones_ cylindrical, obtuse both at base and top, 3in. to 5in.
long, 2in. to 2-1/2in. in diameter; scales numerous, imbricated,
larger than the bracts. _h._ 80ft. to 150ft. California, &c., 1851.
A very beautiful species, with yellow bark on the young branches.
SYNS. _A. lasiocarpa_ and _A. Parsonii_.
=A. Douglasii= (Douglas'). A synonym of _Pseudotsuga Douglasii_.
=A. dumosa= (short-leaved). Synonymous with _Tsuga Brunoniana_.
=A. excelsa= (tall). A synonym of _Picea excelsa_.
=A. firma= (solid).* _l._ rigid, coriaceous, spirally arranged
around the branchlets, but point laterally in two directions, 1in.
to 1-1/4in. long, very variable in young and old trees. _cones_
cylindrical, obtuse at both ends, 3in. to 6in. long; scales
imbricated, bearing protruding keeled bracts. _h._ 100ft. Japan,
1861. An erect tree, of great beauty.
=A. Fortunei= (Fortune's). It is said that in its native country,
its aspect is peculiar rather than handsome, and that but one
living representative is believed to be in existence in this
country--at Veitch's Nursery. SYN. _Keteleeria Fortunei_.
=A. Fraseri= (Fraser's). Double Balsam Spruce Fir. _l._ linear,
emarginate, silvery beneath. _cones_ oblong, squarrose, somewhat
leafy, obcordate, mucronate, half exserted, reflexed. _h._ 30ft.
to 40ft. North Carolina, 1811. This species closely resembles _A.
balsamea_, from which it differs in having shorter and more erect
leaves, and smaller cones.
=A. grandis= (splendid).* _l._ in double rows, on each side of the
branchlets, flat, obtuse, emarginate, pectinate, silvery beneath,
from 3/4in. to 1in. long. _cones_ lateral, solitary, cylindrical,
obtuse at base and apex, 4in. to. 5in. long, 2in. wide; bracts
ovate, acuminate, irregularly dentate, very short. _h._ 100ft.
California, 1831. A handsome tree of symmetrical habit, and rapid
growth.
=A. lasiocarpa= (woolly-coned). Synonymous with _A. concolor_.
=A. magnifica= (magnificent).* _l._ densely crowded, two-rowed,
1in. to nearly 2in. long, olive green, very glaucous on the upper
surface when young, becoming duller with age, and marked with
two silvery lines beneath. _cones_ 6in. to 7in. long, 2-1/2in.
to 3in. in diameter; scales, outer edge incurved. _h._ 200ft.
North California, 1851. A very tall and stately species, with, at
successive intervals, whorls of horizontal branches.
=A. Mariesii= (Maries'). _l._ erect, evenly disposed around the
stem, linear-oblong, obtuse; apex notched, 1/3in. to not quite 1in.
long; bracts ovate, oblong, retuse. _cones_ erect, cylindrical,
3-1/2in. to 5-1/2in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. wide, narrowed at the
base and apex, blackish purple; scales entire, nearly 1in. wide,
not quite so long as wide. Japan, 1879. A tall, pyramidal tree.
=A. Mertensiana= (Merten's). Synonymous with _Tsuga Mertensiana_.
=A. miniata= (vermilion). Synonymous with _Picea eremita_.
=A. Morinda= (Morinda). Synonymous with _Picea Morinda_.
=A. nobilis= (noble).* _l._ linear, mostly on one side of the
branches, falcate, short, acute, silvery beneath, 1-3/4in. long.
_cones_ cylindrical, erect, sessile, 6-1/2in. long, 2-3/4in. broad,
brownish; scales triangular, without the bractea, 1-1/4in. long,
and the same in breadth; bractea spathulate, imbricated backwards,
5/8in. long. _h._ 200ft. to 300ft. California, 1831. A majestic
tree.
=A. Nordmanniana= (Nordmann's).* _l._ linear, rigid, flat, and
minutely bifid at the apex, on young trees spreading in two rows,
with a half-twist at the base, 1in. long. _cones_ erect, slightly
ovoid, pedunculate, 4in. to 6in. long, and 2-1/4in. to 2-3/4in.
wide; bracts large, coriaceous, three-lobed, fringed, greatly
exceeding the scales. _h._ 80ft. to 100ft. Crimea, &c., 1848. A
magnificent and stately tree, of regular growth.
=A. Numidica= (Numidian). Synonymous with _A. baborensis_.
=A. obovata= (reversed-egg-coned). A synonym of _Picea obovata_.
=A. orientalis= (eastern). Synonymous with _Picea orientalis_.
=A. Parsonii= (Parson's). Synonymous with _A. concolor_.
=A. pectinata= (comb-like).* _l._ linear, solitary, flat, obtuse,
stiff, turned-up at the points, two-ranked, 1/2in. to 1in. long,
shining green above, with two lines of silvery white on each side
of the midrib beneath. _cones_ axillary, cylindrical, erect, 6in.
to 8in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, when ripe, brown; scales with
a long dorsal bractea, 1/6in. to 1-1/4in. long, and 1-1/4in. broad.
_h._ 80ft. to 100ft. A very noble silver fir, of slow growth when
young only. Central Europe, 1603. There are several unimportant
varieties of this splendid species.
=A. Pindrow= (Pindrow). In its native home, the Himalayas, this
is a very beautiful tree, attaining the height of 150ft., but
it has generally failed in England, in consequence of our late
spring frosts destroying the young growth. It comes very near _A.
Webbiana_, but is readily distinguished by its longer and more
acutely bidented leaves, and smaller cones.
=A. Pinsapo= (Pinsapo).* The Spanish Silver Fir. _l._ linear,
disposed around the branches, nearly terete, and entire at the
apex, not quite 1/2in. long, bright green, with faint silvery
lines on the inner side. _cones_ sessile, oval, or oblong, 4in.
to 5-1/2in. long, about 2in. wide; bracts short, concealed by the
broad rounded scales. _h._ 60ft. to 80ft. South Spain, 1839. A very
magnificent species, very regular and symmetrical in habit. The one
or two varieties offered for sale are not desirable.
=A. polita= (neat).* _l._ arranged spirally, short, erect, rigid,
falcate, acute at the apex, tetragonal, but compressed. _cones_
ellipsoid, 3in. to 4in. long; scales light brown, coriaceous,
minutely notched at the edge. Island of Nippon, 1861. This is a
beautiful species, admirably adapted as a specimen tree for lawns.
=A. religiosa= (sacred). _l._ linear, acute, quite entire, 1-1/2in.
long. _cones_ roundish-oval, 2-3/4in. long, and 2-1/2in. broad;
scales trapezoided-cordate; bracts the length of the scapes,
spathulate-oblong. _h._ 100ft. to 150ft. Mexico, 1839. A very
handsome species, but not hardy in this country.
=A. sachalinensis= (Sachalin). _l._ in many rows, 1in. or very
slightly more long, 1/12in. broad, twisted to one side, rigid,
linear, obtuse. _cones_ sessile, erect, cylindrical, bluntly
rounded at the apex, 3in. long, 1in. wide; scales transversely
oblong, reniform; margin inflexed, denticulate; bracts 1/2in. wide,
1/4in. long, obovate, serrulate, terminating in a reflexed angular
point, exceeding the scale. Japan, 1879. A tall pyramidal robust
species.
=A. Schrenkiana= (Schrenk's). Synonymous with _Picea Schrenkiana_.
=A. sibirica= (Siberian). Like the last, this species is not
recommended; its growth is very slow, even under the most
favourable circumstances. Siberia.
=A. Smithiana= (Smith's). A synonym of _Picea Morinda_.
=A. subalpina= (sub-alpine).* On the high mountains of Colorado,
&c., a tree 60ft. to 100ft. in height. Has not been long enough
in English gardens for any decided opinion to be formed as to its
merits as an ornamental tree.
=A. Tsuga= (Tsugan). A synonym of _Tsuga Sieboldi_.
=A. Veitchii= (Veitch's).* _l._ crowded, lateral ones spreading
in a distichous manner, those on the upper side much shorter and
pointing forwards, 1/2in. to 1in. long, linear, flat, glaucous
above, silvery beneath; emarginate on the sterile branches,
entire on the fertile ones. _cones_ erect, sub-cylindrical,
purplish-brown, 2in. to 2-1/2in. long, 3/4in. to nearly 1in. wide;
scales horizontal, reniform, densely packed, each enclosing a
short, wedge-shaped bract as long as the scale. _h._ 120ft. to
140ft. Japan, 1860, and again in 1879. Described as a beautiful and
interesting tree, as well as perfectly hardy; it should be planted
on elevated spots open to the south or south-east.
=A. Webbiana= (Webb's).* _l._ two-rowed, linear, flat, obtusely
emarginate, silvery beneath, 1-1/2in. to 2-1/2in. long. _cones_
cylindrical, 6-1/2in. to 7in. long, 2in. or more broad, deep
purple; scales kidney-shaped, roundish, closely compressed,
imbricated, about 1in. long, and 1-1/4in. broad; bracts oblong,
apiculate. _h._ 70ft. to 90ft. Himalayan Mountains, 1822. A
large handsome pyramidal tree, with numerous branches spreading
horizontally, much divided, and densely clothed.
=A. Williamsoni= (Williamson's). A synonym of _Tsuga Pattoniana_.
=ABOBRA= (its Brazilian name). ORD. _Cucurbitaceæ_. A genus of stove
or greenhouse plants, having solitary axillary diÅcious flowers, and
finely divided leaves. The only species in cultivation is a very pretty
half-hardy climbing perennial, having a fleshy root about 1ft. or more
beneath the surface of the soil. It thrives well in warm sunny spots,
and in a light soil; seeds may be sown in pots or pans of light soil
early in April; the young plants can be planted out about the middle
of June. The fleshy tuberous roots may be stored during winter in a
greenhouse or frame. _See_ also =Gourds=.
=A. viridiflora= (green-flowered). _fl._ pale green, fragrant;
females succeeded by small oval scarlet fruits, which are about
as large as a filbert. _l._ dark green, glossy, much divided into
narrow segments. South America. A rapid growing plant, admirably
adapted for training over arbours or trellis-work. It is a very
pretty form of ornamental gourd.
=ABORTION.= An imperfect formation, or the non-formation of an organ;
any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or anything which
fails in its progress before it is matured, frequently from a defect in
the male or female flowers.
=ABRAXAS GROSSULARIATA.= _See_ =Gooseberry or Magpie Moth=.
=ABRICOCK.= A former mode of writing Apricot.
=ABROMA= (from _a_, not, and _broma_, food; from its unwholesomeness).
ORD. _Sterculiaceæ_. Handsome, free-flowering evergreen trees, with
hairy lobed leaves, and extra axillary or terminal few-flowered
peduncles. Of easy culture, in a stove temperature, in loam and peat
soil. Propagated by seeds or cuttings, the former sown in March, the
latter made in April from half-ripened wood, and placed under a bell
glass.
=A. augusta= (smooth-stalked).* _fl._ dingy purple, drooping.
August. _l._ lower, cordate, three to five lobed; upper,
ovate-lanceolate, undivided. _h._ 10ft. East India, 1770.
=A. fastuosa= (prickly-stalked). _fl._ dark purple. June. _l._
lower, cordate, acutely five lobed; upper, ovate, entire. _h._
10ft. New Holland, 1800.
=ABRONIA= (from _abros_, delicate; referring to its involucrum).
Sand Verbena. ORD. _Nyctaginaceæ_. A small genus of seven species,
mostly natives of California, four of which only are known in general
cultivation. They are of a dwarf trailing habit, producing showy
blossoms in dense verbena-like clusters. Corolla funnel-shaped; limb
spreading. They succeed best in light sandy soil, in a position fully
exposed; if well drained, the rockery is perhaps the best place.
Increased by seeds, the outer skin of which should be peeled off before
sowing; sow during autumn in pots of sandy soil, and keep in a frame
until the following spring, when they may be placed in their flowering
quarters; or by young cuttings, set in spring, and also in sandy soil.
[Illustration: FIG. 1. ABRONIA UMBELLATA, showing Flower and Habit.]
=A. arenaria= (sand-loving).* _fl._ lemon-yellow, about 1/2in.
long, in dense clusters, with a honey-like fragrance. July. _l._
broadly ovate, or reniform, on short, thick petioles. _h._ 9in. to
18in. 1865. Half-hardy perennial. SYN. _A. latifolia_.
=A. fragrans= (fragrant).* _fl._ pure white, in terminal and
axillary clusters, very delicately perfumed, expanding in the
evening. May. 1865. A perennial, more or less erect in growth,
forming large branching tufts from 1ft. to 2ft. high. Imported
seeds only of this species will grow.
=A. latifolia= (broad-leaved). A synonym of _A. arenaria_.
=A. pulchella= (pretty). _fl._ pink. July. _h._ 6in. 1848.
=A. rosea= (rose-coloured). _fl._ rose-coloured. June. _h._ 6in.
1847. An unimportant species.
=A. umbellata= (umbel-flowered).* _fl._ rosy pink, in dense
terminal clusters, slightly scented. April. _l._ oval or oblong.
_h._ 6in. to 24in. 1823. An elegant prostrate half-hardy annual;
but under greenhouse culture it is a perennial. SYN. _Tricratus
admirabilis_. See Fig 1.
=ABRUPT.= Suddenly terminating, as abruptly pinnate; when pinnate
leaves are without a terminal or odd leaflet.
=ABRUS= (from _abros_, soft, in reference to the extreme softness of
the leaves). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A very ornamental and delicate much
branched deciduous stove climber, whose roots have the virtues of
the common liquorice. Leaves abruptly pinnate, bearing many pairs of
leaflets. Requires a strong heat to keep it in a growing, healthy
condition, and to flower it well; and thrives best in sandy loam.
Increased by cuttings under a hand glass, in sand, or seeds raised in
heat.
=A. precatorius= (prayer). _fl._ pale purple, butterfly-shaped,
disposed in axillary clusters. Seeds bright scarlet, with a black
spot at the base, used by the Buddhists for making rosaries, whence
the specific name. March to May. _l._ leaflets ligulate, oblong.
_h._ 12ft. East Indies, 1680. Varieties are now and then met with
having rose coloured or white flowers.
=ABSORPTION.= The action by which liquids and gases become incorporated
with various bodies, through molecular or other invisible means, to
which function all parts of a growing plant contribute, the roots more
especially.
=ABUTA= (native name). ORD. _Menispermaceæ_. A strong growing
ornamental stove evergreen climber. Used medicinally in Cayenne.
Flowers diÅcious, fascicled, males racemosely panicled; females loose
and simply racemose. It grows freely in a mixture of loam and peat.
Cuttings will root readily if planted in a pot of sand, with a hand
glass placed over them, in heat. About half-a-dozen species are known.
=A. rufescens= (rusty-coloured). _fl._ grey-velvety on the outside,
dark purple on the inside. March. _l._ ovate; under surface
brownish. _h._ 10ft. Cayenne, 1820.
=ABUTILON= (Arabic name for a plant analogous to the Marsh Mallow).
ORD. _Malvaceæ_. Very showy, decorative, and free-growing shrubs,
both for the greenhouse and outside culture. Calyx naked, five-cleft,
usually angular; style multifid at apex. The many beautiful hybrids
(of which Fig. 2 represents a group) now in cultivation, far supersede
the true species. Cultivation: Few plants are more easily grown and
worthy of liberal treatment than these. The best soil for them is equal
parts turfy loam, peat, and leaf mould, with some gritty sand. They
may either be grown in pots, or planted out; but in all cases thorough
drainage is indispensable, as they require an abundance of water,
and stagnancy must be guarded against. At the end of May they may be
planted outside, when they will flower profusely through the summer. In
a free growing and flowering state they enjoy weak manure water. From
the latter part of autumn till early spring they may be kept almost
dry without injury, though in a warm conservatory some of the later
struck plants will go on flowering throughout the greater part of the
winter; or plants may be specially prepared for winter flowering. They
are admirably adapted for forming standards of various heights, from
2ft. to 6ft. Some of the taller sorts are very useful for training
under roof rafters. As pillar plants, too, very loosely trained, so
as to allow the upper and side branches to droop to a considerable
distance from the pillar, they are very effective. Propagation: They
strike readily from cuttings made of the young wood, at almost any
season; the best time, however, is early spring and September. Inserted
in pots, in a compost of equal parts peat, leaf mould, loam, and
sand, and placed in a temperature of from 65deg. to 70deg., they will
then quickly root, and form good plants. Seeds may be sown in pans
filled with soil as recommended for cuttings, and placed in a similar
temperature. Those followed by a dagger (â ) are the best for training
to pillars, roofs, &c.
=A. Bedfordianum= (Bedford's). _fl._ yellow and red. November. _l._
deeply-lobed. _h._ 15ft. Brazil, 1838.
=A. Darwini= (Darwin's).â * _fl._ bright orange, with darker
veinings, fine cupped form. April. _l._ large, broad. _h._ 4ft.
Brazil, 1871. A handsome species, of good habit, equally suitable
as a stove or greenhouse plant during winter, and for outdoor
culture during summer months. There are a great number of garden
hybrids from this.
=A. globiflorum= (globe-flowered). _fl._ solitary, large, globose,
cream-coloured. November. _l._ on long stalks, cordate, serrate.
_h._ 4ft. to 5ft. Mauritius, 1825.
=A. igneum= (bright). Synonymous with _A. insigne_.
=A. insigne= (handsome-flowered).* _fl._ large, purplish crimson,
with dark venation, in axillary pendulous racemes; petals short,
broad, much reflexed. Winter. _l._ large, cordate, thick, rugose.
Stem deep green, with short brown hairs. _h._ 6ft. New Grenada,
1851. SYN. _A. igneum_. See Fig. 3.
=A. megapotamicum= (big river).â * _fl._ small, bell-shaped,
singularly beautiful, the sepals being dark red, petals pale
yellow, and stamens dark brown. Autumn and winter. _l._ small,
pointed. _h._ 3ft. Rio Grande, 1864. A free-flowering species, with
a graceful drooping habit; the shoots should be well pressed in
during spring. SYN. _A. vexillarium_.
=A. pæoniflorum= (pæony-flowered). _fl._ pink, smaller than those
of _A. insigne_, but very distinct. January. _l._ large, ovate.
_h._ 6ft. Brazil, 1845.
=A. pulchellum= (pretty).â * _fl._ white, on few-flowered axillary
racemes. July. _l._ cordate, unequally crenated, downy beneath.
_h._ 8ft. Habit very branching. New Holland, 1824.
=A. striatum= (striped).* _fl._ orange yellow, with a thick
veining of blood-red, on long curving stalks. _l._ large, lobed,
on long slender petioles. Brazil, 1837. A free grower, and makes
an excellent greenhouse plant. In sheltered positions, in the
south-west of England, this species proves to be almost hardy. It
requires to be freely pinched. A very continuous bloomer.
=A. Thompsoni= (Thompson's). _fl._ striated yellow, large. Summer.
_l._ small, vine-like, richly mottled with yellow and dark green.
_h._ 3ft. or 4ft. Habit very neat and erect.
=A. venosum= (veined).â * _fl._ orange, with red veins, very
large, bell shaped, 3in. long; pedicels nearly 12in. long. July.
_l._ large, deeply palmate. _h._ 10ft. This splendid species is
distinguished by its unusually large flowers.
=A. vexillarium= (standard). Synonymous with _A. megapotamicum_.
=A. vitifolium= (vine-leaved).* _fl._ porcelain blue, large,
cupped. May. _l._ cordate, five to seven lobed, assuming, towards
the autumn, a fine golden hue. _h._ 30ft. Chili, 1837. This fine
shrub, or tree, is hardy in Ireland and the south of England, but
should have a protection from frost. It is not a fast grower.
The following are some of the best varieties, which, although they
do not include all the newest sorts, yet afford a good selection of
first-rate kinds, which will give general satisfaction. They are
arranged according to their respective colours. Those marked with a
dagger (â ) are best for roofs and pillars.
=Orange-flowered.= AUREUM GLOBOSUM,* flowers deep orange, heavily
red shaded, of medium size, with good form and substance; DARWINI
MAJUS,* bright orange, deeply veined, extremely free, and of good
form and size; FLEUR D'OR,â light orange, veined pale red, very
free and dwarf; GRANDIFLORUM,* deep orange, red shaded, deeply
veined with red, a robust, large-flowered variety; LEO, flowers
pale below, deeper above, red-veined, of medium size; PRINCE OF
ORANGE,â * a strong grower, and very free.
=Ornamental-foliaged.= DARWINI TESSELATUM,â * foliage mottled
with yellow, invaluable for sub-tropical bedding; SELLOWIANUM
MARMORATUM,* very large maple-like foliage, heavily mottled with
bright yellow, a most effective variety; THOMPSONI, leaves very
freely blotched with yellow; VEXILLARIUM IGNEUM,â * very free,
of good habit, prettily blotched. All these ornamental-foliaged
varieties are invaluable for bedding purposes.
[Illustration: FIG. 2. GROUP OF ABUTILONS.]
=Purple-coloured.= EMPEROR,* flowers large, rich purple magenta
shaded, habit vigorous; LOUIS VAN HOUTTE, very free, rosy purple;
PURPUREA,* deep purple shaded lake, very attractive; SOUVENIR DE
ST. MAURICE, flowers medium size, very profuse; VIOLET QUEEN,*
bright violet purple, very distinct and free.
=Red and Crimson-flowered.= BRILLIANT,* flowers of good form and
substance, brilliant red inside, rather paler outside, dwarf and
free; CRIMSON BANNER,* rich crimson, dwarf, very floriferous; FIRE
KING,* bright red, orange shaded, veined with crimson; LUSTROUS,*
brilliant red crimson, large, most profusely produced, habit dwarf;
NE PLUS ULTRA,* intense crimson, of excellent form; SCARLET GEM,*
flowers medium sized, brilliant scarlet, habit dwarf and free.
=Rose-coloured.= ADMIRATION, light pink, shaded salmon, of good
form and shape; ANNA CROZY,* deep pink, lilac shade, veined white,
very showy; CLOCHETTE,* deep rosy pink, with crimson veins,
very dwarf and free; DELICATUM, pale salmon rose, with deeper
vein, flowers very large; KING OF THE ROSES,* rich deep rose,
of good size and substance, habit dwarf and very free; LADY OF
THE LAKE,* flowers medium sized, rich pink; LOUIS MARIGNAC, pale
pink, veined white, splendid habit, a charming variety; PRINCESS
MARIE,â * flowers rich rosy lake, very profuse, of excellent form;
ROSÃFLORUM,â * pale salmon rose, veined with crimson.
=White-flowered.= BOULE DE NIEGE,â * very fine pure white flowers,
the best in its class; PURITY,* very free, of good habit, and pure
white; SERAPH,* dwarf, and very floriferous.
[Illustration: FIG. 3. FLOWER OF ABUTILON INSIGNE.]
=Yellow-flowered.= CANARY BIRD,â * similar in habit to Boule de
Niege, bright primrose, very lovely; COURONNE D'OR,* bright yellow,
of the finest form and substance, very bold foliage; GOLDEN GEM,
rich canary yellow, extremely free, of dwarf habit; LEMOINEI,â very
fine, pale yellow, good size; QUEEN OF THE YELLOWS,* very large,
lemon yellow, good substance; YELLOW PRINCE,* rich golden yellow,
of medium size, very profuse.
=ABYSSINIAN PRIMROSE.= A common name for =Primula Boveana= (which
_see_).
=ACACIA= (from _ac_, a point, in Celtic; or from _akazo_, to sharpen;
many of the species are furnished with spines). _See_ also _Albizzia_.
ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Shrubs or trees, very variable in habit and leaves.
Flowers yellow, white, rarely red, disposed in globular heads or
spikes, decandrous or polyandrous. Spines stipular, scattered, or
wanting. This is a very polymorphous genus, and the majority of species
described are known in this country only from herbarium specimens. It
is very doubtful whether the entire genus is represented in our gardens
by more than about fifty species, many of which are only to be found
in botanic gardens; but this number is, without doubt, sufficiently
characteristic. The number of species is close upon 400, and the genus
one of the largest known. In our enumeration, we have strictly confined
ourselves to describing such as are unquestionably in cultivation,
and to this end we have adopted the only accurate method of deciding
which are and which are not grown, viz., by consulting the trade lists
of nurserymen, both in this country and on the Continent. Such lists,
however, are not always correct, from a scientific point of view, in
the matter of nomenclature. The species best deserving of cultivation
are all natives of Australia, New South Wales, or other temperate
regions, and are among the hardiest and most easily cultivated of all
greenhouse plants. They are very floriferous. The greenhouse species
are sufficiently hardy to withstand the winter in a temperature very
little higher than freezing point. Cultivation: Some have a tendency
to make long straight shoots; these should be selected for training
upon rafters or pillars, on which they thrive well and form splendid
ornaments in spring; whilst the more shrubby kinds will be equally
at home in pots in the form of bushes. Roots and tops grow with
great rapidity, and an abundance of water is required at all times.
Immediately after flowering (usually about May) is the best time to
prune Acacias; they may then be placed in the open air, and fully
exposed to the sun, until October. They make a far healthier, cleaner
growth, and ripen their wood much better outside than under glass; all
they require is copious waterings, never allowing them to become dry,
and keeping clear of weeds. In the first week in October house the
plants, and winter in a temperature of 40deg. to 50deg. They delight in
a light rich compost of equal parts turfy loam and leaf mould, freely
intermixed with sand, or peat may be used instead of the leaf mould.
Propagation: Cuttings of the half-ripened wood, put in with a heel,
root readily during the summer. They do not bear heat well, nor do
they require it. The soil should be equal parts peat and sand, covered
with pure sand, thoroughly consolidated. Insert the cuttings as soon
as made; water home, and leave them in the shade till dry. Then place
the bell glasses over them, shade and water so as to prevent flagging.
Pot off as soon as rooted, and keep in a close pit or house until the
plants are thoroughly established. Seeds should be sown as soon as
ripe, in sandy peat; about 1/4in. deep, or a little more, for large
seeds. A temperature of 55deg. to 60deg. suits them well. Pot off when
large enough to handle, and place in a cool close pit or house until
quite established. The culture and propagation of the stove species
are the same as for the greenhouse sorts, but the former require, of
course, greater heat. Their flowers, however, are much less frequently
produced than their more temperate congeners, consequently they are not
so much grown.
=A. affinis.=* _fl._ yellow. May. _h._ 5ft. New Holland, 1822.
Greenhouse species.
=A. albicans= (whitish).* _fl._ white; heads, two to five,
aggregate, rising in racemes from the axils to the leaves. _l._
with eight to nine pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing nineteen to
twenty-two pairs of oblong linear-leaflets. _h._ 5ft. Swan River.
=A. amÅna= (pleasing). This closely resembles _A. heterophylla_.
=A. angustifolia= (narrow-leaved). _fl._ yellow, in heads two to
four together, pedunculate. April. _l._ with fifteen to twenty
pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing thirty to forty pairs of
linear-acute, ciliated leaflets. _h._ 4ft. New South Wales, 1816.
One of the numerous varieties of _A. longifolia_.
=A. arabica= (Arabian).* Gum Arabic. _fl._ white; heads
pedunculate, axillary, usually in threes. _l._ with four to
six pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing ten to twenty pairs of
oblong-linear leaflets. _h._ 20ft. Arabia, East Indies, &c., 1820.
Greenhouse species. See Fig. 4.
=A. argyrophylla= (silver-leaved). A synonym of _A. brachybotrya_.
=A. armata= (armed, simple leaved).* _fl._ yellow, in solitary
globular heads. April. _l._ phyllodia obliquely ovate-oblong, quite
entire, one-nerved. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. Australia, 1803.
=A. Benthami= (Bentham's). A synonym of _A. cochlearis_.
=A. brachybotrya= (short-bunched).* _fl._ yellow, in axillary
stalked globular heads. April. _l._ phyllodia silvery silky,
obliquely obovate, or oblong. _h._ 8ft. Swan River. SYN. _A.
argyrophylla_.
=A. Catechu= (catechu). _fl._ yellow; spikes cylindrical, solitary,
twin, or tern, axillary. March. _l._ with ten pairs of pinnæ, each
of which bears forty to fifty pairs of linear pubescent leaflets.
_h._ 20ft. to 40ft. East Indies, 1790.
=A. cavenia= (Cavenia).* _fl._ yellow, disposed in globose heads,
peduncles, axillary, aggregate. _l._ with usually about five pairs
of pinnæ, each of which bears nine to ten pairs of linear-oblong
leaflets, clothed with scabrous pubescence. _h._ 20ft. Chili.
Greenhouse species.
=A. cochlearis= (spoon-leaved). _fl._ yellow, in solitary globular
heads. April. _l._ phyllodia linear lanceolate, many-nerved at the
base, quite entire, mucronate. _h._ 4ft. West Australia, 1818. SYN.
_A. Benthami_.
=A. cultriformis= (knife-formed).* _fl._ yellow, in crowded heads,
disposed in either axillary or terminal racemes. April. _l._
phyllodia eight to ten lines long, four lines broad, cultriform,
ending in an acute hooked point, which bears to one side. _h._ 4ft.
New South Wales, 1820.
=A. cuneata= (wedge-shaped).* _fl._ yellow. April. Swan River,
1837. Greenhouse species.
=A. cyanophylla= (blue-leaved). _fl._ yellow; racemes axillary;
heads globose. March. _l._ phyllodia lanceolate, often 1ft. long,
glaucous green, almost blue; branches drooping. _h._ 18ft. Swan
River, 1838. Arboreous.
=A. dealbata= (whitened).* The Silver Wattle. _fl._ yellow, in
pedicellate heads, disposed in racemes along the axillary branches.
July. _l._ from ten to twenty pairs of pinnæ, each of which bears
thirty to thirty-five pairs of linear, much crowded pubescent
leaflets. _h._ 10ft. to 20ft. Australia and Tasmania, 1820.
=A. diffusa= (spreading). _fl._ yellow, in globular heads, which
are usually twin. May. _l._ phyllodia linear, one-nerved, ending
in an oblique acumen; branches diffusely procumbent, angular. _h._
2ft. Victoria and Tasmania, 1814.
=A. Drummondi= (Drummond's).* _fl._ pale lemon; spikes axillary,
drooping, cylindrical, simple. April. _l._ with two pairs of pinnæ,
each pinna bearing two to three pairs of linear obtuse leaflets.
Plant unarmed, silky. _h._ 10ft. Swan River. Very handsome and one
of the best grown, forming a somewhat dwarf shrub.
[Illustration: FIG. 4. ACACIA ARABICA (_a_) Flowering Branch, (_b_)
Seed-pod.]
=A. Farnesiana= (Farnesian). _fl._ yellow, sweet-scented, disposed
in axillary, usually twin, unequally pedunculate heads. July. _l._
with five to eight pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing from fifteen
to twenty pairs of linear glabrous leaflets. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. St.
Domingo, 1656. Greenhouse species.
=A. glauca= (milky white).* _fl._ white; spikes globose, stalked,
axillary, usually twin. July. _l._ with four to six pairs of
pinnæ, each pinna bearing about twelve to fifteen pairs of linear,
distant, acute leaflets, which are glaucous beneath. _h._ 5ft. to
10ft. South America, 1690.
=A. glaucescens= (greyish). _fl._ yellow; spikes twin, but solitary
on the peduncles, axillary. June. _l._ phyllodia linear-lanceolate,
attenuated at both ends, falcate, three-nerved. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft.
Queensland, 1822. SYN. _A. homomalla_.
=A. grandis= (great).* _fl._ yellow; heads globular; peduncles
solitary or twin, axillary, one-headed. February to May. _l._
with one pair of pinnæ, each pinna bearing eight to ten pairs
of linear-lanceolate leaflets; branches hairy. _h._ 6ft. West
Australia, 1850. A variety of _A. pulchella_.
=A. heterophylla= (variable-leaved).* _fl._ yellow, in heads,
disposed in a kind of raceme. May. _l._ phyllodia linear,
attenuated at both ends, many-nerved. _h._ 5ft. Isle of Bourbon,
1824. _A. amÅna_ is very like this.
=A. hispidissima= (hairiest). A variety of _A. pulchella_.
=A. holosericea= (all silky). _fl_. yellow, in axillary spikes,
usually twin. May. _l._ 6in. long, oblong-lanceolate, ending
in a soft point at the apex, three-nerved. _h._ 10ft. to 20ft.
Australia, 1818. The whole aspect of this tree is silky. SYN. _A.
leucophylla_.
=A. homomalla= (equal-woolled). A synonym of _A. glaucescens_.
=A. Hugelii= (Baron Hugel's). _fl._ pale yellow. February. West
Australia, 1846. Greenhouse species.
=A. ixiophylla= (Ixia-leaved). _fl._ yellow; heads about
twenty-flowered; peduncles downy, shortly racemose or solitary.
March. _l._ narrow, oblong-lanceolate, sub-falcate, obtuse,
obliquely mucronate, much branched. _h._ 2ft. New South Wales, 1844.
=A. juniperina= (juniper-leaved). _fl._ yellow, in solitary heads.
May. _l._ linear-subulate, ending in a pungent point; branches
terete, pubescent. _h._ 6ft. Australia and Tasmania, 1790.
Greenhouse.
=A. Lebbek= (Lebbek).* _fl._ yellow, sweet-scented; heads
many-flowered, pedunculate, three or four together, from the
crowded upper nodes. May. _l._ with two to four pairs of pinnæ,
each pinna bearing about six to eight pairs of oval, somewhat
dimidiate leaflets, which are obtuse at both ends. _h._ 20ft. East
and West Indies, 1823. Stove species.
=A. leprosa= (leprous). _fl._ yellow, mostly five-parted, numerous
in a globular head; peduncles mostly in pairs or clusters, 1/4in.
long. May. _l._ narrow, linear-lanceolate, acute or obtuse with a
small callous point, narrowed at base, 1-1/2in. to 3in. long, those
of the barren shoots broader. Branchlets pendulous, more or less
glutinous. Australia, 1817. (B. R. 1441.)
=A. leucophylla= (white-leaved). A synonym of _A. holosericea_.
=A. lineata= (lined). _fl._ yellow, mostly five-parted, ten to
fifteen or rarely more in a small, globular head; peduncles
slender, rarely exceeding the leaves. April. _l._ linear, with a
small hooked point, about 1/2in., rarely 3/4in., long, one-nerved.
Branches nearly terete, usually pubescent or villous. _h._ 6ft.
Australia, 1824. (B. M. 3346.)
=A. l. longissima= (longest). Synonymous with _A. longissima_.
=A. longifolia= (long-leaved).* _fl._ yellow; spikes loose,
axillary, cylindrical. March. _l._ phyllodia linear-lanceolate,
narrowed at each end, three-nerved, striated. _h._ 10ft. Australia,
1792. A fine erect-growing greenhouse species.
=A. longissima= (longest-leaved). _fl._ yellow; spikes several,
axillary, generally branched. May. _l._ phyllodia very long,
filiform, one-nerved, spreading. _h._ 4ft. New South Wales, 1819.
Stove species. SYN. _A. linearis longissima_.
=A. lunata= (half-moon).* _fl._ yellow; heads disposed in racemes,
which are longer than the phyllodia. April. _l._ phyllodia
obliquely oblong, rather falcate, narrowed at the base, terminating
in an oblique callous mucrone. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Australia, 1810.
Greenhouse species. SYN. _A. oleæfolia_.
=A. melanoxylon= (black wooded). _fl._ yellow; heads few, disposed
in a kind of raceme. April. _l._ phyllodia lanceolate-oblong,
rather falcate, obtuse, quite entire, many-nerved. _h._ 6ft. to
10ft. Australia, 1818. Greenhouse species.
=A. mollissima= (softest-leaved).* _fl._ yellow; heads pedicellate,
disposed in racemes along the axillary peduncles. July. _l._ with
eight to eighteen pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing thirty to
forty pairs of linear, much crowded, pubescent leaflets, which
are clothed with yellowish velvety down when young; branches and
petioles angular. _h._ 10ft. to 20ft. Van Diemens Land, 1810.
=A. oleæfolia= (olive-leaved). A synonym of _A. lunata_.
=A. oxycedrus= (sharp-cedrus).* _fl._ yellow; spikes axillary,
solitary, elongated. April. _l._ phyllodia scattered, or somewhat
verticillate, lanceolate-linear, ending in a pungent point,
three-nerved. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. New South Wales, 1823. Greenhouse
species.
=A. paradoxa= (paradoxical). _fl._ yellow, disposed in solitary
heads. March. _l._ phyllodia obliquely oblong-lanceolate, entire,
wavy, one-nerved; branches clammy, glabrous. _h._ 6ft. New Holland.
Greenhouse species.
=A. penninervis= (feather-nerved). _fl._ yellow; heads about the
size of a pea, racemose. April. _l._ phyllodia oblong, acuminated
at both ends, straight, 2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. broad, feather
veined. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. New Holland, 1824.
=A. platyptera= (broad-winged).* _fl._ yellow; heads solitary, on
short peduncles. March. _l._ phyllodia short, bifarious, decurrent,
obliquely truncate, mucronate; branches broadly winged. _h._ 3ft.,
Swan River, 1840. Greenhouse species.
=A. pubescens= (downy).* _fl._ yellow; heads small, globose
pedicellate, disposed in racemes along the axillary peduncles.
March. _l._ with three to ten pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing
six to eighteen pairs of linear glabrous leaflets. _h._ 6ft. to
10ft. Branches terete, hairy. New Holland, 1790.
=A. pulchella= (pretty).* _fl._ yellow; heads solitary. April.
_l._, pinnæ bearing five to seven pairs of oblong-ovate, obtuse
leaflets. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. New Holland, 1803. Greenhouse species.
The variety _hispidissima_ has white flowers.
=A. Riceana= (Rice's).* _fl._ pale yellow, in long, solitary,
axillary spikes. May. _l._ linear, in clusters, dark green,
scattered or whorled. _h._ 20ft. Tasmania. Habit graceful, like a
weeping willow. Very handsome and distinct. SYN. _A. setigera_. See
Fig. 5.
=A. rotundifolia= (round-leaved). _fl._ yellow; heads globose,
solitary, on long peduncles. March. _l._ phyllodia on short
petioles, obliquely rounded, obtuse or retuse, mucronate. Branches
angular, puberulous. _h._ 6ft. New Holland, 1842.
=A. saligna= (willow-like). _fl._ yellow; heads solitary, on short
peduncles. March. _l._ phyllodia linear, attenuated at both ends,
quite entire, almost nerveless. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. New Holland,
1818. Greenhouse species.
=A. Senegal= (Senegal). Gum Senegal. _fl._ white, small, glabrous,
distant; spikes axillary, solitary, slender. _l._ with five to
eight pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing fifteen to eighteen
pairs of oblong-linear, obtuse, glabrous leaflets; branches white;
prickles sometimes wanting. _h._ 20ft. Arabia, 1823. Stove species.
=A. setigera= (bristly). Synonymous with _A. Riceana_.
=A. sophoræ= (sophora-podded). _fl._ yellow; spikes usually twin,
axillary. May. _l._ phyllodia obovate, oblong or lanceolate, quite
entire, many nerved; sometimes there are bipinnate leaves at the
tops of the branches. _h._ 20ft. New Holland, 1805.
=A. sphærocephala= (round-headed).* _fl._ yellow; racemes axillary,
usually twin, ovate-roundish. _l._ with numerous close-set linear
falcate pinnules, which are usually tipped by a glandular yellow
"food body;" spines twin, hollow. Mexico. A very remarkable stove
species, inhabited by ants during certain seasons in its native
country.
=A. uncinifolia= (hook-leaved). _fl._ yellow; spikes usually twin,
dense, on short peduncles, cylindrical. March. _l._ phyllodia long,
linear-subulate, flat, recurved, mucronate, three-nerved; branches
angular. _h._ 6ft. Swan River, 1846.
=A. vera= (true). Egyptian Thorn; Gum Arabic. _fl._ white, usually
in twin heads, pedunculate, axillary. July. _l._ with two pairs
of pinnæ, each pinna bearing eight to ten pairs of oblong linear
leaflets; branches and spines red. _h._ 20ft. Egypt, 1596.
[Illustration: FIG. 5. A FLOWERING BRANCH OF ACACIA RICEANA.]
=A. verticillata= (whorl-leaved).* _fl._ yellow; spikes axillary,
solitary, oblong. March. _l._ phyllodia linear, ending in a pungent
mucrone, disposed somewhat verticillately. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. A
spreading, prickly, greenhouse species, of variable habit. New
Holland, 1780.
=A. vestita= (clothed).* _fl._ yellow, in loosely racemose heads,
along the peduncles; upper ones solitary. June. _l._ phyllodia
obliquely elliptic-lanceolate, one-nerved, ending in an awnlike
mucrone, hispid. _h._ 4ft. New Holland, 1820.
=A. viscidula= (clammy).* _fl._ yellow; heads globular, on short
stalks, axillary, solitary or twin. February. _l._ linear, clammy;
branches slender, clammy. _h._ 6ft., erect. New South Wales, 1844.
=ACÃNA= (from _akaina_, a thorn; in allusion to the slender spines
on the calyx or fruit). ORD. _Rosaceæ_. A genus of dwarf sub-shrubby
plants. Flowers capitate, or interruptedly spicate, uninteresting;
petals absent. Leaves alternate, impari-pinnate. Excepting for
rockwork, or as edgings to flower beds, they are not of much value;
their habit is, however, very compact and neat. They require similar
treatment to other hardy herbaceous plants, in ordinary soil. Increased
by cuttings, creeping rootlets, divisions, and by seeds.
=A. microphylla= (small-leaved).* _fl._ green, small, in close
heads, furnished with showy, long crimson spines. Summer. _l._
small, pinnate. _h._ 1in. to 2in. New Zealand. A neat evergreen
with a compact and cushion-like growth; it is a very effective
subject for the rock garden, and grows freely in most situations.
The crimson globular heads of spine-formed calyces form a
conspicuous and ornamental feature of the plant. SYN. _A. Novæ
Zealandiæ_. See Fig. 6.
=A. millefolia= (myriad-leaved).* _fl._ inconspicuous. A very
distinct species with finely-cut pale green leaves. The fruiting
spikes of this are not collected in globular heads, as in the
others, and their presence detract from its value as an ornamental
plant. Otherwise, it is very graceful.
[Illustration: FIG. 6. ACÃNA MICROPHYLLA.]
=A. myriophylla= (many-leaved).* _fl._ green, small, in rounded
spikes. June. _l._ pinnate; leaflets deeply cut. _h._ 6in. to 1ft.
Chili, 1828. Small, fern-like.
=A. Novæ Zealandiæ= (New Zealand). A synonym of _A. microphylla_.
=A. ovalifolia= (oval-leaved). _fl._ green. Summer. _h._ 9in.
Chili, 1868. Good for rock gardens.
=A. pulchella= (pretty).* _fl._ inconspicuous. A pretty
bronzy-leaved species, admirably suited for rockwork crevices,
where space is no object. It grows very rapidly, and forms handsome
tufts.
=ACALYPHA= (the name given by Hippocrates to the Nettle). ORD.
_Euphorbiaceæ_. Stove ornamental and variegated nettle-like leaved
shrubs. Flowers greenish or reddish, inconspicuous, in erect or
drooping bracted axillary or terminal spikes; those of the upper
portion sterile, of the lower, fertile. The undermentioned only are
those most worthy of cultivation. They are very easily grown, with
ordinary stove treatment, and in a peat and loam compost. When well
cultivated, the leaves of the hybridised varieties are highly coloured,
but rather coarse than otherwise. Increased by cuttings under a glass
in sandy soil, in stove heat, during April.
=A. Macafeeana= (Macafee's). _l._ red, blotched with bronzy
crimson. 1877.
=A. macrophylla= (large-leaved).* _l._ cordate ovate, russet brown,
blotched with paler spots. The best and handsomest stove species.
=A. marginata= (margined). _l._ large, very hairy, ovate-acuminate,
centre brown, with a distinct margin of rosy carmine, about 1/4in.
wide. Fiji Islands, 1875.
=A. musaica= (mosaic).* _l._ bronzy green, variegated with orange
and dull red. Polynesia, 1877.
=A. torta= (twisted). _l._ dark olive, tinted green; margin cut
into blunt, oblong segments. Samoan Islands. Remarkable for its
curiously contorted foliage. It has erect stems, which are terete,
and covered by the leaves in a very singular way.
=A. tricolor= (three-coloured). A synonym of _A. Wilkesiana_.
=A. Wilkesiana= (Wilkes').* _l._ ovate-acuminate, curiously
blotched, mottled, and splashed with red and crimson; ground colour
coppery green. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. New Hebrides, 1866. SYN. _A.
tricolor_.
=A. W. marginata= (Wilkes's margined).* _l._ large, olive brown,
margined with rosy carmine. Fiji Islands, 1875.
=ACANTHACEÃ.= A large order of soft-wooded, herbaceous plants, usually
having gamopetalous axillary flowers; calyx composed of deeply
imbricated scales; bracts large, leafy.
=ACANTHEPHIPPIUM= (the derivation of this word is not apparent). ORD.
_Orchideæ_. A peculiar class of terrestrial stove orchids. Flowers
rather large, racemose, few; sepals combined in a broad oblique
pitcher, including the petals, which are adnate to the base of the
column; column short, produced into a long foot. Pseudo-bulbs oblong.
Leaves few, large, longer than the scapes. The best species are the
two first-mentioned. They will thrive well in sandy peat, with a
quantity of small stones, broken pots, or gravel. A great deal of
heat and moisture are absolutely essential during the growing period.
Propagated, as soon as growth commences, by dividing the pseudo-bulbs.
=A. bicolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._ purple and yellow, about 2in.
long, campanulate, produced in clusters of three or four together;
petals oblong-lanceolate, acutish; lateral lobes of lip rounded.
June. _h._ 9in. Ceylon, 1833.
=A. Curtisii= (Curtis's).* _fl._ same shape as above (except the
lip), with numerous purple spots, light rose, and flush; column
white, nail of lip yellow, keels yellowish, laciniæ white with
purple. Malay Archipelago, 1881. The five keels between the
side laciniæ distinguish it from the foregoing species and _A.
sylhetense_.
=A. javanicum= (Javanese).* _fl._ yellow and red, with distinct
longitudinal stripes; petals triangular; lip three-lobed; lateral
lobes truncate; intermediate lobe constricted in middle, ovate,
and tuberculate at the apex, fleshy on both sides at base, with
truncate emarginate inflexed teeth. September. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Java,
1843.
=A. sylhetense= (Sylhet). _fl._ white, with many irregular spots
and blotches towards the extremities of the outer portions. June.
_h._ 9in. Sylhet, 1837.
=ACANTHOLIMON= (from _akanthos_, a spine, and _limon_, sea lavender).
ORD. _Plantagineæ_. Dwarf hardy tufted evergreen plants, distinguished
from allied genera in having sharp-pointed rigid leaves. They are of
rather slow growth, thriving best in a sandy soil, and sunny position,
on rockwork more particularly. The flowers are similar to _Statice_ and
_Armeria_. Increased by seeds (which germinate slowly), sown carefully
on a warm but rather shaded border, and transplanted when large
enough to handle; or by cuttings and very carefully made divisions.
The cuttings should be made in late summer, and placed in a frame, to
remain there during the winter.
=A. glumaceum= (prickly).* _fl._ rose, spicate, about 1/2in.
across, six to eight in a spikelet. Summer. _l._ densely packed and
sharply pointed with spines. _h._ 6in. Armenia, 1851. Very compact
and distinct. SYN. _Statice Ararati_.
=A. Kotschyi= (Kotschy's). _fl._ white. A good species, but very
rarely seen in British gardens.
[Illustration: FIG. 7. ACANTHOLIMON VENUSTUM.]
=A. venustum= (charming).* _fl._ rose, spicate, from twelve to
twenty in each spike. Summer. _l._ broader than in the last, and
glaucous. _h._ 6in. or 8in. Cilicia, 1873. A rare and handsome
alpine. Larger than the preceding. See Fig. 7.
=ACANTHOPHÅNIX= (from _akantha_, a spine, and _phoinix_, the Date
Palm). ORD. _Palmæ_. A very elegant stove palm, differing from _Areca_
principally in habit, and requiring a light sandy soil and a summer
temperature of 65deg. to 80deg., winter 55deg. to 65deg. Increased by
seeds only; these germinate best in a moist bottom heat, and a well
decomposed compost of one part loam, one of peat, one of leaf mould,
and the remainder of sand. They may remain in this soil for two or
three years.
=A. crinita= (hairy).* _fl._ spirally arranged, in threes, the
central one being female. _l._ the fronds are arched, broadly ovate
in outline, pectinately pinnate in division, with long linear
acuminate segments, paler beneath. The stem is densely armed with
black, needle-shaped spines, and much swollen towards the base.
Seychelles, 1868.
=ACANTHORHIZA= (from _akantha_, a spine, and _rhiza_, a root). ORD.
_Palmæ_. A small genus of stove palms, differing from _Trithrinax_
by the aërial roots of the trunk hardening into spines (which are
horizontal or pointed upwards), and by the blade of the leaf being
divided down to the petiole. They delight in a rich loamy soil, and are
propagated by seeds, in a moist, sweet hotbed, in spring.
=A. aculeata= (spiny).* _l._ orbicular, palmately slit into
numerous linear-lanceolate, glabrous segments, deep-green above,
silvery beneath; petioles slender; the trunk is covered with
a network of branching spines. Mexico, 1879. SYN. _Chamærops
stauracantha_.
=A. Wallisii= (Wallis's).* A recent introduction from tropical
America, and not yet much cultivated; it is a tall palm with
orbicular palmate leaves.
=A. Warzcewiczii= (Warzcewicz's).* This differs from the preceding
species by its more irregularly divided leaf blade, which is white
below. Tropical America.
=ACANTHOSTACHYUM= (from _akanthos_, a spine, and _stachys_, a spike).
ORD. _Bromeliaceæ_. A monotypic genus of stove evergreen herbaceous
plants; of easy culture in a compost of equal parts sand, decayed wood,
and rotten leaves. Propagated by suckers, which strike readily in
bottom heat.
=A. strobilacea= (cone-fruited). _fl._ red and yellow; scape
simple, long, scurfy; bracts coloured. June. _l._ radical, very
long, incurved, narrow, thick, pungent, channelled, spiny-toothed,
covered with white scurf. _h._ 4ft. Brazil, 1840.
=ACANTHUS= (from _akanthos_, a spine; several species being spiny
or prickly). Bear's Breech. ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. A group of stately,
ornamental perennial plants, mostly hardy, remarkable for their
vigorous growth and beautiful foliage. Flowers sessile, crowded,
spicate; corolla tubular, one-lipped; lip three lobed. To attain
perfection they require a deep soil, and a situation fully exposed to
the sun. They will, however, thrive moderately well in common soil and
partial shade. The habit being generally a bold one, they are most
suited for isolated tufts, backgrounds of mixed borders, and the wild
garden. Propagated by seeds, sown in gentle heat, or by division of the
roots, in autumn or early spring.
=A. carduifolius= (thistle-leaved). _fl._ blue. August. _h._ 3ft.
Cape of Good Hope, 1816. Greenhouse species.
=A. hispanicus= (Spanish). _fl._ white. August. _l._ large,
shining, and deeply cut. _h._ 2ft. Spain, 1700.
=A. longifolius= (long-leaved).* _fl._ purple, rose, in the axils
of the bracts, which are oval, acuminate, spiny, of a reddish hue,
forming a spike nearly 1ft. long. June. _l._ radical, 2ft. to 3ft.
long; numerous. _h._ 3ft. to 4-1/2ft. Dalmatia, 1869.
=A. lusitanicus= (Portugal). Synonymous with _A. mollis latifolius_.
=A. mollis= (soft).* _fl._ white or rose, sessile in the axils
of the deeply-toothed bracts; spikes about 1-1/2ft. Summer. _l._
sinuated, unarmed, heart-shaped in outline, 2ft. long by 1ft.
broad. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Italy, 1548.
=A. m. latifolius= (broad-leaved).* A variety of _A. mollis_, but
larger and more robust in every part. This very handsome form
is probably the best grown; it is one of the most suitable for
sub-tropical gardening. A warm sunny spot is needful. SYN. _A.
lusitanicus_. See Fig. 8.
=A. montanus= (mountain).* _fl._ rose. August. _h._ 3ft. West
Africa, 1865. A shrubby species.
=A. niger= (black). _fl._ purplish white. July to September. _l._
sinuated, unarmed, glabrous, shining green. _h._ 3ft. Portugal,
1759.
=A. spinosissimus= (most spiny).* _fl._ rosy, sessile, on a
very handsome spike, with acute, recurved spines. Autumn. _l._
laciniate, pinnatifid, blistered, spiny; spines white. _h._
3-1/2ft. South Europe, 1629.
[Illustration: FIG. 8. ACANTHUS MOLLIS LATIFOLIUS.]
=A. spinosus= (spiny).* _fl._ purplish, spicate; sepals spiny.
Summer. _l._ deeply and regularly cut, each division terminated by
a short spine. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. South Europe. See Fig. 9.
=ACAULESCENT.= With apparently no stem.
=ACCESSORY.= Something additional, not usually present.
=ACCRETE.= Fastened with another body, and growing with it.
=ACCUMBENT.= Lying against anything, in distinction to _incumbent_, or
lying upon.
=ACER=, (from _acer_, hard or sharp; wood is extremely hard, and
was formerly much used for making pikes and lances). Maple. ORD.
_Sapindaceæ_. A genus comprised, for the most part, of handsome
hardy deciduous shrubs, or trees, adapted for forming shrubberies,
plantations, &c. Flowers greenish, except where mentioned. _A.
Pseudo-platanus_ is one of our most useful forest trees. Several of the
species produce very useful timber; sugar is one of the constituent
parts of the sap of all of them, and is obtained in large quantities
from _A. saccharinum_, in North America. They all prefer a somewhat
sheltered position. The most satisfactory soil is one free, deep,
loamy, and well drained; the latter is especially desirable with
some of the Japanese varieties. The varieties of _A. japonicum_, and
_palmatum_ are well worth growing in pots for conservatory decoration.
Propagation: By seeds, sown either in autumn or spring, covering them
not more than a 1/4in. deep; the common varieties may be sown outside,
while the rarer ones should be sown in a frame. By layers, and by
grafting; the latter method is adopted with many of the rarer species
and varieties, especially the variegated kinds; they are also readily
increased by budding in summer.
=A. austriacum= (Austrian). Synonymous with _A. campestre
austriacum_.
=A. campestre= (field).* Common Maple. _fl._ on erect racemes. May.
_fr._ wings of fruit much divaricated. _l._ small, cordate, with
five-toothed lobes. _h._ 20ft. Britain. A small tree with rough
bark, full of deep fissures; wood often beautifully veined, when it
is highly valued.
=A. c. austriacum= (Austrian).* _fl._ much larger than those of the
species. _fr._ smooth. Lobes of leaves somewhat acuminated. SYN.
_A. austriacum_.
=A. c. collinum= (hill-loving).* _fl._ smaller. _fr._ smooth. Lobes
of leaves obtuse. France.
=A. c. hebecarpum= (downy-fruited).* _fr._ clothed with velvety
pubescence.
[Illustration: FIG. 9. LEAF AND FLOWER SPIKE OF ACANTHUS SPINOSUS.]
=A. c. lævigatum= (smooth-leaved). _l._ very smooth and shining.
=A. c. nanum= (dwarf). Dwarf habit.
=A. c. tauricum= (Taurian).* _l._ larger and less divided than in
the species.
=A. c. variegatum= (variegated).* _l._ beautifully variegated with
blotches and stripes of white or whitish yellow; very distinct.
=A. circinatum= (circinate).* _fl._ deep red, umbellate. April.
_l._ seven to nine-lobed, serrulated. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. North West
America, 1827. A very beautiful species, having pendulous branches
clothed with leaves, which change into a bright scarlet colour in
the autumn.
=A. creticum= (Cretan). _fl._ on few-flowered erect corymbs. May.
_fr._ smooth, with the wings hardly diverging. _l._ cuneated at
the base, acutely three-lobed at the top. _h._ 4ft. Levant, 1752.
Nearly evergreen.
=A. dasycarpum= (thick-fruited).* _fl._ conglomerate, on short
pedicels, apetalous. April. _l._ truncate at the base, palmately
five-lobed, with blunt recesses, and unequally and deeply-toothed
lobes. _h._ 40ft. North America, 1725. SYNS. _A. eriocarpon_, _A.
tomentosum_, _A. glaucum_, and _A. virginianum_.
=A. Douglasii= (Douglas). Synonymous with _A. glabrum_.
=A. eriocarpon= (hairy-fruited). Synonymous with _A. dasycarpum_.
=A. Ginnala= (Ginnalian).* _fl._ on compound, crowded, erect
racemes. Amur River. This is generally classed as a variety of _A.
tartaricum_, but its habit is much more graceful, and in this form
the leaves are prettily cut and lobed, whilst the leafstalks and
midrib are more deeply coloured.
=A. glabrum= (smooth).* _fl._ corymbose, on short two-leaved
branchlets, greenish-yellow. June. _l._ roundish-cordate, deeply
three to five-lobed, or partite; the lobes biserrate, of a
light green. _h._ 15ft. to 30ft. North West America. SYNS. _A.
Douglasii_, _A. tripartitum_.
=A. glaucum= (glaucous). Synonymous with _A. dasycarpum_.
=A. heterophyllum= (various-leaved).* _fl._ corymbose. May. _l._
small, ovate, entire, and three-lobed, slightly serrated, smooth.
_h._ 4ft. Levant, 1759. An evergreen. SYN. _A. sempervirens_.
=A. ibericum= (Iberian). _fl._ corymbose. May. _l._ bluntly
three-lobed; lobes with one or two teeth, lateral ones marked
with the middle nerve to the insertion of the petiole. _h._ 20ft.
Iberia, 1826.
=A. japonicum= (Japanese).* _fl._ deep purplish-red, large. April.
_l._ many-lobed, in early spring very light green. _h._ 20ft.
Japan, 1863. The varieties of this species, although not well fixed
in many cases, rank amongst the most handsome of the deciduous
small shrubs grown, but often change in character as they attain
any considerable size. Plants from 1-1/2ft. to 3ft. high are very
useful in cool conservatories, and in the highly kept grounds
surrounding the house.
=A. laurifolium= (laurel-leaved). Synonymous with _A. oblongum_.
=A. Lobelii= (Lobel's). _l._ very slightly heart-shaped,
irregularly toothed, five-lobed; lobes more or less abruptly
pointed.
=A. macrophyllum= (large-leaved).* _fl._ on erect, compound,
racemes. May. _l._ digitately five-palmate, with roundish recesses;
lobes somewhat three-lobed. _h._ 60ft. Northern California, 1812.
=A. monspessulanum= (Montpelier).* _fl._ on few-flowered corymbs,
erect. May. _l._ cordate, three-lobed; lobes almost or quite
entire, equal. _h._ 10ft. to 20ft. South Europe, 1739.
=A. montanum= (mountain). _fl._ on compound, erect racemes. May.
_l._ cordate, three or slightly five-lobed, unequally and coarsely
serrated. _h._ 18ft. Canada, 1750. SYN. _A. spicatum_.
=A. Negundo.= _See_ =Negundo fraxinifolium=.
=A. oblongum= (oblong). _fl._ on compound racemes, pale yellow.
February. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, acuminated, quite entire. _h._
20ft. Nepaul, 1824. SYN. _A. laurifolium_.
=A. obtusifolium= (obtuse-leaved). _fl._ drooping, corymbose. May.
_l._ rounded, bluntly three-lobed, crenately serrulate, about the
length of the petioles. _h._ 15ft. Crete.
=A. Opalus= (Opalus). A synonym of _A. opulifolium_.
=A. opulifolium= (Guelder-rose-leaved).* _fl._ on nearly sessile
corymbs. May. Ovaries and fruit smooth. _l._ cordate, five-lobed;
lobes obtuse, bluntly and coarsely toothed. _h._ 8ft. France, 1823.
SYN. _A. Opalus_.
=A. o. obtusatum= (bluntish).* A larger, strong growing,
round-headed tree, with dark green leaves, which are covered with
a whitish or rusty tomentum on the under surface.
=A. palmatum= (palmate-leaved).* _fl._ on five to seven-flowered
umbels. May. _l._ palmately divided into five to seven lobes beyond
the middle; lobes oblong, acuminated, serrated. _h._ 20ft. Japan,
1820.
=A. p. atropurpureum= (dark purple).* A vigorous handsome plant,
with bold dark purple foliage. Japan.
=A. p. crispum= (crispy or waved).* _l._ green, with red stalked,
convoluted edges. Japan, 1871. Very distinct, and like a miniature
Lombardy poplar in habit of growth.
=A. p. dissectum= (finely-divided).* _fl._ red, on terminal-stalked
racemes, five to six-flowered. May. _l._ nine to ten parted; lobes
oblong, acuminated, deeply serrated. _h._ 30ft. Japan, 1845.
=A. p. ornatum= (beautiful).* Very ornamental, having finely cut
deep red leaves, with lighter midribs. Japan, 1871. This variety is
also known as _dissectum_.
=A. p. palmatifidum= (palmatifid).* _l._ very finely palmately
divided, the lobes cut down quite to the midrib, of a beautiful
light green colour. 1875.
=A. p. reticulatum= (netted).* _l._ palmately seven-lobed; lobes
unequal, sharply serrate, emerald green, with dark green veins.
Japan, 1875. A very elegant variety, with slender branches.
=A. p. roseo-marginatum= (rose-margined).* _l._ freely divided, the
lobes deeply cut, light green, margined with rose. Japan, 1874. A
very distinct and charming variety.
=A. p. sanguineum= (blood-red).* _l._ deeply five-lobed, the lobes
serrated, of a deep reddish-crimson colour, much brighter than
the variety _atropurpureum_. 1874. This presents a very striking
contrast to the last.
=A. p. septemlobum= (seven-lobed).* _fl._ purplish, on numerous
flowered umbels. Spring. _l._ varying much, from palmately
five-lobed, with toothed undivided lobes, to deeply seven to
nine-lobed, with more or less finely cut divisions. Japan, 1864.
There are numerous beautiful forms of this variety.
There are many varieties of this much varying species, but we have only
mentioned those best known; many are only known by their native names,
and there is some doubt as to their distinctive characteristics. They
are all extremely handsome.
=A. pennsylvanicum= (Pennsylvanian).* _fl._ in long drooping,
simple racemes. May. _l._ cordate, three-lobed, acuminated, finely
and acutely serrated. _h._ 20ft. Trunk elegantly striped with white
lines. North America, 1755. SYN. _A. striatum_.
=A. pictum= (painted).* _fl._ corymbose, stalked. _l._ five to
seven-lobed; lobes triangular or oblong, entire, acuminated.
_h._ 15ft. to 20ft. Temperate Asia, 1840. _A. p. connivens_
(converging), _A. p. marmoratum_ (spotted), _A. p. rubrum_ (red),
and _A. p. variegatum_ (variegated), are varieties differing
principally in the colouring of the leaves. All are very desirable.
=A. platanoides= (plane-like).* The Norway Maple. _fl._ on nearly
erect stalked corymbs. May, June. _l._ cordate, smooth, five-lobed;
lobes acuminated, with a few coarse acute teeth. _h._ 50ft. Europe,
1683. A very ornamental hardy tree, growing with great rapidity
when young. It prefers a deep, well-drained soil.
=A. p. aureo variegatum= (golden-variegated).* _l._ variegated with
yellow. Europe, 1383. This, to retain the variegation, requires to
be propagated by budding or grafting. The same remarks are equally
applicable to the other varieties.
=A. p. laciniatum= (cut-leaved).* _l._ deeply and variously cut,
green and yellow.
=A. p. Schwedleri= (Schwedler's).* _l._ very large, deep
bronzy-red. A vigorous grower, and most effective.
=A. p. variegatum= (variegated).* _l._ variegated with white.
There are several other varieties, but of less importance than the
foregoing.
=A. Pseudo-platanus= (Mock-plane tree).* Sycamore. _fl._ on rather
compound pendulous racemes. May. _l._ cordate, with five acuminated
unequally-toothed lobes. _h._ 30ft. to 60ft. Europe. There are
few deciduous trees so well adapted for standing singly in rough
exposed situations. A deep, soft, dry soil is most suitable for it,
but it will grow in soils of very opposite qualities.
=A. P. albo variegata= (white-variegated).* A very beautiful form,
in spring especially. _l._ white and green.
=A. P. flavo variegata= (yellow-variegated). _l._ variegated with
yellow.
=A. P. longifolia= (long-leaved).* _l._ more deeply cut, and the
petioles much longer than in the species.
=A. P. purpureum= (purple).* _l._ purple underneath. The tree,
when slightly ruffled by the wind, alternately appearing clothed
in purple and pale green. Numerous other varieties of more or less
excellence are grown.
=A. rubrum= (red).* Scarlet Maple. _fl._ scarlet, handsome,
conglomerate, corymbose. _l._ cordate at the base, deeply and
unequally toothed, palmately five-lobed, with acute recesses.
Branches and fruit also scarlet. _h._ 20ft. Canada, 1656. A variety
with leaves splashed with yellow is rare. An excellent species,
thriving well in damp, swampy situations, and is commonly increased
by layers.
=A. rufinerve= (red-nerved).* "The leaves vary both in size and
outline, from 2-1/2in. to 4in. each way; three to five-lobed, with
irregularly toothed margins, glabrous above, but with reddish
hairs along the nerves beneath. The young branches are conspicuous
on account of the bluish-grey glaucescence with which they are
covered."
=A. r. albo-limbatum= (white-margined).* differs only from the
species in having a very distinct white margin--not always
constant. Japan, 1869.
=A. saccharinum= (Sugar Maple).* _fl._ yellow, on drooping corymbs,
on short peduncles; pedicels pilose. April. _l._ cordate, smooth,
palmately five-lobed; lobes accuminated, sinuately toothed. _h._
40ft. N. America, 1735.
=A. s. nigrum= (blackish).* _fl._ on sessile corymbs, nodding.
April, May. _l._ cordate, with the recess closed; palmately
five-lobed. _h._ 40ft. North America, 1812.
=A. Semenovi= (Semenov's).* A slender and graceful species, with
leaves closely resembling those of _A. Ginnala_, but smaller.
Turkestan, 1879.
=A. sempervirens= (evergreen). Synonymous with _A. heterophyllum_.
=A. spicatum= (spiked). Synonymous with _A. montanum_.
=A. striatum= (striated). Synonymous with _A. pennsylvanicum_.
=A. tartaricum= (Tartarian).* _fl._ white, on crowded, erect,
compound racemes. May. _l._ more or less cordate, acuminated,
serrated, with obsolete lobes. _h._ 20ft. 1759. This species is one
of the first to expand its leaves in spring.
=A. tomentosum= (tomentose). Synonymous with _A. dasycarpum_.
=A. tripartitum= (three-parted). Synonymous with _A. glabrum_.
=A. Van Volxemii= (Van Volxem's). _fl._ not known in England. _l._
palmately three to five-lobed, very large, light green above,
silvery and quite glabrous beneath. Caucasus, 1877. Distinct and
fine.
=A. villosum= (hairy). _fl._ fragrant, on lateral racemes. April.
Buds, fruit, and young leaves, silky, villous. _l._ cordate,
five-lobed, villous beneath as well as the petioles; lobes ovate
acute. _h._ 50ft. Himalaya, at high elevations. Not hardy.
=A. virginianum= (Virginian). Synonymous with _A. dasycarpum_.
=ACERACEÃ.= An order of very ornamental hardy trees, of which the
sycamore and maple are well-known representatives.
=ACERAS= (from _a_, without, and _keras_, a horn; the lip having no
spur). ORD. _Orchidaceæ_. An interesting genus of terrestrial orchids.
Calyx of three ovate, equal, converging sepals; petals two, narrow,
oblong; lip spurless, much longer than the calyx, narrow, oblong, with
four linear lobes. The most interesting species is the native one.
Indigenous to dry, chalky pastures in the south-east of England, and it
will only thrive in similar soils when grown in gardens. Propagated by
careful divisions of tubers only.
[Illustration: FIG. 10. FLOWER OF ACERAS ANTHROPOPHORA.]
=A. anthropophora= (The Green Man Orchis). _fl._ greenish, on
a long spike, lip longer than the ovary; lip and petals often
margined with red. June. _l._ lanceolate. _h._ 1ft. See Fig. 10.
=ACERATIUM= (from _a_, not, and _keras_, a horn; the stamens being
destitute of the terminal bristles so conspicuous in its near ally,
_Elæocarpus_). ORD. _Tiliaceæ_. An interesting stove evergreen tree,
very closely allied to _Tilia_. It thrives well in a mixture of loam
and peat, and is increased by ripe cuttings, which root readily if
placed in sand, under a hand glass, in heat.
=A. oppositifolium= (opposite-leaved).* _fl._ white, on terminal
three-flowered peduncles. June. _l._ opposite, elliptic-oblong,
furnished with a few mucronated teeth. _h._ 20ft. Amboyna, 1818.
=ACEROSE, ACEROSUS.= Needle-pointed, fine, and slender, with a sharp
point.
=ACETARIOUS.= An adjective applied to plants used in salads.
=ACEUS.= A termination expressing a resemblance to the thing whose name
it terminates--_foliaceus_, leaf-like, of the texture of a leaf or
_folium_.
=ACHANIA.= _See_ =Malvaviscus=.
=ACHENE.= A hard, dry, one-seeded, superior seed-vessel.
=ACHERONTIA ATROPOS.= _See_ =Sphinx Atropos=.
=ACHILLEA= (named after Achilles, who is said to have first discovered
the medicinal qualities of this plant). Including _Ptarmica_.
Milfoil. ORD. _Compositæ_. A large genus (about fifty species),
containing numerous hardy, border and alpine plants. Flower-heads
small, corymbose; involucral scales oblong, often with a shrivelled
appearance; receptacle with membranous scales, resembling chaff; ray
florets few, sometimes rather large and showy; pappus none. Leaves
ternate, simple or compound. All the species are easily cultivated in
ordinary garden soil. _A. Eupatorium_ and other large-growing kinds are
well suited for borders or groups, whilst the alpine section should be
planted on the rockery. A great number of species, although excellent
for naturalising in rough shrubberies, are totally unfitted for garden
culture. Propagated, during spring, by root divisions, cuttings, and
seeds.
=A. ægyptiaca= (Egyptian).* _fl.-heads_ rich bright yellow, in
closely packed terminal corymbs, which are from 2in. to 4in.
across. Summer. _l._ pinnate; leaflets obtusely lanceolate,
serrate, silvery white, 6in. to 8in. long. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to
2-1/2ft. Levant, 1640. Handsome perennial, thriving best in a warm
position.
=A. Ageratum= (ageratum-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ pure white, large,
borne singly on stalks about 6in. or 8in. high. Summer. _l._
narrow, arranged in a dense silvery rosette, the margins prettily
crimped. Greece. A pretty alpine, of compact habit.
=A. asplenifolia= (asplenium-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ rose-coloured,
small, in a compound corymb. June to September. _l._ lower ones
stalked, pinnatifid, lobes pinnate; upper ones pinnate. _h._ 18in.
North America, 1803.
=A. atrata= (black-cupped).* _fl.-heads_ white. August. _l._ in a
rosette, pinnatifid, deep shining green. Austria, 1596. A pretty
alpine.
=A. aurea= (golden-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ golden yellow, borne
singly on stems 18in. high. Summer and autumn. _l._ larger than in
_A. ageratifolia_, with which species it is sometimes confused.
Levant, 1739. Habit tufted. Requires a warm position.
[Illustration: FIG. 11. ACHILLEA CLAVENNÃ, showing Habit and detached
Flower-heads.]
=A. Clavennæ= (Clavenna's).* _fl.-heads_ white, in neat and compact
heads. Spring and summer. _l._ bipinnatifid; segments linear,
obtuse, slightly denticulated at the apex. _h._ 10in. Austria,
1656. A very neat and pretty species, having dwarf tufted habit and
a hoary appearance. See Fig. 11.
=A. decolorans= (staining). _fl.-heads_ whitish yellow. July. _l._
undivided. _h._ 1ft. Native country unknown. 1798.
[Illustration: FIG. 12. ACHILLEA EUPATORIUM, showing Habit and detached
Flower-head.]
=A. Eupatorium= (fern-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ brilliant yellow,
in dense convex, compound corymbs, which are often 5in. across,
lasting two months in full beauty. June to September. _l._
numerous, linear, pinnate, lobed and serrated, hairy, rough.
_h._ 4ft. to 5ft. Caucasus, 1803. This noble plant should be
grown at the back of the border, and kept neatly staked. SYN. _A.
filipendula_. See Fig. 12.
=A. filipendula= (dropwort-leaved). Synonymous with _A.
Eupatorium_.
=A. Herba-rota= (Herba-rota).* _fl.-heads_ white, in lax corymbs,
on slender stems. May. _l._ lanceolate, serrated. _h._ 6in. France,
1640. When touched, this pretty little plant gives off an agreeable
aromatic perfume. To attain full beauty it requires sandy loam and
a sunny position.
_A. macrophylla_ (large-leaved). _fl.-heads_ white. July. _l._ long
and broad pinnate; leaflets horizontal. _h._ 3ft. Italy, 1810.
=A. Millefolium roseum= (rosy).* _fl.-heads_ rose-coloured, in
small ovoid heads, which are produced continuously for several
months. _l._ strap-shaped; segments very narrow. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft.
England. It is well worth growing, both as a border plant, and for
cutting purposes.
=A. mongolica= (Mongolian). _fl.-heads_ white. July. _l._
undivided. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Siberia, 1818.
=A. moschata= (musky).* _fl.-heads_ white, in lax corymbs. June.
_h._ 6in. _l._ bright green, about 2in. long, pinnatifid. Italy,
1775. A pretty tufted alpine.
=A. nana= (dwarf). _fl.-heads_ white. June to August. _l._ pinnate;
leaflets horizontal. _h._ 6in. Italy, 1759. A rockery species.
=A. odorata= (sweet-scented). _fl.-heads_ white, fragrant. June to
August. _l._ bipinnate. _h._ 6in. Spain, 1729.
=A. pectinata= (comb-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ white. June. _l._ bright
green, about 2in. long, pinnatifid. Italy, 1775. A pretty tufted
alpine.
=A. Ptarmica flore-pleno= (double sneezewort).* _fl.-heads_ pure
white, freely produced in terminal corymbs. All through the summer
and autumn. _l._ lanceolate, serrulate. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. England.
This is one of the most useful white border perennials grown,
increasing very readily. When out of flower the stems should be cut
down to the surface.
=A. santolinoides= (lavender-cotton-like). _fl.-heads_ white. July.
_l._ pinnate; leaflets transverse. _h._ 1ft. Spain.
=A. serrata= (serrated).* _fl.-heads_ clear white, large, in small
corymbose clusters, forming a somewhat spreading panicle. Summer.
_l._ white, with adpressed hairs, sessile, lanceolate, deeply
serrated. _h._ 15in. Switzerland, 1686.
[Illustration: FIG. 13. ACHILLEA TOMENTOSA, showing Habit and detached
Portion of Inflorescence.]
=A. tomentosa= (downy).* _fl.-heads_ bright yellow, in repeatedly
compound corymbs. Summer. _l._ woolly, bipinnatifid; segments
linear, acute. _h._ 8in. to 12in. Europe. One of the best
yellow-flowered species for the rock garden, having a dense habit.
See Fig. 13.
=A. umbellata= (umbel-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ white, six to eight
in a simple umbel. June. _l._ regularly lobed; lobes obovate,
entire; clothed with a dense, silvery pubescence, on which account
the plant is chiefly cultivated. _h._ 4in. to 5in. Greece. A very
pretty, dwarf rock plant.
=A. vallesiaca= (Vallesian). _fl.-heads_ white. June to August.
_l._ pinnate; leaflets horizontal. _h._ 1ft. Switzerland, 1819.
=ACHIMENES= (from _cheimaino_, to suffer from cold; alluding to
the general tenderness of the species). Including _Scheeria_. ORD.
_Gesneraceæ_. A large genus of handsome, stove or warm greenhouse,
branched, generally hairy, herbaceous perennials, with scaly,
catkin-like stolons underground (see Fig. 14), and sometimes from
the axils of the leaves. Corolla funnel-shaped; tube rather oblique,
gibbous behind at the base; pedicels one-flowered, axillary, solitary
or fasciculated, bracteated. Leaves opposite, or three in a whorl,
serrated.
[Illustration: FIG. 14. ROOT OF THE ACHIMENE, showing Tubercles.]
[Illustration: FIG. 15. BOUQUET OF VARIOUS ACHIMENES.]
To be successfully cultivated, they must be started and grown in stove
heat till they commence flowering, when they may be removed to the
conservatory or greenhouse, there to remain till after flowering.
Batches of tubercles should be started in heat from February till
the end of April, so as to give a succession of blossom. Shake each
variety out of the old compost and insert separately in light, sandy
soil; water sparingly at first, but when active they may receive
more frequent supplies. When the shoots are about 2in. high, the
tubercles may be transplanted to the pots, pans, or baskets in which
it is intended to grow them, using as potting compost fibrous peat and
leaf-soil in equal proportions, with about a sixth part of sheep's or
rotten cow manure, and sufficient silver sand to make the whole porous
and of a whitish appearance. Thorough drainage is indispensable, and
a layer of the rougher soil, or sphagnum, should be placed over the
potsherds, to prevent the loose soil stopping the drainage. Place the
pans as near the glass as possible, and shade from bright sunshine.
Give liberal supplies of water, with occasional doses of liquid manure;
and, as the shoots lengthen, they may be pinched, to induce sturdy
growth and a larger number of flowering branches. Place neat stakes to
each stem, and keep well tied, arranging the stakes as symmetrically
as possible, so as to ensure an even outline, but do not allow them
to be seen. Light syringing with clear water, morning and evening, is
beneficial. After the plants have done flowering, they should gradually
have less water as the foliage and stems decay; a light airy situation
is needed to mature and ripen the tubers. When the tops are quite dead,
they may be removed, and the pots stored on the sides in any warm dry
corner where the temperature will not fall below 50deg., keeping
the plants quite dry until the time of starting again. Achimenes are
liable to attacks of thrips, red-spider, and green-fly, especially if
the atmosphere is kept dry; these are easily destroyed by fumigation
with tobacco. This must only be done when the foliage is quite dry,
otherwise the plants will suffer. Achimenes are especially beautiful
when well arranged, especially if two or three varieties are mixed
together, as white, red, and purple (Fig. 15). There are several
methods of increasing these:--(1) By cuttings; these need not be cut
off at a joint, as they will root from any portion of the stem. Insert
them thickly in well-drained pots of sandy soil--say a mixture of equal
parts of peat and sand--and place in bottom heat. (2) By leaves, which
should be severed from the stems, and pricked in pots of similar soil
to the cuttings, placing all the petiole below the surface; stand the
pots in bottom heat. (3) By scales from the corms, which should be
carefully rubbed off and sown, like seeds, in pots or pans of the same
compost, barely covered with sand, and placed in bottom heat. (4) By
seeds, which are very small, and, consequently, require to be carefully
sown. The pans must be thoroughly drained and filled nearly to the
rim, levelled, and well watered with a fine rose, after which the seed
should be thinly scattered, covered very lightly with sand, and placed
in a shady position. Keep nicely moist, and apply water very lightly,
or the tiny germs will be disturbed. Place a sheet of glass over the
seed-pans. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, they may be
pricked off and afterwards treated like rooted cuttings. The best time
for all modes of propagating is early spring.
[Illustration: FIG. 16. FLOWER OF ACHIMENES LONGIFLORA.]
=A. atrosanguinea= (dark-crimson).* _fl._ crimson; tube of corolla
1-1/2.in. long, cylindrical, saccate at base, pilose; limb small,
spreading; peduncle one-flowered. July, August. _l._ pilose,
oblong, sub-cordate, serrated, unequal. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Guatemala,
1848.
=A. candida= (white).* _fl._ white; tube of corolla gibbous at
base; limb oblique, the front segment largest; peduncles axillary,
pilose, three-flowered. June. _l._ unequal, oblique at base,
serrated, pilose. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Guatemala, 1848.
=A. coccinea= (scarlet).* _fl._ scarlet; peduncles solitary,
axillary. August. _l._ three in a whorl, ovate, acuminated,
serrated, with minute leaves in the axils. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Jamaica,
1778.
=A. cupreata= (coppery). _fl._ scarlet; calyx spotted inside, with
a fringed mouth; petals ciliately toothed; peduncles one-flowered.
April. _l._ elliptic, serrated, wrinkled, coloured. _h._ 6in.
Mexico, 1845. Plant creeping, downy.
=A. gloxiniæflora= (gloxinia-flowered).* _fl._ whitish, large,
axillary; tube of corolla 2in. long; limb broad, spreading; lobes
finely serrated, dotted with purple inside. June. _l._ serrated
from middle to top. Stem slender, flexuous. _h._ 1ft. Mexico, 1845.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ violet purple, very
large, solitary, axillary; limbs of corolla spreading. June. _l._
equal, ovate, oblique at base, sparingly serrated. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
Mexico, 1842.
=A. heterophylla= (various-leaved). _fl._ solitary or twin; corolla
scarlet; lobes ciliated. July. _l._ opposite, one smaller than the
other, cordate ovate, acuminated, coarsely serrated. _h._ 1ft.
Mexico. Plant rather hairy.
=A. hirsuta= (hairy). _fl._ reddish, with yellow eye; limb
of corolla flat, with rounded serrulate segments; peduncles
one-flowered. July. _l._ cordate, serrated. _h._ 2-1/2ft. Stem
bulbiferous. Guatemala, 1842. Plant hairy.
=A. Kleei= (Klee's).* _fl._ lilac; corolla dark near the mouth,
with a dash of yellow in the throat; calyx downy; peduncles
one-flowered. August. _l._ ovate, acuminate, serrated. _h._ 6in.
Guatemala, 1848. Plant hairy.
=A. longiflora= (long-flowered).* _fl._ violet; segments of calyx
lanceolate, erect; corolla with a long tube, and an ample spreading
limb; pedicels one-flowered. July and August. _l._ three to four in
a whorl, ovate or oblong, coarsely serrated. _h._ 1ft. Guatemala,
1841. Plant hairy. See Fig. 16.
=A. multiflora= (many-flowered).* _fl._ pale lilac; sepals linear;
corolla funnel-shape; tube curved; lobes roundish, lower one
fringed; peduncles axillary, three to five-flowered. August. _l._
opposite, or three in a whorl, ovate, deeply and doubly serrated.
_h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1843. Plant hairy.
=A. ocellata= (eye-spotted).* _fl._ reddish yellow, with dark
spots, solitary, drooping; petals nearly equally spotted. Autumn.
_l._ on longish petioles, ovate, acuminate, serrated, wrinkled,
coloured beneath. _h._ 1-1/2ft. 1845. Plant hairy.
=A. patens= (spreading). _fl._ violet, blue; calyx downy; tube of
corolla shorter than limb, which is spreading. June. _l._ ovate,
acuminate, hispid above, serrate. _h._ 1ft. Mexico, 1845.
=A. pedunculata= (long-stalked).* _fl._ scarlet, with yellow eye;
corolla drooping, gibbous at base; peduncles in the axils of the
upper leaves. July. _l._ rather unequal, obliquely cordate, ovate,
serrated. _h._ 2ft. Stem simple, downy. Guatemala, 1840.
=A. picta= (painted).* _fl._ scarlet, with yellow eye; tube
of calyx turbinate; lobes of corolla roundish, three lower
ones smallest; peduncles solitary or two-flowered, axillary
one-flowered. July. _l._ opposite, or three in a whorl,
cordate-ovate, coarsely serrated, velvety, and elegantly painted.
_h._ 1-1/2ft. Mexico, 1843.
=A. rosea= (rosy). _fl._ rose, pilose; limb of corolla equal to
tube; peduncles filiform, many-flowered. June. _l._ sometimes three
in a whorl, pilose. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Guatemala, 1848.
The foregoing are the most important species known. Hybrid varieties
are innumerable, and even surpass the species in beauty, the best of
which are enumerated below in their respective colours.
=Blue and Purple Flowered.= ADVANCE,* flowers reddish-purple,
lighter at the eye, dwarf, and free habit; ARGUS,* rich plum, with
deep orange eye, large and free; DR. BUENZOD,* flowers rich crimson
purple, spotted with orange in the centre, very free; EXCELSIOR,
rich violet-purple, very large and free, with compact habit; GEM,*
flowers small, of good form, rich carmine-purple; GIBSONI,* flowers
very large, clear mauve, with the tube white outside; GRANDIS, rich
violet purple, with large orange eye, carmine shaded, a charming
variety; LADY SCARSDALE,* flowers of fair size, very free, rich
plum purple, shaded carmine; LONGIFLORA MAJOR,* a stronger grower
than the type, freely producing large rich blue flowers, one of the
finest varieties grown; MADAME GEORGE, deep purple shaded crimson;
MAUVE QUEEN,* flowers very large, of a distinct mauve, with a
brownish eye-shade, very profuse, with a grand habit, one of the
best; PURPUREA ELEGANS,* deep claret purple, orange throat with
dark spots, a very attractive variety; ROLLISONII,* flowers large,
deep lavender-blue, yellow throat, spotted with deep crimson, very
effective; VIVICANS,* dark carmine-purple, with crimson eye, a few
blue rays streaking from the eye, habit good, and very free.
=Crimson and Scarlet Flowered.= AURORA,* rich rosy-scarlet, with
yellow throat, very large, fully 2in. across; CARL WOOLFORTH,* deep
crimson, shaded lighter at the eye, very free; DAZZLE, flowers
small, brilliant scarlet, pale yellow eye, very pretty and free;
DIADEM,* crimson lake, shaded carmine, with deep yellow eye;
ECLIPSE,* rich orange-scarlet, spotted with carmine, extremely
floriferous, with a good habit; FIREFLY,* deep carmine red, golden
eye, spotted with crimson, one of the best; HARRY WILLIAMS,* bright
cerise red, yellow, maroon spotted, the edge prettily fringed, a
very charming variety; LOVELINESS, rich magenta crimson, golden
eye, spotted with maroon; METEOR, flowers rather large, bright
crimson-scarlet, yellow eye, spotted carmine, very dwarf and
free; SCARLET PERFECTION,* rich carmine-scarlet, deep orange eye,
very beautiful; SIR TREHERN THOMAS,* deep crimson-lake, very
profuse, with a good habit; STELLA, deep magenta, with orange eye,
the margins fringed, very large and free, 2in. or more across;
WILLIAMSII,* flowers large, stout, brilliant scarlet, orange
throat, habit dwarf and free-branching, one of the finest varieties
grown.
=Orange-Flowered.= GEORGIANA DISCOLOR, flowers large, bright
orange, with a distinct yellow centre; HENDERSONI,* rich
orange-salmon, with yellow eye; MAGNET,* deep orange, spotted with
crimson, with a distinct carmine zone, a very free-flowering and
beautiful variety; PARSONSI* is a decided improvement upon the last.
=Rose-Flowered.= ADMIRATION, deep rose, white throat, spotted with
carmine; CARMINIATA SPLENDENS,* bright rose yellow, spotted in the
centre, a charming variety; LEOPARD, bright magenta rose, freely
spotted at the throat; LONGIFLORA ROSA,* rich lilac rose, deeper
in centre, of medium size, very free and dwarf; MASTERPIECE,*
deep rose, violet shaded, with a distinct white throat; _Pink
Perfection_,* rich rose, the eye rich carmine and violet rayed,
one of the best; ROSEA MAGNIFICA,* bright rose, with a yellow
eye, very finely spotted, a very lovely variety; ROSE QUEEN,*
flowers very large, rich rosy-lake, shaded deep purple, with a well
defined orange throat; UNIQUE,* rosy-pink, deep yellow eye, spotted
crimson, a very charming variety.
=White-Flowered.= AMBROSE VERSCHAFFELT,* flowers of good size, pure
white, with a dark rayed centre; LONGIFLORA ALBA,* similar in form
and habit to Longiflora, but with large white flowers, slightly
marked in the centre; MADAME A. VERSCHAFFELT,* flowers large,
pure white ground, heavily veined with purple, a very attractive
variety; MARGARETTA,* flowers of medium size, pure white, and
destitute of any markings whatever.
=ACHLAMYDEOUS.= Without floral envelope.
=ACHRAS.= _See_ =Sapota=.
=ACHYRANTHES.= _See_ =Chamissoa= and =Iresine=.
=ACHYRONIA.= Included under =Priestleya= (which _see_).
=ACHYROPAPPUS.= Included under =Schkuhria= (which _see_).
=ACICULAR.= Needle-shaped.
=ACINETA= (from _akineta_, immovable; the lip being jointless). ORD.
_Orchideæ_. A small genus of cool house, robust, sub-terrestrial
orchids allied to _Peristeria_. Flowers sub-globose, fleshy, arranged
on stout, pendulous racemes. Leaves lanceolate, membranous, ribbed.
Pseudo-bulbs angular, about as large as hens' eggs. The compost
should consist of equal parts of fibrous peat and living sphagnum. In
planting, first place a somewhat thick layer of the moss all round
the inside of the basket, and press the soil firmly round the plant.
During the growing season, the baskets should be taken down twice or
three times a week and dipped into a tub of water, so that the whole
may become saturated. In addition, the plants should be sprinkled with
the syringe morning and evening, for they delight in an abundant supply
of water and plenty of shade. When the growth is finished, they must
be kept very dry, an occasional syringing, to keep the leaves from
shrivelling, being all that is necessary.
=A. Arcei= (Arce's). _fl._ yellow. Central America, 1866.
=A. Barkeri= (Barker's).* _fl._ yellow and dark crimson, on stout
scapes, produced from the base of the bulbs, and bearing fifteen
to thirty fragrant flowers. Midsummer. _l._ broadly lanceolate,
2ft. long. Pseudo-bulbs 5in. to 7in. long. Mexico, 1837. SYN.
_Peristeria Barkeri_.
=A. chrysantha= (yellow-flowered).* _fl._ yellow, white, and
crimson, fragrant; lower part of the lip having a blunt, papillose
horn; racemes erect. May. _h._ 2ft. Mexico, 1850.
=A. densa= (dense-flowered).* _fl._ sub-globose, and of a waxy
consistence, lemon-yellow, dotted brown, sweet-scented; racemes
rather short. Costa Rica, 1849. A robust-growing species, very like
_A. Barkeri_. SYN. _A. Warczewiczii_.
=A. Humboldtii= (Humboldt's).* _fl._ straw-colour, dotted with
brown; scapes 2ft. long. May. _l._ broadly lanceolate, generally
four. Columbia, 1872. A handsome species, but the flowers speedily
fade. SYNS. _Anguloa superba_, _Peristeria Humboldtii fulva_.
=A. sulcata= (grooved). _fl._ bright yellow. Columbia, 1879. Very
like the last species, from which it differs in mere botanical
detail.
=A. Warczewiczii= (Warczewicz's). A synonym of _A. densa_.
=ACINOS.= _See_ =Calamintha=.
=ACIOTIS= (from _akis_, a point, and _ous_, an ear; in allusion to the
shape of the petals). ORD. _Melastomaceæ_. A small genus of pretty,
stove, evergreen plants. Flowers small; panicles slender, loose,
terminal; petals four, obliquely awned at the apex. Leaves thin,
membranous. For culture, _see_ =Melastoma=..
=A. aquatica= (water-loving). _fl._ white, small, on loose,
terminal, filiform panicles. June. _l._ cordate, ovate-oblong. _h._
6in. to 12in. South America, 1793. The pots in which this species
is grown should be kept in pans of water.
=A. discolor= (various-coloured).* _fl._ small, red, in spicate
racemes. _l._ petiolate, elliptic-oblong, purple beneath, deep
shining green above. _h._ 1ft. Trinidad, 1816.
=ACIPHYLLA= (from _ake_, a point, and _phyllon_, a leaf, referring
to the sharply pointed segments of the leaf). ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. A
genus of curious and remarkable erect hardy perennials, with densely
fascicled, spicate, or panicled umbels of flowers; and pinnate or
bi-tripinnate leaves. They are most suited for the rockwork, in a light
sandy soil. Propagated by seeds or divisions in spring.
=A. Colensoi= (Colenso's).* _fl._ white. This extraordinary
evergreen forms a circular bush, 5ft. or 6ft. in. diameter, of
bayonet-like spines, having flowering stems 6ft. to 9ft. high,
covered with spreading spinous leaflets. New Zealand, 1875.
=A. squarrosa= (rough-headed).* _fl._ white. _h._ 6ft. to 9ft. New
Zealand. More frequently met with than the preceding, of very dense
growth. Commonly known as the Bayonet Plant.
=ACIS= (named after Acis, shepherd of Sicily, son of Faunus and
the nymph Simæthis). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. A genus of very pretty
dwarf bulbous plants, suitable for the rockery, in sunny sheltered
situations. This genus was formerly included with _Leucojum_, from
which it is distinguished by its dwarf slender habit, filiform style,
and membranous capsule. All are delicate little plants, with narrow
linear leaves and bell-shaped flowers. They require a free, open, rich
soil, and should remain and bloom undisturbed for years; divide the
clumps every three or four years, and renew the soil.
=A. autumnalis= (autumn-blooming).* _fl._, perianth white, delicate
pink at the base, preceding the leaves; two to three on a stem.
Autumn. _l._ few in number, very slender, sheathing the stems at
the base. _h._ 4in. to 6in. Portugal, 1629. A charming species, and
the only one at all common.
=A. grandiflorus= (large-flowered).* _fl._, perianth white, larger
than those of the last. August. _h._ 6in. Numidia, 1820. Somewhat
rare in cultivation.
=A. roseus= (rose-coloured).* _fl._, perianth rose red, not more
than 1/4in. long; scape one to three-flowered. August. _l._ narrow,
blunt, linear. _h._ 3in. Corsica, 1820. Very rare.
=A. tingitanum= (Tangiers). Of recent introduction; has a
many-flowered umbel, and very long leaves.
=A. trichophyllus= (hair-leaved).* _fl._, perianth white, about
1/2in. long; segments loosely nerved, with a faint flush of red at
the base. January. _h._ 6 in. Spain, 1820.
=ACISANTHERA= (from _akis_, a point, and _anthera_, an anther; anthers
jointed). ORD. _Melastomaceæ_. A monotypic stove genus allied to
Rhexia, of semi-shrubby habit. It grows well in a mixture of loam,
sand, and peat; and cuttings root freely in the same soil in stove
temperature.
=A. quadrata= (square-branched). _fl._ purple, ventricose,
alternate, axillary, solitary. July. _l._ three-nerved, ovate,
crenated; branches square. Habit erect, branched at the apex. _h._
1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Jamaica, 1804. More curious than ornamental.
=ACMADENIA= (from _akme_, a point, and _aden_, a gland; in allusion
to the anthers being terminated by pointed glands). ORD. _Rutaceæ_. A
small genus of beautiful greenhouse shrubs. Flowers terminal, solitary,
or few, furnished with imbricate sepal-like bracts; petals five,
with long claws, which are bearded on the inside. Leaves imbricate,
linear-oblong, or roundish. They thrive best in a mixture of peat and
sand, with a little turfy loam; thorough drainage is also necessary.
Young cuttings pricked in a pot of very sandy soil, covered with a bell
glass, and shaded, will root freely in a cool house.
=A. tetragona= (four-angled).* _fl._ white, large, sessile,
solitary. June. _l._ roundish-rhomboidal, with scabrous margins.
_h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1798.
=ACMENA= (from _Acmenæ_, nymphs of Venus, who had an altar at Olympia).
ORD. _Myrtaceæ_. A small genus of greenhouse evergreen shrubs. Flowers
in dense trichotomous cymes, with five small distant petals, and very
conspicuous and pretty berries. They grow well in an equal mixture
of peat, loam, and sand. Propagated readily by placing half-ripened
cuttings in sand, under a glass, without heat.
=A. floribunda= (many-flowered).* _fl._ white, in threes, disposed
in a terminal panicled thyrse. May to September. _l._ full of
pellucid dots, oval-lanceolate, acuminated at both ends. Berries
globose, bright purple. _h._ 4ft. New Holland, 1790.
=A. ovata= (ovate-leaved).* A new species, having, according to Mr.
W. Bull, ovate leaves, which, along with the stems and petioles,
are dark purple, giving the plants, when making new growth, a
striking appearance. It has a neat habit.
=ACOKANTHERA.= _See_ =ToxicophlÅa=.
=ACONIOPTERIS.= _See_ =Acrostichum=.
=ACONITE.= _See_ =Aconitum=.
=ACONITE, WINTER.= _See_ =Eranthis=.
=ACONITUM= (from _Aconæ_, or _Acone_, a harbour of Heraclea, in
Bithynia, near where it is said to abound). Aconite; Monk's Hood;
Wolf's Bane. ORD. _Ranunculaceæ_. An extensive genus of very ornamental
hardy perennials. Flowers in terminal racemes; sepals five, the upper
one helmet shaped, the two sides broader than the two back ones; petals
five, small, the two upper with long claws hooded at the tip; the three
inferior smaller or undeveloped. Leaves palmate. They thrive well
in any ordinary garden soil. If left undisturbed for several years,
they will attain a goodly size, and produce fine panicles of handsome
flowers. They are invaluable for growing beneath the shade of trees,
where they succeed better than almost any other class of plants. All
are very easily propagated by divisions of the roots and seeds; the
latter should be sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Care should
be taken not to leave pieces of the roots about, for, with but one
exception, those of all the species are very poisonous. Although very
unlike horse-radish, they have frequently been mistaken for it, with
fatal results; and none of the species should be cultivated in or near
the kitchen garden.
Sect. I. Roots Tuberous.
=A. acuminatum= (taper-pointed). _fl._ bluish purple; spur
capitate; helmet closed, conical, beaked. July. _l._ with cuneate,
bipinnate lobes. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Switzerland, 1819.
=A. album= (white-flowered).* _fl._ pure white, large, with erect
helmet, very freely produced. _l._ dark green, with oblong-cuneate
divisions. August. _h._ 4ft. to 5ft. Levant, 1752. This is a rare
and very handsome species.
=A. alpinum= (alpine). Synonymous with _A. rostratum_.
=A. ampliflorum= (large-flowered). _fl._ bluish-purple, large; spur
obtuse, straight. June. _l._ with blunt segments. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
Austria, 1823.
=A. angustifolium= (narrow-leaved).* _fl._ deep blue, in spiked
panicles; spur capitate; helmet closed, hemispherical; lip bifid.
June. _l._ palmately cut into linear lobes. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
Siberia, 1824.
=A. biflorum= (twin-flowered).* _fl._ pale blue, usually twin,
sessile, the middle rather obscure and with yellowish edges,
covered on the back with spreading down; spur truncate; helmet
depressed; beak drawn out. June. _l._ lower ones on long stalks,
with linear segments. _h._ 6in. Siberia, 1817. A very rare alpine
species.
=A. Cammarum= (Cammarum). _fl._ rich deep purple, on rather loose
spikes; spur capitate; helmet closed, hemispherical. July to
September. _l._ with short, bluntish lobes. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft.
Austria, 1752.
=A. cernuum= (drooping). _fl._ violet, large, on nodding, loose,
hairy racemes; spur capitate, or a little hooked; helmet large,
arched, beaked. July and August. _l._ with trapeziform, pinnate
lobes. Branches axillary, spreading. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1800.
=A. delphinifolium= (Delphinium-leaved).* _fl._ pale bluish
purple, large, on loose racemes; spur a little hooked; helmet
hemispherical. June. _l._ smooth, deeply cut into five parts. Stems
slender. _h._ 6in. to 2ft. North America, 1820. A rare alpine
species.
=A. elatum= (tall). _fl._ blue, very large, in loose panicled
spikes; peduncles pubescent; spur capitate, inclining. June. _l._
with linear acute segments. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1822.
=A. eminens= (eminent).* _fl._ blue, on erectly spreading pubescent
peduncles; spur capitate; helmet closed; lip very long, refracted.
June. _l._ with cuneate bipinnate lobes. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Europe,
1800.
=A. eriostemon= (woolly-stamened). _fl._ bluish-purple, disposed
in long, beautiful, erect-spreading spikes; spur capitate; helmet
closed, arched. June. _l._ with cuneate, bipinnate lobes. _h._ 4ft.
Switzerland, 1821.
=A. exaltatum= (exalted). _fl._ blue, on loose panicles, with
ascending stiff branches; spur thick, somewhat hooked; helmet
conical; beak elongated. July. _l._ with trapeziform, pinnate
lobes. _h._ 6ft. Pyrenees, 1819. SYN. _A. hamatum_.
=A. flaccidum= (flaccid). _fl._ pale violet, large, on erect
spreading peduncles; racemes branched; spur hooked at the apex;
helmet high, arched, inclining forwards, gaping. July and August.
_l._ multifid, ciliated (as well as the petioles), when young. _h._
6ft. Siberia, 1822.
=A. gibbosum= (swollen). Synonymous with _A. nasutum_.
=A. Gmelini= (Gmelin's). _fl._ cream-coloured, middle-sized, on
very long loose racemes; spur straight, obtuse; bottom of the
helmet rounded, cylindrical. July. _l._ on long stalks, villous
beneath and shining above; lobes divided into narrow segments. _h._
2ft. Siberia, 1817. SYN. _A. nitidum_.
=A. gracile= (slender).* _fl._ pale blue or violet, large, on loose
racemes; spur erect, clavated-hooked; helmet with a middle sized
beak. June. _l._ smooth, with trapeziform, pinnate lobes. Stems
slender. _h._ 2ft. Italy, &c.
=A. Halleri= (Haller's).* _fl._ opaque violet, on elongated, loose
racemes, with a few lateral ascending ones; spur capitate; helmet
convex-hemispherical, gaping. June. _l._ lobes linear, dilated,
very long. Stem straight, long, branched. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft.
Switzerland, 1821.
=A. H. bicolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._ white, variegated with blue,
disposed in spikes or panicles. June.
[Illustration: FIG. 17. FLOWER OF ACONITUM NAPELLUS, nearly Full Size.]
=A. hamatum= (hooked). Synonymous with _A. exaltatum_.
=A. hebegynum= (blunt-styled). Synonymous with _A. paniculatum_.
=A. heterophyllum= (various-leaved). _fl._ pale yellow, and deep
blue in front, large, numerous, dense. August. _l._ petiolate
below, sessile above, broadly cordate, coarsely toothed at
the edge, and deep green. _h._ 2ft. Himalayas, 1874. A new
introduction, said to be non-poisonous, and used as a tonic in
India.
=A. illinitum= (anointed). _fl._ pale or deep violet, on very loose
and much branched panicles, large; spur thick, long, abruptly
pointed; beak blunt; helmet sub-conical. July. _l._ with broad
cuneiform lobes, and obtuse lobules. _h._ 4ft. 1821.
=A. intermedium= (intermediate). _fl._ blue, on a loose panicle,
with ascending stiff branches; spur supine, somewhat hooked; helmet
arched. June. _l._ with trapeziform, pinnate lobes. _h._ 3ft. to
4ft. Alps of Europe, 1820.
=A. japonicum= (Japanese).* _fl._ flesh-coloured, on loose
panicles, with ascending branches; helmet exactly conical, abruptly
mucronate; beak acute, straight. July to September. _l._ stalked,
trifid; lateral lobes bifid, middle lobe trifid, all blunt and
deeply toothed. Stem round, smooth. _h._ 6ft. Japan, 1790. One of
the best species grown.
=A. j. cÅruleum= (blue). _fl._ blue. Japan.
=A. laciniosum= (jagged). _fl._ pale blue, or with a white base,
large, on somewhat contracted racemes; spur clavated-hooked;
helmet arched, conical. June. _l._ with jagged, trapeziform pinnate
lobes. _h._ 3ft. Switzerland, 1820.
=A. lycoctonum= (true Wolf's-bane).* _fl._ livid-violet, rather
large; racemes more or less pubescent, branched at the base;
bottom of helmet cylindrical; beak elongated. July. _l._ large,
seven-parted. Stem slender, simple, upright. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft.
Europe, 1596.
=A. maximum= (largest). _fl._ pale blue; panicle loose, furnished
with a few long distant, few-flowered, pubescent branches; spur
short, incurved; helmet hemispherico-conical, obtuse. July. _l._
multifid, large, smooth. _h._ 6ft. Kamtschatka, 1823.
=A. meloctonum= (Badger's-bane). _fl._ cream-coloured, loose,
pubescent; panicle large, with diverging branches; spur arched;
bottom of helmet conico-cylindrical. July. _l._ five to
seven-parted, deep green. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Piedmont, 1821.
=A. Meyeri= (Meyer's). _fl._ bluish purple, on pubescent peduncles;
spur capitate, inclining. June. _l._ with cuneate bipinnate lobes.
_h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Bavaria, 1823.
=A. molle= (soft). _fl._ violet, large, puberulous; racemes
panicled, pubescent; helmet irregularly conical, obtuse; front
erect; spur capitate, or a little hooked. June. _l._ smooth, with
trapeziform, pinnate lobes. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. 1820.
[Illustration: FIG. 18. ACONITUM NAPELLUS, showing Root, Seed-pod,
Flower-spike, Leaf, and Flower with Sepals removed.]
=A. Napellus= (little turnip).* Common Monk's Hood. _fl._ blue,
large, on a large terminal raceme; peduncles erect, pubescent;
spur capitate; helmet convex-hemispherical, gaping, smoothish;
lip revolute. Summer. _l._ pedately five-lobed. _h._ 3ft. to
4ft. There are a great number of varieties of this species
cultivated and introduced. The following are some of the names
representing slightly varying forms which have, however,
been regarded as species by Reichenbach and other authors:
_acutum_, _amÅnum_, _Bernhardianum_, _Braunii_, _callibotryon_,
_Clusianum_, _commutatum_, _firmum_, _formosum_, _Funkianum_,
_hians_, _Hoppeanum_, _KÅhleri_, _lætum_, _laxiflorum_, _laxum_,
_Mielichhoferi_, _napelloides_, _neomontanum_, _neubergense_,
_oligocarpus_, _rigidum_, _strictum_, _tenuifolium_, _venustum_,
_virgatum_. One of the most virulent of poisonous plants, both to
cattle as well as human beings; and, notwithstanding its eminently
handsome appearance, it should only be planted in places where no
danger is likely to arise from its presence. See Figs. 17 and 18.
=A. nasutum= (great-nosed). _fl._ violet; panicle contracted, quite
smooth; spur elongated, arched; helmet conical, bending forward;
beak short. June. _l._ with broad, trapeziform, pinnate lobes. _h._
3ft. Caucasus, &c., 1818. SYN. _A. gibbosum_.
=A. nitidum= (shining). Synonymous with _A. Gmelini_.
=A. Ottonianum= (Otto's).* _fl._ blue, variegated with white; young
peduncles nodding; spur supine, somewhat hooked; helmet arched.
July, August. _l._ with trapeziform, pinnate lobes. _h._ 2ft. to
4ft. Carpathian Mountains, 1824.
=A. paniculatum= (paniculate).* _fl._ large, violet; panicle
terminal, much branched, loose or contracted, more or less
pubescent; helmet conical, beaked; front sinuate. June to
September. _l._ smooth, with trapeziform, pinnate lobes. _h._ 2ft.
to 3ft. France and Switzerland, 1815. SYN. _A. hebegynum_.
=A. plicatum= (folded). Synonymous with _A. tauricum_.
=A. productum= (long-lipped). _fl._ violet, downy, on few-flowered,
loose, pubescent racemes; helmet straight, irregularly
convex-conical, with a drawn-out beak; spur capitate. June. _l._ on
long stalks with three-parted lobes. _h._ 1ft. Siberia.
=A. rostratum= (beaked).* _fl._ violet; panicle rather loose; spur
thick, depressed, globose; helmet conical, elongated, abruptly
pointed in front; beak stretched out. June. _l._ with trapeziform,
pinnate lobes. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Switzerland, 1752. SYN. _A.
alpinum_.
=A. Schleicheri= (Schleicher's). _fl._ blue or violet,
middle sized, on short racemes; spur capitate; helmet
convex-hemispherical, gaping, smoothish. Summer. _l._ with finely
jagged lobes. Stem straight (or infracted), simple, slender. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. Europe. SYN. _A. vulgare_.
=A. semigaleatum= (half-helmeted). _fl._ pale blue, pubescent when
young, on very loose racemes; peduncles elongated; spur hooked;
helmet convex, navicular. June. _l._ multifid, few, membranous,
smooth; root about the size and form of a pea. _h._ 6in. to 2ft.
Kamtschatka, 1818.
=A. Sprengelii= (Sprengel's). _fl._ bluish purple; spur obtuse,
straight. June. _l._ with blunt, bipinnate lobes. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft.
Europe, 1820.
=A. tauricum= (Taurian).* _fl._ deep blue, disposed in dense
racemes; peduncles erect, smooth; lateral sepals smooth inside;
spur blunt; helmet closed, hemispherical. June. _l._ segments
almost pedately disposed and divided into linear acuminate lobes.
_h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Germany, 1752. SYN. _A. plicatum_.
=A. tortuosum= (twisting). _fl._ pale or deep violet, large;
panicle loose, few flowered; spur thick, long, abruptly pointed
(neither arched, nor convolute). July. _l._ smooth, with narrow
wedge-shaped lobes, and acute lobules. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. North
America, 1812.
=A. toxicum= (very poisonous). _fl._ violet, large, pubescent, on
loose, also pubescent, racemes; spur hooked; helmet large, arched,
with a blunt beak. June. _l._ smooth, with trapeziform pinnate
lobes. Stem flexuous, almost simple. _h._ 2ft. America, 1825.
=A. uncinatum= (hooked).* _fl._ generally lilac, large, smooth;
racemes loose, rather umbellate at the apex, very rarely panicled;
spur somewhat spiral, inclined; helmet regularly conical,
compressed. July. _l._ with trapeziform pinnate lobes. Stem with
branches rising from the axils of the leaves. _h._ 4ft. to 8ft.
North America, 1768.
[Illustration: FIG. 19. ACONITUM VARIEGATUM, showing Habit and Flower.]
=A. variegatum= (variegated).* _fl._ blue, large, smooth; racemes
panicled, loose; spur erect, clavated-hooked; helmet bent forward,
inflated; beak ascending. July. _l._ lower, on long stalks; upper,
sessile, smooth, thickish. _h._ 1ft. to 6ft. Europe, 1597. See Fig.
19.
=A. v. albiflorum= (white-flowered).* _fl._ white, small; helmet
straight.
=A. v. bicolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._ white, edged with blue or
lilac; helmet straight.
=A. vulgare= (common). A synonym of _A. Schleicheri_.
=A. Willdenovii= (Willdenow's).* _fl._ bluish-purple; peduncles
pubescent; spur obtuse, straight. June. _l._ with blunt segments.
_h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Carniola, 1823.
Sect. II. Roots Fibrous or Napiform.
=A. Anthora= (Anthora).* _fl._ pale yellow; panicles generally
pubescent; spur refracted; lip obcordate; helmet arched. July. _l._
palmately cut into linear lobes. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Pyrenees, 1596.
The following varieties of _A. Anthora_ are erroneously classed as
species by some authors:
=A. a. Decandollii= (Decandolle's). _fl._ yellow; panicle and
flowers pubescent; helmet rather conical, bent, with a short,
abrupt, and acuminated beak. _l._ with rather large dark green
lobes. Alps of Jura, 1873.
=A. a. eulophum= (well-crested). _fl._ yellow; panicles and flowers
puberulous; helmet conical. Caucasus, 1821.
=A. a. grandiflorum= (large-flowered). _fl._ yellow, large;
panicle, flowers, and fruit pubescent; helmet rather conical. Alps
of Jura, 1821.
=A. a. Jacquinii= (Jacquin's). _fl._ yellow, smooth; helmet
somewhat conical, drawn out into an elongated beak.
=A. a. nemorosum= (grove-loving).* _fl._ yellow; panicle and
flowers pubescent; helmet somewhat conical, bent; beak short. _l._
with broad lobes.
=A. autumnale= (autumn-flowering).* _fl._ bluish-purple, in
loose panicles; peduncles rigidly spreading; spur capitate;
helmet closed; lip very long, refracted. July. _l._ with cuneate,
bipinnate lobes. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Europe.
=A. barbatum= (bearded).* _fl._ cream coloured, middle sized;
racemes dense, puberulous; spur straightish, obtuse; bottom of
helmet conical; middle sepals densely bearded. July. _l._ opaque,
with the lobes divided into many linear segments, on long stalks,
which are villous as well as the nerves. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. Siberia,
1807. SYN. _A. squarrosum_.
=A. chinense= (Chinese).* _fl._ intense and very bright blue, in
large compound racemes; pedicels slightly hairy above. Summer. _l._
lower ones large, deeply cut into three wedge-shaped segments,
tapering at the base; upper ones sessile, gradually becoming more
entire. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. China, 1833.
=A. Lamarckii= (Lamarck's). _fl._ cream-coloured, pubescent;
racemes long, cylindrical, crowded, branched at the base; spur
spiral; helmet constricted, clavate. July. _l._ large, seven to
nine-parted, with the lobes unequally cleft. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
Pyrenees, 1800.
=A. lupicidum= (Wolf's-bane). Synonymous with _A. Vulparia_.
=A. macrophyllum= (large-leaved). _fl._ yellow, numerous, panicled;
spur arched; helmet large, somewhat ventricose at the apex. July.
_l._ large, more or less dissected. _h._ 4ft. to 8ft. Germany.
=A. Nuttallii= (Nuttall's). Synonymous with _A. ochroleucum_.
=A. ochroleucum= (yellowish-white).* _fl._ cream coloured, large;
spur arched; bottom of helmet conico-cylindrical; middle sepals
covered with short hairs; racemes puberulous, rather loose.
July. _l._ five to seven-parted, deep green, the first ones are
puberulous above. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Russia, 1794. SYNS. _A.
Nuttallii_, _A. pallidum_.
=A. Pallasii= (Pallas'). Probably a mere variety, with a continuous
spur, of _A. anthora_.
=A. pallidum= (pale). Synonymous with _A. ochroleucum_.
=A. pyrenaicum= (Pyrenean).* _fl._ yellow, rather large; spur
hooked; bottom of helmet cylindrical, rounded; racemes elongated,
dense, puberulous. June. _l._ parted almost to the base, with
pinnatifid lobes, rather hispid beneath, but smooth above, on long
stalks. _h._ 2ft. Pyrenees, &c., 1739.
=A. squarrosum= (rough). Synonymous with _A. barbatum_.
=A. vulparia= (Fox-bane).* _fl._ pale yellow, smooth; spur spiral;
helmet cylindrical, large; beak stretched out, acute; racemes
crowded. July. _l._ three or five-lobed, ciliated. _h._ 1ft. to
3ft. Europe, 1821. SYN. _A. lupicidum_. The principal varieties of
this species are:--
=A. v. carpaticum= (Carpathian). _fl._ panicled, of a lurid colour,
sometimes variegated with yellow; helmet conico-cylindrical,
compressed; peduncles smooth. _l._ profoundly cut. Stems smooth.
_h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Carpathian Mountains, 1810.
=A. v. Cynoctonum= (tall Dog's-bane). _fl._ (and stem) yellow,
smoothish, numerous, panicled. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. France, 1820.
=A. v. moldavicum= (Moldavian). _fl._ violet, panicled; helmet
cylindrical, compressed. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Moldavia.
=A. v. rubicundum= (reddish). _fl._ livid violet, panicled,
villous, variegated with yellow; helmet conico-cylindrical,
compressed. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia, 1819.
=A. v. septentrionale= (northern).* _fl._ blue, panicled, villous;
helmet conico-cylindrical, compressed. _h._ 4ft. North Europe, 1800.
=ACONTIAS.= _See_ =Xanthosoma=.
=ACORN.= The seed or fruit of the oak. _See_ =Quercus=.
=ACORUS= (from _a_, without, and _kore_, the pupil of the eye; in
allusion to its reputed medicinal qualities). ORD. _Aroideæ_. A small
genus of hardy herbaceous plants. Flowers on a sessile spadix; perianth
six-cleft, inferior, persistent. They thrive best in a moist soil,
and are very suitable for the banks of water, or even as aquatics in
shallow water. Propagated easily by divisions during spring.
=A. Calamus= (sweet-flag).* _fl._ yellowish, small, borne on a
cylindrical spadix 4in. to 6in. long. Summer. _l._ sword-shaped,
erect, striated 3ft. long. The root is cylindrical, channelled, and
very fragrant. Europe. The variety with gold-striped leaves is more
useful as a decorative plant. See Fig. 20.
[Illustration: FIG. 20. ACORUS CALAMUS.]
=A. gramineus= (grass-leaved). China, 1796. This is much smaller in
all its parts than the above, but very pretty.
=A. g. variegatus.=* A pretty variety with white striped leaves,
forming handsome little tufts.
=ACOTYLEDONS.= Plants having no cotyledons, or seed leaves, as in
_Cuscuta_, but usually applied to cryptogamic or flowerless plants,
such as ferns, mosses, &c.
=ACRADENIA= (from _akra_, top, and _aden_, a gland; referring to the
five glands on the top of the ovary). ORD. _Rutaceæ_. An excellent neat
and compact evergreen bush, suitable for the cool conservatory. It
requires a rich loam and leaf mould. Propagated by seeds and cuttings
under a bell glass.
=A. Frankliniæ= (Lady Franklin's).* _fl._ white, produced in great
profusion, in terminal clusters. August. _l._ fragrant, opposite,
trifoliate, gland-dotted. _h._ 8ft. Tasmania, 1845.
=ACRE= (from _agros_, an open field). The English Statute acre
consists of 160 square rods (perches, poles, roods, or lugs); or
4840 square yards; or 43,560 square feet. The following list shows
the differentiation in the number of square yards per acre in the
various districts of Great Britain and Ireland: Cheshire, 10,240;
Cornish, 5760; Cunningham, 6250; Derby (W.), 9000; Devonshire, 4000;
Herefordshire, 3226-2/3; Irish, 7840; Leicestershire, 2308-3/4; Scotch,
6150; Wales, North (customary), 3240; ditto (erw), 4320; Westmoreland,
6760; Wiltshire, 3630.
=ACRIDOCARPUS= (from _akris_, a locust; and _karpos_, fruit; meaning
not obvious). ORD. _Malpighiaceæ_. A handsome sub-tropical or warm
greenhouse climber, requiring plenty of water, and a very free
drainage. Increased by imported seeds, and by cuttings in bottom heat.
=A. natalitius= (Natal).* _fl._ pale yellow; petals five, rounded,
wedge-shaped, crenately-toothed at the edge; racemes simple,
elongated, terminal. July. _l._ oblong or obovate, obtuse,
leathery. Natal, 1867.
=ACRIOPSIS= (from _akros_, top, and _opsis_, eye). ORD. _Orchidaceæ_.
A small genus of pretty stove epiphytal orchids, almost unknown to
cultivation. Flowers small, arranged in loose panicles; lip adnate to
the very curious column, from which it projects at right angles.
=A. densiflora= (crowded-flowered).* _fl._ green and pink. May.
_l._ linear-lanceolate. _h._ 6in. Borneo, 1845.
=A. javanica= (Javanese). _fl._ yellow, green. May. _l._
linear-lanceolate. _h._ 3in. Java, 1840.
=A. picta= (painted).* _fl._ white, green, and purple. May. _l._
solitary, linear. _h._ 6in. Bantam, 1843.
=ACROCLINIUM= (from _akros_, top, and _kline_, a bed; referring to the
open flowers). ORD. _Compositæ_. A small genus of elegant half hardy
annuals with "everlasting" flower heads, which are solitary, terminal,
and consist of tubular florets; involucrum many-leaved, imbricated.
Leaves numerous, linear, smooth, acuminated. Stems numerous, erect.
They thrive best in a loamy soil, and constitute very neat summer
flowering annuals if sown out of doors in patches in June; they are
also useful as winter decorative greenhouse plants if seed is sown
in August in pots placed in a cold frame. The flower-heads should be
gathered when young, if it is desired to preserve them.
[Illustration: FIG. 21. ACROCLINIUM ROSEUM, showing Habit and
Flower-head.]
=A. roseum= (rosy).* _fl.-heads_ pretty rose, solitary, terminal,
on erect, slender, and gracefully disposed branches. _l._ linear,
acute. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. S. W. Australia, 1854. See Fig. 21.
=A. r. album= (rosy white).* A very pretty white form of the
preceding.
=A. r. grandiflorum= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ rose, larger
than in the type.
=ACROCOMIA= (from _akros_, top, and _kome_, tuft; referring to the
position of the leaves). ORD. _Palmeæ_. A genus of South American
palms, containing about eleven species, which are not easily
distinguished, but having the following general characteristics: Trunk
from 20ft. to 50ft. high, and clad with long prickles. The flowers,
which appear in the axils of the lower leaves, are greenish or yellow,
and their drupes are much the same colour. Leaves pinnate, with seventy
to eighty leaflets on each side of the pinnæ. They require a warm
greenhouse and rich sandy loam. Increased by suckers. Two species only
are in general cultivation.
=A. aculeata= (prickly). _h._ 40ft. West Indies, 1791.
=A. fusiformis= (spindle-shaped). _h._ 40ft. Trinidad, 1731.
=A. globosa= (globular). =h.= 20ft. St. Vincent, 1824.
=A. horrida= (horrid). _h._ 30ft. Trinidad, 1820.
=A. lasiospatha= (hairy spathed). _l._ drooping. Trunk about 40ft.
high, smooth and ringed. Para, 1846.
=A. sclerocarpa= (hard-fruited).* A very elegant species bearing a
head of spreading pinnate leaves, with the rachises and petioles
aculeate, and the leaflets linear, taper-pointed, glaucous
underneath, about 1ft. long. _h._ 40ft. West Indies, 1731. SYN.
_Cocos fusiformis_.
=A. tenuifolia= (fine-leaved). _h._ 30ft. Brazil, 1824.
=ACROGENS.= Plants increasing at the summit, as Ferns, &c.
=ACRONYCHIA= (from _akron_, tuft, and _onux_, a claw; referring to the
curved points of the petals). ORD. _Rutaceæ_. An ornamental rue-like
greenhouse evergreen shrub. Petals and sepals four; stamens eight,
inserted on a disk; fruit berry-like. It requires ordinary greenhouse
treatment. Increased by cuttings in July in sand, under a bell glass.
=A. Cunninghami= (Cunningham's).* _fl._ white, in clusters,
resembling those of an orange, with an exquisite fragrance. July.
_h._ 7ft. Moreton Bay, 1838.
=ACROPERA.= _See_ =Gongora=.
=ACROPHORUS.= _See_ =Davallia=.
=ACROPHYLLUM= (from _akros_, top, and _phyllon_, a leaf; referring
to the way in which the leaves are produced at the summit of the
branches, above the flowers). ORD. _Cunoniaceæ_. Handsome greenhouse
small, erect-growing, evergreen shrubs, flowering profusely during the
spring months. They require a mixture of fibrous peat, a little loam,
and sharp sand; thorough drainage, an airy situation, and as little
artificial heat as possible, are important to its well-being. Re-pot
in February. Propagated by cuttings of the half ripened shoots, which
strike freely in a soil of sand and peat, if covered with a hand glass,
and placed in a cool house. The roots should not be allowed to get
dry, and light syringing during late spring and summer will be found
beneficial in assisting to keep down thrips.
=A. verticillatum= (whorled). A synonym of _A. venosum_.
=A. venosum= (veined).* _fl._ pinkish white, in dense axillary
spikes, which are borne on the upper part of the stems and
branches. May and June. _l._ nearly sessile, oblong, cordate,
acute, serrate, in whorls of threes. _h._ 6ft. New South Wales.
SYN. _A. verticillatum_.
=ACROPTERIS.= _See_ =Asplenium=.
=ACROSTICHUM= (from _akros_, top, and _stichos_, order; meaning
very obscure). ORD. _Filices_. This genus includes _Aconiopteris_,
_Chrysodium_, _Egenolfia_, _Elaphoglossum_, _Gymnopteris_, _Olfersia_,
_Photinopteris_, _PÅcilipteris_, _Polybotrya_, _Rhipidopteris_,
_Soromanes_, _Stenochlæna_, _Stenosemia_. A large and almost entirely
tropical genus; it includes groups with a wide range in venation and
cutting. Sori spread over the whole surface of the frond or upper
pinnæ, or occasionally over both surfaces. The species having long
fronds, are admirably suited for growing in suspended baskets, and the
dwarfer sorts do well in Wardian cases. A compost of peat, chopped
sphagnum, and sand, is most suitable. For general culture, _see_
=Ferns=.
=A. acuminatum= (taper-pointed).* _rhiz._ thick, climbing. _sti._
4in. to 6in. long, firm, erect, scaly throughout. _barren fronds_
1ft. to 2ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, deltoid, bipinnate; upper
pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, slightly lobed, truncate on the lower
side at the base, 2in. to 3in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad; lower
pinnæ, 6in. to 8in. long, 4in. to 5in. broad, with several small
pinnules on each side; light green, with a firm texture. _fertile
fronds_ 1ft. long, deltoid, tripinnate. Brazil. Stove species. SYN.
_Polybotrya acuminatum_.
=A. alienum= (foreign). _rhiz._ woody. _sti._ 6in. to 18in. long,
scaly downwards. _barren fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, often 1ft.
broad, the upper part deeply pinnatifid, with lanceolate lobes,
the lower part pinnate, with entire or deeply pinnatifid lower
pinnæ. _fertile fronds_ much smaller, with distant narrow linear
or pinnatifid leafy pinnæ. Tropical America. Stove species. SYN.
_Gymnopteris aliena_.
=A. apiifolium= (parsley-leaved).* _cau._ stout, woody, erect.
_sti._ of barren fronds 2in. to 3in. long, erect, densely clothed
with tomentum. _barren fronds_ 4in. to 6in. each way, deltoid,
tripinnate; pinnæ close, only the lowest pair with pinnatifid
pinnules, ultimate divisions oblong-rhomboidal, 1/4in. to
1/3in. long, the base cuneate, the outer edge slightly toothed.
_fertile fronds_ on a slender naked stem 6in. to 8in. long, the
fronds panicled with a few distant, slender, simple, or compound
branches. Philippine Islands, 1862. Stove species. SYN. _Polybotrya
apiifolia_.
=A. apodum= (stemless).* _cau._ thick, woody, the scales dense,
linear, brown, crisped. _sti._ tufted, very short, or obsolete.
_barren fronds_ 1ft. or more long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, the
apex acuminate, the lower part narrowed very gradually, the edge
and midrib densely fringed with soft, short, brown hairs. _fertile
fronds_ much smaller than the barren ones. West Indies to Peru,
1824. Stove species. SYN. _Elaphoglossum apodum_.
=A. appendiculatum= (appendaged).* _rhiz._ firm, woody. _barren
fronds_ 6in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, simply pinnate.
_sti._ 3in. to 6in. long, erect, naked, or slightly scaly; pinnæ
2in. to 4in. long, 3/8in. to 3/4in. broad, the edge varying from
sub-entire to cut half-way down to the midrib of the blunt lobes,
the upper side often auricled, the lower one obliquely truncate,
dark green. _fertile fronds_ narrower, on a longer spike, the pinnæ
roundish or oblong, often distinctly stalked. India, &c., 1824.
Stove species. SYN. _Egenolfia appendiculata_.
=A. aureum= (golden).* _cau._ erect. _sti._ erect, 1ft. to 2ft.
long, strong. _fronds_ 2ft. to 6ft. long, 1ft. to 2ft. broad, the
upper pinnæ fertile, rather smaller than the barren ones, which are
usually stalked, ligulate oblong, 3in. to 1ft. long, 1/2in. to 3in.
broad, acute or blunt, sometimes retuse with a mucro; edge quite
entire, base sub-cuneate. Widely distributed in the tropics of both
hemispheres, 1815. An evergreen aquatic stove species, requiring
abundance of heat and moisture. SYN. _Chrysodium aureum_.
=A. auritum= (eared).* _cau._ erect, woody. _barren fronds_ with a
stipe 6in. to 9in. long, deltoid, 8in. to 12in. each way, ternate,
the central segments deeply pinnatifid, with lanceolate entire
lobes; the lateral ones unequal sided, with lanceolate oblong-lobed
lower pinnules. _fertile fronds_ with a stem 12in. to 18in.
long, deltoid, with distant linear pinnæ half line broad; upper
simple, lower pinnatifid. Philippine Islands. Stove species. SYN.
_Stenosemia aurita_.
=A. axillare= (axillary). _rhiz._ slender, wide scandent. _barren
fronds_ 6in. to 18in. long, about 1in. broad, simple, the point
bluntish, the edge entire, the lower half tapering very gradually
to the base or short stem. _fertile fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long,
one to three lines broad, flexuose, on a stem 1in. to 6in. long.
Himalayas. Greenhouse species. SYN. _Chrysodium axillare_.
=A. barbatum= (bearded). Synonymous with _A. scolopendrifolium_.
=A. bifurcatum= (twice-forked). _sti._ densely tufted, 2in. to 4in.
long, slender, stramineous, naked. _fronds_ 3in. to 4in. long,
about 1/2in. broad, pinnate; lower pinnæ of fertile fronds two
or three cleft, with linear divisions; those of the barren pinnæ
broader, and not so deep. St. Helena. Greenhouse species. SYN.
_Polybotrya bifurcata_.
=A. Blumeanum= (Blume's).* _rhiz._ woody, wide climbing. _sti._
of barren fronds 6in. long, scaly. _barren fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft.
long, 1ft. or more broad, with numerous sessile pinnæ on each
side, which are 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. broad; apex acuminate, the
edge slightly toothed; base rounded. _fertile fronds_ with distant
pinnæ 4in. to 8in. long, 1/8in. to 1/4in. broad. Assam. Greenhouse
species. SYN. _Chrysodium Blumeanum_.
=A. callæfolium= (calla-leaved). A form of _A. latifolium_.
=A. canaliculatum= (channelled).* _rhiz._ woody, wide climbing,
spinulose and scaly. _sti._ 1ft. or more long, scaly throughout.
_fertile fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 12in. to 18in. broad,
tripinnate; lower barren pinnæ, 6in. to 9in. long, 4in. to 5in.
broad; pinnules lanceolate, stalked, with oblong segments, both
surfaces naked; fertile pinnules close, the segments 1/4in. long,
bearing three to four sessile balls of sori. Venezuela. Stove or
greenhouse species. SYN. _Polybotrya canaliculata_.
=A. caudatum= (tailed). A synonym of _A. petiolosum_.
=A. cervinum= (stag-horned).* _rhiz._ woody, creeping, scaly.
_sti._ 1ft. or more long, scaly. _barren fronds_ 2ft. to 4ft. long,
pinnate; pinnæ 4in. to 9in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, entire or
nearly so, unequal at the base; fertile pinnæ distant, linear,
lanceolate, bipinnate, with short spreading sub-cylindrical
pinnules. Brazil, 1840. Stove species. SYN. _Olfersia cervina_.
=A. conforme= (conformed). _rhiz._ wide creeping, scaly. _sti._
1in. to 12in. long, firm, erect, stramineous, naked or slightly
scaly. _fronds_ 2in. to 9in. long, 1/2in. to 2in. broad, acute or
bluntish, the base cuneate or spathulate, the edge entire. _barren
fronds_ narrower than the fertile one. _A. laurifolium_, _A.
obtusilobum_, and several others, are identical with the foregoing.
Tropical America, also in the Old World. Stove species. SYN.
_Elaphoglossum conforme_.
=A. crinitum= (hairy).* _cau._ woody, erect. _sti._ of barren
fronds 4in. to 8in. long, densely clothed with long scales. _barren
fronds_ 9in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 9in. wide, broadly oblong;
apex blunt, base rounded, edge entire and ciliated, texture
subcoriaceous, both sides scattered over with scales like those of
the stipes. _fertile fronds_ like the others, but much smaller,
the stipes longer. West Indies, &c., 1793. Stove species. SYNS.
_Chrysodium_ and _Hymenodium crinitum_.
=A. cylindricum= (cylindrical). Synonymous with _A. osmundaceum_.
=A. Dombeyanum= (Dombey's). A form of _A. lepidotum_.
=A. flagelliferum= (rod-shaped). _rhiz._ woody, creeping. _sti._
of barren fronds 6in. to 12in. long, nearly naked. _barren fronds_
simple or with one to three pairs of pinnæ, the terminal one ovate
lanceolate, entire or repand, often elongated and rooting at the
point, the lateral ones 3in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad;
fertile pinnæ 2in. to 3in. long, about 1/2in. broad. India, &c.,
1828. Stove species. SYN. _Gymnopteris flagellifera_.
=A. fÅniculaceum= (fennel-leaved).* _rhiz._ slender, creeping.
_sti._ distant, slender, 2in. to 8in. long, scaly. _barren fronds_
1in. to 2in. broad, usually dichotomously forked, with filiform
divisions. _fertile fronds_ 3/8in. broad, two-lobed. Andes of
Ecuador. Stove species. (For culture, see _A. peltatum_). SYN.
_Rhipidopteris fÅniculaceum_.
=A. Herminieri= (Herminier's).* _rhiz._ stout, creeping. _sti._
very short, or none. _barren fronds_ 1-1/2ft. to 3ft. long, 1in.
to 1-1/2in. broad, simple, acuminate, the lower part narrowed very
gradually. _fertile fronds_ short-stalked, 3in. to 4in. long, 1in.
to 1-1/2in. broad. Tropical America, 1871. Stove species. SYN.
_Elaphoglossum Herminieri_.
=A. heteromorphum= (various-formed). _rhiz._ slender, wide
creeping, scaly. _sti._ 1in. to 3in. long, slender, slightly scaly.
_barren fronds_ 1-1/2in. to 2in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad,
simple, bluntish, the base rounded, both surfaces scattered over
with linear dark castaneous scales. _fertile fronds_ much smaller,
and the stipes much longer. Columbia and Ecuador. Stove species.
SYN. _Elaphoglossum heteromorphum_.
=A. Langsdorffii= (Langsdorff's). Synonymous with _A. muscosum_.
=A. latifolium= (broad-leaved).* _rhiz._ thick, woody, creeping,
scaly. _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, firm, erect, naked, or scaly.
_barren fronds_ 9in. to 18in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, simple,
acute, gradually narrowed below, entire; texture leathery.
_fertile fronds_ considerably narrower than the barren ones. _A.
longifolium_, _A. callæfolium_, &c., are only varieties of this
species. Mexico, Brazil, &c. Stove species. SYN. _Elaphoglossum
latifolium_.
=A. lepidotum= (scaly).* _rhiz._ thick, woody, very scaly. _sti._
1in. to 3in. long, firm, scaly throughout. _barren fronds_ 3in.
to 6in. long, about 1/2in. broad, simple, usually blunt, the base
cuneate or rather rounded, both surfaces and midrib very scaly. _A.
Dombeyanum_, of garden origin, is a varietal form of this, of which
there are several others. Tropical America. Stove species. SYN.
_Elaphoglossum lepidotum_.
=A. longifolium= (long-leaved). A form of _A. latifolium_.
=A. Meyerianum= (Meyer's). Synonymous with _A. tenuifolium_.
=A. muscosum= (mossy).* _rhiz._ woody, densely scaly. _sti._ 4in.
to 6in. long, firm, clothed with large pale brown scales. _barren
fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, simple,
narrowed at both ends; upper surface slightly scaly; lower quite
hidden by imbricated brownish scales. _barren fronds_ much smaller
than the others, the stipes longer. Madeira. Greenhouse species.
SYN. _A. Langsdorffii_.
=A. Neitnerii.= Synonymous with _A. quercifolium_.
=A. nicotianæfolium= (tobacco-leaved).* _rhiz._ woody, wide
creeping, scaly. _sti._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft., scaly below. _barren
fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, with a large
terminal pinna, and one to three lateral pairs, which are 6in. to
9in. long, 1in. to 3in. broad, acuminate, entire, or nearly so,
the base slightly rounded, fertile pinnæ distant, 3in. to 4in.
long, 3/4in. broad. Cuba, &c. Stove species. SYN. _Gymnopteris
nicotianæfolium_.
=A. osmundaceum= (osmunda-like).* _rhiz._ woody, wide scandent,
scaly. _sti._ 12in. to 18in. long, firm, erect, scaly at the base.
_barren fronds_ ample, bi- or tripinnate; the lower pinnæ 1ft.
to 2ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad; pinnules stalked, lanceolate,
with closely set sub-entire segments, of a light green colour;
both surfaces naked. _fertile fronds_ nearly or quite as large as
the barren ones; segments linear cylindrical, 1/4in. to 1/2in.
long. Tropical America. Stove species. SYNS. _A. cylindricum_, and
_Polybotrya osmundaceum_.
=A. paleaceum= (chaffy). Synonymous with _A. squamosum_.
[Illustration: FIG. 22. ACROSTICHUM PELTATUM.]
=A. peltatum= (peltate-leaved).* _rhiz._ slender, wide creeping.
_sti._ distant, slender, 1in. to 4in. long, scaly throughout.
_barren fronds_ 1in. to 2in. each way, repeatedly dichotomously
forked, with narrow linear ultimate divisions, quarter to half line
broad. _fertile fronds_ 1/2in. broad, often two-lobed. West Indies.
Stove or greenhouse species. This elegant little fern requires a
liberal supply of water all the year round, and is best grown in a
well drained pan of good fibrous peat, leaf soil, and sand, with
some nodules of sandstone raised above the rim of the pan; do not
disturb it more than is necessary. SYN. _Rhipidopteris peltata_.
See Fig. 22.
=A. petiolosum= (petioled). _rhiz._ woody, wide scandent.
_sti._ woody, erect, scaly at the base. _fronds_ bipinnate, or
tripinnatifid, 2ft. to 4ft. long, 1ft. to 3ft. broad, deltoid; the
upper barren pinnæ lanceolate, pinnatifid, the longest sometimes
18in. long, and 6in. to 10in. broad; pinnules with long falcate
lobes reaching half-way down to the midrib, both surfaces naked;
fertile pinnules very narrow, and dangling, continuous or beaded.
West Indies, Mexico, &c. Stove species. SYNS. _Polybotrya_ and _A.
caudatum_.
=A. piloselloides= (mouse ear-leaved). Synonymous with _A.
spathulatum_.
=A. platyrhynchos= (broad-beaked). _sti._ tufted, scarcely any.
_fronds_ 12in. to 16in. long, 1in. broad, simple. _sori_ in a patch
at the apex, 1in. to 2in. long, 3/8in. broad, which does not reach
to the entire edge; the lower part narrowed gradually, with naked
surfaces, and a coriaceous texture. Philippines. Stove species.
SYN. _Hymenolepis platyrhynchos_.
=A. quercifolium= (oak-leaved).* _rhiz._ stout, wide creeping.
_sti._ of barren fronds 1in. to 2in. long, clothed with brownish
hairs. _barren fronds_ 3in. to 4in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad,
the terminal pinnæ with blunt rounded lobes. _fertile fronds_ with
a terminal pinna, 1in. to 2in. long, one line broad, and a pair
of smaller lateral ones, with slender stipes 6in. to 9in. long,
hairy at the base. Ceylon. Stove species. SYNS. _A. Neitnerii_ (of
gardens), _Gymnopteris quercifolia_.
=A. scandens= (climbing).* _rhiz._ woody, wide climbing. _sti._
3in. to 4in. long, firm, erect, naked. _fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft. long,
1ft. or more broad, simply pinnate; barren pinnæ, 4in. to 8in.
long, 3/4in. to 1-1/2in. broad, acuminate, the edge thickened
and serrulate, the base cuneate, sessile, or slightly stalked,
articulated; fertile pinnæ, 6in. to 12in. long, one and a half to
two lines broad, the lower ones distant. Himalayas, &c., 1841.
Stove or greenhouse species. SYN. _Stenochlæna scandens_.
=A. scolopendrifolium= (scolopendrium-leaved).* _rhiz._ woody,
creeping, scaly. _sti._ 4in. to 12in. long, firm, erect, densely
clothed with blackish scales. _barren fronds_ often 1ft. long,
1-1/2in. to 3in. broad, simple, acute, the base narrowed gradually;
edge and midrib scaly. _fertile fronds_ much smaller than the
barren ones. Guatemala, &c. Stove species. SYN. _A. barbatum_.
=A. serratifolium= (serrate-leaved). _rhiz._ woody, short
creeping. _sti._ of barren fronds 12in. to 18in. long, slightly
scaly. _barren fronds_ 2ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, with
numerous sessile pinnæ on each side, 3in. to 6in. long, 3/4in. to
1-1/2in. broad, inciso-crenate, the base cuneate; fertile pinnæ
distant, 2in. to 3in. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, blunt, entire.
Venezuela, &c. Stove species. SYN. _Chrysodium serratifolium_.
=A. simplex= (simple-leaved). _rhiz._ woody, creeping, scaly.
_sti._ 1in. to 4in. long, firm, erect, naked. _barren fronds_ 4in.
to 12in. long, about 1-1/2in. broad, very acute, the lower part
narrowed very gradually. _fertile fronds_ narrower than the barren
ones, with longer stipes. Cuba to Brazil, 1798. Stove species. SYN.
_Elaphoglossum simplex_.
=A. sorbifolium= (service-leaved).* _rhiz._ thick, woody, often
30ft. to 40ft. long, clasping trees like a cable, sometimes
prickly. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, simply
pinnate; barren pinnæ 4in. to 6in. long, about 1/2in. broad, three
to twenty on each side, articulated at the base, entire or toothed;
fertile pinnæ 1in. to 2in. apart, 2in. to 4in. long, about 1/4in.
broad. West Indies, 1793. There are several varieties of this
species, chiefly differing in the number of pinnæ. Stove species.
SYN. _Stenochlæna sorbifolia_.
=A. s. cuspidatum= (cuspidate).* This is only a variety of the
above species with long-stalked, ligulate-cuspidate pinnæ; but it
is usually regarded as a distinct species in gardens.
=A. spathulatum= (spoon-shaped). _sti._ tufted, 1in. to 2in. long,
firm, erect, scaly. _barren fronds_ 1/2in. to 4in. long, 1/4in.
to 1/2in. broad, obovate-spathulate, blunt, tapering narrowly or
gradually at the base, with a coriaceous texture; both surfaces
and the margins copiously scaly. _fertile fronds_ smaller than the
barren, with longer stipes. Tropical America, South Africa, &c.
Stove species. SYN. _A. piloselloides_.
=A. spicatum= (spiked). _rhiz._ woody, short creeping. _sti._ 1in.
to 2in. long, firm. _fronds_ 6in. to 18in. long, 1/2in. to 1in.
broad, the upper part contracted and fertile, entire, the lower
part narrowed very gradually. Himalayas, &c. Greenhouse species.
SYN. _Hymenolepis brachystachys_.
=A. squamosum= (scaly).* _rhiz._ woody, densely scaly. _sti._ 2in.
to 4in. long, densely clothed with pale or dark-coloured scales.
_barren fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, about 1in. broad, simple,
acute, the base narrowed gradually; both sides matted, and the edge
densely ciliated with reddish scales. _fertile fronds_ as long as
the barren ones, but much narrower, the stipes much longer. Widely
distributed in both hemispheres. Stove or greenhouse species. SYN.
_A. paleaceum_.
=A. subdiaphanum= (semi-transparent).* _cau._ woody, erect. _sti._
tufted, 2in. to 6in. long, firm, erect, scaly. _barren fronds_ 4in.
to 8in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, simple, both ends narrowed,
the edge entire. _fertile fronds_ much narrower, on longer stipes.
St. Helena. Greenhouse species. SYN. _Aconiopteris subdiaphana_.
=A. subrepandum= (slighty-waved).* _rhiz._ woody, wide-creeping.
_sti._ of barren fronds stout, erect, nearly naked. _barren fronds_
from 1ft. to 2ft. long, 2in. to 12in. broad, copiously pinnate,
with linear-oblong entire or subrepand pinnæ on each side, which
are sometimes 6in. to 8in. long, and 2in. broad. _fertile fronds_
like the others, but smaller. Isle of Luzon, &c. Stove species.
SYN. _Gymnopteris subrepanda_.
=A. taccæfolium= (yew-leaved).* _cau._ woody, densely scaly. _sti._
of barren fronds 1in. to 4in. long, scaly. _barren fronds_ from
1ft. to 2ft. long, 3in. to 12in. broad, simple, oblong-lanceolate,
entire, copiously pinnate, with oblong-lanceolate pinnæ, 1in.
to 6in. long, 1/2in. to 1-1/2in. broad, the upper ones narrowly
decurrent, the lower ones forked at the base on the under side.
_fertile fronds_ simple, 6in. to 12in. long, 1/8in. broad, or
pinnate, with forked linear pinnæ. The three-lobed form of this
species is sometimes known as _A. trilobum_. Philippines. Stove
species. SYN. _Gymnopteris taccæfolia_.
=A. tenuifolium= (narrow-leaved).* _rhiz._ wide scandent, woody,
slightly scaly. _barren fronds_ simply pinnate, the stipes 4in.
to 6in. long, naked, firm, erect, the fronds 3ft. to 5ft. long,
12in. to 18in. broad; pinnæ 6in. to 9in. long, 3/4in. to 1-1/2in.
broad, acuminate, the edge thickened and serrulate, short-stalked.
_fertile fronds_ bipinnate, with longer stipes; pinnæ long-stalked,
with numerous distant pinnules. South Africa. Stove or greenhouse
species. SYNS. _A. Meyerianum_ and _Stenochlæna tenuifolia_.
=A. trilobum= (three-lobed). A form of _A. taccæfolium_.
=A. villosum= (hairy).* _rhiz._ woody, densely scaly. _sti._ 2in.
to 4in. long, slender, densely clothed with scales. _barren fronds_
6in. to 9in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, acute, the lower part
narrowed gradually; both surfaces scaly, and the edge more or less
ciliated. _fertile fronds_ much smaller than the others. Mexico,
&c. Stove species.
=A. viscosum= (clammy).* _rhiz._ woody, creeping, densely scaly.
_sti._ 3in. to 6in. long, firm, erect, scaly, often viscous.
_barren fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad, simple,
acute, the lower part narrowed gradually; both surfaces more or
less viscid, and minutely scaly. _fertile fronds_ smaller, with
longer stipes. Tropical America and the tropics of the Old World,
1826. Very variable in form. Stove species.
=ACROTRICHE= (from _akros_, top, _i.e._, outermost--and _thrix_, a
hair; the tips of the petals are bearded). ORD. _Epacridaceæ_. A genus
of eight or nine species of dwarf, much branched, ornamental greenhouse
evergreen shrubs. Flowers white or red; spikes axillary, short; corolla
funnel-shaped; petals with deflexed hairs at apex. Cultivated in an
equal mixture of sandy loam and peat, and propagated by cuttings made
of the young shoots, pricked in sand, covered with a bell glass, and
placed in a cool house; afterwards treated like _Epacris_.
=A. cordata= (heart-leaved).* _fl._ white, small, axillary, twin,
or solitary. April. _l._ cordate, flat, striated below. _h._ 1ft.
New Holland, 1823.
=A. divaricata= (straggling).* _fl._ white, small, in axillary
spikes. May. _l._ lanceolate, mucronate, divaricate, flat, both
surfaces green. _h._ 6in. to 1ft. New South Wales, 1824.
=A. ovalifolia= (oval-leaved). _fl._ white, small, in axillary
spikes. March. _l._ ovate and oval, obtuse, flat, with smooth
margins. _h._ 6in. to 1ft. New Holland, 1824.
=ACTÃA= (from _aktaia_, an Elder; in allusion to the resemblance of
the foliage to that of the Elder). Baneberry. ORD. _Ranunculaceæ_. A
small genus of perennial herbaceous plants, with bi- or triternate
leaves, and long, erect racemes of whitish flowers, which are succeeded
by poisonous berries. They are excellent subjects for shady places,
beneath trees, or in the wild garden. Easily increased by division of
the roots, and seed during spring.
=A. alba= (white).* _fl._ white; racemes simple. May, June. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, serrate or cut. Berries white, ovate-oblong, _h._
1ft. to 1-1/2ft. N. America.
[Illustration: FIG. 23. ACTÃA SPICATA, showing Habit and Raceme of
Flowers.]
=A. spicata= (spiked).* _fl._ white, or bluish; racemes ovate.
Summer. _l._ bi- or triternate, serrated. Berries oblong, black,
poisonous. _h._ 1ft. England. See Fig. 23.
=A. s. rubra= (red).* This differs from the type in having bright
red berries, which are disposed in dense clusters on spikes
overtopping the foliage. North America. A very handsome hardy
perennial.
=ACTINELLA= (from _aktin_, a ray; small rayed). SYN. _Picradenia_. ORD.
_Compositæ_. A small genus of hardy herbaceous plants, having radiate
capitules. The only species worth cultivating is _A. grandiflora_. It
thrives in an open border with a light soil. Increased by divisions of
the root in spring.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, large, and
handsome, 3in. in diameter. Summer. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Colorado. A
very pretty branched perennial, suitable for the alpine garden.
=A. lanata= (woolly). _See_ =Eriophyllum cæspitosum=.
=ACTINIDIA= (from _aktin_, a ray; the styles radiate like the spokes of
a wheel). ORD. _TernstrÅmiaceæ_. A genus of ornamental hardy deciduous
climbing shrubs, with axillary corymbs of flowers; sepals and petals
imbricate. Leaves entire. Excellent for trellis-work or walls, and
thriving best in a light rich soil. Increased by seeds, layers, or
cuttings; the latter should be put in under a hand light in autumn, in
sandy soil.
[Illustration: FIG. 24. ACTINIDIA VOLUBILIS.]
=A. Kolomikta= (Kolomikta).* _fl._ white, solitary, axillary, or
cymose, 1/2in. in diameter; peduncles about 1/2in. long. Summer.
_l._ ovate-oblong, petiolate, rounded or sub-cordate at the base,
and tapering into a long point, serrate; the autumnal tints are
very handsome, changing to white and red. N. E. Asia, 1880. Rarely
met with.
=A. polygama= (polygamous). _fl._ white, fragrant. Summer. _l._
cordate, serrate, petiolate. Japan, 1870. The berries of this
species are edible.
=A. volubilis= (twining).* _fl._ white, small. June. _l._ oval on
flowering branches, elliptic on climbing stems. Japan, 1874. A very
free growing species. See Fig. 24.
=ACTINIOPTERIS= (from _aktin_, a ray, and _pteris_, a fern; the
fronds are radiately cut into narrow segments). ORD. _Filices_. Sori
linear-elongated, sub-marginal; involucres (= indusia) the same shape
as the sorus, folded over it, placed one on each side of the narrow
segments of the frond, opening towards the midrib. A small genus of
beautiful and distinct stove ferns. They thrive in a compost of equal
parts crocks and charcoal, about the size of peas, which must be mixed
with silver sand and a very small portion of loam and peat. About
half the pot should be filled with crocks, perfect drainage being
necessary. A moist atmosphere is also essential, and the plants may be
syringed two or three times a day. A mean summer temperature of 78deg.
to 80deg., with a night one of not less than 65deg., is desirable. In
winter, a mean temperature of about 73deg., and a night one of not less
than 60deg., should be maintained.
=A. radiata= (rayed).* _sti._ densely tufted, 2in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ fan shaped, 1in. to 1-1/2in. each way, composed of
numerous dichotomous segments, half line broad, those of the
fertile frond longer than those of the barren one. India, &c. (very
widely distributed), 1869. In form this elegant little species is
a perfect miniature of the Fan Palm, _Latania borbonica_.
=A. r. australis= (southern).* _fronds_, segments fewer, larger,
and subulate at the point. Plant much larger and more vigorous.
=ACTINOCARPUS= (from _aktin_, a ray, and _karpos_, fruit; referring
to the curiously radiated fruit, resembling a star fish). ORD.
_Alismaceæ_. Pretty little aquatic perennials, with habit and
inflorescence of _Alisma_. Carpels six to eight, connate at base,
spreading horizontally. Excellent for naturalising in bogs and pools.
Increased by seeds and divisions during spring.
=A. Damasonium= (Damasonium). Ray Pod. _fl._ white, very delicate;
each petal has a yellow spot at the base; scapes with a terminal
umbel. June. _l._ radical, on long petioles, sometimes floating,
elliptical, five-nerved. A native aquatic. The proper name of this
plant is _Damasonium stellatum_.
=A. minor= (smaller).* This greenhouse species, also with white
flowers, from New South Wales, is smaller.
=ACTINOMERIS= (from _aktin_, a ray, and _meris_, a part; referring
to the radiated aspect of the plants). SYN. _Pterophyton_. ORD.
_Compositæ_. A small genus of herbaceous perennials allied to
_Helianthus_, but with compressed and winged achenes. Flower-heads
corymbose, Coreopsis-like. Leaves ovate or lanceolate, serrate. They
are hardy, ornamental plants, and of easy cultivation, in a loamy
soil. Increased in spring, by seeds and division of the roots, on a
warm border, with or without hand lights, or in cold frames. With the
exception of _A. helianthoides_, they are but little known in this
country.
=A. alata= (wing-stalked). _fl.-heads_ yellow. July. _h._ 3ft.
America. 1803.
=A. helianthoides= (sunflower-like).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, 2in.
across, July to September. _h._ 3ft. S. America, 1825.
=A. procera= (tall).* _fl.-heads_ yellow. September. _h._ 8ft. N.
America, 1766.
=A. squarrosa= (rough-headed).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, in loose
terminal panicles. July and August. _l._ decurrent, broadly
lanceolate, coarsely toothed. Stem square, winged. _h._ 3ft. North
America, 1640. SYN. _Verbesina Coreopsis_.
=ACTINOPHYLLUM.= _See_ =Sciadophyllum=.
=ACTINOSTACHYS.= Included under =Schizæa= (which _see_).
=ACTINOTUS= (from _actinotos_, furnished with rays; referring to the
involucre). ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. An Australian genus of greenhouse
herbaceous perennials. Flowers shortly pedicellate, numerously disposed
in simple umbels; petals none. Leaves alternate, petiolate. They
thrive best in loam and peat, and are increased by root division and
seeds. The latter should be sown on a hotbed, in spring, and in May
the seedlings may be transplanted out in the open border in a warm
situation, where they will flower and seed freely.
=A. helianthus= (sunflower).* _fl._ white, in many-flowered
capitate umbels; involucre many leaved, radiating, longer than the
flowers. June. _l._ alternate, bipinnatifid; lobules bluntish. _h._
2ft. 1821. SYN. _Eriocalia major_.
=A. leucocephalus= (white-headed). _fl._ white. June. _h._ 2ft.
1837.
[Illustration: FIG. 25. ADA AURANTIACA.]
=ACULEATUS.= Armed with prickles.
=ACULEOLATUS.= Armed with small prickles.
=ACULEUS.= A prickle; a conical elevation of the skin of a plant,
becoming hard and sharp-pointed.
=ACUMEN.= An acute terminal angle.
=ACUMINATE.= Extended into an acute terminal angle; this word is
confined to considerable extension.
=ACUNNA OBLONGA.= _See_ =Bejaria æstuans=.
=ACUTE.= Sharp-pointed.
=ACYNTHA.= A synonym of =Sanseviera= (which _see_).
=ADA= (a complimentary name). ORD. _Orchideæ_. An evergreen orchid,
very closely allied to _Brassia_, from which it differs chiefly
in having the lip parallel with, and solidly united to, the base
of the column. Some authorities now refer the plant to the genus
_Mesospinidium_. It requires to be potted in peat and sphagnum, in
equal parts. The drainage must be perfect, and, during summer, the
water supply profuse. Although in winter far less will suffice, the
plant should not be allowed to become dry. Propagated by divisions as
soon as the plant commences growth.
=A. aurantiaca= (orange).* _fl._ orange-scarlet, in long terminal
nodding racemes, each bearing from six to ten blossoms; petals
elongated, streaked with black inside. Winter and spring. _l._ two
or three to each plant, linear, dark green, about 6in. in length.
Habit erect, with somewhat cylindrical pseudo-bulbs, which taper
upwards. See Fig. 25.
=ADAMIA= (named after John Adam, some time Governor-General of
India, and a promoter of natural history). ORD. _Saxifrageæ_. A
small genus of Hydrangea-like greenhouse evergreen shrubs, having
many flowered terminal corymbs of flowers, and opposite, petiolate,
oblong-lanceolate, serrated leaves. They thrive well in a mixture of
loam, peat, and sand; and cuttings will root readily in a similar
compost, under a hand glass.
=A. cyanea= (blue-berried). _fl._ whitish, or pink. June. _h._ 6ft.
Nepaul, in rocky places, 1829.
=A. sylvatica= (wood). _fl._ blue; cymes nearly undivided, on short
peduncles, disposed in a close panicle. June. _h._ 6ft. Java, 1846.
=A. versicolor= (many-coloured). _fl._ blue. August. China, 1844.
=ADAM'S APPLE.= _See_ =Citrus Limetta= and =Musa paradisiaca=.
=ADAMSIA.= _See_ =Geum=, =Puschkinia=, =Sieversia=.
=ADAM'S NEEDLE.= _See_ =Yucca=.
=ADANSONIA= (named after Michael Adanson, an eminent French botanist).
Baobab Tree. ORD. _Sterculiaceæ_. This is reputed to be one of the
largest trees in the world, as far as the girth of the trunk is
concerned; but it is seldom seen in cultivation in this country.
=A. digitata= (finger-leaved). _fl._ white, about 6in. across,
with purplish anthers, on long, axillary, solitary pedicels. _l._
palmate, with three leaflets in the young plants, and five to seven
in adult ones. _h._ 40ft. Africa.
=ADDER'S FERN.= _See_ =Polypodium vulgare=.
=ADDER-SPIT.= _See_ =Pteris aquilina=.
=ADDER'S TONGUE.= _See_ =Ophioglossum=.
=ADELOBOTRYS= (from _adelos_, obscure, and _botrys_, a cluster). ORD.
_Melastomaceæ_. Stove climbing shrubs with terete branches. Flowers
white, crowded in cymose heads at the tops of the branches. Leaves
clothed with rufous hairs on both surfaces when young, but in the
adult state glabrous, except the nerves, petiolate, ovate, cordate,
acuminated, ciliately serrated, five-nerved. For general culture, _see_
=Pleroma=.
=A. Lindeni= (Linden's).* _fl._ white, changing to purple. Brazil,
1866.
=A. scandens= (climbing).* This, the original species, possibly not
now in cultivation, is a native of French Guiana.
=ADENANDRA= (from _aden_, a gland, and _aner_, a male; the anthers
terminate in a globose gland). ORD. _Rutaceæ_. Very beautiful little
greenhouse shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers large, usually
solitary at the tops of the branches; stamens ten, the five opposite
the petals sterile, five fertile ones similar in form, but shorter.
Leaves usually alternate, flat, glandularly dotted. They thrive in a
mixture of sand and peat, with a little turfy loam. The young tops,
before they begin to throw out their buds, made into cuttings, and
planted in a pot of sand, with a bell glass placed over them, will root
without bottom heat.
=A. acuminata= (acuminate). Synonymous with _A. amÅna_.
=A. amÅna= (pleasing).* _fl._ large, whitish above, and reddish
beneath, solitary, sessile, terminal. June. _l._ scattered, oblong
or oval, bluntish, smooth, dotted beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1798.
SYN. _A. acuminata_.
=A. coriacea= (leathery-leaved). _fl._ large, pink, usually
solitary on the tops of the branches. June. _l._ scattered, oblong,
obtuse, revolute, quite smooth. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1720.
=A. fragrans= (fragrant).* _fl._ rose colour, on long peduncles,
fragrant; pedicels clammy, aggregate, umbellate. May. _l._
scattered, smooth, spreading very much, ovate-oblong, glandular, a
little crenulated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1812.
=A. linearis= (linear-leaved). _fl._ white, terminal, on long,
usually solitary, pedicels. June. _l._ opposite, linear, obtuse,
spreading; branches and pedicels smooth. _h._ 1ft. 1800.
=A. marginata= (margined).* _fl._ pale flesh-colour, on long
peduncles; umbels terminal. June. _l._ scattered, smooth,
transparent, cordate, lower ones ovate, upper ones lanceolate. _h._
1ft. to 2ft. 1806.
=A. umbellata= (umbel-flowered).* _fl._ pink, almost sessile,
terminal, umbellate, petals fringed. June. _l._ oblong or obovate,
dotted beneath, fringed on the edges. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1790.
=A. u. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._ large, pink, nearly sessile,
terminal, umbellate. June. _l._ scattered, oblong or obovate,
revolute, dotted beneath, smooth, but a little fringed on the
edges. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1790.
=A. uniflora= (one-flowered).* _fl._ large, whitish inside, and
pinkish outside, nearly sessile, solitary, terminal. June. _l._
scattered, oblong-lanceolate, somewhat pointed, revolute, smooth,
dotted beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1775.
=A. villosa= (shaggy).* _fl._ pink, nearly sessile, terminal,
umbellate; sepals, petals, and stamens fringed. June. _l._ crowded,
ovate-oblong, fringed, pubescent and glandular beneath. _h._ 1ft.
to 2ft. 1786.
=ADENANTHERA= (from _aden_, a gland, and _anthera_, an anther; in
reference to the anthers, which are each terminated by a deciduous,
pedicellate gland). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A small genus of stove
evergreen trees, with racemose spikes of small flowers and bipinnate
or decompound leaves. They thrive well in a mixture of peat and loam.
Increased by cuttings, which should be taken off at a joint and planted
in heat in a pot of sand, placing a bell glass over them.
=A. chrysostachys= (golden-spiked). _fl._ golden. _h._ 15ft.
Mauritius, 1824.
=A. falcata= (sickle-shaped). _fl._ yellowish. _h._ 6ft. India,
1812.
=A. pavonina= (peacock-like).* Peacock Flower Fence. _fl._ white
and yellow mixed. May. _l._ leaflets oval, obtuse, glabrous on both
surfaces. _h._ 5ft. India, 1759.
=ADENANTHOS= (from _aden_, a gland, and _anthos_, a flower; referring
to the glands on the flowers). ORD. _Proteaceæ_. Ornamental greenhouse
evergreen pilose shrubs, thriving in sandy peat. Propagated in spring
by cuttings, which should be placed in sandy soil under a bell glass,
with a gentle bottom heat.
=A. barbigera= (bearded).* _fl._ red, axillary, solitary,
pedunculate; perianth pilose, bearded at top; involucre spreading,
villous. June. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, triple-nerved. _h._
7ft. Swan River, 1845.
=A. cuneata= (wedge-leaved). _fl._ red. July. _h._ 5ft. New
Holland, 1824.
=A. obovata= (obovate-leaved).* _fl._ red. July. _h._ 5ft. New
Holland, 1826.
=ADENIUM= (from Aden, where it is found). ORD. _Apocynaceæ_. Greenhouse
evergreen succulent shrubs. The species mentioned below is remarkable
in having a globose thick caudex or stem; branches dichotomous; corolla
salver-shaped. They require a well-drained compost of sand and loam.
Half-ripened cuttings strike root readily in sand, under a hand glass.
But little water is required when the plants are not in a growing state.
=A. obesum= (fat). _fl._ pinky-crimson, downy; corymbs terminal,
many-flowered; pedicels short. June. _l._ close together at the
tops of the branches, 3in. long, oblong, narrowed at the base,
abruptly terminated by a hard, short point. _h._ 3ft. or 4ft. Aden,
1845.
=ADENOCALYMNA= (from _aden_, a gland, and _calymna_, a covering;
referring to the conspicuous glands on the leaves and floral
coverings). ORD. _Bignoniaceæ_. An elegant genus of stove evergreen
climbers. Flowers racemose, trumpet-shaped, bracteate. Leaves ternate
or binate. Stems slender. They require a hot and moist temperature to
grow them successfully, and thrive best in a compost of loam and peat.
Cuttings will root in sand, if placed under a bell glass, with bottom
heat.
=A. comosum= (hairy).* _fl._ yellow; racemes spicate, axillary, and
terminal; bracts comose. September. _l._ trifoliate and conjugate,
tendrilled; leaflets ovate, leathery, glandular. _h._ 10ft. Brazil,
1841.
=A. longeracemosum= (long-racemed). _fl._ yellow. October. Brazil.
=A. nitidum= (shining).* _fl._ yellow; racemes axillary, nearly
terminal, velvety; corolla velvety; bracts narrow, glandular.
February. _l._ trifoliate or conjugate, tendrilled; leaflets
elliptic, oblong. _h._ 10ft. Brazil, 1848.
=ADENOCARPUS= (from _aden_, a gland, and _karpos_, a fruit; in
reference to the legumes being beset with pedicellate glands). ORD.
_Leguminosæ_. Shrubs, with numerous racemes of yellow flowers;
divaricate branches, trifoliate usually aggregate leaves, having
petiolar stipulas, and complicated leaflets. All the species are
elegant when in flower, and well suited for ornamenting the fronts of
shrubberies. Except where otherwise mentioned, all are hardy. They
thrive best in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand; and may be readily
increased by seeds or layers, or by grafting the rarer on the commoner
kinds. Young cuttings will root freely in sand, covered by a hand
glass, which should be taken off and wiped occasionally. Seeds may be
sown in March, the hardy species out of doors, and the others in a cold
house.
=A. foliolosus= (slightly-leaved).* _fl._ yellow; racemes terminal;
calyx covered with glandless hairs, with the lower lip elongated
and trifid at the apex; the segments equal. May. _l._ (and
branches) much crowded, hairy, trifoliate. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Canary
Islands, 1629. A half-hardy evergreen species.
=A. frankenioides= (frankenia-like).* _fl._ yellow, crowded;
racemes terminal; calyx beset with glandular pubescence, with the
lower lip having the middle segment longer than the lateral ones,
and exceeding the lower lip. April. _l._ trifoliate, much crowded,
hairy; branches velvety. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Teneriffe, 1815.
Requires protection in winter; an evergreen.
=A. hispanicus= (Spanish).* _fl._ yellow, crowded; racemes
terminal; calyx beset with glands and hairs; lower lip of calyx
with three equal segments, hardly longer than the upper lip. June.
_l._ trifoliate, grouped; branchlets hairy. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft.
Spain, 1816. Deciduous.
=A. intermedius= (intermediate).* _fl._ yellow, not crowded;
racemes terminal; calyx beset with glandular pubescence, with the
lower lip trifid, the lateral segments shorter than the middle
ones, and much exceeding the upper lip. May. _l._ trifoliate,
grouped; branches rather shaggy. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Sicily and
Naples, on mountains, 1816. Deciduous.
=A. parvifolius= (small-leaved).* _fl._ yellow, not crowded;
racemes terminal; calyx clothed with glandular pubescence, with
the middle segment of the lower lip longer than the lateral ones,
much exceeding the upper lip. May. _l._ trifoliate, grouped, small;
branches glabrous. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. France, on exposed heaths,
1800. Deciduous.
=A. telonensis= (Toulon).* _fl._ yellow, not crowded; racemes
terminal; calyx clothed with glandless pubescence, the segments of
the lower lip about equal in length, a little longer than the upper
lip. June. _l._ trifoliate, grouped; branchlets smoothish. _h._
2ft. to 4ft. South France, 1800. Deciduous.
=ADENOPHORA= (from _aden_, a gland, and _phoreo_, to bear; in reference
to the cylindrical nectary which girds the base of the style). ORD.
_Campanulaceæ_. A genus of elegant hardy border perennials, very
similar in habit, shape of flower, &c., to _Campanula_, from which
genus _Adenophora_ differs in having the style surrounded by a
cylindrical gland. Flowers stalked, drooping, spicate. Leaves broad,
stalked, somewhat whorled. They grow best in light rich garden soil,
with a warm sunny position, and should be increased by seeds, as
dividing the roots is the sure way to lose them. They are easily raised
from seeds, which may be sown as soon as ripe, or in spring, in pots
placed in a cold frame.
=A. coronopifolia= (buckhorn-leaved).* _fl._ blue, large, three to
ten, racemose, at the top of the stem, on short pedicels. July.
_l._ radical ones petiolate, ovate-roundish, cordate, crenately
toothed; upper ones sessile, linear-lanceolate, nearly entire,
quite glabrous. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Dahuria, 1822.
=A. denticulata= (toothed-leaved).* _fl._ blue, small, numerous, on
short pedicels, disposed in a more or less loose elongated raceme.
July. _l._ serrated, smoothish; radical ones petiolate, rounded;
upper ones sessile, ovate-lanceolate. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Dahuria, 1817.
SYN. _A. tricuspidata_.
=A. Fischeri= (Fischer's).* _fl._ blue, or whitish blue, numerous,
sweet-scented, disposed in a more or less compound, elongated,
and loose pyramidal panicle. August. _l._ radical ones petiolate,
ovate-roundish, cordate, crenately toothed; upper ones sessile,
ovate-lanceolate, coarsely serrated. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Siberia, 1784.
SYN. _A. liliiflora_.
=A. Gmelini= (Gmelin's). _fl._ blue, secund, three to ten, on
the top of each stem, rising from the axils of the upper leaves,
disposed in a long raceme. July. _l._ upper ones erect, linear,
very narrow, entire, glabrous. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Dahuria, in dry
stony places, 1820.
=A. intermedia= (intermediate). _fl._ pale blue, small, racemose.
May. _l._ radical ones petiolate, cordate, toothed; upper ones
lanceolate, tapering to a point at the base, serrated, crowded.
_h._ 3ft. Siberia, 1820.
=A. Lamarckii= (Lamarck's).* _fl._ blue; corolla funnel-shaped,
disposed in an elongated, many-flowered, raceme, which is compound
at the base. June. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, acutely serrated,
ciliated, glabrous, except on the margins. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
Eastern Europe, 1824.
=A. latifolia= (broad-leaved). Synonymous with _A. pereskiæfolia_.
=A. liliiflora= (lily-flowered).* _fl._ numerous, sweet-scented, in
a loose pyramidal panicle. Central and Eastern Europe.
=A. pereskiæfolia= (pereskia-leaved).* _fl._ blue, rather numerous,
scattered over the upper part of the stems, rarely subverticillate;
peduncles one to two, or three-flowered. July. _l._ three to five
in a whorl, ovate-oblong, acuminated, coarsely serrated, roughly
ciliated. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Dahuria, 1821. SYN. _A. latifolia_.
=A. periplocæfolia= (periploca-leaved). _fl._ pale blue, at the
top of the stem, sometimes only one. June. _l._ petiolate, ovate,
acute, somewhat cordate, crenately serrated. Stem ascending. _h._
3in. Siberia, 1824. Rockery species.
=A. stylosa= (long-styled).* _fl._ pale blue, small, few, disposed
in a loose, naked, raceme. May. _l._ petiolate; lower ones obovate,
sinuate; upper ones ovate, acuminated, glabrous. Stem ascending.
_h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Eastern Europe, 1820.
=A. tricuspidata= (three-cusped). Synonymous with _A. denticulata_.
=A. verticillata= (whorl-leaved).* _fl._ pale blue, small,
irregularly disposed at the tops of the stems; lower whorls many
flowered, distant; peduncles one to three-flowered. June. _l._ in
whorls, serrately toothed; radical ones petiolate, roundish; upper
ones ovate-lanceolate; stems simple. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Dahuria,
1783.
=ADENOSTOMA= (from _aden_, a gland, and _stoma_, a mouth). ORD.
_Rosaceæ_. Hardy shrubs, having small racemose, five-petalled flowers.
They grow freely in rich loam and peat in equal proportions. Propagated
in spring or autumn, by cuttings made of the young shoots, placed in
sand, under glass.
=A. fasciculata= (fascicled).* _fl._ white, small, produced in
terminal panicles. _h._ 2ft. California, 1848. A hardy, heath-like
evergreen bushy plant, allied to _Alchemilla_.
=ADESMIA= (from _a_, without, _desmos_, a bond; in reference to the
stamens being free). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Chiefly greenhouse evergreen
shrubs, or trailers, from South America, with lanceolate stipulas,
abruptly pinnate leaves, ending in a bristle; axillary one-flowered
pedicels, or the flowers racemosely disposed at the tops of the
branches, in consequence of the upper leaves being abortive. They will
grow well in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand. Propagated by cuttings
placed in sand, covered by a hand glass, in a gentle heat; or by
seeds, which are generally more satisfactory. The annual species--_A.
muricata_, _A. papposa_, and _A. pendula_--are not worth growing. The
following are fairly representative of the most ornamental species.
=A. glutinosa= (sticky).* _fl._ yellow; racemes elongated,
terminal, simple, spinescent, and are (as well as the linear
bracteas) clothed with white hairs. May. _l._ with about three
pairs of elliptic, hairy leaflets; branches spreading, beset with
glandular, glutinous hairs. Stem shrubby; legumes three-jointed,
very long. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1831.
=A. Loudonii= (Loudon's). _fl._ yellow. May, _h._ 2ft. Valparaiso,
1830.
=A. microphylla= (small-leaved).* _fl._ yellow; racemes somewhat
capitate, terminal, simple, spinescent. June. _l._ with six pairs
of small orbicular leaflets, on short petioles, pubescent; branches
spinose. Stem shrubby. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1830.
=A. Uspallatensis= (Uspallatan). _fl._ yellow. July. _h._ 1ft.
China, 1832.
=A. viscosa= (clammy). _fl._ yellow. August. _h._ 12ft. Chili, 1831.
=ADHATODA= (its native name). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. Allied to _Justicia_.
Very ornamental stove shrubs, requiring a good fibrous peat and loam,
with a moderate addition of silver sand. To grow them well, they
require liberal treatment and plenty of heat, when the flowers will be
produced in great profusion. Increased by young cuttings in spring,
placed in sandy soil, in bottom heat. _See_ =Justicia=.
=A. cydoniæfolia= (quince-leaved).* _fl._ produced in rather dense
clusters at the point of every branch; tube of corolla white, the
upper lip white tipped with purple; the lower lip large, rich
deep purple, with a white stripe down the centre. October. _l._
opposite, ovate, dark green, and are, as well as the branches,
slightly downy. Brazil, 1855. This species is an excellent subject
for training up pillars or rafters; and, when in bloom, makes a
pretty basket plant. It has a somewhat straggling habit, but a
little care only is needed in pruning and training to grow it into
an elegant shape.
=A. vasica= (Vasica). _fl._ purple. July. _h._ 10ft. India, 1699.
=ADHERENT.= Strictly signifies sticking to anything, but is more
commonly employed in the sense of adnate.
=ADHESION.= The union of parts usually distinct.
=ADIANTOPSIS.= _See_ =Cheilanthes=.
=ADIANTUM= (from _adiantos_, dry, as if plunged in water it yet
remains dry). Maidenhair. ORD. _Filices_. A large genus of handsome
tropical and temperate ferns. _Sori_ marginal, varying in shape from
globose to linear, usually numerous and distinct, sometimes confluent
and continuous. Involucre the same shape as the sorus, formed of the
reflexed margin of the fronds, bearing the capsules on its upper
side. None of the Adiantums are truly hardy except the American _A.
pedatum_; even our own native species requires protection. The chief
requirements of this handsome genus of ferns are good drainage, and a
compost of fibrous peat, loam and sand. In most cases, plenty of pot
room is essential, and a larger quantity of loam will be needed for
strong-growing sorts. For general culture, _see_ =Ferns=.
=A. æmulum= (rival).* _sti._ slender, about 6in. long. _fronds_
slender, pyramidate, tri-subquadripinnate; pinnæ distinct,
obliquely pyramidate, unequally-sided; pinnules rhomboid or oblong,
tapering to the base, the terminal one distinctly cuneate, all
sparingly lobate. _sori_, 2in. to 4in., circular, or nearly so.
Brazil, 1877. Stove or greenhouse species.
=A. æthiopicum= (Ãthiopian).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, rather
slender, erect. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad,
deltoid, tri- or quadripinnate; lower pinnæ 3in. to 4in. long, 2in.
to 3in. broad, deltoid; ultimate segments 1/4in. to 1/2in. across,
1/4in. deep, suborbicular, the upper part broadly lobed; rachis and
surfaces naked. _sori_ in several roundish patches. _A. Chilense_
(Chilian), _A. scabrum_ (scurfy), _A. sulphureum_ (sulphured) are
mere forms of this species. Spain, and almost cosmopolitan. A very
pretty greenhouse fern. SYNS. _A. assimile_, _A. emarginatum_.
=A. affine= (related).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, erect. _fronds_
with a terminal central pinna 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in.
broad, and several smaller erecto-patent lateral ones, the lowest
of which are again branched; pinnules, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long,
1/4in. deep, dimidiate, the lower edge straight, the upper nearly
parallel with it, crenate, like the oblique or bluntly rounded
outer edge. _sori_ numerous, roundish. New Zealand. Greenhouse
species. SYN. _A. Cunninghami_.
=A. amabile= (lovely). Synonymous with _A. glaucophyllum_. Also a
garden name for _A. Moorei_.
=A. amÅnum= (pleasing). Synonymous with _A. flabellulatum_.
=A. andicolum.= A synonym of _A. glaucophyllum_.
=A. aneitense= (Aneiteum).* _sti._ and _rachises_ castaneous, the
latter glabrous beneath, ferrugino-pilose above; _fronds_ deltoid,
three to four pinnate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, and broad; segments,
about 1/2in. long, rhomboidal, ascending, nearly sessile, inner
side close to rachis, lower erecto-patent, shallowly lobed. _sori_
round, reniform, in centre of lobes, four to six to a segment.
Aneiteum Isles, 1880. Stove or greenhouse species.
=A. assimile= (assimilated). An Australian form of the
widely-distributed _A. æthiopicum_.
=A. Bausei= (Bause's).* _fronds_ 1-1/2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long,
spreading, triangular, tri-quadripinnate; pinnæ stalked, the lower
ones obliquely triangular; pinnules broad, laterally deflexed, the
basal ones obliquely ovate with a truncate base, the intermediate
somewhat trapeziform, the terminal cuneate--all shallowly lobed and
pedicellate. _sori_ oblong reniform, set across the apices of the
lobes, 1879. A beautiful stove or greenhouse hybrid, between _A.
trapeziforme_ and _A. decorum_.
=A. bellum= (handsome).* _fronds_ tufted, 3in. to 6in. high,
bipinnate. ovate-lanceolate; pinnæ of three to six pinnules,
1/2in. to 1-1/2in. long, stalked; pinnules cuneate or irregular
transverse-oblong, the somewhat larger terminal ones cuneate,
lobed, the margin erose, all shortly stalked. _sori_ two to three
on the smaller pinnules, roundish, or sublunate. Bermuda, 1879.
Greenhouse or Wardian case species.
=A. Capillus-Veneris= (Venus's hair).* Common Maidenhair. _sti._
sub-erect, rather slender, 4in. to 9in. long. _fronds_ very
variable in size, with short terminal and numerous erecto-patent
lateral branches on each side, the lowest slightly branched
again; segments 1/2in. to 1in. broad, deeply lobed, and the lobes
again bluntly crenated. _sori_ placed in roundish sinuses of the
crenation. Great Britain, and world-wide in its distribution.
Greenhouse, case, or frame species.
=A. C.-V. cornubiense= (Cornish).* _fronds_ very numerous, and
dwarf, more or less oblong in general outline, with large, broad
pinnules of a deep green, with finely-waved margins, and an almost
pellucid, but firm texture. One of the best forms, but somewhat
delicate in constitution.
=A. C.-V. crispulum= (crisped).* _fronds_, with the stipes, from
6in. to 12in. long, more attenuated than those of the type, and
narrower at the base; pinnules less numerous, but broad and thin,
crisp, of a light green colour, more or less cut at the broadest
part. A handsome variety, of vigorous growth.
[Illustration: FIG. 26. ADIANTUM CAPILLUS-VENERIS DAPHNITES.]
=A. C.-V. daphnites= (glistening).* _sti._ and _rachises_ dark
brown, reaching a height of from 9in. to 14in. pinnæ and ultimate
pinnules more or less confluent, the latter being broad, and
of a dull green colour, usually forming a tufted crest at the
extremities of the fronds. A charming subject for the Wardian case.
Very distinct. See Fig. 26.
=A. C.-V. fissum= (divided). Very dwarf in habit, with pinnules
rather broader than those of the type, which are deeply and
variously cut, so as to give the plant a distinctive appearance
from most of the forms.
=A. C.-V. Footi= (Foot's). Closely allied to the variety _fissum_,
having fronds a foot or more long, with very ample pinnules deeply
incised, light green. Vigorous.
=A. C.-V. incisum= (deeply cut). Very closely allied to _A. C.-V.
fissum_, but rather more vigorous in growth; pinnules broad, and
deeply slit into segments near the base.
=A. C.-V. magnificum= (magnificent).* _fronds_ from 9in. to 16in.
long, more or less elongated in outline, 3in. to 4in. across;
pinnules ample, rich green, with the margins finely cut and
imbricated. The arching character gives this form a most distinct
appearance. A very fine variety.
=A. C.-V. rotundum= (rounded). Pinnules usually round, without the
cuneiform base of the normal form; neither are the fronds so broad.
Isle of Man. Variable in its habit.
=A. C.-V. undulatum= (wavy).* _fronds_ dense, compact, having
broad, roundish dark green pinnules, which are undulated at the
edges. An elegant dwarf-growing form.
=A. cardiochlæna= (heart-form indusium). A synonym of _A.
polyphyllum_.
=A. caudatum= (tailed).* _sti._ 2in. to 4in. long, tufted, wiry.
_fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, simply pinnate, often elongated, and
rooting at the extremity; pinnæ about 1/2in. long, 1/4in. deep,
dimidiate, nearly sessile, the lower line straight and horizontal,
the upper rounded, more or less cut, the point usually blunt, the
lower ones slightly stalked. _sori_ roundish or transversely oblong
on the edge of the lobes; _rachis_ and both sides of the frond
villose. _A. ciliatum_ (of gardens) is probably a mere form, if
not a synonym, of this species. Throughout the Tropics everywhere.
Greenhouse or stove species; very fine for hanging baskets.
=A. colpodes= (deep hollow).* _sti._ 4in. to 6in. long, slender,
slightly fibrillose. _fronds_ 9in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 8in.
broad, deltoid, tripinnate, light green; lower pinnæ spreading at
right angles from the rachis, 2in. to 4in. long, 1-1/2in. broad,
slightly branched below; ultimate segments about 1/2in. long,
1/4in. broad, the lower line often straight, the upper rounded,
lobed, and toothed, all nearly or quite sessile. _sori_ placed
in distinct teeth of the outer edge. Ecuador and Peru, 1875.
Greenhouse species.
=A. concinnum= (neat).* _sti._ 4in. to 8in. long. _fronds_ 12in. to
18in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, ovate-deltoid, tripinnate; pinnæ
numerous, spreading, flexuous, the lowest 4in. to 6in. long, 2in.
to 3in. broad; segments 1/4in. to 3/8in. across, broadly cuneate
at the base, the upper edge irregularly rounded, deeply lobed, the
lobes crenate, the lowest segment of each pinna and pinnule large,
sessile. _sori_ numerous, ob-reniform. Tropical America. A most
elegant species for baskets and the rockery.
=A. c. Flemingi= (Fleming's). This variety, of garden origin, is
also very handsome.
=A. c. latum= (broad).* Differs from the type in being more erect
and robust in habit, and broader in all its parts. It constitutes
an excellent stove plant.
=A. crenatum= (crenated).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long. _fronds_
with a terminal central pinna 6in. to 9in. long and several large
erecto-patent lateral ones on each side, the lowest of which are
branched again; segments about 1/2in. long, 1/4in. deep, dimidiate,
the lower line upcurved, the upper nearly straight, slightly
crenate. _sori_ numerous, round, placed on the upper and sometimes
outer edge. This is closely allied to _A. tetraphyllum_. Mexico.
Stove species. SYN. _A. Wilesianum_.
[Illustration: FIG. 27. ADIANTUM DECORUM.]
=A. cristatum= (crested). _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, strong, erect,
tomentose. _fronds_ 1-1/2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 12in. broad,
with a terminal central pinna 6in. to 9in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in.
broad, and numerous rather distant lateral ones on each side, the
lowest of which are sometimes again branched; segments 1/2in. to
3/4in. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, dimidiate, the lower line
nearly straight, the upper nearly parallel or rounded, the point
blunt. _sori_ in several oblong or linear patches. West Indies and
Venezuela, 1844. Stove species. SYN. _A. Kunzeanum_.
=A. cubense= (Cuba).* _sti._ 4in. to 8in. long, nearly black,
erect. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, simply
pinnate, or with a single pair of short branches; pinnæ 1in. to
2in. long, and about 3/4in. to 1in. broad, unilateral, the lower
line slightly recurved, the upper rounded and broadly lobed, of
a deep green colour, with a soft herbaceous texture. _sori_ in
hollows of the lobes. Cuba and Jamaica. A very distinct stove
species.
=A. cuneatum= (wedge-shaped).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, slender,
erect. _fronds_ 9in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, deltoid,
tri- or quadripinnate; lower pinnæ 4in. to 6in. long, 2in. to 3in.
broad; segments numerous, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, cuneate at the
base, the upper edge deeply lobed. _sori_ four to six, obversely
reniform. Brazil, 1820. This fine greenhouse species is more
generally grown than any other; and a number of garden forms have
received distinctive names.
=A. c. dissectum= (dissected).* A pretty variety, with the pinnules
more deeply lobed than in the type.
=A. c. Lawsonianum= (Lawson's). This is a very abnormal form,
curiously and finely cut, with the ultimate segments narrowly
cuneate at the base, stalked, and distant. Of garden origin.
Greenhouse variety.
=A. c. mundulum= (neat).* _sti._ 3in. to 4in. high. _fronds_ dwarf,
tufted, erect, hardly 3in. broad, deltoid, tripinnate; pinnæ and
pinnules crowded; pinnules narrowly cuneate, rarely three-parted,
with narrow wedge-shaped lobes; apex slightly crenate, and bears a
roundish sorus set in a notch of the lobe or crenature. Of garden
origin, 1879. Greenhouse variety.
=A. Cunninghami= (Cunningham's). Synonymous with _A. affine_.
=A. curvatum= (curved).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long. _fronds_
dichotomous, with main divisions again once or twice forked;
pinnæ 8in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad; pinnules 1-1/4in.
to 1-1/2in. long, about 1/2in. deep, not truly dimidiate, but
only the lower two-thirds of the under half cut away, the upper
margin rounded and broadly lobed, with the lobes finely toothed and
point often lengthened out. _sori_ linear, or transversely oblong.
Tropical America, 1841. Stove species.
=A. decorum= (decorous).* _sti._ 4in. to 6in. long. _fronds_
sub-deltoid, 9in. to 15in. long, three to four pinnate; lower
pinnæ and pinnules stalked, deltoid; side segments rhomboid,
1/4in. to 3/8in. long; outer edge distinctly lobed; lower segments
equilateral, imbricated over main rachis. _sori_ round, in final
lobes, four to six to a segment. This greenhouse species ranks
midway between _A. concinnum_ and _A. cuneatum_. Peru. SYN. _A.
Wagneri_. See Fig. 27.
=A. deltoideum= (deltoid).* _sti._ densely tufted, 3in. to 4in.
long, wiry, erect. _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long, 3/4in. broad,
with a terminal lobe and numerous sub-opposite pinnæ, the lower
ones distant, distinctly stalked, 1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in.
broad, hastate-deltoid, cordate or cuneate at the base. _sori_
in interrupted lines along the sides of the pinnæ. West Indian
Islands. Stove species.
[Illustration: FIG. 28. ADIANTUM DIAPHANUM.]
=A. diaphanum= (transparent).* _sti._ 4in. to 8in. long, slender,
erect. _fronds_ 6in. to 7in. long, simply pinnate, or with one to
three branches at the base; pinnules 1/2in. long, 1/4in. broad,
the lower line rather decurved, the upper nearly parallel with
it, crenate like the blunt outer edge. _sori_ obversely reniform,
numerous. S.E. China, New Zealand, &c. Greenhouse species. SYN. _A.
setulosum_. See Fig. 28.
=A. digitatum= (finger-leaved).* _sti._ 12in. to 18in. long, erect.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 1ft. 6in. broad, furnished with
numerous distant spreading or erecto-patent branches, gradually
shortened upwards, the lowest of which are branched again; lower
pinnæ 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad; segments 3/4in. to
1in. each way, varying from deflexed to cuneate at the base, the
upper edge rounded, deeply cut, and the lobes again less deeply
cut, the lower ones distinctly stalked. _sori_ in lines along the
edge of the lobes. Peru. It is generally cultivated under the name
of _A. speciosum_. Stove or greenhouse species.
=A. dolabriforme= (axe-shaped). Synonymous with _A. lunulatum_.
=A. dolosum= (deceiving). Synonymous with _A. Wilsoni_.
=A. Edgworthii= (Edgeworth's).* This differs from _caudatum_ by
having more membranous texture, glabrous surfaces, and sub-entire
pinnæ. Himalaya and China.
=A. emarginatum= (notched at the end). Synonymous with _A.
æthiopicum_.
=A. excisum= (bluntly cut).* _sti._ 2in. to 3in. long, wiry,
densely tufted. _fronds_ 6in. to 18in. long, 3in. to 6in. broad,
with numerous flexuose short pinnæ on each side, the lowest of
which are slightly branched again; segments two to three lines
broad, cuneate at the base, the upper edge rounded and bluntly
lobed. _sori_ two to four, large, obversely reniform, placed in
distinct hollows on the lobes. Chili.
=A. e. Leyi= (Ley's).* This is a very dwarf, copiously crested
form, of garden origin, most suitable for case culture. Greenhouse
variety.
=A. e. multifidum= (much-cut).* A handsome garden variety; the apex
of every frond is frequently divided into several branches, which
oftentimes are again divided and crested, thus forming a beautiful
tassel 2in. to 3in. long. Greenhouse species.
=A. Feei= (Fee's).* _sti._ 12in. to 18in. long, strong, scandent.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, tripinnate, the
main and secondary rachises zigzag, all the branches firm and
spreading at a right angle; lower pinnæ 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to
4in. broad; pinnules 1in. to 2in. long, 1/2in. broad, consisting of
a terminal segment and several distant suborbicular-cuneate lateral
ones. _sori_ marginal, roundish, more than half line deep. Tropical
America. Stove species. SYN. _A. flexuosum_.
=A. flabellulatum= (small fan-leaved).* _sti._ erect, strong.
_fronds_ dichotomously branched, and the divisions once or twice
branched again; central pinnæ 4in. to 8in. long, 3/4in. broad;
pinnules about 1/4in. broad and deep, dimidiate, the lower edge
nearly straight, the upper rounded, the outer blunt, both entire or
slightly toothed. _sori_ in several transversely oblong notches.
Tropical Asia. Stove species. SYN. _A. amÅnum_.
=A. flexuosum= (zigzagly-bent). Synonymous with _A. Feei_.
=A. formosum= (beautiful).* _sti._ 12in. to 18in. long, strong,
erect. _fronds_ 18in. to 24in. long, 12in. to 18in. broad, bi-,
tri-, or quadripinnate; lower pinnæ 12in. to 15in. long, 6in. to
9in. broad, deltoid; pinnules deltoid; ultimate segments 1/4in.
to 3/8in. broad, one and a half to two lines deep, dimidiate, the
lower edge straight, the upper and outer rather rounded and deeply
lobed, the lower ones distinctly stalked. _sori_ numerous, between
obreniform and transversely oblong. Australia, 1820. Greenhouse
species.
=A. fovearum.= Synonymous with _A. intermedium_.
=A. fulvum= (tawny).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, strong, erect.
_fronds_ 9in. to 12in. long, 6in. to 8in. broad, deltoid in general
outline, with a terminal pinna 4in. to 6in. long, about 1-1/2in.
broad, and several erecto-patent branches, the lower of which are
branched again; pinnules about 3/4in. long, 1/4in. deep, dimidiate,
the lower edge nearly straight, the upper almost parallel, sharply
toothed like the oblique outer edge. _sori_ large, numerous. New
Zealand. Greenhouse species.
=A. Ghiesbreghti= (Ghiesbreght's).* _fronds_ 18in. to 30in. long,
ovate, deltoid, tripinnate; pinnules large, slightly crenate on
the margins. A very fine stove fern, with the habit of _A. tenerum
Farleyense_, but less dense. It is undoubtedly a variety of
_tenerum_, having originated in Mr. Williams's nursery some years
since. SYN. _A. scutum_.
=A. glaucophyllum= (grey-leaved).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long,
erect. _fronds_ 12in. to 24in. long, 9in. to 15in. broad, deltoid,
quadripinnate; lower pinnæ 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to 6in. broad,
deltoid, erecto-patent; segments 1/4in. broad, cuneate at the base,
the upper edge irregularly rounded, more or less lobed. _sori_ four
to six, obversely reniform, placed in distinct hollows in the apex
of the lobes of the upper edge, deep green above, glaucous beneath.
Closely allied to _A. cuneatum_. Mexico. Greenhouse. SYNS. _A.
amabile_, _A. andicolum_, _A. mexicanum_.
=A. gracillimum= (most graceful).* _fronds_ deltoidly ovate, 9in.
to 24in. long, and 6in. to 10in. across, decompound, rich green;
ultimate pinnules distant, minute, distinctly stalked, obovate,
emarginate, or two to three lobed, the sterile lobes blunt. _sori_
solitary on the entire pinnules, two to three on the larger lobed
ones. One of the most graceful and beautiful of greenhouse ferns;
the very numerous minute segments and the ramifications of the
rachis impart to a well grown plant a very charming appearance. Of
garden origin. A form of _A. cuneatum_.
=A. Henslovianum= (Henslow's).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long,
erect. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, ovate,
tripinnate, furnished with numerous distant pinnæ on each side,
the upper of which are simple, but the lowest slightly branched;
segments 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, 1/4in. to 3/8in. deep, dimidiate,
the lower line nearly straight, the upper rather rounded and lobed,
the point bluntly rounded. _sori_ obversely reniform, placed in the
hollows of the lobes. Columbia, Peru, &c., 1833. A most distinct
and beautiful stove species. SYNS. _A. lætum_, _A. Reichenbachii_,
_A. sessilifolium_.
=A. Hewardia= (Heward's). _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, erect. _fronds_
simply pinnate or bipinnate, with a terminal pinna and two to four
lateral ones on each side, the lowest pair of which sometimes with
two to four pinnules each; pinnules 3in. to 4in. long, about 1in.
broad, nearly equal sided, ovate lanceolate, nearly entire. _sori_
in continuous lines along both edges. Jamaica, &c., occurring over
a wide area. Stove species. SYN. _Hewardia adiantoides_.
=A. hispidulum= (hairyish).* _sti._ 6in. to 15in. long, strong,
erect. _fronds_ dichotomous, with the main divisions flabellately
branched; central pinnæ 6in. to 9in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad;
pinnules 3/8in. to 3/4in. long, two to four lines broad, dimidiate,
subrhomboidal, the outer edge bluntly rounded, upper and outer
margin finely toothed, slightly stalked. _sori_ roundish, numerous,
contiguous. Tropics of Old World, 1822. Greenhouse. SYN. _A.
pubescens_.
=A. intermedium= (intermediate). _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, erect,
strong. _fronds_ with a terminal pinna 6in. to 9in. long, 2in.
to 3in. broad, and one to three small spreading lateral ones on
each side; pinnules 1in. to 1-1/2in. long; 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad,
unequal sided, but not dimidiate, the point bluntish or acute,
the inner edge nearly parallel with the stem, the upper nearly
straight, scarcely toothed. _sori_ in interrupted marginal patches,
one to two lines across, placed round the upper and lower edges.
Stove. Tropical America, from the Antilles southwards to Peru and
Rio Janeiro, 1824. SYNS. _A. fovearum_, _A. triangulatum_.
=A. Kunzeanum= (Kunze's). Synonymous with _A. cristatum_.
=A. lætum= (joyful). Synonymous with _A. Henslovianum_.
=A. Lathomi= (Lathom's).* A garden variety, said to be a sport from
_A. Ghiesbreghti_, which it closely resembles, being between it and
_A. Farleyense_. It is a magnificent plant, producing _fronds_ from
18in. to 24in. long, with imbricated deeply-cut pinnules. Stove
variety.
=A. Legrandi= (Legrand's). Very closely allied to, if not identical
with, _A. Pecottei_. Greenhouse variety, of garden origin.
=A. Lindeni= (Linden's).* _sti._ black, naked. _fronds_ erect,
large, pentagonal, tripinnate; rachises pubescent above, naked
beneath; segments sub-distant, 1-1/2in. long, oblong-rhomboidal,
falcate, acuminate, outer margins closely but bluntly lobed, of a
deep green colour, the lobes toothed. _sori_ oblong or reniform.
Amazons, 1866. A magnificent stove species.
=A. lucidum= (shiny).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, strong, erect.
_fronds_ 9in. to 15in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, simply pinnate,
with a large terminal pinna and six to ten lateral ones on each
side, or the lowest very slightly branched, 3in. to 4in. long,
1/2in. to 1in. broad, nearly equal sided, lanceolate acuminate,
slightly serrated towards the point. _sori_ in a continuous row
along each side. West Indian Islands and Tropical America. Stove
species.
[Illustration: FIG. 29. ADIANTUM LUDDEMANNIANUM.]
=A. Luddemannianum= (Luddemann's).* A very striking variety of
the common Maidenhair, _A. Capillus-Veneris_, of garden origin,
with smooth, dark, almost black stipes, branching about a third
of the way up, while the pinnules are crested, usually clustered,
at the extremities of the branches, of a deep green, sub-glaucous
character. It is a very elegant little greenhouse variety. See Fig.
29.
=A. lunulatum= (crescent-leaved).* _sti._ 4in. to 6in. long,
tufted, wiry. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad,
simply pinnate; pinnæ 3/4in. to 1in. broad, 1/2in. to 1in. deep,
sub-dimidiate, the lower edge nearly in a line with the petiole,
the upper edge rounded and, like the sides, usually more or less
lobed. _sori_ in continuous lines along the edge. Hongkong, &c.,
widely distributed in both hemispheres. Stove species. SYN. _A.
dolabriforme_.
=A. macrocladum= (long-branched). Synonymous with _A. polyphyllum_.
=A. macrophyllum= (long-leaved).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long,
strong, erect, nearly black. _fronds_ 9in. to 15in. long, 4in. to
8in. broad, simply pinnate; the lower pinnæ of the barren frond
3in. to 4in. long, 2in. broad, ovate, so broad at the base that the
opposite ones frequently overlap, the margin rather deeply lobed;
fertile ones narrower. _sori_ in long continuous, or slightly
interrupted, marginal lines. Tropical America, 1793. One of the
finest stove species in cultivation.
=A. macropterum= (long-winged). Synonymous with _A. Wilsoni_.
=A. mexicanum= (Mexican). Synonymous with _A. glaucophyllum_.
=A. microphyllum= (short-leaved). A synonym of _A. venustum_.
=A. monochlamys= (one-covered).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, wiry,
erect, dark, chestnut brown; _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 4in. to
6in. broad, ovate-deltoid, tripinnate, the pinnæ rather distantly
placed; segments 1/4in. broad, cuneate at the base, the upper edge
rounded, slightly toothed, of a light green colour, with a firm
texture. _sori_ single, or very rarely two, in a hollow of the
upper edge. Japan. A very distinct and pretty greenhouse species.
=A. monosorum= (uni-soriate). A pretty species, from Solomon
Islands, not yet in cultivation.
=A. Moorei= (Moore's).* _sti._ 6in. to 8in. long. _fronds_ deltoid,
6in. to 15in. long, two to three pinnate; side segments about
1/2in. long, rhomboid, lower edge deflexed from tip of pedicel,
outer lobed half way down. _sori_ round, placed in tip of lobes.
Andes of Peru. Stove or greenhouse species. SYN. _A. amabile_,
under which name it is frequently grown.
=A. Moritzianum= (Moritz's). This appears to be a stronger, more
robust grower (fronds from 12in. to 18in. high), with thicker
stipes and larger pinnules than the typical _A. Capillus-Veneris_.
South America. Greenhouse species.
=A. neoguineense= (New Guinea).* _sti._ 6in. to 8in. long, chestnut
brown, erect. _fronds_ spreading, deltoid, tri-quadripinnate, dark
olive green with a glaucous tinge on both surfaces; pinnæ ovate;
terminal pinnules cuneate, lateral ones trapezoid, about 1/2in.
long, crenately lobed, the lobes rather large, entire. _sori_
small, 6in. to 8in., orbicular, entirely sunk in closed sinuses of
the marginal lobes. New Guinea, 1877. A very charming stove species.
=A. obliquum= (oblique). _sti._ 3in. to 6in. long, erect, wiry,
pubescent. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, with
a terminal lobe and three to twelve pairs of alternate pinnæ, the
lowest 1in. to 2in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, costate nearly
to the apex, the upper half the largest, rounded at the base, the
lower half obliquely truncate at the base, those of the barren
frond slightly toothed. _sori_ in numerous interrupted marginal
patches, one to two lines broad. West Indies, &c., 1826. Stove
species.
=A. palmatum= (palmate).* _fronds_ with elongated zigzag rachises,
elongate-oblong, narrowed to the apex, tripinnate, often reaching
3-1/2ft. long, 10in. broad; pinnules distinct; ultimate segments
large, smooth, distant, distinctly stipitate, varying from obovate
wedge-shaped to semi-orbicular in outline, but all deeply,
palmately cut, 1in. to 1-3/4in. broad. _sori_ oblong, variable in
length, situate at the tips of the segments, usually one to each.
This is a very beautiful and graceful stove or greenhouse species.
Peru, 1877.
=A. patens= (spreading). _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, erect. _fronds_
dichotomously divided and the branches once or twice divided again;
central pinnæ 6in. to 9in. long, 1-1/2in. broad; pinnules 1/2in. to
3/4in. long, 1/4in. deep, dimidiate, the two sides nearly parallel,
the upper and outer ones broadly and bluntly lobed. _sori_ placed
round the upper and outer edge, obversely reniform. Brazil, &c.,
1824. Stove species.
=A. Pecottei= (Pecot's).* This is a charming little variety, of
garden origin, with short decompound fronds, imbricated segments,
comparatively large, of a deep green colour, and likely to prove
one of the most useful maidenhair ferns grown.
=A. pedatum= (pedate).* _sti._ 9in. to 24in. long, erect, polished.
_fronds_ dichotomous, with the main divisions flabellately
branched; central pinnæ 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad;
pinnules 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, 1/4in. deep, dimidiate, broadest
on the side nearest the stem, the upper and outer margin lobed,
shortly stalked. _sori_ roundish, one to two lines broad. North
Hindostan, the United States, &c. Hardy species. See Fig. 30.
=A. peruvianum= (Peruvian).* _sti._ 9in. to 18in. long, strong,
erect. _fronds_ simply pinnate, or with one to three branches at
the base, some of the latter sometimes again slightly divided;
pinnules 2in. or more broad, 1-1/2in. deep, unequally ovate,
cuneate at base, finely toothed and lobed round the upper and
outer edge. _sori_ in interrupted patches round the sides of the
pinnules. Peru. This is one of the finest of the large growing,
evergreen stove kinds.
=A. polyphyllum= (many-leaved).* _sti._ 12in. to 18in. long,
strong, erect. _fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 12in. to 18in. broad,
the upper part simply pinnate; lower pinnæ sometimes 1ft. long;
6in. broad, with a long terminal and numerous lateral pinnules;
segments 3/4in. to 1in. long, 1/4in. deep, dimidiate, with nearly
parallel edges, the point obtuse, the upper edge sharply toothed.
_sori_ in numerous sub-orbicular patches, placed in hollows in
lobes along the upper edge. Columbia. A magnificent stove species.
SYNS. _A. cardiochlæna_ and _A. macrocladum_.
=A. populifolium= (poplar-leaved). A synonym of _A. Seemanni_.
=A. princeps= (princely).* _sti._ 9in. to 12in. long, stout,
nearly erect. _fronds_ large, 12in. to 24in. long, 9in. to 18in.
across the base, deltoid, pendent, quadripinnate, pale greyish;
lower pinnæ obliquely elongate, triangular, the posterior side
tripinnate, the anterior bipinnate; upper ones pinnate, with
a large cuneately flabellate terminal pinnule, apex of fronds
pinnate; pinnules 1in. long, 3/4in. broad, roundish rhomboidal or
shortly trapeziform, shortly stalked; basal margin entire, slightly
concave, the anterior margins and apex lobate, the lobes serrulate
in the sterile parts, and, where fertile, bearing each a concave
sorus, so that the lobes appear two-horned. New Grenada, 1875. A
magnificent stove species.
=A. prionophyllum= (saw-leaved). Synonymous with _A. tetraphyllum_.
=A. pubescens= (downy). Synonymous with _A. hispidulum_.
=A. pulverulentum= (covered with powder).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in.
long, strong, erect; _fronds_ with a terminal pinna and several
spreading lateral ones on each side, which are 4in. to 8in. long,
1in. broad; pinnules 1/2in. long, one and a half to two lines deep,
dimidiate, the lower line nearly straight, the upper one nearly
parallel, both it and the outer edge finely toothed. _sori_ in a
continuous line along the lower and upper edges. West Indies, &c.
Stove species.
[Illustration: FIG. 30. ADIANTUM PEDATUM.]
=A. Reichenbachii= (Reichenbach's). Synonymous with _A.
Henslovianum_.
=A. reniforme= (kidney-shaped).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 9in. long.
_fronds_ simple, orbicular, reniform, of a deep green colour,
1-1/2in. to 2-1/2in. across, with usually a broad, open sinus.
_sori_ all around the edge, one and a half to three lines broad.
Madeira, &c., 1699. Greenhouse species.
=A. r. asarifolium= (asarum-leaved). A rather larger growing
variety of above species.
=A. rhomboideum= (rhomboid). S. America, 1820. Probably identical
with _A. villosum_.
=A. rubellum= (reddish).* _sti._ 4in. to 6in. long. _fronds_ 4in.
to 6in. long, deltoid, bipinnate; uppermost side of the pinnules
cuneate, flabellate, nearly sessile, entire; lower rhomboid 1/2in.
long, with lower border in a line with petiole, or rather decurved,
inner produced over rachis, outer deeply lobed and finely toothed;
end and lowest pinnules deltoid, 1/2in. broad. _sori_ round, placed
in the tips of the lobes. This pretty species is purplish crimson
when in a young state, changing to light green with age, but even
then tinged with pink. Allied to _A. tinctum_ and _A. decorum_.
Bolivia, 1868. Greenhouse species.
=A. scutum= (shield). Synonymous with _A. Ghiesbreghti_.
=A. Seemanni= (Seemann's).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, erect.
_fronds_ 9in. to 20in. long, simply pinnate or the lower pinnæ
compound; pinnæ 3in. to 4in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, ovate,
acuminate; but rather unequally sided, the barren ones finely
serrated, one side usually cordate at the base, the other obliquely
truncate, petioles of the lowest, nearly an inch long. _sori_ in
long continuous marginal lines. This is a very fine and distinct
stove species. Central America, 1868. SYNS. _A. populifolium_, _A.
Zahnii_ (of gardens).
=A. sessilifolium= (sessile-leaved). Synonymous with _A.
Henslovianum_.
=A. setulosum= (bristly). Synonymous with _A. diaphanum_.
=A. speciosum= (showy). Synonymous with _A. digitatum_.
=A. subvolubile= (somewhat twining). _fronds_ subscandent, 2ft.
to 4ft. long, oblong, tripinnate, 6in. to 8in. broad, with naked
glossy castaneous stipes and zigzag rachises; central pinnæ
lanceolate, with a few short spreading pinnules; side pinnules
rhomboidal, about 1/4in. long, lower edge in a line with petiole,
or deflexed, inner end touching or wrapped over rachis, outer
shallowly lobed; lowest pinnules equilateral, much wrapped over
rachis. _sori_ minute, round, six to twelve to a segment. E. Peru.
Stove species.
=A. tenerum= (tender).* _sti._ 1ft. or more high, erect. _fronds_
1ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 18in. broad, deltoid, tri- or
quadripinnate; segments 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, cuneate or tending
towards rhomboidal, dimidiate in shape, the upper edge rounder or
somewhat angular, broadly and deeply lobed, all stalked. _sori_
placed in numerous roundish patches in the lobes of the upper half.
Mexico, &c., widely distributed. Stove species.
=A. t. Farleyense= (Farley's).* A subfertile, subcristate
variety of the foregoing; but, is, nevertheless, one of the most
magnificent of Adiantums. It is nearly always known under the name
of _A. Farleyense_. Barbados, 1865. Stove variety.
=A. tetraphyllum= (four-leaved).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long,
strong, erect. _fronds_ nearly as broad as long, with a terminal
pinna 6in. to 9in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, and numerous
spreading lateral ones; segments 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, 1/4in.
deep, subdimidiate, the lower line straight or somewhat decurved,
the upper nearly parallel, finely toothed, the outer oblique.
_sori_ interrupted, marginal. Tropical America. Stove species. SYN.
_A. prionophyllum_.
=A. t. Hendersoni= (Henderson's). A stove variety with small blunt
pinnules.
=A. tinctum= (tinted).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long. _fronds_ 6in.
to 12in. long, deltoid, bipinnate; side pinnules rhomboid, three
to four lines long, lower edge straight, inner parallel with
rachis, or just wrapped over it, outer shallowly, bluntly lobed;
lower pinnules equilateral, imbricated over main rachis; surfaces
glabrous, when young of a delicate rose red colour, changing to
a bright green. _sori_ round, placed in final lobes. Tropical
America. Stove or greenhouse species.
=A. trapeziforme= (rhomb-leaved).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, firm,
erect. _fronds_ 12in. to 24in. long, with a central pinna 4in. to
8in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, and two to four large spreading
ones on each side, the lowest of which are often branched again;
segments 1-1/2in. to 2in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, dimidiate,
the sides nearly parallel, the outer edge oblique, both it and the
upper one bluntly lobed, the lowest on stalks 1/4in. to 1/2in.
long. _sori_ numerous, contiguous, placed round the upper and outer
edge. West Indies, 1793. Stove species.
=A. t. cultratum= (sharpened).* Outer edge of the segment bluntly
rounded.
=A. t. pentadactylon= (five-fingered). Lower margin of the segments
somewhat decurved obliquely from the petiole.
=A. t. Sanctæ Catherinæ= (of gardens).* This is a deeply cut,
rather copiously divided variety of _A. trapeziforme_.
=A. t. S. C. Funcki= (Funck's).* A deeply lobed, drooping variety,
of garden origin.
=A. triangulatum= (triangle-leaved). Synonymous with _A.
intermedium_.
=A. varium= (various). Probably identical with _A. villosum_.
=A. Veitchianum= (Veitch's).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long. _fronds_
9in. to 18in. long, deltoid, bipinnate in lower half, reddish when
young; side pinnules rhomboid, about 1/2in. long, lower border
straight, more or less deflexed from tip of pedicel, inner distant
from rachis, upper and outer shallowly lobed; end segments 1/2in.
to 3/4in. broad, equilateral, rounded in upper, deltoid in lower
half. _sori_ eight to ten to a segment, round, minute. Peruvian
Andes, 1868. A very elegant and distinct stove species.
=A. velutinum= (velvety).* _sti._ as long as fronds, slightly
velvety. _fronds_ deltoid, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, three to four
pinnate; rachises densely pubescent on both sides; pinnæ 6in.
to 9in. long; segments twenty to thirty-jugate, sub-sessile,
sub-rhomboidal, 1in. long, 1/2in. broad, lower border decurved,
outer blunt or sub-acute, upper straight, shallowly, bluntly lobed.
_sori_ straight, one to one and a half lines long at tips of
lobes of upper edge, four to six to a segment. Columbia, 1866. A
magnificent stove species.
=A. venustum= (charming).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, wiry, erect,
glossy. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, deltoid,
tri-quadripinnate; ultimate segments about 1/4in. across, cuneate
at the base, the upper edge rounded, and usually finely toothed,
of a light green colour, with a firm texture. _sori_ one to three,
roundish; in hollows of the upper edge. Himalayas, up to 8000ft.
Greenhouse or frame, nearly hardy in sheltered places. SYN. _A.
microphyllum_.
=A. villosum= (hairy stalked).* _sti._ 9in. to 12in. long, strong,
erect. _fronds_ with a terminal central and several spreading pinnæ
on each side, 6in. to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad; pinnules
dimidiate, about 1in. long, 1/2in. broad, the lower line nearly
straight, the upper edge nearly parallel with it, but considerably
larger, slightly toothed, and the outer edge auriculed at the base.
_sori_ in a continuous line round the upper and outer edge. West
Indies, &c., 1775. Stove species.
=A. Wagneri= (Wagner's). Synonymous with _A. decorum_.
=A. Wilesianum= (Wiles's). Synonymous with _A. crenatum_.
=A. Williamsii= (Williams's).* _sti._ 6in. to 8in. long. _fronds_
9in. to 18in. long, tripinnate, triangular; pinnæ ovate, distant,
pinnules sub-rotund, slightly trapeziform, the basal line rather
concave, the margin entire or slightly undulated, or divided into
three to four lobes, crenately notched between the _sori_, the
sterile portions with an erose diaphanous margin. _sori_ eight
to ten, elongate reniform or lunate, occupying the whole of the
semicircular outer edge. Mountains of Peru, 1877. In a young state,
the stipes and fronds are dusted with a yellow powder. This is one
of the most beautiful of the Maidenhair ferns. Greenhouse species.
=A. Wilsoni= (Wilson's).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, erect.
_fronds_ 9in. to 12in. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, simply pinnate,
with a large terminal pinna and two to six sub-sessile lateral ones
on each side, which are 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad,
ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, nearly entire. _sori_ in
continuous lines along both edges. Jamaica. Stove species. SYNS.
_A. dolosum_, _A. macropterum_.
=A. Zahnii= (Zahn's). Synonymous with _A. Seemanni_.
=ADIKE.= A synonym of =Pilea= (which _see_).
=ADINA= (from _adinos_, crowded; in reference to the flowers being
disposed in heads). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. A very pretty evergreen cool
stove shrub, with opposite terete branches, and solitary, axillary
peduncles. It thrives in a mixture of loam, sand, and peat. Propagated
by cuttings, inserted in a rich, loamy soil, under a hand glass, in
heat.
=A. globifera= (globe-bearing).* _fl._ yellowish, sessile, crowded,
collected into globose heads; corolla funnel-shaped; peduncles
axillary, rarely terminal, solitary. July. _l._ lanceolate,
glabrous, longer than the peduncles. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. China, 1804.
=ADLUMIA= (from _adlumino_, to fringe with purple; flowers bordered
with purple). ORD. _Fumariaceæ_. An interesting, delicate, and nearly
hardy climber from North America. Flowers with four spongy, cohering
petals. A warm, good soil is most suitable; sow seeds about May in a
shady spot. It is a biennial, but in favourable spots is self-sowing,
and thus may be treated as a perennial. If placed either against a wall
or in the open it is a pretty subject for trailing over a shrub or
twiggy branch. From its fragile character, it can only be seen to the
best advantage under glass.
=A. cirrhosa= (tendrilled).* _fl._ pale rose-coloured, about
1/2in. long; peduncles axillary, generally four-flowered. June.
_l._ triply pinnate, pale green. _h._ 15ft. 1788. The Maidenhair
fern-like leaves are borne in profusion on the slender twining
stems. SYN. _Corydalis fungosa_.
=ADNATE.= Grown to anything by the whole surface; anthers are said to
be Adnate when they are attached to the filaments by their whole length.
=ADONIS= (name of classical derivation). ORD. _Ranunculaceæ_. Handsome
hardy herbaceous plants. Flowers solitary, terminal; petals five to
fifteen. Leaves divided into numerous linear segments. Some of the
annuals are much inferior to the perennial species. The latter section
constitute very ornamental subjects for rockwork, borders, margins of
shrubberies, &c. All the species will grow freely in common soil, and
are propagated by seeds. The perennials may be divided at the root.
=A. æstivalis= (summer).* Pheasant's Eye. _fl._ deep crimson;
petals flat, oblong, obtuse, one-half longer than the calyx. June.
Stem almost simple, elongated. _h._ 1ft. South Europe, 1629.
Annual. See Figs. 31 and 32.
=A. autumnalis= (autumnal).* Pheasant's Eye; Red Morocco. _fl._ of
an intense blood-red, with a black centre, rarely pale, globose
from the six to eight concave conniving petals, which are scarcely
larger than the calyx. May. Stems branched. _h._ 1ft. Britain.
Annual.
=A. pyrenaica= (Pyrenean).* _fl._ almost sessile, yellow; petals
eight to ten, smaller and more obtuse than in _A. vernalis_.
July. _l._, lower ones on long stalks, with trifid petioles and
many-parted segments; upper ones sessile, multifid, with linear
very entire lobules. Stem 1ft. or more high, and usually much
branched. Pyrenees, 1817. Perennial.
[Illustration: FIG. 31. FLOWER OF ADONIS ÃSTIVALIS.]
=A. vernalis= (spring).* _fl._ yellow, large; petals, ten to
twelve, oblong, rather denticulated. March. _l._ lower ones
abortive, or reduced to somewhat sheathing scales, the middle and
upper ones sessile and multifid, with very entire lobes. _h._ 9in.
to 1ft. Europe, 1629. Charming rock plant. This handsome species
requires a rich moist sandy loam, and should not be disturbed for
years. Perennial.
[Illustration: FIG. 32. ADONIS ÃSTIVALIS, showing Habit and Flowers.]
=A. v. sibirica= (Siberian) differs only in having larger flowers.
=A. volgensis= (Volga). An intermediate species between _A.
vernalis_ and _A. pyrenaica_, differing from the first in the stems
being branched, leaves more distant; from the last by the lower
leaves being abortive, and formed like scales; and from both in the
sepals being pubescent on the outside, not smooth. _fl._ yellow.
_h._ 1ft. Russia, 1818.
=ADPRESSED.= Brought into close contact with anything without adhering.
=ADULT.= The full grown of anything. Full grown leaves are termed adult.
=ADVENTITIOUS.= Developed in an unusual position. Applied to buds,
roots, &c.
=ADVENTURE BAY PINE.= _See_ _Phyllocladus rhomboidalis_.
=ADVERSE.= Opposite.
=ÃCHMEA= (from _aichme_, a point; in reference to the rigid points
on the calyces, or flower-envelopes). Including _Pironneaua_. ORD.
_Bromeliaceæ_. Very handsome stove plants. Flowers scapose, panicled;
perianth six-cleft, three outer segments sepaloid, longer than the
three inner or petaloid ones. Leaves ligulate or sword-shaped,
sometimes with marginal spines. The species thrive best in a
well-drained compost of rich fibrous loam and leaf mould. They like
plenty of light, which may be afforded by standing them on inverted
pots, so as to raise their heads well up above the surrounding plants.
Propagation: When the flower-spikes, which are sent up from the heart
or crown of the plant, die away, suckers or offsets are produced near
the base, and from these other flowers appear the year after. If large
plants are desired, these suckers should be left to grow and spread
around; but to produce single plants, the suckers must be taken off
and potted singly, in sharp soil, and then stood where they can get
a moist heat till rooted. To enable them to do this it is necessary
to strip off a few of the lower leaves, and trim the bottom with a
sharp knife, in order that it may heal over and callus more readily
than it otherwise would. When rooted, the plants may be shifted into
larger-sized pots; but for single crowns 32-sized pots are large
enough, as the plants, being epiphytal in their nature, do not require
much soil or any great supply of water, except when growing freely or
sending up their flower-spikes. In winter, they should be kept rather
on the dry side, to induce partial rest; and an important point is to
see that water is not allowed to lie for any length of time in the
crown of the plant, as when that is the case it is likely to cause them
to rot.
[Illustration: FIG. 33. ÃCHMEA FULGENS.]
=Ã. calyculata= (calycled).* _fl._ bright yellow, tubular, with red
bracts, borne in close roundish heads at the top of an erect scape.
_l._ strap-shaped, with the ends having the appearance of being cut
off, but armed with a sharp spine. _h._ 9in. Brazil, 1862. SYN.
_Hoplophytum calyculatum_.
=Ã. cÅlestis= (heavenly blue).* _fl._ sky-blue, in close pyramidal
panicles, on erect snipes. Winter. _l._ ligulate, concave,
spiny-edged, scaly beneath. Brazil, 1874. SYN. _Hoplophytum
cÅleste_.
=Ã. cÅrulescens= (bluish). _fl._ bluish. _h._ 1ft. South America,
1870. This pretty species is very attractive on account of the
large dense head of deep blue and pure white berries which are
produced in October. SYN. _Lamprococcus cÅrulescens_.
=Ã. discolor= (two-coloured-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet, borne on a
loose, branched panicle. June. _l._ broad, minutely toothed on the
margin, deep green above, and rather purplish beneath. _h._ 2ft.
Brazil, 1844.
=Ã. distichantha= (two-ranked-flowered).* _fl._ sepals
rose-coloured; petals bright purple; spikes densely clothed with
bright red bracts. _l._ long, glaucous, linear-oblong, tapering to
a sharp point, and distinctly armed with reddish brown spines. _h._
1ft. South Brazil, 1852. SYN. _Billbergia polystachya_.
=Ã. exudans= (exuding). _fl._ orange-coloured (exuding a white
greasy substance, whence the specific name) interspersed with
green bracts; scape erect, with scattered crimson lanceolate
bracts, terminating in a dense head. _l._ oblong, spine-margined,
grey-coated. _h._ 2ft. West Indies, 1824. SYN. _Hohenbergia
capitata_.
=Ã. fasciata= (banded).* _fl._ scape upright, clothed with leafy
bracts of a rosy-pink colour; each of the pink blossoms in
the dense conical head is subtended by a narrow, spiny-edged,
similarly-coloured bract, longer than its own. _l._ broad,
recurved, banded with white. Rio Janeiro, 1826. SYN. _Billbergia
fasciata_. Lasts in perfection for a considerable length of time.
=Ã. fulgens= (glowing).* _fl._ deep rich red, with a bluish tip,
fifty or more in a large branching panicle; scape stout, erect,
scarlet. August, September. _l._ somewhat sword-shaped, terminating
rather abruptly. Cayenne, 1842. See Fig. 33.
=Ã. Furstenbergi= (Furstenberg's). _fl._ rose; flower spike dense,
with overlapping showy pink bracts. _l._ tufted, linear, spinous at
the edge, recurved. _h._ 1ft. Bahia, 1879.
=Ã. glomerata= (glomerate).* _fl._ violet; scape erect, stout, 8in.
to 10in. high, with glomerate branches of crowded blood-red bracts.
_l._ oblong-ligulate, cuspidate, about 18in. long, dull green;
margin with short wide-set spines. Bahia, 1868. SYN. _Hohenbergia
erythrostachys_.
=Ã. hystrix= (bristly).* _fl._ in very dense, oblong spikes;
floral leaves and bracts scarlet. February. _l._ densely crowded,
ascending, linear lanceolate, saw-toothed. _h._ 2-1/2ft. Cayenne,
1880.
=Ã. Legrelliana= (Legrell's). A synonym of _Portea Legrelliana_.
=Ã. Lindeni= (Linden's). _fl._ yellow, in dense terminal heads,
with lanceolate red bracts, shorter than the flowers. _l._
linear-oblong, rounded, apiculate; margins saw-toothed; habit
tufted. _h._ 1ft. South Brazil, 1864.
=Ã. Mariæ Reginæ= (Queen Maria's).* _fl._ tipped with blue,
changing to salmon colour with age, arranged compactly upon the
upper portion of the spike; scape erect, about 2ft. high; half the
length is clothed with large boat-shaped bracts, some 4in. long,
intensely rich rose-pink. June, July. _l._ 18in. long, with a
tufted habit. Costa Rica, 1873. This is perhaps the best species.
=Ã. Melinoni= (Melinon's). _fl._ bright scarlet, tipped with pink,
cylindric; panicle dense, terminal. _l._ oblong, leathery, about
18in. in length, dark green; margin spiny. South America.
=Ã. Ortgiesii= (Ortgies'). _fl._ red, on short spikes. _l._
numerous, channelled, recurved, spongy, broad at the base, and
tapering to a point; stem short, gouty. Tropical America, 1860.
SYN. _Ortgiesia tillandsioides_.
=Ã. paniculigera= (panicled). _fl._ rose-coloured; petals
projecting beyond the sepals, deep bright purple; panicle large,
compound, 1ft. to 2ft. long; scape reddish, downy; rachides and
bracts rose-coloured. _l._ ligulate, shortly acuminate. West
Indies, 1881.
=Ã. spectabilis= (showy).* _fl._ rosy; calyx fleshy, ovate; corolla
1in. long, rosy crimson. _l._ spreading, channelled, ligulate,
2-1/2ft. long, 3in. to 4in. broad. Guatemala, 1875.
=Ã. Veitchii= (Veitch's).* _fl._ scarlet; spike densely clothed
with scarlet toothed bracts, closely investing flowers. _l._
tufted, leathery in texture, broadly strap-shaped, spotted, and
minutely serrulate. _h._ 1ft. Columbia, 1877. SYN. _Chevalliera
Veitchii_.
=ÃGICERAS= (from _aix_, a goat, and _keras_, a horn; alluding to the
shape of its fruit). ORD. _Myrsineæ_. Small trees, with obovate entire
leaves. Flowers white, fragrant, in terminal or axillary umbels. For
culture, _see_ =Jacquinia=.
=Ã. fragrans= (fragrant). _fl._ white, fragrant; umbels
pedunculate, axillary, terminal. April. _l._ obovate, margin
undulated, and unequally dilated, veiny; upper surface covered with
saline excrescence. _h._ 6ft. New Holland, 1824.
=ÃGILOPS.= _See_ =Quercus Ãgilops=.
=ÃGIPHILA= (from _aix_, a goat, and _philos_, dear; a favourite
with goats). ORD. _Verbenaceæ_. Stove ornamental evergreen shrubs,
generally with ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, smooth leaves; and flowers
in axillary and terminal panicles. They require a rich sandy loam.
Propagated from cuttings, which will root in sand, under a glass, with
bottom heat.
=Ã. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ yellow, terminal,
corymbose; corolla downy. November. Berry compressed, blue.
_l._ verticillate oblong, entire, sub-cordate at base. _h._
3ft. Havannah, 1843. The other species are probably not now in
cultivation, and this one is not generally so.
=ÃGLE= (from Ãgle, one of the Hesperides). Bengal Quince. ORD.
_Rutaceæ_. A stove evergreen tree, producing very large fruit, which
much resembles an orange in general appearance, very delicious to the
taste, and exquisitely fragrant. This genus differs principally from
_Citrus_ by its numerous disunited stamens. The pulp of the fruit is
an aperient, and a valuable remedy in dysentery, the thick rind and
the dried unripe fruit are astringent. It thrives best in a rich loamy
soil. Propagated by ripe cuttings, which, if not deprived of any of
their leaves, will root in sand under a hand glass, in heat.
=Ã. Marmelos= (Marmelos). _fl._ white, very fragrant; panicles
axillary, terminal. April. _fr._ fifteen-celled. _l._ trifoliate;
leaflets toothletted. _h._ 10ft. India, 1759.
=ÃOLANTHUS= (from _aiollo_, to vary, and _anthos_, a flower; referring
to the variableness of the flowers). ORD. _Labiatæ_. A genus of few
herbs, with thickish leaves. Flowers loosely panicled. They thrive in
sandy loam, and increase freely from seeds sown in a similar compost.
=Ã. Livingstonii= (Livingstone's). _fl._ brown. East Africa, 1859.
=Ã. suaveolens= (sweet-scented). _fl._ lilac, secund; cymes
axillary and terminal, erect, usually trifid, with floral leaves
under the divisions. July. _l._ nearly sessile, obovate, obsoletely
denticulated, thickish, pale green. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1859. A
pretty stove annual, with a sweet odour.
=AERANTHUS= (from _aer_, air, and _anthos_, a flower; referring to the
habit). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A genus of a couple of species of remarkable
stove orchids, requiring treatment similar to =Anguloa=, to which they
are allied.
=Ã. arachnitis= (spider-like). _fl._ green. _l._ linear. _h._ 4in.
Madagascar, 1850.
=Ã. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ yellowish-green, large,
solitary, terminal. _h._ 8in. Madagascar, 1823.
=AERATION.= The exposure of the soil to the free action of the air, as
essential to the growth of plants.
=AERIDES= (from _aer_, the air; in reference to the power the
species have of deriving their sustenance from the atmosphere). ORD.
_Orchideæ_. An extensive genus of epiphytal orchids, confined to the
tropics of the Old World, including many large and showy-flowered
species. The majority of them are extremely handsome. The thick
fleshy leaves are noteworthy for their characteristically distichous
arrangement--that is to say, they are arranged in two opposite rows.
They are usually truncate at the apex, and for the most part deeply
channelled down the centre, but in some species terete or nearly
cylindrical. All of them throw out large fleshy roots from various
parts of their stems, by which they absorb the moisture from the
atmosphere; and, in order to grow them successfully, they must be fixed
upon blocks of wood. But this method should be adopted only whilst the
plants are young, as it is almost an impossibility for the cultivator
to maintain a sufficient amount of atmospheric moisture to meet their
requirements; and, unless this is managed, the leaves will shrivel and
fall off, leaving only a few at the extremity. Therefore, as soon as
the plants are established upon the blocks of wood, let them be removed
and potted. Fill the pot three parts full of broken potsherds and lumps
of charcoal, and then use nothing, but clean, living sphagnum, placing
a few roots in the moss and leaving the others free. By this means a
greater amount of moisture can be supplied to them, and thus beautiful
and symmetrical specimens obtained. The Aerides are easily grown into
handsome plants, which usually bloom profusely, and thus recommend
themselves to all who cultivate orchids. From early spring until the
end of September they should be treated liberally with water, at the
same time taking care never to wet the flowers. After the above-named
time, a gradual diminution in the water supply to the roots should
take place; and the atmosphere, too, should be less densely charged
with moisture. But drought should never be carried far enough to cause
the leaves to shrivel, for, if this is done, the uniformity of the
specimen is marred; and, although we are quite willing to admit the
possibility of the plants producing a greater quantity of flower spikes
after a thorough shrivelling, we prefer to advocate the system that
gives a fair amount of flower coupled with good leafage. As before
remarked, the Aerides are peculiarly eastern, and therefore are usually
classed amongst the orchids which require the hottest houses. This is,
in one sense, correct; yet they do not require the great amount of heat
which many imagine, and which has, until recently, been given them.
They must not, therefore, be excluded from the amateur's collection of
orchids. During the winter season many of the species may be kept in
a temperature of 58deg. to 60deg.; whilst during the growing season
the temperature may run up by sun heat without limit, so long as a
free circulation of air and a sufficiency of moisture are secured. The
following status of temperature may be observed: In spring, from 65deg.
in the night, to 70deg. or 80deg. by day; in summer, from 70deg. in the
night, to 80deg. or 85deg. through the day; in winter, about 60deg.
night, and 65deg. day.
=A. affine= (related).* _fl._ delicate rose, produced, in great
profusion, on branching spikes, which are sometimes 2ft. in
length, and continue in bloom two or three weeks; the sepals and
petals equal, rounded at the apex; the lip is sharply rhomboid and
three-lobed, with a short spur. _l._ light green, about 1ft. long.
_h._ 3ft. A very handsome species from India, forming an excellent
exhibition plant.
=A. a. superbum= (superb).* An improved variety, with larger and
richer coloured flowers, and more compact habit.
=A. Brookii= (Sir A. Brooke's).* _fl._ purple and white; labellum
bright purple; sepals and petals white, very fragrant. _l._ very
ornamental, of a glaucous (milky green) hue. Bombay. This species,
although one of the handsomest, is very rare.
=A. crassifolium= (thick-leaved).* This is a dwarf, densely-habited
plant, with broad, thick, purple-dotted obliquely-bilobed leaves.
The flowers, which are borne on long and drooping spikes, are
bare--larger than those of _A. falcatum_, which they resemble in
form, and have the segments tipped with rich purple or amethyst,
the centre or throat of the flower being ivory-white. Compared with
_A. falcatum_, the spur is here bent under at an angle, while in
that plant it is straight; the side laciniæ of the lip are much
broader and shorter in the present plant, and the two keels on the
lip here stand close together at the base, and become divergent,
whilst in _falcatum_ they are distant at the base, and become
convergent near the middle of the lip. This species is described
as being the best in the genus. It may be grown near the glass,
suspended in a basket. Burmah, 1877.
[Illustration: FIG. 34. FLOWER OF AERIDES CRISPUM.]
=A. crispum= (curled).* _fl._ white, suffused with purplish rose,
nearly 2in. in diameter; sepals and petals ovate, acute; lip
three-lobed, the middle lobe being very large, toothed at the base,
and fringed at the margin; the horn-like spur is slightly incurved;
racemes ascending, more than double the length of the leaves,
many-flowered. _l._ deep green, flat and broad, blunt at the ends,
and two-lobed, about 4in. or 5in. long. Bombay, 1840. Lasts a long
time in beauty. See Fig. 34.
=A. c. Lindleyanum= (Lindley's). A robust-growing variety,
producing a large, much-branched panicle of flowers; sepals and
petals white; lip large, bright rich rose-coloured.
=A. c. Warneri= (Warner's).* The leaves are smaller, and more
slender than in the species; the sepals and petals are white, with
a soft, rich, rose-coloured lip.
=A. cylindricum= (cylindric).* _fl._ white and pink, as large as
those of _A. crispum_; sepals and petals crispy. _l._ elongate,
subulate, terete, 4in. to 6in. long. East Indies. A very rare and
distinct species. SYN. _A. vandarum_.
=A. dasycarpum= (thick-fruited). _fl._ brownish, rosy. India, 1865.
=A. dasypogon.= _See_ =Sarcanthus erinaceus=.
=A. difforme= (deformed). _fl._ green and brown. India, 1865.
=A. Dominiana= (Dominy's).* This is a garden hybrid between _A.
Fieldingii_ and _A. affine_, with the colour of the former, but
markings and shape of the latter. Very rare.
=A. falcatum= (sickle-leaved).* _fl._ sepals and petals white,
dotted with reddish crimson, and tipped with soft rose; lip white
at the sides, with a rosy-crimson centre; spur short, parallel with
the lip; racemes pendulous, many flowered. _l._ closely set upon
the stem, peculiar blue-green, coriaceous, obtuse and mucronate.
This species is very closely allied to _A. crassifolium_. SYN. _A.
Larpentæ_.
[Illustration: FIG. 35. AERIDES ODORATUM.]
=A. Fieldingii= (Fielding's).* The Fox-brush Ãrides. _fl._ white,
numerous, large, beautifully mottled with bright rose colour; the
much branched racemes are 2ft. to 3ft. long, and continue blooming
three or four weeks. _l._ 8in. to 10in. long, in some plants light
green, and in others dark green; long, broad, thick, and fleshy,
obliquely two-lobed at the apex. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Assam.
=A. Houlletianum= (Houllet's).* _fl._ sepals and petals buff,
shading off into cream white at the base, with a purplish eye-spot
at their tips; lip white; front part dark purplish, with some lines
of the same colour on the sides; on densely crowded spikes. _l._
and growth similar to _A. virens_. Cochin China. SYN. _A. Mendelii_.
=A. japonicum= (Japanese).* _fl._ white, with the lateral sepals
slightly barred with brown purple; several on the pendent racemes;
lip purple, spotted, marked with a dark violet central ridge. _l._
short, linear-oblong, obtusely bilobed. Stems short, about 4in.
high. A pretty cool house species from Japan, 1862.
=A. Larpentæ= (Lady Larpent's). Synonymous with _A. falcatum_.
=A. Lobbii= (Lobb's).* _fl._ white in the centre, slightly tinted
with blush-rose towards the outside, somewhat spotted with violet;
lip marked with a whitish central bar, and stained with a deep
violet on either side; on long, dense, cylindrical, pendent
spikes. _l._ ligulate, obliquely two-lobed at the apex, thick
and fleshy in texture, about 18in. long, and of a light green
hue. Moulmein, 1868. This elegant plant, of which many distinct
varieties are in cultivation, is one of the most delicate of the
genus.
=A. maculosum= (spotted). _fl._ large, with obtuse pale
rose-coloured sepals and petals, which are spotted with purple;
lip flat and undivided, bluntly ovate, and of a deep rosy-purple;
racemes pendulous, proceeding from among the upper leaves, somewhat
lax and branching. _l._ ligulate, thick, and fleshy, obtuse at
the apex, 8in. or 9in. long, dark green. A somewhat slow growing
species, with a rather stiff, dwarf habit. Bombay, 1840.
=A. m. SchrÅderi= (SchrÅder's).* _fl._ very delicate white, tinged
with lilac and spotted with rose; labellum beautiful rose coloured.
_l._ dark green, 10in. long. _h._ 18in. East Indies. A very free
growing and handsome variety, superior to the species, but rare in
cultivation.
=A. Mendelii= (Mendel's). Synonymous with _A. Houlletianum_.
=A. mitratum= (mitred).* _fl._ waxy-white; lip violet coloured, on
numerous dense erect racemes. April. _l._ cylindrical, attenuated,
about 2ft. long, dark green. Moulmein, 1864. A rare but elegant
species.
=A. nobile= (noble).* _fl._ sepals and petals white tipped, and
spotted with bright rose; lip three-lobed, the side lobes creamy
yellow, and the middle lobe slightly bifid at the apex, white,
dotted with rose-purple, very fragrant; racemes 2ft. to 3ft.
long, pendulous, much branched, many flowered. _l._ strap-shaped,
obliquely emarginate at the apex, light green, slightly spotted
with brown. Not unlike _A. suavissimum_, but with larger and better
coloured flowers, and more robust growth. East Indies.
=A. odontochilum= (tooth-lipped). _h._ 2ft. Sylhet, 1837.
=A. odoratum= (fragrant).* _fl._ sepals and petals creamy and
white, tipped with pink; lip cucullate, with even side lobes,
the middle lobe being ovate and inflexed, the spur conical and
incurved, of the same colour as the sepals, very fragrant; racemes
longer than the leaves, many-flowered, pendulous. _l._ oblique,
obtuse, mucronate at the apex, and dark green. East Indies, 1800.
See Fig. 35.
=A. o. cornutum= (horned). _fl._ pink and white. Distinct.
=A. o. majus= (greater).* Like _A. odoratum_ in growth, but with
larger and longer spike of flowers.
=A. o. purpurascens= (purplish).* A very robust variety, with broad
dark green leaves and massive spike of large flowers, which are
white, tipped with bright pink.
=A. pachyphyllum= (thick-leaved). _fl._ light crimson lake; spur
and column white, the small laciniæ of the blade of the lip on
front part of spur painted with more or less warm purple (these
laciniæ are just as insignificant as the spur is preponderant);
raceme short, few-flowered. _l._ fleshy, short; apex obtuse, and
unequally two-lobed. Burmah, 1880.
=A. quinquevulnerum= (five-wounded).* _fl._ fragrant; sepals and
petals obtuse, white, marked with five reddish crimson blotches,
and tipped with purple; lip cucullate and funnel-shaped, the
side lobes being erect and the centre lobe oblong, incurved
and serrated, of the same colour as the sepals; spur conical,
green, large; racemes longer than the leaves, pendulous, and
many-flowered. Late summer and early autumn. _l._ ligulate, about
12in. long, tightly clasping the stem at the base, obliquely
mucronate at the apex, bright shining green. Philippines, 1838.
=A. q. Farmeri= (Farmer's).* A very rare variety of the above,
with similar habit, but the flowers are pure white throughout, and
fragrant.
=A. Reichenbachii= (Reichenbach's).* _fl._, sepals neatly striped
(not blotched); lip deep orange colour; racemes densely crowded.
Borneo, 1858. A very rare species.
=A. roseum= (rose-coloured).* _fl._, sepals and petals narrow,
acute, pale rose colour, with darker spots; lip flat, entire, and
acute, of a bright rose, freckled--like the sepals and petals--with
spots of a darker hue; raceme pendulous, dense, and many-flowered,
upwards of 1ft. in length. _l._ coriaceous, recurved, and
channelled above with a blunt two-lobed apex. Moulmein, 1840. As
this does not root freely, it requires less moisture than any other
species.
=A. r. superbum= (superb).* A fine variety, with stronger growth
and larger and richer-coloured flowers. The spikes of this, as well
as the typical species, are apt to die off if much water is given.
=A. rubrum= (red). A synonym of _Sarcanthus erinaceus_.
=A. suavissimum= (sweetest). _fl._ sepals and petals obtusely
ovate, white, tipped or tinged throughout with deep lilac; lip
three-lobed, pressed to the column, the side lobes being oblong
and denticulate, the middle lobe linear and bifid, the whole lip
being of a pale lemon colour, and the spur rosy-eyed; the numerous
racemes are half pendulous and branched, bearing a profusion of
deliciously fragrant flowers. _l._ flaccid, about 10in. long, light
green, profusely freckled with brown dots. Malacca, 1848. There are
one or two varieties.
=A. tesselatum= (chequered). _fl._ lined and streaked with green,
white, and purple. East Indies, 1838. A scarce species.
=A. testaceum= (testaceous). A synonym of _Vanda testacea_.
=A. Thibautianum= (Thibaut's). A synonym of _Saccolabium Huttoni_.
=A. vandarum= (Vanda). A synonym of _A. cylindricum_.
=A. virens= (vigorous). _fl._ deliciously fragrant; sepals and
petals ovate, obtuse, soft white, tipped with rosy-purple; lip
large; side lobes toothed at the apex, white, dotted with crimson;
middle lobe bearing a red inflated tongue; racemes long, drooping,
many-flowered, commencing to bloom early in April, and lasting
until July. _l._ broad, oblique, rounded at the apex, with a
depression in the centre, and very bright green, about 8in. long.
=A. v. Ellisii= (Ellis's).* _fl._ sepals and petals large, white,
suffused with rose, and tipped with amethyst; the lower sepals very
round and broad; lip large; side lobes white, beautifully freckled
towards the base, with short lines of amethyst; middle lobe broad,
and deep rich amethyst in colour; spur stout, curved upwards, and
tipped with brown; racemes about 18in. long, bearing generally
from thirty to forty, or more, large flowers. _l._ pale green. A
splendid variety.
=A. Wightianum.= _See_ =Vanda testacea=.
=A. Williamsii= (Williams's).* _fl._ delicate pinkish white,
produced in great abundance; spikes 2ft. to 3ft. long, and
branched, _l._ broad, dark green, drooping. A very scarce and
pretty species.
=AEROBION.= _See_ =Angræcum=.
=AEROPHYTES.= Plants that are grown entirely in the air.
=ÃSCHYNANTHUS= (from _aischuno_, to be ashamed, and _anthos_, a
flower). ORD. _Gesneraceæ_. A genus of very beautiful twining, radicant
or parasitical stove shrubs, with opposite, simple, entire leaves, and
axillary, terminal, few flowered, umbellate peduncles. They possess all
the qualifications worthy of extensive cultivation--handsome flowers,
fine deep green leaves, an agreeable fragrance, and are easily grown on
blocks, which must be covered with green moss, fastened on with small
copper wire. Preparatory to fastening them on, the roots should be
covered with moss, and the plants secured to the block also by wire.
After this, but little attention is requisite, except duly syringing
and occasionally dipping in tepid water. As pot plants they are very
beautiful, and in this method perfection is only obtained by growing
them on fast and strong by generous treatment, which consists in
frequently repotting in light rich compost till they are large enough
to be trained up a trellis, formed of slender rods of willow or hazel.
Propagated by seeds and cuttings. The former are very unsatisfactory;
the latter root readily during spring in a well-drained pot, filled
with a light compost, and having a surface of pure white sand, about
1in. deep. The best are obtained from half-ripened wood, cut into 2in.
or 3in. lengths, and all leaves, with the exception of one or two at
the top, removed. The cuttings should then be covered over with a bell
glass, and placed in moderate bottom heat. So soon as rooted, transfer
them singly to small pots, and again place under hand glasses, until
they are thoroughly established, then gradually harden off. When about
twelve months old, place the plants in their permanent quarters.
Baskets are commonly and very effectively employed. Line these with
moss, and fill with a light rich compost; place the plant as near the
centre as possible, and, to promote a uniform growth, fasten down the
branches with small neat pegs, at equal distances. During the summer,
give copious supplies of water, to produce a liberal growth, which is
of the utmost importance the first season, when they should not be
permitted to flower. The following winter they should be kept cool and
rather dry, thus giving them a rest. The year following, if properly
managed, they will bloom profusely.
=Ã. atrosanguinea= (dark-red).* _fl._ dark red; corolla 1-1/2in.
long, cylindrical, saccate at base, pilose; peduncle one-flowered.
July. _l._ pilose, oblong, sub-cordate, serrated, unequal. _h._
1-1/2ft. Guatemala, 1848.
=Ã. Aucklandi.= (Lord Auckland's). Synonymous with _Ã. speciosus_.
=Ã. Boschianus= (Bosch's).* _fl._ scarlet, axillary, clustered;
corolla tubular, with wide throat; calyx tubular, smooth,
purplish-brown. July. _l._ ovate, obtuse, entire. _h._ 1ft. Java,
1844. See Fig. 36.
=Ã. cordifolius= (heart-leaved).* _fl._ deep red, striped with
black, inside of the tube orange, axillary, clustered. Summer. _l._
cordate, quite smooth, dark green on the upper side, paler below.
_h._ 1ft. Borneo, 1858.
=Ã. fulgens= (shining).* _fl._ bright crimson, very long;
throat and the under side of the tube orange; lobes striped
with black, disposed in terminal umbels. October. _l._ large,
oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, thick and fleshy, bright dark green.
_h._ 1ft. East Indies, 1855.
=Ã. grandiflorus= (large-flowered).* _fl._ deep crimson and orange,
large; corolla clavate; segments obtuse, with a dark mark at top,
equal; umbels many-flowered. August. _l._ oblong-lanceolate,
acuminated, serrated, obscurely-nerved, fleshy, dark green, _h._
5ft. East Indies, 1838.
=Ã. javanicus= (Java). _fl._ bright red, stained with yellow in the
throat; corolla downy, tubular; corymbs terminal, bracteate. June.
_l._ small, ovate, slightly toothed, with sunk veins. Java, 1848.
Plant scandent.
=Ã. Lobbianus= (Lobb's).* _fl._ rich scarlet; calyx large,
campanulate; corolla downy; corymbs terminal, bracteate. June. _l._
elliptic, entire or slightly serrated, glaucous. Java, 1845. Plant
subscandent.
[Illustration: FIG. 36. ÃSCHYNANTHUS BOSCHIANUS.]
=Ã. longiflorus= (long-flowered).* _fl._ scarlet, erect, fascicled;
corolla with a long clavate curved tube, and oblique constructed
bilobed mouth; upper lobe bifid. Summer. _l._ broad-lanceolate,
acuminate, entire. Java, 1845. Plant pendulous.
=Ã. miniatus= (vermilion).* _fl._ rich vermilion; corolla
tomentose; upper lip bilobed, lower one tripartite; peduncles
axillary, three-flowered. June. _l._ oval acute, entire. _h._
1-1/2ft. Java, 1845. SYN. _Ã. radicans_.
=Ã. pulcher= (fair).* _fl._ bright scarlet; corolla three times
larger than the calyx; corymbs terminal, bracteate. June. _l._
ovate, obscurely toothed. Java, 1845. Scandent.
=Ã. radicans= (stem-fibred). Synonymous with _Ã. miniatus_.
=Ã. speciosus= (showy).* _fl._ rich orange-coloured; corolla with
long clavate curved tube, and obliquely four-lobed limb; upper lobe
bifid, terminal, numerous, downy. Summer. _l._ upper ones always
verticillate, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, slightly serrate. _h._
2ft. Java, 1845. SYN. _Ã. Aucklandi_.
=Ã. splendidus= (splendid).* _fl._ bright scarlet, spotted with
black on the margins; corolla clavate, 3in. long, in terminal
fascicles. Summer, lasting in perfection for a considerable time.
_l._ elliptic lanceolate, acuminated, entire, rather undulated.
_h._ 1ft. Hybrid.
=Ã. tricolor= (three-coloured).* _fl._ deep blood red, usually
twin; throat and base of the lobes bright orange, the three upper
lobes being striped with black. July. _l._ cordate, dark green
above, paler on the under side; edges, under surface, and stem,
slightly hairy. _h._ 1ft. Borneo, 1857.
=Ã. zebrinus= (zebra-marked). _fl._ green, brown. Autumn. Java,
1846.
=ÃSCHYNOMENE= (from _aischuno_, to be ashamed; in reference to the
leaves of some of the species falling on the slightest touch, like
those of the Sensitive plant). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Stove herbs and
shrubs, with impari-pinnate leaves, having many pairs of leaflets, and
axillary racemes of usually yellow flowers. They thrive well in a good
rich loam. Propagated by cuttings, placed in sand under a bell glass,
in a brisk heat. Seeds of the herbaceous species require a good heat to
start them into growth. The annuals are not worth growing. There are
about forty other species known besides those mentioned, some of which
may prove worthy of cultivation when introduced.
=Ã. aristata= (awned). A synonym of _Pictatia aristata_.
=Ã. aspera= (rough-stemmed). _fl._ yellow; racemes compound;
peduncles, bracteas, calyces, and corollas, hispid. June. _l._ with
thirty to forty pairs of linear leaflets, which (as well as the
legumes) are smooth. Stem herbaceous, erect. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. East
Indies, 1759. Perennial.
=Ã. sensitiva= (sensitive).* _fl._ white; legumes and racemes
glabrous; peduncles branched, few-flowered. June. _l._ with sixteen
to twenty pairs of linear leaflets. Stem smooth. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft.
Jamaica, 1733. This shrub requires a sandy soil.
=ÃSCULUS= (a name given by Pliny to a kind of oak having an edible
fruit; derived from _esca_, nourishment). The Horse Chestnut. ORD.
_Sapindaceæ_. A genus of hardy showy trees, well adapted for lawns
or parks, having a beautiful appearance when in flower. They will do
well in any soil, but the more loamy the better. Increased by layers,
put down in the spring, or by grafting or budding on the common horse
chestnut. Seeds, where procurable, should be sown singly in rows in
spring, where they may remain until they are of sufficient size to be
permanently planted out. This genus is distinguished from _Pavia_, in
having its capsules echinated, _i.e._, covered with prickles, like a
hedgehog; but this character is not always consistent.
=Ã. carnea= (flesh-coloured). Synonymous with _Ã. rubicunda_.
=Ã. glabra= (smooth-leaved).* _fl._ greenish yellow; corolla of
four spreading petals, with their claws about the length of the
calyx; stamens longer than the corolla. June. _l._ with five
leaflets, very smooth; foliage larger than the common species. _h._
20ft. North America, 1821. SYNS. _A. ohioensis_, _A. pallida_.
=Ã. Hippocastanum= (Common Horse-Chestnut). _fl._ white, tinged
with red, on very handsome terminal racemes, which are produced
in great profusion; petals five. April and May. _l._ with seven
obovately-cuneated, acute, toothed leaflets. Asia, 1629. This, the
common horse chestnut, is well known by the beautiful parabolic
form in which it grows, and during the period of its flowering no
tree possesses greater beauty. It has two or three unimportant
varieties, differing in the variation of their leaves, and one also
with double flowers. These are increased by grafting only.
=Ã. ohioensis= (Ohio). A synonym of _A. glabra_.
=Ã. pallida= (pale-flowered). A synonym of _A. glabra_.
=Ã. rubicunda= (red-flowered).* _fl._ scarlet, in very fine
terminal racemes; petals four, having the claws shorter than
the calyx; stamens eight. June. _l._ with five to seven
obovately-cuneated, acute, unequally serrated leaflets. _h._
20ft. North America, 1820. This is a very distinct and beautiful
tree when in flower, and does not attain so large a size as _Ã.
Hippocastanum_. SYN. _Ã. carnea_.
=ÃSTIVATION.= The manner of the folding of the calyx and corolla in the
flower bud.
=ÃTHIONEMA= (from _aitho_, to scorch, and _nema_, a filament;
apparently in allusion to some tawny or burnt appearance in the
stamens). ORD. _Cruciferæ_. A genus of elegant little plants,
distinguished from allied genera in having the four larger stamens
winged, and with a tooth. Herbs or sub-shrubs, perennial or annual,
branched from the base, diffuse or erect. Flowers in crowded terminal
racemes. Leaves fleshy, sessile. They are well worth cultivating in
sunny situations, where they form a freer flowering habit than when
growing in a wild state. Some of the more hardy species may be planted
on rock work, which, by their dwarf growth, they are well adapted for.
The annual and biennial species may either be sown on rockwork or in
the front of the flower-border. A light dry soil suits them best. The
shrubby kinds of this genus should be kept in pots, which should be
well drained with potsherds, and treated like other alpine plants.
Propagated by seeds, sown in May; or by cuttings, planted in summer.
=Ã. Buxbaumii= (Bauxbaum's). _fl._ pale red; racemes crowded,
aggregate. June. _l._ oblong-spathulate, glaucous. _h._ 6in.
Thrace, 1823. A pretty annual, with erect branched stems. SYN.
_Thlaspi arabicum_.
[Illustration: FIG. 37. ÃTHIONEMA CORIDIFOLIUM, showing Habit and
Flowers.]
=Ã. coridifolium= (Coris-leaved).* _fl._ rosy lilac, small, in
terminal dense rounded racemes. June. _l._ linear, glaucous,
crowded. Asia Minor, 1871. A pretty perennial, shrubby below, with
erect stems 6in. to 8in. high. See Fig. 37.
=Ã. gracile= (slender). _fl._ purplish; racemes crowded, terminal;
when in fruit, loose. June. _l._ lanceolate, pointed. _h._ 8in.
Branches and branchlets slender, elongated. Sandy hills in
Carniola, 1820. Shrubby perennial.
[Illustration: FIG. 38. ÃTHIONEMA GRANDIFLORUM, showing Habit and
Flowers.]
=Ã. grandiflorum= (large-flowered).* _fl._ of a warm shaded
rose; racemes crowded, terminal, numerous. May to August. _l._
ovate-oblong, glaucous. Mount Lebanon, 1879. This perennial species
forms a spreading bush about 1-1/2ft. high, and is perhaps the
handsomest of the genus. It succeeds well in the ordinary border,
but is far better suited for the rockery. See Fig. 38.
=Ã. membranaceum= (membranous-podded). _fl._ purplish, in terminal
racemes. June. _l._ linear, distant, somewhat fleshy, strictly
appressed. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Persia, 1828. A small shrub, with
filiform branches.
=Ã. monospermum= (one-seeded). _fl._ purple, largish, in terminal
racemes. July. _l._ oval or obovate, blunt, coriaceous; pods
one-celled, one-seeded. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Spain, 1778. A pretty
little biennial, with hardish branches.
=Ã. pulchellum= (pretty).* This is said to be a new species,
but it much resembles _Ã. coridifolium_. It is scarcely in full
cultivation yet, but it proves one of the hardiest as well as one
of the most handsome kinds.
=Ã. saxatilis= (rock).* _fl._ purplish; racemes loose, terminal.
May and June. _l._ lanceolate, acutish. _h._ 8in. Spain, 1820. A
pretty annual.
=AFRICAN ALMOND.= _See_ =Brabejum=.
=AFRICAN BLADDER NUT.= _See_ =Royena lucida=.
=AFRICAN FLEABANE.= _See_ =Tarchonanthus=.
=AFRICAN HAREBELL.= _See_ =Roella ciliata=.
=AFRICAN LILY.= _See_ =Agapanthus=.
=AFRICAN LOTUS.= _See_ =Zizyphus=.
=AFRICAN MARIGOLD.= _See_ =Tagetes erecta=.
=AFRICAN OAK OR TEAK.= _See_ =Vitex Doniana=.
=AFRICAN SATIN-BUSH.= _See_ =Podalyria sericea=.
=AFZELIA= (named after Adam Afzelius, M.D., Professor of Botany in the
University of Upsal, and for many years resident at Sierra Leone).
ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A pretty stove evergreen tree. For culture, _see_
=Ãgiphila=.
=A. africana= (African).* _fl._ crimson, disposed in racemes;
petals four (furnished with claws), upper one largest. June. Legume
ligneus, many-celled; seeds black, with scarlet aril. _l._ abruptly
pinnate. _h._ 30ft. Sierra Leone, 1821.
=AGALMYLA= (from _agalma_, an ornament; and _hule_, a wood; the
species are great ornaments to the woods in which they grow wild).
ORD. _Gesneraceæ_. A small but very handsome genus of climbing or
radicant herbs, with simple alternate leaves and axillary fascicles of
flowers, something like the blooms of a Gesnera. Corolla limb oblique,
five-lobed, scarcely two-lipped. _A. staminea_, the most generally
cultivated species, is best grown in a basket, planted in a compost of
rough peat, a little leaf soil, fresh sphagnum moss, and nodules of
charcoal. Give an abundance of moisture when growing, which should be
lessened after flowering, and allow the plant to rest during winter. It
may be planted out on rockwork in the stove. Half-ripened cuttings will
root freely in heat under a glass. The temperature in summer should not
be less than 75deg. by day, and 65deg. by night.
=A. longistyla= (long-styled). _fl._ crimson. Java, 1873.
=A. staminea= (long-stamened).* _fl._ scarlet, disposed in axillary
fascicles; corolla tubular, incurved, with a dilated throat.
Summer. _l._ alternate, oblong, acuminated, denticulated, nearly
equal at the base, downy beneath, and on the edges. Stem and
petioles hairy. _h._ 2ft. Java, 1846. Stove species.
=AGANISIA= (from _aganos_, desirable; in reference to the beauty
of these neat little plants). ORD. _Orchidaceæ_. A small genus of
epiphytal orchids, requiring to be grown upon a block of wood suspended
from the rafters of the stove. A damp atmosphere, syringing the roots
and leaves freely when in a growing state, and shade during very bright
sunshine, are primary points to be observed in their cultivation.
Increased by dividing the pseudo-bulbs just previous to starting into
new growth.
=A. cÅrulea= (dark blue).* _fl._ peduncles axillary, few flowered.
"The colour is the well known one of _Vanda cÅrulea_. There are,
however, darker blue blotches quasi-tesselated over the flower.
The lip is veiled, and has two very small basilar teeth, and
then a veiled middle lacinia, that is sacciform, bordered with
most remarkable long bristles, and with a deep violet blotch on
its middle part beneath. The white column has two cartilaginous
quadrate arms close to the stigmatic hollow." _l._ cuneate, oblong,
acuminate. Pseudo-bulbs distichous, depresso-ovoid. Brazil, 1876.
=A. fimbriata= (fringed).* _fl._ white; lip blue. Demerara, 1874.
This species has also a sacciform, fimbriate lip, but, when
compared with the foregoing, its flowers, leaves, and bulbs are
much smaller, and the lip is not slit up to the apex, but the sac
is round.
=A. graminea= (grass-leaved). A weedy looking species, of no garden
value. Guiana, 1836.
=A. ionoptera= (violet-winged). The flowers, not very much larger
than those of the lily of the valley, are white, with violet
petals, and violet tips and streaks on the sepals. Peru, 1871.
=A. pulchella= (pretty).* _fl._ white, with a blotch of yellow in
the centre of the lip; the spike is produced from the bottom of the
bulb. _h._ 8in. Demerara, 1838. It blossoms at different times of
the year, and lasts two or three weeks in perfection. This species
is very rare and pretty, and is best grown in a pot, with peat, and
good drainage; requires a liberal supply of water at the roots, and
the hottest house.
=AGANOSMA= (from _aganos_, mild, and _osme_, a smell; scent of
flowers). ORD. _Apocynaceæ_. A genus of showy stove or warm
greenhouse shrubs, with opposite leaves and terminal corymbs of
large funnel-shaped flowers, the coronet of which is cup-shaped or
cylindrical, "having its parts so united that they appear only as lobes
around the mouth of the cup." All the species mentioned are well worth
cultivating. They thrive best in a mixture of loam, sand, and peat,
in equal proportions. Propagated by cuttings in sand, under glass, and
with bottom heat.
=A. acuminata= (pointed-leaved).* _fl._ large, white, fragrant;
petals linear, falcate, curled; panicles axillary, longer than
the leaves, scattered. _l._ from oblong to broad-lanceolate,
acuminated, glabrous. Sylhet. Shrubby climber.
=A. caryophyllata= (clove scented).* _fl._ pale yellow, tinged
with red, deliciously clove scented; corymbs terminal. October.
_l._ oval, acutish at both ends, tomentose beneath as well as the
branches. India, 1812. Shrubby twiner.
=A. cymosa= (cymose-flowered).* _fl._ small, whitish, fragrant;
calyx and corolla hoary outside; cymes terminal, shorter than the
leaves. _l._ elliptic, acuminated. Sylhet. Shrub.
=A. elegans= (elegant).* _fl._ small, purple; corolla downy
outside, as well as the calyces, bracteas, and pedicels; sepals
longer than the tube of the corolla; corymbs terminal, crowded.
_l._ elliptic, short-acuminated, glabrous. India. Shrubby twiner.
=A. marginata= (bordered).* _fl._ numerous, large, white, fragrant;
petals linear, falcate; panicles terminal, loose, corymbose,
glabrous. _l._ lanceolate, smooth. Sylhet. Shrubby climber.
=A. Roxburghii= (Roxburgh's).* _fl._ pure white, large, fragrant;
calyx and corolla hoary outside; petals triangular; corymbs
terminal. October. _l._ ovate-cordate, acuminated; petioles and
veins red, glabrous, pale beneath, and shining above. India, 1812.
Shrubby twiner.
=A. Wallichii= (Wallich's).* _fl._ white, fragrant; calyx and
corolla downy outside; corymbs terminal. _l._ elliptic-acuminated,
shining above and pale beneath, glabrous. India. This species
differs from the last in the veins of the leaves being parallel,
not longitudinal, from the base to the apex. Shrubby twiner.
=AGAPANTHUS= (from _agape_, love, and _anthos_, a flower). ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. African Lily. A genus, with numerous varieties, of very
handsome greenhouse or conservatory herbaceous plants. Flowers
large, scapose; perianth tubular, tube short; stamens six, having
the filaments somewhat declinate. Leaves linear or lorate, arching,
radical. They are of easy culture, and thrive best in strong turfy
loam, leaf mould, decomposed manure, and river sand. They may be grown
in large pots or tubs outside, to be removed in autumn, and placed
under the stage in the greenhouse, or where they will be protected
from frost, and kept moderately dry. If planted and left outside, the
crowns should be well covered with cocoa-nut fibre in winter. During
the summer, and especially in dry weather, the plants can hardly
be over watered. They thrive admirably on the margins of lakes or
running streams, and few plants, alike in flower and foliage, are
more effective. Clear manure water may be given previous to or when
the plants are in flower, and, after flowering, gradually lessen the
quantity of water, until they are stowed away for the winter. They
increase very rapidly, by offsets, and, if necessary, the old plants
may be divided in early spring, to any extent required. In the more
southern parts of this country they are quite hardy.
[Illustration: FIG. 39. AGAPANTHUS UMBELLATUS.]
=A. umbellatus= (umbelled).* _fl._ bright blue; perianth
funnel-shaped, regular, deeply six-parted; tube short; scape tall,
naked, bearing a many-flowered umbel. Summer and autumn. _l._
numerous, radical, linear, somewhat fleshy. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Cape
of Good Hope, 1692. See Fig. 39.
=A. u. albidus= (whitish).* _fl._ pure white, on large full-sized
umbels, smaller than those of the species, but very showy. Cape of
Good Hope. This requires carefully drying off during the winter.
=A. u. aureus= (golden). A variety in which the leaves are marked
longitudinally with yellow. 1882.
=A. u. flore-pleno= (double-flowered).* Identical in all respects
with the species, except that it has double flowers, which are
therefore, much more lasting than the single ones. A very handsome
variety.
=A. u. Leichtlinii= (Leichtlin's).* _fl._, perianth deep bright
hyacinthine blue, 1-1/4in. long; scape about 1-1/2ft. long, with a
more compact umbel than any other known form. June. _l._ similar in
size to the species. Cape of Good Hope, 1878.
=A. u. maximus= (larger).* _fl._ bright blue, in immense umbels.
This is larger in all its parts than the type, and when well grown
is truly a noble plant. There is also a white-flowered form of this
variety, which is most desirable, being equally as large.
=A. u. minor= (smaller).* This is smaller in all its parts, with
narrow leaves, and slender scapes of deep blue flowers. A very
elegant variety.
=A. u. Mooreanus= (Moore's).* _fl._ dark blue. _h._ 1-1/2ft. 1879.
A new variety, with shorter, narrower, and more upright leaves than
the species; it has a dwarf habit. Perfectly hardy.
=A. u. variegatus= (variegated).* Where variegated-leaved plants
are desired, few could be more useful than this; its leaves are
almost entirely white, with a few green bands, but they are neither
so broad nor so long as in the type. It is an excellent subject for
the domestic garden.
=AGAPETES= (from _agapetos_, beloved; in reference to the showy
character of the plants). ORD. _Vacciniaceæ_. A genus containing about
eighteen species of warm greenhouse or stove evergreen shrubs. Flowers
corymbose and racemose; corolla tubular. Leaves alternate, coriaceous.
They are all worthy of cultivation, but only two or three species are
grown in England. Peat, turfy loam, and sand, in equal parts, is the
best compost for them; and young hardened cuttings will strike in sandy
soil, under a hand glass, in stove temperature.
=A. buxifolia= (box-leaved).* _fl._ bright red, about 1in. long,
tubular, wax-like, disposed in corymbs. April. _l._ small, oval
oblong, bright green, leathery; branches spreading, twiggy. _h._
5ft. Bootan.
=A. setigera= (bristly). _fl._ red, about 1in. long, tubular,
numerous, in lateral and corymbose racemes, furnished with bristly
hairs. _l._ scattered, lanceolate, acuminated, on very short robust
petioles. Pundua Mountains, 1837.
=A. variegata= (variegated). _fl._ scarlet, about 1in. long,
tubular, lateral, corymbose. _l._ on short petioles, lanceolate,
acuminated, denticulated, attenuated at the base, veiny. Khasia,
1837.
=AGARICUS= (derived from _Agaria_, the name of a town in Sarmentosa).
Mushroom. ORD. _Fungi_. The most extensive genus known. It, however,
contains but one or two species of cultural value. The most important
ones are the common field mushroom, _A. campestris_ (Fig. 44), the
Fairy Ring mushroom, _A. pratensis_, and _A. vaginatus_. Familiar
species are the Parasol mushroom, _A. procerus_ (Fig. 43); St. George's
mushroom, _A. gambosus_ (Fig. 42); and the deadly Fly Agaric, _A.
muscarius_ (Fig. 41). For practical purposes the majority of this genus
are poisonous, and many virulently so. Great care must be exercised in
experimenting with unknown species, even by experienced fungologists.
_See_ =Mushroom=.
=AGASTACHYS= (from _agastos_, admirable, and _stachys_, a spike). ORD.
_Proteaceæ_. A greenhouse evergreen shrub, with four sepalled apetalous
flowers, which are disposed in numerous spikes. It thrives in a compost
of equal parts loam, sand, and peat. Cuttings of ripened wood will
strike in sandy soil under a glass, in a cool house.
=A. odorata= (fragrant).* _fl._ pale yellow, sweet scented,
crowded; spikes 4in. to 5in. long. April. _l._ bluntly lanceolate,
sub-sessile, thickish, about 2in. long. _h._ about 3ft. New
Holland, 1826.
=AGATHÃA= (from _agathos_, excellent; in reference to the beauty of the
flowers). ORD. _Compositæ_. Allied to _Cineraria_, and requiring the
same greenhouse treatment. It makes a very pretty object for summer
decoration in the flower garden. Young cuttings root freely, in a
gentle heat, at all times; and the plant may be had in bloom all the
year round.
=A. cÅlestis= (sky-blue).* _fl.-heads_ blue; peduncle one-headed.
June. _l._ opposite, ovate, naked. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape of Good Hope,
1753. Herbaceous perennial. See Fig. 40.
[Illustration: FIG. 40. AGATHÃA CÅLESTIS.]
=AGATHA ROSE.= _See_ =Rosa gallica Agatha=.
=AGATHIS.= _See_ =Dammara=.
=AGATHOPHYLLUM= (from _agathos_, pleasant, and _phyllon_, a leaf;
referring to the pleasant clove-like smell of the leaf). Madagascar
Nutmeg. ORD. _Lauraceæ_. A stove evergreen tree, of economic value
only, having the fruit enclosed by the persistent calyx; thriving in
peat and light rich loam. Of easy propagation by cuttings in sand, with
a moderate bottom heat.
=A. aromaticum= (aromatic). _fl._ white. _l._ stalked, alternate,
obovate, obtuse, leathery, entire, smooth. _h._ 30ft. Madagascar,
1823.
=AGATHOSMA= (from _agathos_, pleasant, and _osme_, smell; the plants
contained in this genus have a pleasant smell). SYNS. _Bucco_,
_Dichosma_. ORD. _Rutaceæ_. Beautiful small heath-like greenhouse
shrubs, from the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers in terminal heads, or
umbels; petals five, divided, with long claws, and scattered, short,
narrow leaves, usually with revolute edges. They are of easy culture,
thriving best in a mixture of sand and peat, with the addition of a
little turfy loam. Young cuttings will strike root freely in a pot of
sand, under a bell glass, in a cool house. They require to be shaded
somewhat in the summer. Winter temperature, 40deg. to 45deg. About
forty-six species are known.
=A. acuminata= (taper-pointed leaved).* _fl._ violet; calyces
smooth, glandular, on terminal subcapitate heads. April. _l._
ovate, somewhat cordate, long acuminated, fringed, at length
spreading. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1812.
=A. bruniades= (Brunia-like).* _fl._ lilac or white, on terminal
sub-umbellate heads; peduncles fastigiate, elongated. April. _l._
scattered, linear-trigonal, awl-shaped, dotted, and a little
fringed; branches hairy. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1820.
=A. cerefolia= (chervil-leaved). _fl._ white, small; pedicels and
calyces beset with glandular hairs; heads terminal sub-umbellate.
April. _l._ crowded, lanceolate, acute, spreading, keeled, fringed.
_h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1794.
=A. ciliata= (ciliated).* _fl._ white; pedicels smoothish; heads
terminal sub-umbellate. April. _l._ scattered, lanceolate, acute,
with toothletted-fringed, revolute edges, dotted beneath, and
bearing hairs on the middle nerve, becoming at length reflexed.
_h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1774.
=A. erecta= (upright).* _fl._ pale violet, terminal, sub-umbellate;
peduncles short, villous. April. _l._ imbricate, trigonal, blunt,
dotted beneath, a little fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1818.
=A. hirta= (hairy). _fl._ purple, densely capitate; petals bearded
at the claws. April. _l._ somewhat imbricate, linear, awl-shaped,
channelled, hairy on the back, decurrent. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1794.
[Illustration: FIG. 41. AGARICUS MUSCARIUS (FLY AGARIC).]
[Illustration: FIG. 42. AGARICUS GAMBOSUS (ST. GEORGE'S MUSHROOM).]
[Illustration: FIG. 43. AGARICUS PROCERUS (PARASOL MUSHROOM).]
[Illustration: FIG. 44. AGARICUS CAMPESTRIS (COMMON MUSHROOM).]
=A. hispida= (rough-haired). _fl._ violet, on terminal
sub-umbellate heads; pedicels and sepals pubescent; petals quite
smooth. May. _l._ crowded, linear, trigonal, blunt, spreading,
hispid, keeled, and two-furrowed beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1786.
=A. imbricata= (imbricated). _fl._ pale purple, in terminal
sub-capitate heads; petals with a roundish limb; sepals smoothish;
pedicels pubescent. April. _l._ imbricate, crowded, ovate,
acuminated, dotted, fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1774.
=A. orbicularis= (round-leaved). _fl._ white, on terminal
sub-umbellate heads; stamens twice as long as the corolla; pedicels
pubescent. April. _l._ scattered, spreading, orbicular, ovate,
or reniform, smooth, reflexed, small, thickish, without any dots
beneath; branches villous. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1790.
=A. prolifera= (proliferous). _fl._ white, on terminal
sub-umbellate heads; sepals smooth; pedicels somewhat fastigiate,
pubescent. April. _l._ spreading, lanceolate, cuspidate; keel and
edges fringed, dotted; branches whorled, proliferous. _h._ 1ft. to
3ft. 1790.
=A. pubescens= (downy). _fl._ white; umbels terminal; peduncles and
sepals villous. April. _l._ lanceolate, trigonal, pointless, with
margins and rib ciliated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1798.
=A. rugosa= (coarsely-wrinkled). _fl._ white, on terminal
sub-umbellate heads; sepals pubescent; pedicels capillary, clothed
with glandular hairs. April. _l._ spreading, oblong or ovate,
blunt, keeled, wrinkled, villous beneath, reflexed. _h._ 1ft. to
2ft. 1790.
=A. vestita= (clothed). _fl._ lilac, on terminal sub-capitate
heads; pedicels quite smooth. May. _l._ closely imbricated, ovate,
acuminated, keeled, fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1824.
=AGATHYRSUS.= _See_ =Mulgedium=.
=AGATI= (its Sanscrit name). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Ornamental stove
trees from India, with lanceolate stipulas, abruptly-pinnate leaves,
having many pairs of leaflets. Flowers large, few, racemose. Legumes
1-1/2ft. long. A mixture of loam, peat, and sand is most suitable.
Young cuttings will root in a pot of sand, with a hand glass over them,
placed in heat.
=A. coccinea= (scarlet).* _fl._ red, rather smaller than the next
species. Legumes rather terete. _l._ leaflets powdery. July. _h._
20ft. to 30ft. 1768.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered). _fl._ rosy red. July. Legumes
evidently compressed. _l._ leaflets glabrous. _h._ 14ft. to 26ft.
1768.
=A. g. flore-albo= (white flowered). _fl._ white, double. N.
Australia, 1869.
=AGAVE= (from _agauos_, admirable; referring to the stately form
in which some of them flower). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. Flower-scape
tall, proceeding from the centre of the rosette of leaves; perianth
funnel-shaped, six-parted. Leaves large, fleshy, tufted. Mr. B. S.
Williams describes them as follows: "They are noble, massive-growing
plants, and form magnificent ornaments in the greenhouse or
conservatory; whilst, from their slow growth, they do not rapidly get
too large, even for a small greenhouse. Indeed, some of the real gems
of this genus are neat, compact-growing plants, seldom exceeding 2ft.
in height. Besides being fine ornamental plants for indoor decoration,
the larger growing kinds are unquestionably the finest objects for the
embellishment of terrace-walks, or surmounting flights of steps in the
open air during the summer season, and also for plunging in rockwork,
or about any rustic nooks in the pleasure-grounds, as, in such
situations, they are quite in keeping, and thrive admirably. As is well
known, they attain maturity very slowly; but when this condition is
reached, the plant sends up a flower spike, and, after perfecting this,
dies." _A. Sartorii_, and a few others are, however, exceptional, and
go on flowering year after year. It is certainly fallacious to suppose
it takes them a hundred years to flower. Agaves succeed well potted in
good loam and river sand, to which may be added a little peat and leaf
mould for some of the smaller-growing kinds. The drainage should be
good, as they enjoy a liberal supply of water during the summer season,
but during winter considerably less will be required. They can be
increased by suckers when these are to be obtained, and also by seeds,
to secure the production of which, in the species that do not yield
suckers, the flowers should be carefully impregnated. In the following
descriptive list of species, only those of horticultural value are
mentioned, some of which are still rare; and in describing them we
have availed ourselves of Mr. J. G. Baker's excellent monograph,
which appeared in the columns of the _Gardener's Chronicle_. Many are
omitted, not from any deficiency in horticultural beauty, but because,
in several instances, only one plant of a species is known to exist
in cultivation, and such cannot, therefore, hope to become in general
cultivation for many years hence.
=A. albicans= (whitened). Probably a variety of _A. micrantha_.
[Illustration: FIG. 45. AGAVE AMERICANA.]
=A. americana= (American).* _fl._ yellowish green, 2in. to 3-1/2in.
long; in very dense globose clusters, on pedicels 1/4in. to 1/2in.
long; scape, including the thyrsoid panicle, 24ft. to 36ft. August.
_l._ usually thirty to forty, sometimes more, in a rosette,
oblanceolate-spathulate, 3ft. to 6ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad
above the middle, glaucous green, more or less concave all down
the face, the outer leaves recurved, the dark brown pungent point
1in. to 2in. long; prickles brown tipped, 1/6in. to 1/4in. long. S.
America, 1640. See Fig. 45.
=A. a. mexicana= (Mexican). A variety much shorter in the leaves
than the species, of which it may be regarded as one of the many
small forms.
=A. a. picta= (painted).* _l._ 2ft. to 3ft. long, about 4in. wide,
lower ones recurved, upper ones erect, moderately thick, rich
golden yellow on both sides, bordered with dark green. A very
splendid variety. SYN. _A. ornata_.
=A. a. variegata= (variegated). _l._ 6ft. or more in length, 6in.
or 8in. wide, dark green in the centre, broadly margined with rich
yellow. A very desirable variety.
=A. amÅna= (pleasing). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.
=A. amurensis= (Amur River). Synonymous with _A. xylacantha_.
=A. applanata= (plano-convex-leaved). _fl._ unknown. _l._ twenty
to forty in a dense sessile rosette, reaching a couple of feet in
diameter, oblong-spathulate, 8in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3-1/2in.
broad, the lower half of the face flat, the upper half concave,
suddenly terminating in a pungent brown spine above 1in. long,
blue-green bordered with brown; prickles 1/4in. to 1/3in. long,
bright brown. Mexico, 1869.
=A. atrovirens= (dark-green). Synonymous with _A. Salmiana_.
=A. attenuata= (attenuated).* _fl._ greenish-yellow, 2in. long;
pedicels about 1/4in. long, on a dense spike, 6ft. to 8ft.
long, and 6in. in diameter; bracts overtopping the perianth.
_l._ ten to twenty, in a dense rosette at the top of the stem,
oblong-spathulate, 2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long, 8in. to 9in. broad
two-thirds of the way up, narrowed to 2-1/2in. to 3in. above the
base, persistently glaucous, one of the most fleshy of all in
texture; face rather concave when young; tip not pungent, edge
quite entire. Stem 4ft. to 7ft. high, 3in. to 4in. thick. Mexico,
1834. A most distinct species.
=A. Beaucarnei= (Beaucarne's). Synonymous with _A. Kerchovei_.
=A. Botterii= (Botteri's).* _fl._ greenish-yellow, about 1in.
long, on a dense spike, longer than the leaves; primary bracts
lanceolate, with a long point, the lower ones as long as the
flowers; scape covered with adpressed lanceolate bracts. _l._ about
fifty in a rosette, oblong-spathulate, about 2ft. long, 6in. broad
above the middle, narrowed to 4-1/2in. above the base; pale green,
concave in the centre; spine hard, pungent, about 1/2in. long;
marginal teeth crowded, 1/8in., upcurved at the tip. Stemless.
Mexico, about 1865.
=A. bulbifera= (bulb-bearing). Synonymous with _A. vivipara_.
=A. cæspitosa= (tufted). Synonymous with _A. Sartorii_.
=A. cantula.= Synonymous with _A. vivipara_.
[Illustration: FIG. 46. AGAVE CELSIANA.]
=A. Celsiana= (Cels's).* _fl._ tinged purplish-brown, 2in. long,
in a dense spike, 1ft. or more long, and 6in. to 8in. in diameter
when expanded; scape 4ft. long, the lower bract leaves lanceolate,
the upper ones subulate. _l._ twenty to thirty in a rosette,
oblong-spathulate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 5in. broad at the
middle, narrowed to 2-1/2in. to 3in. above the base, persistently
glaucous, the point hardly at all pungent; spines very unequal in
size and shape, green, largest brown and horny at the top. Mexico,
1839. This is a beautiful species, the stem of which scarcely rises
off the surface of the ground. See Fig. 46.
=A. coccinea= (scarlet). _fl._ unknown. _l._ twenty to thirty in
a dense rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long,
4in. to 6in. broad two-thirds of the way up, narrowed to 3in.
above the dilated base, where it is 1in. to 1-1/4in. thick, deep
heavy green; terminal spine 1-1/2in. or more in length, red; side
prickles irregular, deltoid, unequal, nearly straight, 1/6in. to
1/4in. long, red. Mexico, 1859.
=A. cochlearis= (cochleate). _fl._ yellowish green, above 4in.
long, in dense clusters. _l._ forming a sessile rosette 10ft.
broad, oblong-spathulate, 5ft. to 6ft. long, above 1ft. broad, 5in.
thick at the base, opaque green, with a deeply excavated face;
terminal spine very stout, pungent; side prickles curved variously,
middle sized, deltoid. Stems 26ft. high. Mexico, previous to 1867.
=A. Consideranti= (Considerant's). Synonymous with _A. Victoriæ
Regina_.
=A. Corderoyi= (Corderoy's).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ forty to fifty
in a dense rosette, rigidly erecto-patent, ensiform, 1-1/2ft.
long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, bright green; terminal spine hard,
brown, 1in. long; side prickles moderately close, erecto-patent,
dark brown, 1/6in. long. Mexico, 1868. A very distinct and pretty
species.
=A. crenata= (crenated). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.
=A. cucullata= (hooded). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.
=A. dasylirioides= (Dasylirion-like).* _fl._ yellow, about 1-1/2in.
long; spike as long as the scape, often decurved; lower bracts
much longer than the flowers; pedicels obsolete; scape 6ft. long,
densely clothed with spreading subulate bract leaves, the lower
ones 1ft. long. _l._ eighty to a hundred in a dense rosette,
linear-ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 3ft. long, about 1in. broad, narrowing
gradually from the middle to a short brown pungent point, pale
glaucous green, rigidly leathery; edge minutely denticulate.
Mexico, 1846.
=A. d. dealbata= (whitened). A variety of preceding, but with more
glaucous foliage.
[Illustration: FIG. 47. AGAVE DENSIFLORA.]
=A. densiflora= (close-flowered).* _fl._ yellowish-red, 1-1/2in. to
2in. long, on a dense spike, 2ft. long; pedicels very short; scape,
including the spike, 6ft. long, the lower bracts ascending, the
upper ones spreading. _l._ thirty to forty in a stemless rosette,
oblanceolate-spathulate, 2ft. to 3ft. long, and 2-1/2in. to 5in.
broad, bright green when mature; terminal spine 1/2in. long, thick,
pungent, slightly decurrent; side spines crowded, short, bright
chestnut brown. Mexico (previous to) 1857. See Fig. 47.
=A. Deserti= (Desert's).* _fl._ yellow, under 2in. long, on a
thyrsoid panicle, the branches very short, the lower horizontal,
the upper ascending; pedicels short; scape 4ft. to 10ft. high,
1in. to 2in. thick at the base, furnished with distant lanceolate
acuminate toothed bracts. _l._ few, in a rosette, oblanceolate,
6in. to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad above the middle, thick,
fleshy, very glaucous; face deeply concave; terminal spine 1in. to
2in. long, slender; prickles crowded, strong, hooked, horny, nearly
1/4in. long. California, 1877.
=A. Desmetiana= (De Smet's). Probably synonymous with _A.
miradorensis_.
=A. Elemeetiana= (Elemeet's).* _fl._ yellowish-green, 1in. to
1-1/2in. long, in a dense spike 8ft. to 9ft. long, 7in. to 8in.
in diameter when expanded; pedicels 1/4in. long; scape, including
the spike, 12ft. to 13ft. high, stiffly erect, lower 3ft. to
4ft., barren, with squarrose lanceolate bracts. _l._ twenty to
twenty-five in a rosette, lanceolate-oblong, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long,
3in. to 6in. wide, slightly glaucous; face flat above the middle
terminal spine, not pungent, the margin pale and quite entire.
Stemless. A very distinct species. Mexico, 1864.
=A. Fenzliana= (Fenzl's). Synonymous with _A. Hookeri_.
=A. ferox= (fierce). _fl._ unknown. _l._ about twenty in a rosette,
oblong-spathulate, 4in. to 8in. broad; face nearly flat, except at
the top, slightly glaucous green; terminal spine above 1in. long,
hard, pungent; margin slightly wavy between the large dark brown
teeth, which are about 1/4in. long, and curved at the top. Mexico,
1861.
=A. filifera= (thread-bearing).* _fl._ greenish, about 2in. long;
pedicels very short and stout, in a dense spike 2ft. to 3ft. long;
scape 3ft. to 4ft. long, its bract-leaves subulate, the lower
ones ascending, the upper squarrose. _l._ sixty to a hundred in a
dense rosette, stiff, straight, ensiform, 6in. to 9in. long, 1in.
broad at the middle, gradually narrowing to a grey pungent tip;
face flat, the continuous grey edge splitting off copiously into
irregular spreading grey wiry threads; outer leaves of the rosette
not all recurved, but spreading stiffly. Mexico.
=A. f. filamentosa= (thready).* A form with larger leaves and
scape; including the spike, 10ft. to 12ft. high. A well-known,
handsome variety.
=A. Galeotti= (Galeotti's). _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to forty
in a dense rosette, 2ft. to 3ft. broad, oblong-spathulate, 1ft.
to 1-1/2ft. long, 2in. to 6in. broad; face rather flat or convex,
green; terminal spine hard, pungent; prickles close, straight, or
slightly hooked, purplish-black. Mexico, 1877.
=A. Ghiesbreghtii= (Ghiesbreght's). _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to
forty in a dense rosette, rigid, lanceolate, 9in. to 12in. long,
2in. to 3in. broad, bright glossy green; terminal spine 1/2in.
long, pungent; border narrow, red-brown till a late stage; side
prickles numerous, irregular, two to three lines long. Mexico,
1862. Very handsome dwarf species. _A. Rohanii_ and _A. Leguayana_
are mere varieties.
=A. heteracantha= (various-spined).* _fl._ greenish, 1-1/2in. long,
on a dense spike 3ft. long; scape 3ft. to 4ft. long. _l._ fifty to
eighty in a rosette, rigid, ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 2in.
to 2-1/2in. broad in the middle, dull green, with numerous darker
green lines on the back; terminal point 1in. long; side spines
numerous, strongly hooked, lanceolate. Stemless. Mexico.
=A. Hookeri= (Hooker's).* _fl._ large, yellow, very numerous,
in stalked panicled cymes. _l._ thirty to forty in a sessile
rosette, 8ft. or 9ft. in diameter, oblanceolate-spathulate,
bright green on the face, rather glaucous on the back, 4ft. to
5ft. long, 5in. to 9in. broad, 2in. to 3in. thick; terminal spine
2in. long, and decurrent for nearly half a foot; face flattish or
slightly concave; side prickles irregular, brown and horny, about
1/4in. long, and curved in different directions. Mexico. SYN. _A.
Fenzliana_. A rare and noble species, very massive.
=A. horrida= (horrid).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to forty in a
dense rosette, rigid, lanceolate-spathulate, 8in. to 12in. long,
1in. to 2in. broad, bright green; terminal spine pungent, nearly
1in. long; margin furnished with a continuous broad grey border,
with copious prickles 3/8in. to 1/2in. long.
=A. h. Gilbeyi= (Gilbey's).* _l._ about thirty, 3in. to 4in. long,
2in. broad, dark green with a pale stripe down the middle, three to
four large spines on each side. Mexico, 1873.
=A. h. lævior= (smoother). _l._ somewhat narrower, longer, with
marginal spines less strongly developed, and of a paler colour.
Mexico, 1870.
=A. h. macrodonta= (long-toothed). _l._ fifty to sixty, 2-1/2in.
broad; spines larger than in the typical form. Mexico, 1876.
=A. h. micrantha= (small-toothed). Border of leaf narrower, and
spines smaller, than in the typical form.
=A. Jacobiana= (Jacob's). Synonymous with _A. Salmiana_.
=A. Kerchovei= (Kerchove's).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ thirty to forty
in a stemless rosette, stiff, rigid, typically ensiform, 6in.
to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, narrowing gradually to a
pungent spine 1in. long, dull green, with a distinct pale central
band, rounded on the back, without any stripes of dark green,
the margin with a continuous moderately broad grey border; side
prickles irregular, grey, lanceolate, curved, 1/6in. to 1/4in.
long. SYN. _A. Beaucarnei_.
There are several varieties of _A. Kerchovei_, of which the following
are the most important:--
=A. K. diplacantha= (double-spined).* With very few distant, small
teeth, often collected or united in pairs.
=A. K. inermis= (unarmed). Dwarf, with spines entirely obsolete.
=A. K. macrodonta= (long-toothed). _l._ 1-1/2ft. long, without any
distinct central band, and with copious irregular grey lanceolate
prickles, about 1/3in. long.
=A. K. pectinata= (comb-like). _l._ 1ft. long, 2-1/4in. broad,
without any central band.
=A. lophantha= (crest-flowered).* _fl._ greenish, arranged in a
dense spike 4ft. to 5ft. long; scape 7ft. to 8ft. long, its leaves
brown, the lower ones 6in. long. _l._ thirty to forty in a rosette,
rigid, ensiform, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1-1/2in. broad at the middle,
rather concave down the face, rounded on the back, not marked with
any lines, dull green; terminal spine 1in. long; margins bordered
by a very narrow continuous grey hoary line, furnished with distant
linear falcate teeth, about 1/12in. long, sessile. Mexico.
=A. l. cÅrulescens= (bluish).* _l._ with a decided glaucous bloom.
=A. l. longifolia= (long-leaved). A mere variety of above species.
=A. macracantha= (long-spined).* _fl._ greenish, 2in. long, ten
to twelve in a loose raceme 6in. long, all solitary on ascending
pedicels 1/4in. to 1/2in. long; scape 2ft. to 3ft. long; bracts
erect. _l._ thirty to fifty in a stiff rosette 1ft. to 2ft. broad,
oblanceolate, 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, very
stiff and rigid, very glaucous; face rather thicker in the lower
half; terminal spine nearly black, very pungent, 1/2in. long;
side prickles purplish-black, sub-distant, 1/8in. long, with a
large point straight or slightly hooked. With a short stem, or
stemless. Mexico, 1830. It has many varieties, among which are _A.
Bessereriana_ and _A. flavescens_.
=A. Maximiliana= (Maximilian's).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ about
twenty in a sessile rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 1-1/2ft. to
2ft. long, 1-3/4in. to 3in. broad; face slightly glaucous green;
terminal spine pungent, brown, 1in. broad; side prickles bright
chestnut brown, larger and more irregular than in _A. americana_,
more hooked, and furnished with longer and sharper points, reaching
1/4in. long. Mexico. A very distinct species.
=A. micracantha= (small-spined). _fl._ yellowish, 1-1/2in. long, in
a dense spike 3ft. to 4ft. long, 6in. to 7in. broad when expanded.
_l._ twenty to thirty in a shortly stalked rosette, oblanceolate
oblong, 15in. to 18in. long, 3in. to 5in. broad above the middle,
narrowed to 2in. to 3in. above the base, bright green; face
flattish above the centre; terminal spine red brown, moderately
firm; the copious close reddish-brown horny teeth about 1/12in.
long, the upper ones ascending, the lower deflexed. Mexico, 1860.
=A. miradorensis= (Mirador).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ about thirty in
a sessile rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long,
2in. to 2-1/2in. broad above the middle, thin but firm in texture,
very glaucous, with a firm red-brown terminal spine 1in. long;
side prickles very minute, crowded, colourless, five or six to an
inch in the centre of the leaf. Mexico, 1869. SYN. (probably) _A.
Desmetiana_.
=A. Noackii= (Noack's). A synonym of _A. Sartorii_.
=A. ornata= (adorned). A synonym of _A. americana picta_.
=A. Ortgiesiana= (Ortgies'). A dwarf form of _A. schidigera_ with a
pale central band to the leaf. Mexico, 1861. A widely-distributed
and desirable species.
=A. pendula= (pendulous). Synonymous with _A. Sartorii_.
=A. polyacantha= (many-spined).* _fl._ greenish-yellow, 1-1/2in.
to 2in. long; flowering-stem 8ft. to 12ft. high, including the
dense spike, which is 3ft. to 4ft. long. _l._ about thirty in a
sessile rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, rigid, 1ft. to 2ft. long,
2-1/2in. to 5in. broad above the middle, bright green, slightly
glaucous when young; terminal spine dark brown, pungent, 1/2in. to
3/4in. long; side prickles crowded, deltoid, dark chestnut brown,
irregular, 1/12in. or 1/8in. long, all sub-patent. Mexico, 1800.
SYNS. _A. uncinata_, _A. xalapensis_.
=A. Poselgerii= (Poselger's). _fl._ purplish, rather more than 1in.
long; scape, including the spike, 6ft. to 10ft. _l._ twenty to
thirty in a dense rosette, rigid, ensiform, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long;
1-1/2in. to 2in. broad at the middle, dull green, with a broad pale
band down to the face, rounded and marked with numerous distinct
green lines down the back; margin furnished with a continuous
straight, moderately broad edge; terminal spine 1in. long, brown,
pungent; side prickles moderately close, lanceolate, hooked, 1/6in.
long. Trunk, 4in. to 6in. long. Texas.
=A. potatorum= (drinkers'). _fl._ greenish yellow, 3in. long; scape
12ft. high, including the thyrsoid panicle, which is 4ft. to 5ft.
long. _l._ about twenty in a dense sessile rosette, 4ft. to 5ft.
broad, oblong-spathulate, 2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long, 7in. to 9in. broad
above the middle, a dull glaucous green; face slightly concave;
terminal spines hard, pungent, 1-1/2in. to 2in. long; side prickles
deltoid-cuspidate, about 1/4in. long, with the edge slightly wavy
between them. Mexico, 1830.
=A. pruinosa= (frosty).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ ten to twenty in a
dense rosette, spreading, oblanceolate-oblong, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft.
long, 4in. to 5in. broad above the middle, soft and fleshy in
texture, pale glaucous green; terminal spine very weak; edge
furnished with minute irregular spreading deltoid serrations, not
more than quarter line long. Mexico, 1863. A very distinct species.
=A. Roezliana= (Roezl's). _fl._ unknown. _l._ twenty to thirty in
a sessile rosette, stiff, ensiform, 6in. to 7in. long, 1in. to
1-1/2in. broad at the middle, bright glossy green, with a distinct
pale band down the centre, broadly rounded on the back, without any
darker green lines, margined with a continuous moderately broad
border, red brown at first, fading into grey when old; terminal
spines bright reddish brown, pungent, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long; side
prickles copious, spreading, lanceolate, curved, 1/4in. long.
Mexico, 1869.
[Illustration: ACACIA LEPROSA (LEMON). A. LINEATA (ORANGE).]
=A. Salmiana= (Prince Salm-Dyck's).* _fl._ greenish yellow, 4in.
long; panicle thyrsoid, 6ft. to 8ft. long, with erecto-patent
branches and flowers in dense clusters; scape, exclusive of the
panicle, 20ft. high. _l._ twelve to thirty in a dense rosette,
which is often 5ft. to 6ft. broad, oblanceolate-spathulate, 2ft. to
4ft. long, 4in. to 6in. broad above the middle, a dull, slightly
glaucous green; face more or less concave; terminal spine 1-1/2in.
to 2in. long, hard and pungent; side prickles 1/4in. long, chestnut
brown, hooked up or down. Mexico, 1860. SYNS. _A. atrovirens_, _A.
Jacobiana_, _A. tehuacensis_.
=A. S. latissima= (very broad). _l._ 2ft. to 3ft. long, by 8in. to
9in. broad above the middle.
=A. Sartorii= (Sartor's). _fl._ greenish, 1-1/2in. long; pedicels
very short, in a dense spike about 3ft. long, 5in. to 6in. broad
when expanded; scape 3ft. to 4ft. long, the green linear ascending
bracts 2in. to 4in. long. _l._ thirty to forty spaced out in a
loose rosette, ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 3in. broad at the
middle, bright green, with a pale band down the middle; face flat;
terminal spine small, not pungent; side prickles minute, crowded,
spreading, tipped with red-brown. Caudex 1ft. to 2ft. long,
sometimes forked. SYNS. _A. cæspitosa_, _A. Noackii_, _A. pendula_.
=A. schidigera= (spine-bearing).* _fl._ almost identical with _A.
filifera_. _l._ fifty to eighty in a dense sessile rosette, stiff,
ensiform, 12in. to 15in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad at the middle,
similar in colour and texture to those of _A. filifera_, but the
grey marginal border, and splitting off into flat shavings, not
mere threads.
=A. Schnittspahni= (Schnittspahn's). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.
=A. Scolymus= (Scolymus). _fl._ greenish yellow, 2-1/2in. to
3in. long; branches few, with the flowers at the end in very
dense clusters; scape 14ft. to 16ft. high, including the thyrsoid
panicle, which is 4ft. long and 2ft. broad, furnished with green
bracts. _l._ twenty to thirty in a dense rosette 1-1/2ft. to
3ft. broad, oblong-spathulate, 9in. to 18in. long, 3in. to 6in.
broad above the middle, very glaucous, abruptly terminating in a
pungent spine, 1in. or more long; side prickles chestnut brown,
about 1/4in. long; edge wavy between them; those on the lower half
smaller and directed downwards. Mexico, 1830. Other so-called
species referred to this are _A. amÅna_, _A. crenata_, _A.
cucullata_, _A. Schnittspahni_, and _A. Verschaffeltii_.
=A. S. Saundersii= (Saunders'). _fl._ about 1ft. long; teeth very
large.
=A. Seemanni= (Seemann's).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ twenty in a sessile
rosette, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. broad, oblong-spathulate, 6in. to 9in.
long, 3in. to 3-1/2in. broad at the middle, narrowed to 2in. above
the dilated base, slightly glaucous; face flat, except close to the
top; terminal spine pungent, dark brown, 1/2in. long; side prickles
large, moderately close, slightly curved upwards or downwards.
Guatemala, 1868. There are two or three garden forms of this
species.
=A. Shawii= (Shaw's).* _fl._ greenish yellow, 3in. to 3-1/2in.
long; panicle thyrsoid, about 2ft. long and broad; clusters
dense, composed of thirty to forty flowers, surrounded by large
foliaceous fleshy bracts. _l._ fifty to sixty, or more, forming a
dense globose sessile rosette 2ft. in diameter, oblong-spathulate,
8in. to 10in. long, 3-1/2in. to 4-1/2in. broad at the middle,
deep green; terminal spine brown, 1in. long, the upper third or
quarter entire, the rest furnished with crowded upcurved lanceolate
prickles, 1/4in. to 1/2in. long. California, 1877. This species is
very rare at present, but is a most distinct and handsome plant.
=A. sobolifera= (soboliferous). _fl._ greenish yellow, 2in. to
2-1/2in. long, in a deltoid panicle, of which the lower panicles
are 9in. to 12in. long, and bear a hundred flowers each; pedicels
1/4in. to 1in. long; scape 8ft. to 10ft. high, 2-1/2in. thick at
the base. _l._ twenty to forty in a shortly caulescent rosette,
oblanceolate-oblong-spathulate, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 3in. to 5in.
broad at the middle, very bright green; face deeply channelled,
the border much raised and tip often recurved; terminal spine
sub-pungent, chestnut brown, 1/2in. long; side prickles distant,
brown, hooked, 1/12in. to 1/8in. long. West Indies, 1678.
=A. striata= (striated-leaved).* _fl._ brownish green outside,
yellow inside, 1in. to 1-1/2in. long; pedicels very short; spike
dense, 2ft. to 3ft. long; bracts linear, shorter than the flowers;
scape 6ft. to 8ft. high, including the spike, furnished with
numerous spreading subulate bracts, which are 2in. to 3in. long.
_l._ 150 to 200 in a dense rosette, linear-ensiform, 2ft. to
2-1/2ft. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad above the deltoid dilated
base, where they are 1/4in. thick and 1in. broad, narrowed
gradually from the top of the base to the point, rigid in texture,
glaucous green; face rather keeled, and the back more so; point
brown, pungent, 1/2in. long; edges minutely serrulate. Mexico, 1856.
=A. s. echinoides= (Echinus-like). _l._ about 6in. long, 1/3in.
broad at the middle; face flat. Mexico, 1869. Dwarfer and stiffer
in habit than the variety _stricta_.
=A. s. recurva= (recurved-leaved). _l._ longer than in the type,
3ft. to 4ft., more or less falcate, narrower, and decidedly convex
on both surfaces.
=A. s. stricta= (upright). _l._ about 1ft. long, very stiff, 1/4in.
broad at the middle, both faces convex. _A. Richardsii_ comes near
to this variety.
=A. tehuacensis= (Tehuan). Synonymous with _A. Salmiana_.
=A. uncinata= (hooked). Synonymous with _A. polyacantha_.
=A. univittata= (one-striped).* _fl._ green, 1-1/2in. long (or
less); spike 10ft. to 12ft. long, 6in. to 7in. thick; pedicels
1/4in. long; scape 4ft. long, exclusive of the spike, its bracts
dense and squarrose. _l._ fifty to eighty in a stemless rosette,
rigid, ensiform, 2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long, 2in. to 3in. broad at the
middle, narrowed slightly downwards, and very gradually upwards,
dull green, with a broad pale band down the face, faintly lineate
on the back; margin bordered by a narrow, continuous grey horny
line, furnished with hooked lanceolate prickles, 1/8in. long, from
1/2in. to 1in. apart; terminal spine brown, pungent, 1in. long.
Mexico, 1830.
=A. utahensis= (Utahan).* _fl._ yellowish, about 1in. long;
peduncles ultimately 1/4in. long; scapes, 5ft. to 7ft. high,
including the 1ft. to 2ft. spike. _l._ stemless, ensiform, 6in. to
12in. long, 1in. to nearly 2in. broad, thick, glaucous; terminal
spine channelled, pungent, about 1in. long; marginal prickles,
1/8in. to 1/2in. long, white, with a darker base. Southern Utah,
1881. This is a true alpine species, perfectly hardy, and of very
easy culture.
=A. Vanderdonckii= (Vanderdonck's). Synonymous with _A. xylacantha_.
=A. variegata= (variegated).* _fl._ greenish, about 1-1/2in. long;
spike about 1ft. long, fifteen to twenty flowered; bracts minute,
deltoid; scape 2ft. long, exclusive of the spike, bearing about
twelve lanceolate bract leaves. _l._ fifteen to eighteen in a
sessile rosette, spreading, ligulate-lanceolate, finally 12in. to
15in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad below the middle, narrowed slightly
downwards, and gradually to the point, deeply channelled down the
face, and copiously spotted with brown on a green ground; edge
hard and tough, very obscurely serrulate. Texas, 1865. This very
desirable variegated species is extremely rare in cultivation.
=A. Verschaffeltii= (Verschaffelt's). Referred to _A. Scolymus_.
=A. Victoriæ Regina= (Queen Victoria).* _l._ forty to fifty in a
sessile rosette, stiff, rigid, lanceolate, 6in. long, 1-1/2in. to
nearly 2in. broad above the dilated base, narrowed gradually to a
rather obtuse point, dead green, margined with a continuous white
border, like that of _A. filifera_, not splitting up into threads,
but leaving distinct white vertical bands where it is pressed
against the neighbouring leaves; terminal spine 1/2in. long,
black, pungent, with usually one or two small spines on each side
of it. Mexico, 1875. This is also much too rare a plant. SYN. _A.
Consideranti_.
=A. virginica= (Virginian).* _fl._ greenish yellow, 1in. to
1-1/4in. long; spike very loose, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long; lower
flowers with very short pedicels and lanceolate bracts, about
1/4in. long; scape 2ft. to 3ft. high, exclusive of the spike, with
only a few distant small bract leaves. _l._ ten to fifteen in a
sessile rosette, spreading, lanceolate, 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to
1-1/2in. broad below the middle, narrowed gradually to the point
and a little downwards; face channelled, undulated, pale green, or
mottled with brown spots, the narrow hard and tough margin very
obscurely serrulate. North America, 1765. _A. conduplicata_ is said
to be allied to this species.
=A. vivipara= (viviparous).* _fl._ greenish yellow, 1-1/2in. to
2in. long, often changed into bulbillæ, which bear lanceolate
leaves 6in. long before they fall and take root; inflorescence
reaching a height of 20ft. or more, the deltoid panicle about a
quarter of the length of the scape; corymbs on stout peduncles,
pedicels short. _l._ twenty to fifty in a dense, shortly caulescent
rosette, ensiform, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad at the
middle, whence it gradually narrows to the point, dull green when
mature, thin but firm in texture, flat or channelled down the face;
terminal spine firm, brown, 1/2in. long; side teeth brown, hooked,
1/12in. or less long. A very widely spread species throughout
tropics of the Old World, 1731. SYNS. _A. cantula_, _A. bulbifera_.
=A. Warelliana= (Warell's).* _l._ about thirty in a rosette,
oblong-spathulate, 9in. to. 10in. long, 3in. broad above the
middle, narrowed to 2in. above the dilated base; face nearly
flat, green, scarcely at all glaucous, tipped with a strong brown
channelled spine 1in. long; border margined with close, very short
teeth, dark purple when mature. Mexico. A rare but very handsome
species.
=A. Wislizeni= (Wislizenius's). _fl._ 2-1/2in. long; panicle
thyrsoid, its branches 3in. to 6in. long; pedicels very short;
scape 12ft. high. _l._ about thirty in a dense, rigid, sessile
rosette, which is under 2ft. broad, oblong-spathulate, 3in. to
3-1/2in. broad above the middle, very glaucous, concave in the
upper part; terminal spine hard, pungent, dark brown, 1in. long,
and decurrent down the border a little; side prickles 1/8in. long,
dark purple, moderately close, those below the middle of the leaf
smaller and curved downward. Mexico, 1847.
=A. xalapensis.= Synonymous with _A. polyacantha_.
=A. xylacantha= (woody-spined).* _fl._ green, 1-1/2in. long; spike
dense, rather shorter than the scape, its bracts linear-subulate;
scape 5ft. to 6ft. long, its bracts subulate, all ascending,
the lower ones 6in. to 8in. long. _l._ not more than twenty in
a stemless rosette, ensiform, diverging irregularly and often
curving, 1-1/2ft. to 3ft. long, 2in. to 3in. (rarely 4in.) broad at
the middle, narrowed gradually upwards, a slightly glaucous dead
green, marked with a few darker green lines on the back, furnished
with a broad continuous horny border and a few very large irregular
hooked teeth, often united or collected in pairs, 1/2in. to 3/4in.
long, and 3/8in. to 1/2in. broad; terminal spine brown, pungent,
1in. long. Mexico. A long-known, widely-spread, and distinct
species. SYNS. _A. amurensis_ and _A. Vanderdonckii_.
=A. x. hybrida= is a striking dwarf variety with vittate leaves,
and smaller, more crowded deltoid-cuspidate prickles than in
the type. It is also commonly known as _A. x. vittata_ and _A.
perbella_.
[Illustration: FIG. 48. AGAVE YUCCÃFOLIA.]
=A. yuccæfolia= (Yucca-leaved).* _fl._ greenish yellow, 1-1/4in.
to 1-1/2in. long, in a dense spike 6in. to 15in. long, about
14in. in diameter, sessile, solitary, or in pairs; scape 12ft.
to 20ft. high. _l._ twenty to forty in a dense, shortly-stemmed
rosette, linear, much recurved, 1-1/2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long, 3/4in.
to 1in. broad at the middle; face deeply channelled, dull, rather
glaucous green, with a pale band down the centre, the tip not at
all pungent, the back broadly rounded, edge entire, or obscurely
serrulate. Mexico, 1816. A most distinct species. See Fig. 48.
=AGERATUM= (from _a_, not, and _geras_, old; in reference to the
flowers being always clear). SYN. _CÅlestina_. ORD. _Compositæ_. This
genus includes several American species, for the most part half-hardy
annuals and biennials; or, if the seed is not allowed to ripen, they
become perennials. Involucre cup-shaped, of many imbricated linear
bracts; receptacle naked. Leaves opposite. A light rich soil is most
suitable. Very easily increased by cuttings or seeds; if required true,
the former is the only sure method of propagation. To grow large plants
for greenhouse decoration, sow the seeds in January, in heat, in sandy
soil, barely covering them. As soon as the young plants are large
enough, prick them off into thumb pots, and keep in heat till they grow
freely, then place them into a cooler house. Transfer into larger pots
as soon as the others are full of roots, until they are finally shifted
into 10in. or 12in. pots. When these are full of roots, the plants
should be watered with liquid manure twice a week, and they soon flower
well, making fine specimens. During hot weather especially, they should
be well syringed with clear water daily, to keep down red spider.
The plants required for bedding (for which purpose the dwarf garden
varieties are mostly used) should be raised about the same time, kept
in small pots, gradually hardened off, and planted out in the middle
or end of June. Cuttings of all the varieties strike readily in heat,
treated like most soft-wooded plants, and, when rooted, may be managed
as recommended for the seedlings.
=A. Lasseauxii= (Lasseaux's). _fl.-heads_ rose-coloured, small,
disposed in corymbose heads. Summer. _l._ lanceolate-elliptic.
_h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. Monte Video, 1870. A much-branched plant,
requiring greenhouse protection in winter, and suitable for
planting out in summer.
=A. latifolium= (broad-leaved). A synonym of _Piqueria latifolia_.
=A. mexicanum= (Mexican).* The commonest and most useful species,
with a profusion of lilac-blue flowers. _h._ 2ft. Mexico, 1822.
When used for bedding purposes it may be pegged down like the
Verbena, or be allowed to grow its full height. Several very dwarf
varieties of it have originated under cultivation, which supersede
the species for bedding, the best of which are:--CUPID,* rich blue,
very dwarf and floriferous; IMPERIAL DWARF, about 9in. high, with
porcelain blue flowers; LADY JANE, of the same colour, very free;
QUEEN,* silvery grey, about 9in. high; SNOWFLAKE,* white, very free
and showy; SWANLEY BLUE,* very deep blue, 6in. to 8in. high. There
is also a white-flowered variety of _Mexicanum_, which is very
showy; and a variegated form, sometimes grown for the sake of its
pretty foliage.
=AGGLOMERATE, AGGLOMERATED.= Collected into a heap or head.
=AGGLUTINATED.= Glued together.
=AGGREGATE, AGGREGATED.= Gathered together; usually applied to the
inflorescence.
=AGLAIA.= (mythological: from Aglaia, the name of one of the Graces,
and given to this genus on account of its beauty and the sweet scent of
the flowers). ORD. _Meliaceæ_. Stove evergreen trees or shrubs having
very small flowers, disposed in branched axillary panicles. Leaves
alternate, trifoliate, or impari-pinnate. There are several species,
but the undermentioned is the only one worth growing yet introduced.
It thrives well in a mixture of turfy loam and peat. Young cuttings
ripened at the base, and taken off at a joint, will root in sand under
a hand glass, in heat.
=A. odorata= (sweet-scented). _fl._ yellow, small, in axillary
racemes, very sweet-scented, said to be used by the Chinese to
scent their teas. February to May. _l._ pinnate, with five or seven
glossy leaflets. _h._ 8ft. to 10ft. China, 1810.
=AGLAOMORPHA.= _See_ =Polypodium=.
=AGLAONEMA= (from _aglaos_, bright, and _nema_, a thread; supposed to
refer to the shining stamens). ORD. _Aroideæ_. Stove perennials, allied
to _Arum_, and requiring similar treatment to the stove species of that
genus.
=A. commutatum= (changed).* _fl._ white. _l._ greyish-blotched.
_h._ 1ft. Philippines, 1863. SYN. _A. marantæfolium maculatum_.
=A. Mannii= (Mann's).* _fl._, spathe 2in. long, whitish, with
a spadix one-third shorter, bearing white anthers and scarlet
ovaries. _l._ elliptic-oblong, dark green. Stems thickish, erect.
_h._ 1-1/2ft. Victoria Mountains, 1868.
=A. marantæfolium maculatum= (Maranta-leaved, spotted). A synonym
of _A. commutatum_.
=A. pictum= (painted).* _fl._, spathe pale creamy yellow, folded
round so as to appear globular-oblong, opening at top; spadix
projecting, white. August. _l._ elliptic-acuminate, light green,
blotched irregularly with broadish angulate patches of grey. Stems
slender, erect. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Borneo.
=AGNOSTUS.= _See_ =Stenocarpus=.
=AGRAPHIS.= Included under =Scilla= (which _see_).
=AGRIMONIA= (from _argos_, white; the cataract of the eye being white.
Once reputed to contain medicinal qualities). Agrimony. ORD. _Rosaceæ_.
A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, with interruptedly pinnate
leaves, each accompanied by a pair of stipules united to the petioles.
Flowers small, numerous, spiked; calyx turbinate, involucrated by
bristles; petals five. They are all of the easiest culture, growing
in ordinary soil. Readily increased by root-division. The most showy
species in cultivation are described below.
=A. Eupatoria= (Eupatoria). _fl._ yellow, on an elongated spike.
_l._ with elliptic-oblong, coarsely serrated leaflets, odd one
stalked. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Britain.
=A. nepalensis= (Nepaul). _fl._ yellow, on erect, slender racemes.
_l._ with ovate, serrated leaflets, odd one stalked, villous. _h._
1ft. to 2ft. Nepaul, 1820.
=A. odorata= (sweet-scented).* _fl._ yellow; spikes several. _l._
with oblong lanceolate, deeply crenate-toothed leaflets, hairy.
_h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Italy, 1640.
=AGRIMONY.= _See_ =Agrimonia=.
=AGRIOTES.= _See_ =Wireworm=.
=AGROSTEMMA= (from _agros_, a field, and _stemma_, a crown; alluding
to the beauty of the flowers, which were formerly made into crowns
or garlands). Rose Campion. ORD. _Caryophyllaceæ_. Hardy evergreen
perennials and annuals, with broadish leaves, and one-flowered
peduncles. Of easy culture, and well adapted for borders. They will
all grow freely in common garden soil. Increased by division of the
roots, and seed. _A. cÅli-rosa_, and _A. flos-Jovis_ are, perhaps,
species of _Lychnis_, but the generic name which we have adopted is the
most common one. All the species of this genus are exceedingly pretty
free-flowering plants, and both annuals and perennials are well worth
growing.
=A. cÅli-rosa= (rose of Heaven).* _fl._ delicate rose, white, or
bright purple, solitary, terminal. Summer. Levant, &c., 1713. An
annual species about 1ft. high, not tomentose; should be grown in
patches. Sow the seed in April.
[Illustration: FIG. 49. AGROSTEMMA CÅLI-ROSA FIMBRIATA.]
=A. c.-r. fimbriata= (fimbriate). A form having fimbriated petals.
Known also as _nana_. _h._ 9in. See Fig. 49.
=A. c.-r. purpurea= (purple).* A very pretty form, having dark
purple flowers, and compact habit. See Fig. 50.
=A. coronaria= (crowned).* _fl._ white, with the middle red; petals
emarginate, crowned, serrated; peduncles elongated, one-flowered.
July. _l._ lanceolate, very broad, leathery; plant woolly
throughout. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. South Europe, 1596. This species is
admirably adapted for naturalising on dry hill sides, and in the
wild garden. There are several varieties seen in gardens with
a great diversity of colour, including dark crimson, white, and
sometimes double flowers. See Fig. 51.
[Illustration: FIG. 50. AGROSTEMMA CÅLI-ROSA PURPUREA.]
[Illustration: FIG. 51. AGROSTEMMA CORONARIA, showing Habit and Flower.]
=A. flos-Jovis.=* Flower of Jove. _fl._ purple or scarlet, in
umbellate heads; peduncles short, rather branched. July. _l._
lanceolate, stem-clasping, silky, tomentose. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
Switzerland, 1726. Plant white from tomentum. See Fig. 52.
[Illustration: FIG. 52. AGROSTEMMA FLOS-JOVIS, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=AGROSTIS= (from _agros_, a field; the Greek name for a kind of grass).
Bent Grass. ORD. _Gramineæ_. Annual or perennial grasses. Panicle
loose; spikelets compressed. Several of the species are very effective,
and well worth growing; and the spikes are pretty objects, when dried,
for window vases, &c. They are of easy culture, in ordinary garden
soil. Sow seeds during spring in the open border, in tufts, among
ferns, &c., or in pots for decorative purposes.
=A. elegans= (elegant). _h._ 1ft. Russia, 1834.
[Illustration: FIG. 53. AGROSTIS NEBULOSA.]
=A. nebulosa= (cloud).* Cloud Grass. _fl._ panicles resemble, when
developed, a cloud resting over the ground. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Very
light and elegant. Annual. See Fig. 53.
=A. pulchella= (pretty).* Dwarfer, and with a more rigid habit than
_A. nebulosa_. It is, nevertheless, a most graceful plant, and
valuable for bouquet making, and for winter decorative purposes.
_h._ 6in. to 12in. Russia. Annual.
=A. spica-venti= (windward-spiked). _fl._ panicle large, silky
looking, loosely spreading. England. Annual.
=AGROTIS.= _See_ =Pot-herb Moths= and =Turnip Moth=.
=AILANTUS= (from _ailanto_, referring to its lofty growth). Tree of
Heaven. ORD. _Xanthoxylaceæ_. Tall deciduous trees. The stove species
will grow freely in a mixture of loam and peat; and the best way to
increase these is by pieces of the roots, planted in a pot with their
points above the ground, and placed in a hotbed, where they will soon
make fine plants.
=A. excelsa= (tall). _fl._ whitish green, disposed similar to the
following. _l._ abruptly pinnate, 3ft. long, with ten to fourteen
pairs of leaflets coarsely toothed at the base, without glands.
_h._ 66ft. India, 1800. A stove tree.
=A. glandulosa= (glandulous).* _fl._ whitish green, disposed
in large branched, terminal, fascicled panicles, exhaling a
disagreeable smell. August. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets coarsely
toothed at the base with glands. (The leaves on vigorous young
trees are sometimes 6ft. in length.) _h._ 60ft. China, 1751. This
tree grows with great rapidity for the first ten or twelve years,
in favourable situations, afterwards its growth is much slower. It
is quite hardy, and thrives in almost any soil, though one that is
light and somewhat humid, and a sheltered situation, suits it best.
It is a very desirable tree for plantations, or to stand singly on
lawns, and is easily increased by slips of the roots.
=AINSLÃA= (in honour of Dr. Whitelaw Ainslie, author of a work on
Indian drugs). ORD. _Compositæ_. Herbaceous perennials, of recent
introduction. Although, no doubt, both species will prove tolerably
hardy, they should have slight protection during winter. They thrive in
light rich soil. Propagated by divisions of the root.
=A. aptera= (wingless). _fl.-head_ purple, disposed in an elongated
spike-like panicle. _l._ deeply cordate, sinuately toothed;
petioles wingless, whence the name. Sikkim Himalayas, 1882.
=A. Walkeræ= (Mrs. Walker's).* _fl.-heads_ slender, distant,
shortly stalked, borne in erect or somewhat nodding racemes; the
white corolla-lobes and the red purple anthers make a pretty
contrast. _h._ about 1ft. Hong Kong, 1875. A very rare and graceful
species.
=AIR.= Pure atmospheric air is composed of nitrogen, oxygen, and a very
small quantity of carbonic acid gas, all of which are essential to the
growth of plants. Air-giving is a term used by gardeners to lessen the
temperature of a greenhouse, or to equalise it with that outside. _See_
=Ventilation=.
=AIRA= (from _aira_, applied by the Greeks to _Lolium temulentum_).
Hair Grass. ORD. _Gramineæ_. Chiefly hardy grasses, of agricultural
value. Panicle loose; spikelet compressed, with two perfect flowers,
and sometimes a neuter. Of easy culture, in ordinary garden soil. Sow
seeds in spring.
=A. flexuosa= (waved).* The Waved Hair Grass. _fl._ shining
brown; panicle erect, spreading, with waved angular branches and
flower-stalks. _l._ short. Stem upwards of 1ft. high, erect,
smooth. England. A very pretty and graceful perennial.
[Illustration: FIG. 54. AIRA PULCHELLA.]
=A. pulchella= (pretty).* _fl._ panicles loose, very delicate
and graceful. _l._ very short. _h._ 6in. to 8in. South Europe.
An elegant plant, with tufted filiform stems. One of the best of
dwarf-growing ornamental grasses. See Fig. 54.
=AIR-PLANT.= _See_ =Aerides=, also =Epiphytes=.
=AITONIA= (in honour of W. Aiton, once Head Gardener at Kew). ORD.
_Meliaceæ_. A small and rather interesting greenhouse evergreen shrub
from the Cape of Good Hope, and thriving well in an equal mixture of
sandy loam and peat. Young cuttings will root in sand, under a bell
glass, with bottom heat. The cuttings must not be put in very close
together, and the glass should be wiped frequently, as they are apt to
damp off.
=A. capensis= (Cape). _fl._ pink; petals four, shorter than the
projecting stamens. July. _h._ 2ft. 1777.
=AIZOON= (from _aei_, always, and _zoos_, alive; tenacious of life).
ORD. _Portulacaceæ_. Greenhouse annuals, biennials, or evergreen
shrubs. Flowers apetalous; calyx five-cleft, coloured on the inner
surface. The undermentioned species is the only one worth growing. It
requires no shade, a dry atmosphere, and light sandy soil. Propagated
by seeds and cuttings.
=A. sarmentosum= (sarmentose). _fl._ greenish, sessile. Summer.
_l._ opposite, linear-filiform, rather connate, glabrous; branches
rather villous, three-flowered at the apex, the two lateral flowers
are bracteated, and spring from the sides of the middle one.
Sub-shrub, erect, diffuse, glabrous, branched. South Africa, 1862.
=AJAVA SEED.= _See_ =Ptychotis=.
=AJAX MAXIMUS.= _See_ =Narcissus=.
=AJOWAN.= _See_ =Ptychotis=.
=AJUGA= (from _a_, not, and _zugon_, a yoke; in reference to the calyx
being equal, not bilabiate). Bugle. ORD. _Labiatæ_. Hardy annual
or perennial herbaceous plants, usually procumbent or ascending,
sometimes stoloniferous. Whorls two or many flowered, dense, sometimes
all axillary, when the floral leaves conform to those of the stem;
sometimes the superior whorls are approximate into spikes, then the
floral leaves are small, and of a different form from the stem ones.
All the species are of easy cultivation in ordinary garden soil.
Perennials increased by divisions, or by seeds sown in the open border,
during spring or autumn. The seeds of annual kinds may be sown in the
open border in spring, where they are intended to remain.
=A. alpina= (alpine). Synonymous with _A. genevensis_.
=A. australis= (southern). _fl._ blue; whorls six or more flowered;
lower whorls remote, upper ones sub-spicate, floral leaves similar
to the stem ones, exceeding the flowers. May to July. _l._
narrow-oblong, narrowed at the base, quite entire or sinuated,
thickish, rather villous. Stem ascending, or erect. _h._ 6in. New
Holland, 1822. Perennial.
=A. Chamæpitys= (ground-pine). _fl._ yellow, dotted with red,
pubescent outside; whorls two-flowered; floral leaves similar to
the others, exceeding the flowers. April. _l._ deeply trifid, with
linear, quite entire, or trifid lobes. Stem procumbent at the base,
much branched, beset with long hairs, like the leaves. _h._ about
6in. England (rare). Annual.
=A. genevensis= (Geneva).* _fl._ varying from blue to rose colour
and white; upper whorls spicate, lower ones distant, six or more
flowered. May. _l._ stem ones oblong-elliptic or obovate, narrowed
at the base; lower ones petiolate; floral ones ovate or cuneated;
superior ones scarcely equalling the flowers or shorter, all
usually coarsely toothed, membranaceous, green on both surfaces,
and beset with scattered hairs. Stem erect, pilose. _h._ 6in. to
1ft. Europe. A very variable species, admirably adapted as an
alpine plant, and succeeds best in bog soil, where its roots will
have plenty of room; it increases rapidly. Perennial. SYNS. _A.
alpina_, _A. rugosa_.
=A. orientalis= (oriental).* _fl._ blue; whorls six or more
flowered, distant, or the upper ones are approximate. May. _l._
lower ones large, petiolate; ovate, coarsely and sinuately toothed,
narrowed at the base; floral ones sessile, broad ovate, deeply
lobed or toothed, exceeding the flowers. Stem ascending, pilosely
woolly. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Eastern Europe, 1732. This species
should be grown in a dry, sunny spot.
=A. pyramidalis= (pyramidal).* _fl._ blue or purple; whorls
many-flowered, upper ones or all spicate. May and June. _l._
stem ones approximate, scarcely petiolate, obovate; floral ones
broad-ovate, clasping the flowers, tetragonally pyramidate; the
upper ones often coloured, all quite entire or obscurely sinuated.
Stem erect. _h._ 6in. Scotland. Perennial. Of this there are
several handsome garden varieties.
[Illustration: FIG. 55. FLOWER OF AJUGA REPTANS.]
=A. reptans= (creeping).* _fl._ varying from blue to rose-colour;
lower whorls remote; upper ones spicate, six to twenty flowered.
May. _l._ ovate or obovate, quite entire or sinuated, and are, as
well as the stem, nearly glabrous; radical one petiolate, stem ones
nearly sessile. Stem creeping. The variegated and darkest leaved
forms of this are superior to the type for horticultural purposes.
Britain. Perennial. See Fig. 55.
=A. rugosa= (wrinkled). Synonymous with _A. genevensis_.
=AKEBIA= (its Japanese name). SYN. _Rajania_. ORD. _Lardizabalaceæ_. A
pretty twining shrub, succeeding well in the south-western counties of
England, or in Scotland, trained to a trellis, or rambling over other
shrubs in the open; but, when so grown, it requires the protection of
a mat in winter. It makes an excellent twiner for the cool greenhouse.
Sandy loam, leaf soil, and peat are most suitable for its culture.
Increased by root divisions and cuttings.
=A. quinata= (five-leafletted).* _fl._ purplish brown, small,
in axillary racemes, very fragrant. March. _l._ on very slender
petioles, and palmately divided into usually five distinct
petiolulate oval or oblong emarginate leaflets, the bottom pair
smallest. _h._ 10ft. Chusan, 1845.
=AKEE-TREE.= _See_ =Blighia sapida=.
=ALA.= A lateral petal of a papilionaceous flower.
=ALANGIACEÃ.= A very small order of trees or shrubs, usually with
inconspicuous flowers, in axillary fascicles. Fruit succulent, eatable.
The two genera best known in this country are _Alangium_ and _Nyssa_.
=ALANGIUM= (from _Alangi_, the Malabar name of the first species).
ORD. _Alangiaceæ_. Very showy stove evergreen trees, with alternate,
exstipulate, entire leaves. Flowers few, sessile, in axillary
fascicles; calyx campanulate; petals linear, spreadingly reflexed.
They thrive well in a mixture of loam and peat, or any light rich soil.
Cuttings root readily if planted in a pot of sand, with a hand glass
placed over them, in heat.
=A. decapetalum= (ten-petaled).* _fl._ pale purple, with a
grateful scent, solitary, or two to three together in the axils
of the leaves; petals ten or twelve. June. _l._ alternate,
oblong-lanceolate, quite entire; branches glabrous, spinescent.
_h._ 30ft. Malabar, 1779.
=A. hexapetalum= (six-petaled). _fl._ purple, six-petaled. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, velvety beneath. _h._ 30ft. Malabar,
1823.
=ALATUS.= Furnished with a membranous or thin wing or expansion.
=ALBESCENT.= Growing white.
=ALBICANT.= Growing whitish.
=ALBINISM.= A pale condition due to the absence of chlorophyl.
=ALBIZZIA= (named after an Italian). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Ornamental
greenhouse or hardy trees or shrubs. For culture, _see_ =Acacia=, to
which they are often referred.
=A. Julibrissin= (Julibrissin). _fl._ white; heads pedunculate,
forming a terminal somewhat corymbose panicle. August. _l._ with
eight to twelve pairs of pinnæ, each pinna bearing about thirty
pairs of dimidiate-oblong, acute, rather ciliated leaflets. _h._
30ft. to 40ft. Hardy. Levant, 1745. SYN. _A. Nemu_.
=A. lophantha= (crest-flowered).* _fl._ yellow; racemes
ovate-oblong, axillary, twin. May. _l._ with eight to ten pairs of
pinnæ, each pinna bearing twenty-five to thirty pairs of linear,
bluntish leaflets; petioles and calyces clothed with velvety down.
_h._ 6ft. to 10ft. New Holland, 1803. A very distinct unarmed
greenhouse species, and one of the best for window gardening.
=A. Nemu.= A synonym of _A. Julibrissin_.
=ALBUCA= (from _albicans_, or _albus_, white; the colour of the earlier
species). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A rather extensive genus of Cape of Good
Hope bulbs, requiring ordinary greenhouse culture. Closely allied to
_Ornithogalum_. Perianth six-cleft, three outer segments spreading;
three inner ones closed over the stamens. They, however, succeed
admirably when grown in a warm sunny position out of doors, if covered
with a hand glass, or litter, during winter. A light loamy soil, with
leaf mould and sand, suits them well. Propagated by offsets from the
old bulb, or seeds. There are but few species worthy of cultivation.
=A. angolensis= (Angolan). _fl._ yellowish, large, in cylindrical
racemes 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long. _l._ linear-lorate, sub-erect,
fleshy, pale green, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long. _h._ 3ft. Angola.
=A. aurea= (yellow).* _fl._ pale yellow, upright; peduncle very
long, erect, spreading. June. _l._ linear-lanceolate, flat. _h._
2ft. 1818.
=A. fastigiata= (peaked).* _fl._ white; peduncle very long,
spreading. May. _l._ linear, flattish, longer than the scape. _h._
1-1/2ft. 1774.
=A. flaccida= (weak). _fl._ pale yellow, with a green keel,
drooping, six to eight in a loose raceme; peduncles spreading at
right angles. July. _l._ lanceolate-linear, obliquely bent. _h._
2ft. 1791.
=A. Nelsoni= (Nelson's).* _fl._, perianth, 1-1/2in. long,
ascending, white, with a dull red stripe down the back of each
segment; scape stout, 4ft. to 5ft. high. Summer. _l._ bright green,
very concave at the basal part, nearly flat in the upper part, 3ft.
to 3-1/2ft. long, l-1/4in. to 2-1/4in. broad, at about one-third
the way up, whence they are gradually narrowed to an acute point.
Natal, 1880. This very handsome species is the best of the genus.
=ALBUMEN.= The substance under the inner coat of the testa of seeds,
surrounding the embryo. It is sometimes absent.
=ALBUMINOUS.= Furnished with albumen.
=ALBURNUM.= The white wood of a tree; the younger wood, not choked up
by sedimentary deposit, and therefore permeable to fluids.
=ALCHEMILLA= (from _Alkemelyeh_, the Arabic name of one of the
species). Lady's Mantle. ORD. _Rosaceæ_. Hardy herbaceous perennials,
with corymbose, apetalous flowers; calyx tubular, with the tube rather
contracted at the apex. Leaves palmate or lobed. Of very easy culture,
in common, but well drained soil. They are well adapted for rockwork
and planting near the front of borders. Easily increased by divisions
of the roots, and seeds. All here described are hardy, except _A.
sibbaldiæfolia_.
=A. alpina= (alpine).* _fl._ greenish, small; corymbose. June. _l._
digitate; leaflets five to seven, lanceolate-cuneated, obtuse,
serrated, clothed with white satiny down beneath. _h._ 6in. Britain.
=A. pubescens= (pubescent). _fl._ greenish; corymbs terminal,
crowded, clothed with a coating of long weak hairs. June. _l._
roundish-reniform, seven-lobed, toothed, silky beneath. _h._ 6in.
to 8in. Caucasus (Higher), 1813.
=A. sericea= (silky).* _fl._ greenish, corymbose. June. _l._
digitate; leaflets seven, lanceolate-obovate, obtuse, connected at
the base, serrated at the apex, clothed with satiny down beneath.
_h._ about 6in. Caucasus, 1813. Much larger in every part than _A.
alpina_, to which it is closely allied.
=A. Sibbaldiæfolia= (Sibbaldia-leaved). _fl._ white, conglomerate;
stem corymbosely many-flowered at the apex. July. _l._ deeply
three-parted, clothed with adpressed pubescence beneath; segments
deeply serrated, lateral ones bifid. _h._ 6in. Mexico, 1823. A
greenhouse species, which should be grown in small well-drained
pots, with a mixture of leaf soil and sandy loam.
=ALDEA.= A synonym of =Phacelia= (which _see_).
=ALDER.= _See_ =Alnus=.
=ALETRIS= (from _aletron_, meal; referring to the powdery appearance
of the whole plant). The American Star Grass. SYN. _Tritonia_. ORD.
_Hæmodoraceæ_. Interesting hardy herbaceous perennials, closely allied
to the _Amaryllids_. Perianth half-inferior, tubular; limb spreading or
funnel-shaped; stamens inserted at base of perianth segments, filaments
flat. They delight in a sunny but damp situation, with peat, leaf
mould, and sand, and are slowly increased by division of the roots.
=A. aurea= (golden).* _fl._ yellow, bell-shaped. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
North America, 1811. Similar in habit to _A. farinosa_.
=A. capensis= (Cape). _See_ =Veltheimia viridifolia=.
=A. farinosa= (mealy).* _fl._ white, bell-shaped, in a terminal
spiked raceme, upon stems 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. high. _l._ lanceolate,
ribbed. North America, 1768. A pretty species, forming a spreading
tuft, and possessing intensely bitter properties.
=ALEURITES= (from the Greek word signifying floury; all the parts of
the plant seeming to be dusted with a farinaceous substance). ORD.
_Euphorbiaceæ_. A handsome stove evergreen tree, with small, white,
clustered flowers. Leaves alternate, stalked, exstipulate. Of easy
culture in a loamy soil. Ripe cuttings, with their leaves untouched,
root readily in sand, under a hand-glass.
=A. triloba= (three-lobed).* Candleberry Tree. _l._ three-lobed,
4in. to 8in. long. _h._ 30ft. to 40ft. Moluccas and South Pacific
Islands, 1793.
=ALEXANDERS.= _See_ =Smyrnium=.
=ALEXANDRIAN LAUREL.= _See_ =Ruscus racemosus=.
=ALGAROBA BEAN, or CAROB.= _See_ =Ceratonia=.
=ALGAROBIA.= Included under =Prosopis= (which _see_).
=ALHAGI= (its Arabian name). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Manna Tree. Greenhouse
shrubs or sub-shrubs, with simple leaves, and minute stipulas. Flowers
few, in clusters. They thrive in pots filled with a mixture of sand,
loam, and peat. Young cuttings will root in sand, with a bell glass
placed over them, in heat; but by seeds, if they can be procured, sown
in a hotbed, is a preferable mode of increasing the plants. They may be
placed out of doors during the summer months.
=A. camelorum= (camels). _fl._ red, few, disposed in racemes along
the peduncles. July. _l._ lanceolate, obtuse, simple; stipulas
minute. Stem herbaceous. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Caucasus, 1816.
=A. maurorum= (Moors'). _fl._ purple in the middle, and reddish
about the edges, disposed in racemes along the axillary, spinose
peduncles. July. _l._ obovate-oblong, simple; spines strong, and
longer than those of the above species. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Egypt,
&c. The Manna is a natural exudation from the branches and leaves
of this shrub, which takes place only in very hot weather.
=ALIBERTIA= (in honour of M. Alibert, a celebrated French chemist,
author of "Traite des Fievres Attaxiques," wherein he mentions the
effects of Peruvian bark). ORD. _Cinchonaceæ_. A small stove evergreen
tree, very ornamental when in flower. Flowers solitary or fascicled,
diÅcious; corolla leathery, tubular. A mixture of loam and peat is the
best soil. Cuttings strike root freely, in a similar kind of soil,
under a hand glass, in a moist heat.
=A. edulis= (edible). _fl._ cream-coloured, solitary or in
fascicles, terminating the branches, almost sessile. June. _fr._
edible. _l._ opposite, leathery, oblong, acuminated, shining above,
and bearded in the axils of the veins beneath. _h._ 12ft. Guiana,
1823.
=ALICANT SODA.= _See_ =Salsola=.
=ALISMA.= (from _alis_, the Celtic word for water). Water Plantain.
SYN. _Actinocarpus_. ORD. _Alismaceæ_. A genus entirely composed of
hardy aquatic species. Flowers three-petalled. Leaves parallel-veined.
Increased by division or seeds. The latter should be sown in a pot
immersed in water, filled with loam, peat, and sand, and the former
root freely in a moist loamy soil. The British species are most easily
grown.
[Illustration: FIG. 56. ALISMA NATANS.]
=A. natans= (floating).* _fl._ white; peduncles simple. July.
_l._ elliptical-obtuse; stem ones floating, on long stalks,
scarcely nerved; those at the base of the plant are long,
linear-lanceolate, membranous scales, or abortive root leaves.
North Wales and Cumberland, but very rare; abundant in other parts
of Europe. See Fig. 56.
=A. Plantago= (plantain).* _fl._ delicate pale rose coloured; scape
branched upwards. July. _l._ ovate, acute, all radical, on long
stalks; branches all whorled, bracteated, compound. _h._ 2ft. to
3ft. Britain. A very handsome aquatic for naturalising. See Fig. 57.
[Illustration: FIG. 57. PORTION OF INFLORESCENCE OF ALISMA PLANTAGO.]
=A. P. lanceolata= (lance-shaped leaves). _fl._ pure white. July.
_l._ lanceolate. Britain.
=A. ranunculoides= (ranunculus-like). In general appearance very
like the last named species, but smaller. Britain.
=ALISMACEÃ.= A small order of aquatic or marsh plants, with
three-petaled flowers, on leafless scapes, and simple radical leaves.
The genera best known are _Alisma_ and _Sagittaria_.
=ALKANET.= _See_ =Anchusa tinctoria=.
=ALLAMANDA= (named in memory of Dr. Allamand, of Leyden, who first
communicated seeds of this genus to Linnæus). ORD. _Apocynaceæ_.
Elegant climbing evergreen stove plants. Peduncles terminal and
many-flowered; corolla funnel-shaped, with a narrow tube, gamopetalous,
large, inflated, five-cleft at the apex. Leaves verticillate. This
genus differs from all others of the same order, in the figure of
the corolla. Of comparatively easy culture. To obtain their beauty
of foliage and flowers, the shoots should be tied to wires placed
within 8in. or 9in. of the glass that forms the roof of the structure
in which the plants are growing. Trained in this way, and the shoots
allowed to ramble in a somewhat natural manner, the effect, when the
plants are in flower, is grander and more pleasing in every respect
than when the shoots are tied to a formal trellis, of whatever shape.
When thoroughly established, they succeed admirably in a compost of
three parts good fibry loam, and one part wood charcoal or coarse river
sand, with some rotten cow manure added. When potting the plants,
make the fresh compost firm round the old balls of soil, and do not
fill the pots too full; leave room for plenty of water, as, when in
active growth, they require a liberal daily supply. They must be pruned
annually in January or February, cutting the previous year's shoots
back to within a joint or two of the old wood. Allamandas should be
exposed to the light as much as possible at all seasons of the year.
In winter months they require but little water, but the drainage must
always be perfect. They are remarkably free from insect attacks of
any kind. It may be also observed that the temperature should never
fall below 55deg. This genus is easily propagated by cuttings, which
will root at any time of the year in a bottom heat of from 70deg. to
80deg. The usual time is, however, in spring, when the old plants are
pruned back. Choose the tops of the shoots, retaining two or three
joints to each cutting; place these in a compost of sand and peat or
leaf mould in equal proportions, singly, in small pots. Press the soil
firmly around each cutting, and, when all are inserted, give a good
watering, and plunge the pots in the propagating bed. Attend to shading
and watering, and in about three weeks' time they will have emitted
roots, and started to grow at the tops. The pots should now be raised
out of the plunging material, and placed upon the surface thereof, and
there allowed to remain two or three weeks longer; when the young roots
will have, by this time, filled the little pots, and a shift into the
larger ones will be necessary. Return the plants to the propagating
bed, but do not plunge them therein. As soon as it is certain that the
roots have commenced growth in the fresh soil, pinch the point of each
plant that is intended to be grown on a trellis. This will cause the
remaining buds to push out fresh shoots; and these, as soon as they
have made two joints or whorls of leaves each, should have their points
pinched out also. By repotting the plants as often as they fill their
pots with roots during the first season of their growth, and pinching
the points out of the shoots twice or thrice in the same time, a good
foundation will be formed, from which the future specimens will spring.
In the case of plants intended to be trained up rafters or pillars,
they should not have their points pinched out until they attain to the
height where it is desirable they should have more than one shoot, and
be repotted as recommended above, for the first year; but, after that,
they will require to be repotted only once a year, and this should be
done soon after the buds have started to grow afresh in the spring.
=A. Aubletii= (Aublet's).* _fl._ yellow, large. June. _l._ four to
five in a whorl, broad-oblong, acuminated, rather hairy beneath.
Guiana, 1848.
=A. cathartica= (purging).* _fl._ yellow, large. June. _l._ four
in a whorl, obovate, obtuse, acutish, with sub-undulated edges,
glabrous. Guiana, 1785. SYN. _A. Linnæi_.
=A. chelsoni= (Chelsea).* _fl._ yellow, large. Summer. This
splendid plant is least suited of any for trellis training, from
its wood being stiffer and harder, and is therefore best for the
roof of a house; it is one of the best kinds for cutting. Garden
hybrid.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ distinct pale yellow,
rather large, very free bloomer. June. Brazil, 1844.
=A. Linnæi= (Linnæus's). Synonymous with _A. cathartica_.
=A. neriifolia= (oleander-leaved).* _fl._ deep golden yellow,
elegantly streaked with orange, between funnel and bell shaped,
the tube being wide, 1in. long; panicle many-flowered. June. _l._
oblong, on short petioles, acuminate. _h._ 3ft. South America,
1847. Shrub erect, glabrous.
=A. nobilis= (noble).* _fl._ bright yellow, rather deeper tinted in
the throat, large, full circular form, but without streaks or any
other markings. July. _l._ in whorls of four or of three, tapered
to the base, sessile, oblong, abruptly acuminate, membranaceous,
hairy on both surfaces, especially beneath and on the midrib.
Brazil, 1867. One of the best species.
=A. Schottii= (Schott's).* _fl._ yellow, large, throat beautifully
striped with rich brown. September. _l._ oblong, acuminated, four
in a whorl, quite glabrous, on both surfaces. _h._ 10ft. Brazil,
1847. This species is a very strong grower, and suits the roof
system best; it is also a very free bloomer.
=A. verticillata= (whorl-leaved). _fl._ yellow, large. June. _l._
usually six in a whorl, ovate-oblong, obtuse, quite glabrous. South
America, 1812.
=A. violacea= (violet). _fl._ purple. Brazil, 1859.
=ALLANTODIA= (from _allantos_, a sausage; in reference to the
cylindrical form of the indusium). ORD. _Filices_. A greenhouse
monotypic genus, differing from _Asplenium_ in the dehiscence of the
involucre, and it may receive similar treatment to the Spleenworts.
Sori dorsal, linear-oblong, attached to the primary veins. Involucre
the same shape as the sorus and quite inclosing it, bursting in an
irregular line down to the centre.
=A. Brunoniana= (Brown's).* _fronds_ often 1ft. to 2ft. long,
1/2ft. to 1ft. broad; pinnæ 3in. to 6in. long, 1in. broad, entire.
_sori_ confined to the anterior vein of the first fork. Himalayas,
up to 6000ft., &c. SYN. _Asplenium javanicum_.
=ALLARDTIA.= _See_ =Tillandsia=.
=ALLEYS.= Small walks of various widths, but generally 1-1/2ft. or
2ft. wide, and formed in right lines, parallel to the main walks, or
borders, sometimes covered with a thin coat of sand, gravel, or shells,
or paved with flints, pebbles, &c. Spaces left between beds of seedling
plants are generally meant when alleys are referred to.
=ALL-HEAL.= _See_ =Prunella vulgaris=.
=ALLIACEOUS.= Pertaining to the _Garlic_ family.
=ALLIARIA.= _See_ =Sisymbrium=.
=ALLIGATOR APPLE.= _See_ =Anona palustris=.
=ALLIGATOR PEAR.= _See_ =Persea gratissima=.
=ALLIUM= (from _all_, meaning hot or burning; in allusion to the
well-known properties of the Onion tribe). Including _Porrum_,
_SchÅnoprasum_. ORD. _Liliaceæ_. Hardy bulbous plants, with flat or
terete radical leaves, and capitate or umbellate flowers, enclosed in
a membranous spathe at the summit of a slender, naked, or leafy scape;
perianth spreading or campanulate. They are of very easy culture,
increasing rapidly by offsets. The little bulbs, which are produced in
clusters, may be separated and replanted, in autumn or early spring,
about 4in. deep. Seeds are also easily obtainable. These may be sown
thinly in light soil, in February or March, where they should remain
until the autumn or following spring, when they may be transplanted
to their flowering situations. During the growing season, all the
attention required will be to keep the plants free of weeds, and place
stakes to the tall-growing kinds.
=A. acuminatum= (taper-pointed).* _fl._ deep rose, 1/2in. to 1in.
across, in many-flowered umbels. July and August. _l._ rather
shorter than the stems, very narrow, only about a line wide. _h._
6in. to 10in. North-West America, 1840.
=A. a. rubrum= (red). _fl._ deep red-purple; in other respects like
the type. California.
=A. ascalonicum= (Eschallot). _fl._ purple; umbels globose; scape
rounded. Summer. _l._ subulate. _h._ 9in. Palestine, 1546. For
culture, _see_ =Eschallot=.
=A. azureum= (sky-blue).* _fl._ deep sky-blue, with a dark line
through the middle of each division; umbels dense, globular, longer
than the spathes which envelop them before expanding. Summer. _l._
triangular, from 6in. to 12in. long. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Siberia,
1830. One of the handsomest species grown.
=A. Bidwelliæ= (Mrs. Bidwell's).* _fl._ bright rose, about 1/2in.
across, in few-flowered umbels. July. _l._ narrow, rather longer
than the stem. _h._ 2in. to 3in. Sierra Nevada, 1880. A very
charming little species for the rockery.
=A. Breweri= (Brewer's).* _fl._ deep rose, nearly or quite 1in.
across, in few-flowered umbels. July. _l._ much longer than the
flower-stem, 1/4in. or more broad. _h._ 1in. to 3in. California,
1882.
=A. Cepa= (common Onion). _fl._ white; scape ventricose, longer
than the leaves. June, July. _l._ fistular, rounded. _h._ 3ft. For
culture, _see_ =Onion=.
=A. C. aggregatum.= Aggregated, Tree, or Potato Onion. _See_
=Onion=.
=A. cÅruleum= (blue-flowered).* _fl._ blue, in large compact
globular heads. June. _h._ 8in. Russia, 1840. Very distinct.
=A. Douglasii= (Douglas'). Synonymous with _A. unifolium_.
=A. Erdelii= (Erdel's). _fl._ white, keeled with green, in compact
umbels. _h._ 6in. Palestine, 1879. A rare but pretty species, and
should be planted in a warm position on the rockery.
=A. falcifolium= (sickle-leaved).* _fl._ pale rose, 1/2in. to
3/4in. across, in few-flowered umbels. August. _l._ two in number,
thick, broadly linear, falcate. _h._ 2in. to 3in. North-West
America, 1880.
=A. falciforme= (sickle-formed). Probably a variety of _A.
unifolium_, with pure white flowers, in several-flowered umbels.
_h._ 6in. California, 1882.
=A. flavum= (golden). _fl._ yellow, bell-shaped, and somewhat
drooping, in pretty umbels; scape leafy at the base. _l._ round,
not hollow, flattish above the base. _h._ about 1ft. Italy, 1759.
A slender species.
=A. fragrans.= _See_ =Nothoscordum=.
=A. karataviense= (Karatavian). _fl._ white, in dense globose
heads. May. _l._ very broad, flat, glaucous, sometimes variegated.
_h._ 6in. Turkestan, 1878.
=A. Macnabianum= (MacNab's).* _fl._ deep magenta, a colour quite
unique in this family, in large umbels. _l._ nearly as long as the
stem, channelled, about 1/4in. broad. _h._ 1ft. North America.
=A. magicum= (enchanting). Synonymous with _A. nigrum_.
[Illustration: FIG. 58. ALLIUM MOLY.]
=A. Moly= (Moly).* _fl._ bright yellow, numerous, in compact
umbels. Spring. _l._ few, broadly lanceolate. Stem sub-cylindrical.
_h._ 10in. to 15in. South Europe, 1604. A very old favourite;
bright-flowered and very fine in masses. See Fig. 58.
=A. Murrayanum= (Murray's).* _fl._ rosy purple, in large heads.
_l._ narrow, longer than the stem. _h._ 1ft. North America. A good
variety of _A. acuminatum_.
=A. mutabile= (changeable). _fl._ white, changing to rose, in
many-flowered umbels. July. _l._ shorter than the stem, narrow,
channelled. _h._ 12in. to 24in. North America, 1824.
=A. neapolitanum= (Neapolitan).* _fl._ white, with green stamens,
numerous, in a loose umbel, on stems exceeding the leaves in
length; pedicels much longer than the flowers. Early summer. _l._
two or three, sheathing the flower stem, strap-shaped, about 1in.
across. _h._ 15in. to 18in. South Europe, 1823. Probably the most
ornamental white-flowered species.
=A. nevadense= (Sierra Nevada). _fl._ white, or pale rose, about
1/2in. across, in several-flowered umbels. July. _l._ flat, rather
longer than the stem, about 1/4in. wide. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Sierra
Nevada and Utah, 1882.
=A. nigrum= (blackish).* _fl._ dull violet, or whitish, with a
green vein, very numerous, in a large umbel. Summer. _l._ thick,
broadly lanceolate, acute, ciliated, toothed at the edges, at first
erect and glaucescent, afterwards green and spreading, much shorter
than the stem. _h._ 2-1/2ft. to 3-1/4ft. South of Europe. Very
vigorous and free flowering. SYN. _A. magicum_.
=A. paradoxum= (wonderful). _fl._ white, gracefully pendulous,
borne on long footstalks springing from little nests of yellow
bulbils. Spring. _l._ one or two, as long as the scape,
linear-lanceolate, acute, keeled, striated, smooth, 1/4in. broad,
drooping and recurved. _h._ 9in. to 14in. Siberia, 1823.
=A. pedemontanum= (Piedmont).* _fl._ rosy-purple, large,
bell-shaped, in large, graceful drooping clusters. July. _l._
lanceolate, shorter than the stem. Piedmont, 1817. A neat little
plant for rockwork, or warm border. One of the handsomest species
grown.
=A. reticulatum= (netted). _fl._ varying from pink to white.
Summer. _l._ narrow, or almost filiform, shorter than the stem.
_h._ 9in. to 15in. North-West America, 1882. A rare species.
=A. r. attenuifolium= (attenuate-leaved).* This may be regarded as
an extremely handsome white-flowered variety. North-West America.
=A. roseum= (rose-coloured).* _fl._ pale lilac-rose, large, in
umbels of ten or twelve; stems round, rather longer than the
leaves. Summer. _l._ strap-shaped, channelled, rolled inwards at
the top, not hairy. _h._ 12in. to 16in. South Europe, 1752.
=A. sativum= (cultivated). Garlic. _fl._ white; umbel bulbiferous.
Summer. _l._ flat. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Sicily, 1548. For culture, _see_
=Garlic=.
=A. schÅnoprasum= (rush-leaved onion). Chives. _fl._ purple; umbel
many-flowered, globose, without bulbils. June and July. _l._
cylindrical, somewhat tapering towards the point; stem with one
leaf, or naked. _h._ 1ft. England. For cultivation, _see_ =Chives=.
=A. Scorodoprasum.= Rocambole; Sand Leek. _fl._, perianth
1/3in. long, the segments red-purple, with white margins; head
loose-flowered, with purple bulbils; scape slender. May to August.
_l._ 6in. to 8in. long, flat, keeled, the edges scabrid. _h._ 3ft.
Europe (Britain), 1596. _See also_ =Rocambole=.
=A. sphærocephalum= (globe-headed).* _fl._ densely packed
in a subspherical head; in a bud state the upper ones are
reddish-purple, the lower green. June. _l._ narrow, shorter than
the long terete stems. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2-1/2ft. South Europe, 1759.
=A. stramineum= (straw-coloured). _fl._ yellow, in dense globular
umbels. July. _l._ narrow, shorter than the stems. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to
2ft. Siberia.
=A. striatum= (striated). _See_ =Nothoscordum=.
=A. triquetrum= (three-cornered). _fl._ white, somewhat
bell-shaped, with a narrow streak of pure green down each petal, in
a loose, slightly drooping umbel, on erect triangular stems shorter
than the leaves. Summer. _l._ green, broadly strap-shaped, keeled
in a triangular manner, sometimes very long. _h._ 12in. to 18in.
South Europe, 1789.
=A. unifolium= (one-leaved). _fl._ bright rose. July. _h._ 1ft.
to 2ft. California, 1873. A handsome species, from California,
resembling _A. roseum_, but differing from all known species by the
circumstance that its bulbs are developed at a distance from each
other, and are connected by a thread-like rhizome, 1/2in. to 1in.
long. SYN. _A. Douglasii_.
[Illustration: FIG. 59. ALLIUM URSINUM.]
=A. ursinum= (bear). Broad-leaved Garlic; Ramsons. _fl._ pure
white, with acute perianth segments; umbel level at top; scape
triangular. Summer. _l._ one or two, radical, ovate-lanceolate,
stalked, large, bright green. _h._ 1ft. Britain. See Fig. 59.
=A. validum= (strong). _fl._ pure white or rose-coloured, in large,
rather drooping umbels. Summer. _l._ 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, nearly
as long as the stem. _h._ 12in. to 30in. Oregon and California,
1881. A pretty species.
=A. Victorialis= (Victoria's). _fl._ greenish-white, in
many-flowered, spicate umbels. May. _l._ broadly ovate-oblong,
channelled, shorter than the stem. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. Southern
and Eastern Europe, 1739. Conspicuous from its broad leaves. Rare.
=ALLOBROGIA.= A synonym of =Paradisia= (which _see_).
=ALLOCHLAMYS.= A synonym of =Pleuropetalum= (which _see_).
=ALLOPHYLLUS.= A synonym of =Schmidelia= (which _see_).
=ALLOPLECTUS= (from _allos_, diverse, and _pleco_, to plait; the calyx
appears as if it was plaited in diverse directions). ORD. _Gesneraceæ_.
Very handsome stove evergreen shrubs. Corolla tubular or club-shaped,
straightish; calyx coloured. Leaves opposite, one in each pair
smaller than the other, petiolate, fleshy, scattered or decumbent, or
erect, the under surface generally reddish; branches opposite. For
cultivation, _see_ =Gesnera=.
=A. bicolor= (two-coloured). _fl._ yellow, purple; corolla pilose;
pedicels axillary, one-flowered. June. _l._ ovate, oblong,
acuminate, denticulate, pilose above, downy beneath; branches
tetragonal. _h._ 1ft. New Grenada, 1840. Plant erect, rather woody.
=A. capitatus= (headed). _fl._ capitate; sepals red, leafy; corolla
silky, ventricose above the middle; peduncles axillary. March.
_l._ large, ovate, serrated, downy, reddish beneath. Stem bluntly
tetragonal, red. _h._ 2ft. South America, 1847.
=A. dichrous= (two-coloured). _fl._ purple, yellow, axillary,
crowded, nearly sessile. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, quite entire,
pubescent. Brazil, 1845. A climber.
=A. peltatus= (peltate-leaved).* _fl._ whitish, about 2in. long, in
axillary tufts. August. _l._ opposite, one is 1in. to 2in. long,
and the other 6in. to 9in. long, and 2in. wide, oblong, shortly
acuminate, rounded, peltate at the base, and raised on stout
footstalks, 1in. to 2in. long. _h._ 1ft. Costa Rica, 1877.
=A. repens= (creeping). _fl._ yellow; corolla with curved tube,
four lobed; sepals ovate, spotted; peduncles axillary, solitary.
February. _l._ ovate, rather fleshy, serrate, on short petioles.
St. Martha, 1845. Plant downy; an evergreen trailer.
=A. vittatus= (striped). _fl._, calyx crimson; corolla pale yellow;
terminal and fasciculate, surrounded by vivid red foliaceous
bracts. _l._ large, shortly-stalked, broadly-ovate, of a deep
velvety green, having a broad greyish-green band down the centre,
branching off along the course of the principal veins. Stems erect,
fleshy. Peru, 1870.
=A. zamorensis= (Zamora).* _fl._ yellow; sepals orange-red. _h._
1ft. Columbia, 1875.
=ALLOSORUS.= _See_ =Cryptogramme= and =Pellæa=.
=ALLOTMENT GARDENS.= A system of assigning small portions of land to be
cultivated by labourers after their ordinary day's work.
The following are the most important rules to be carried out; but,
should occasion arise, other rules must be made to meet particular
cases:--
1. Each Allotment should consist of a rood of land (=1/4 acre) to be
let yearly at a rent of not more than 10s.
2. The Allotment to be let for one year only, to be re-let to the same
occupier, provided his character has been satisfactory during the
preceding year.
3. The rent shall be considered due at Michaelmas. If it remains unpaid
for one month after that date, the Allotment shall be forfeited.
4. The Allotment to be cultivated solely by spade husbandry, and the
same crop shall not be planted on the same part two years in succession.
5. Separate Allotments shall be divided by a space not less than 18in.
6. Any occupier trespassing on his neighbour's Allotment, or in any
way interfering or damaging the same, shall not be allowed to hold his
Allotment after the expiration of the year.
=ALLSPICE.= _See_ =Calycanthus=.
=ALLSPICE TREE.= _See_ =Pimenta=.
=ALMEIDEA= (in honour of J. R. P. de Almeida, a Brazilian, who was
of great assistance to St. Hilaire while travelling in Brazil). ORD.
_Rutaceæ_. Stove trees or shrubs with alternate, simple, entire,
stalked leaves. Racemes terminal, divided at the apex into compound
thyrse-like panicles. The undermentioned species will grow freely in a
mixture of loam, sand, and peat. Partly ripened cuttings will root in
sand under a hand glass, in heat.
=A. rubra= (red). _fl._ pink; petals very blunt; racemes compound.
September. _l._ lanceolate, acute at base. _h._ 12ft. Brazil, 1849.
Evergreen shrub.
=ALMOND.= _See_ =Amygdalus=.
=ALMOND-LEAVED WILLOW.= _See_ =Salix triandra=.
=ALNUS= (from _al_, near, and _lan_, the bank of a river; general
habitat of the genus). The Alder Tree. ORD. _Betulaceæ_. A genus of
deciduous trees and shrubs. Flowers monÅcious; barren ones in long
drooping autumnal catkins, lasting through the winter; fertile ones,
produced in spring, in oval catkins, resembling a fir-cone in shape,
the fleshy scales of which become indurated and ligneous as they
approach maturity. Leaves stalked, roundish, blunt. Propagated usually
by seeds, which are gathered towards the end of October; they require
to be well dried, in order that the cones do not become mouldy. The
seeds are sprinkled lightly on the ground with the slightest possible
covering. Towards the end of the year, the seedlings will be about
10in. high. They are then planted in rows 1-1/2ft. apart, and 6in.
from each other, where they may remain for two years, after which they
can be placed out in the situations where they are intended to stand.
Planting is best done in November or March; and, if it is designed to
make a plantation of Alder, the young trees should be put in holes,
made with an ordinary garden spade, about 9in. deep, and about 4ft.
apart. They are also increased, but rarely, by cuttings, by suckers,
and by grafting.
=A. cordifolia= (heart-shaped-leaved).* _fl._ greenish-brown. March
and April, before the development of the leaves. _l._ heart-shaped,
acuminate, dark green, and shining. _h._ 15ft. to 50ft. Calabria
and Naples, 1820. A large, very distinct, and handsome round-headed
tree. It grows rapidly in dry soil, and is one of the most
interesting of ornamental trees.
=A. firma= (firm).* _l._ oval lanceolate, acuminate, sharply
serrated, many-nerved. Japan. One of the most distinct of all the
Alders.
[Illustration: FIG. 60. ALNUS GLUTINOSA, showing Catkins and Fruit.]
=A. glutinosa= (sticky).* _barren catkins_ long, large, and
cylindrical, pendent, their footstalks branched. _fertile
catkins_ small, ovate, with deep red scales. Spring. _l._
roundish-cuneiform, obtuse lobed at the margin, and serrated,
somewhat glutinous, downy in the axils of the nerves beneath.
_h._ 50ft. to 60ft. Britain. The Alder affects moist and damp
situations, and, as it grows quickly, it is a useful tree to plant
in bare situations. It is valuable as a nurse to other trees by the
sea-side. See Fig. 60.
=A. g. aurea= (golden).* Foliage golden colour.
=A. g. incisa= (incised).* Compact form, with leaves quite like
those of common hawthorn. SYN. _A. g. oxyacanthifolia_.
=A. g. laciniata= (cut).* _l._ oblong and pinnatifid, with the
lobes acute. This has elegant drooping branches and fern-like
leaves, and is one of the best.
=A. g. oxyacanthifolia= (sharp-prickled). Synonymous with _A. g.
incisa_.
=A. g. quercifolia= (oak-leaved).* _l._ with a sinuate outline,
like that of the common oak. A very distinct form. The variety
_imperialis_ (=_asplenifolia_) slightly differs in its more or less
lobed or cut foliage; _A. g. variegata_ is a variegated form.
=A. incana= (hoary).* _l._ broadly oval or ovate, rounded at
the base, sharply serrate, whitened, and mostly downy beneath.
_h._ 8ft. to 20ft. North Temperate regions. This affects drier
situations than our native _A. glutinosa_.
=A. viridis= (green). _fertile catkins_ slender stalked, clustered,
ovoid. _l._ round oval or slightly heart-shaped, glutinous and
smooth or softly downy beneath, serrate, with very sharp and
closely set teeth. Mountainous regions of northern hemisphere.
=ALOCASIA= (from _a_, without, and _Colocasia_). Allied to _Colocasia_.
ORD. _Aroideæ_. Stove plants of great beauty, often with large and
handsomely variegated, usually peltate, leaves, and shortly petiolate
glaucous spathes. They are not difficult to grow, with a strong moist
heat, and an abundant supply of water to the roots. The soil should
consist of fibrous peat, with a little light fibry loam, in large
lumps; to this add a good proportion of sphagnum and lumps of charcoal,
with plenty of silver sand. Keep the bulbs and soil raised well above
the rim of the pots, and finish off with a surfacing of either sphagnum
or cocoa-nut fibre. The latter will soon encourage new rootlets. Crock
the pot quite two-thirds up with clean, broken potsherds. Water freely
when in good growth, and give liquid manure once or twice a week
through the growing season. Shade during bright sunshine in the spring
and summer months. Increased by seeds and division of the stems or
rhizome. Winter temperature, 60deg. to 65deg.; summer, 75deg. to 85deg.
_See also_ =Caladium= and =Colocasia=.
=A. alba= (white). _fl._ white. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Java, 1854.
=A. amabilis= (lovely). Synonymous with _A. longiloba_.
=A. chelsonii= (Chelsea).* An interesting hybrid between _A.
cuprea_ and _A. longiloba_. _l._ large, upper surface deep green,
glossy and metallic, under side purplish, as in _A. cuprea_.
=A. cucullata= (hood-leaved). _fl._ green, whitish. Spring. _h._
2ft. India, 1826.
=A. cuprea= (coppery).* _fl._, spathe purplish-red, with short
lamina. _l._ cordate-ovate, peltate, deflexed, 12in. to 18in. long,
rich bronze colour, purple beneath. _h._ 2ft. Borneo, 1860. SYNS.
_A. metallica_, _Xanthosoma plumbea_.
=A. gigantea= (gigantic). Synonymous with _A. longiloba_.
=A. guttata= (spotted). _fl._, spathe white, spotted with purple.
_l._ leafstalk also spotted. _h._ 2-1/2ft. Borneo, 1879.
=A. hybrida= (hybrid).* A cross between _A. Lowii_ and _A. cuprea_.
_l._ elliptic in outline, with a very short acuminate point, and
very slightly parted at the base, deep olive-tinted green on the
upper surface, having stout, well-defined ribs, and the margin of
an ivory white; dull purple at the back.
=A. illustris= (bright). _l._ ovate-sagittate, rich green, with
olive-black patches, deflexed, 1-1/2ft. long. India, 1873.
=A. Jenningsii= (Jennings's).* _l._ peltate, cordate-ovate,
acuminate, with their blades deflexed from the top of the erect
mottled stalks, ground colour green, surface marked with large
wedge-shaped blotches of dark brown; veins bright green, 6in. to
8in. long. India, 1867. A very distinct and free growing species.
=A. Johnstoni= (Johnston's).* _l._ semi-erect, arrow-shaped,
peltate, the front lobe being about 12in. long, and the two back
lobes 14in. long and divergent, olive-green, prettily variegated
and strikingly veined with bright rosy red. The leafstalks are
furnished at intervals with irregular whorls of stiff spines,
the points of which are turned upwards. Stem darkly mottled with
flesh-coloured bands just above the spines. Solomon Isles, 1875.
This plant has quite a unique appearance.
=A. Liervalii= (Lierval's). _l._ bright green. Philippines, 1869.
=A. longiloba= (long-lobed). _l._ large, sagittate, with the upper
part spreading out, green, with silvery veins. _h._ 4ft. Java,
1864. SYNS. _A. amabilis_, _A. gigantea_.
=A. Lowii= (Low's). _fl._, spathe white. _l._ cordate-sagittate,
14in. to 16in. long, peltate, deflexed, olive-green, with thick
white ribs, deep purple beneath. Borneo, 1862.
=A. macrorhiza= (long-rooted). _fl._ green, whitish. _h._ 5ft.
Polynesia.
=A. m. variegata= (variegated). _l._ large, somewhat cordate, with
slightly waved margins, bright green, blotched and marbled with
white, sometimes nearly quite white; footstalks broadly streaked
with pure white. Ceylon. A very striking and effective large
growing plant.
=A. Marshallii= (Marshall's). _l._ green, with dark blotches, and
broad central silvery band. India, 1811.
=A. metallica= (metallic). Synonymous with _A. cuprea_.
=A. navicularis= (boat-shaped spathe). _fl._, spathe boat-shaped,
whitish. _h._ 1ft. India, 1855.
=A. Roezlii.= _See_ =Caladium marmoratum=.
=A. scabriuscula= (roughish).* _fl._, spathe entirely white;
limb 3in. long, oblong, cuspidate. _l._ spreading, not deflexed,
sagittate, not in the least peltate, deep shining green above, pale
green beneath, extreme length 22in. to 31in. _h._ 4ft. to 4-1/2ft.
North-West Borneo, 1878. Although this is not such an ornamental
species as _A. Lowii_, _A. Thibautiana_, or _A. cuprea_, it has the
merit of being a much larger and bolder plant than either of these,
and is one of the largest species in the genus.
=A. Sedeni= (Seden's).* A hybrid between _A. Lowii_ and _A.
cuprea_. _l._ oval, cordate, sagittate, deflexed, bronzy green,
purple beneath, veins distinct ivory white.
=A. Thibautiana= (Thibaut's).* _l._ ovate-acute, deeply cordate;
basal lobes rounded and not sharply pointed, deep olive
greyish-green, traversed by numerous grey veinlets branching from
the midrib, which is greyish-white, purple beneath. Borneo, 1878.
This is said to be by far the finest of the genus.
=A. variegata= (variegated). _fl._ whitish. _l._ leafstalk mottled
with violet. India, 1854.
=A. zebrina= (zebra).* _l._ erect, broadly sagittate, rich dark
green borne upon stout footstalks, which are pale green, mottled
and striped with zigzag bands of dark green. _h._ 4ft. or more.
Philippine Isles, 1862.
=ALOE= (from _Alloeh_, its Arabic name). Allied genera: _Apicra_,
_Haworthia_, _Pachidendron_, _Phylloma_. Including _Rhipodendron_. ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. This hitherto much confused genus, and its allies, have
been completely revised by Mr. J. G. Baker (_vide_ "Journal of the
Linnean Society," vol. xxviii. pp. 152-182), to whose account we are
indebted for many of the following particulars:--Plant with or without
stems; shrubs or (rarely) trees; leaves thick, fleshy, frequently
in a rosette; peduncles simple or racemed, endowed with few or many
empty bracts. Flowers racemed; pedicels bracteated at base, solitary;
perianth-tube straight or slightly recurved; segments elongated;
stamens hypogynous, as long as the perianth, or longer. Mr. Baker
describes over eighty species, many of which, for various and important
reasons, have no claim upon our space. Natives of the Cape of Good
Hope, except where otherwise stated. These very interesting and curious
plants thrive well in a mixture of open loam and peat, together with a
small quantity of well decomposed manure. If old brick rubbish, or any
other similar material is mixed with the soil to ensure perfect and
rapid drainage, so much the better. Water, especially during winter,
must be carefully administered. They thrive in an ordinary greenhouse,
and cannot have too much light at any time.
=A. abyssinica= (Abyssinian).* _fl._, perianth twelve to fifteen
lines long; raceme dense-oblong, 3in. to 4in. long, and 2in. to
3in. broad; lower pedicels nine to twelve lines long; peduncle
branched, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. _l._ about twenty in a rosette,
ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long, acuminate, green, sometimes
spotted, five to six lines thick in middle; back rounded; marginal
prickles distant, deltoid, one to two lines long. Stem simple, 1ft.
to 2ft. long, 2in. to 3in. in diameter. Abyssinia, 1777. SYN. _A.
maculata_.
=A. a. Peacockii= (Peacock's). This is a rare variety.
=A. africana= (African). _fl._, perianth yellow, fifteen to
eighteen lines long; racemes dense, 1ft. in length, 3in. in
diameter; peduncle very strong, branched. _l._ in a dense rosette,
ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 2-1/2in. to 3in. broad, slowly
narrowing from base to the apex, channelled above the middle, where
it is four to five lines thick; marginal prickles close, one and a
half to two lines long. Stem simple, when fully grown, 20ft.
=A. albispina= (white-spined).* _fl._, perianth red, 1-1/2in. long;
raceme dense, nearly 1ft. long, 4in. broad; lower pedicels fifteen
to eighteen lines long; peduncles simple, 1-1/2ft. _l._ loosely
disposed, lanceolate, ascending, 6in. to 8in. long, 2in. broad,
green, without spots or lines; face concave upwards; middle three
to four lines thick; back sparingly tubercled; marginal prickles
white, horny, two lines long. Stem simple, short, 1in. to 1-1/2in.
in diameter. 1796.
=A. albocincta= (white-banded).* _fl._, perianth brilliant red, ten
to twelve lines long; racemes twenty or more, shortly capitate,
2in. to 2-1/2in. in diameter when expanded; pedicels ascending,
six to nine lines long; scape stout, branched, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft.
_l._ twelve to twenty in a dense rosette, outer ones recurved,
lanceolate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, glaucous,
obscurely lined and spotted; middle three to four lines thick;
margin red or white tinted. Stems in old specimens, 1ft. to
2ft. long, 3in. to 4in. in diameter. SYNS. _A. Hanburyana_, _A.
paniculata_, and _A. striata_.
=A. arborescens= (tree-like).* _fl._, perianth red, fifteen to
eighteen lines long; raceme dense, about 1ft.; pedicels ascending,
twelve to fifteen lines long; peduncles strong, 1-1/2ft., simple
or branched. _l._ (rosette 3ft. to 4ft. in diameter) dense,
aggregate, ensiform, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft.; base 2in. broad, thence to
apex attenuated, acuminated, green, rather glaucous, without spots
or lines; middle three to four lines long; base five to six lines
thick; upper surface beyond the base channelled; marginal prickles
close, one and a half to two lines long, horny. Stem simple,
finally 10ft. to 12ft. long, 2in. to 3in. in diameter. 1700.
=A. a. frutescens= (shrubby). Dwarfer. _l._ often loose, and
shorter, intensely glaucous; peduncle simple. Stem slender,
sometimes racemosed.
=A. aristata= (awned). _fl._, perianth red, fourteen to sixteen
lines long; raceme simple, loose, 4in. to 6in. long, and about
4in. broad; pedicels sub-patent, thirteen to eighteen lines long;
scape simple, 1ft. _l._ about fifty in a dense rosette, ascending,
lanceolate, 3in. to 4in. long, six to eight lines broad, without
spots or lines; face flat, sparingly tubercled; middle one and a
half lines thick; back copiously tubercled; apex bearded with a
pellucid awn; marginal teeth diffuse, white, half line long. 1824.
=A. Bainesii= (Baines').* _fl._, perianth fifteen to sixteen lines
long, yellowish red; raceme simple, dense, oblong, 3-1/2in. to
4in. in diameter when expanded; pedicels thick, two to three lines
long; peduncles upright, strong, eight to nine lines in diameter.
_l._ closely packed at the top of the branch, ensiform, 1ft. to
1-1/2ft. long, 2in. to 3in. in diameter, green, spotted, deeply
channelled, recurved; middle two to three lines thick; marginal
prickles pale, rather distant, one to one and a half lines long.
Arborescent, branched. _h._ 40ft. to 60ft.; trunk 4ft. to 5ft. in
diameter. SYNS. _A. Barberæ_, _A. Zeyheri_.
=A. barbadensis= (Barbadoes). Synonymous with _A. vera_.
=A. Barberæ= (Barber's). Synonymous with _A. Bainesii_.
=A. brevifolia= (short-leaved).* _fl._, perianth red, fifteen to
eighteen lines long; raceme dense, 6in. long, 2-1/2in. to 3in. in
diameter; pedicels upright, six to twelve lines long; peduncles
simple, hardly 1ft. long. _l._ thirty to forty in a dense rosette,
lanceolate, 3in. to 4in. long, and 1in. broad at the base,
glaucous, without spots or lines; face unarmed, below swollen or
flat; middle three to four lines thick; back convex, sparingly
tubercled; marginal teeth whitish, one to one and a half lines
long. Stem short, simple. SYN. _A. prolifera_.
=A. b. depressa= (depressed). _fl._ somewhat larger; peduncles
1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long. _l._ 6in. long; bottom 1-1/2in. to 2in.
broad; face sometimes sparingly tubercled.
=A. cæsia= (bluish-grey).* _fl._, perianth red, fifteen to sixteen
lines long; racemes dense, nearly 1ft. long, 2in. to 3in. in
diameter; pedicels twelve to fifteen lines long; scape simple, 6in.
_l._ rather dense, lanceolate acuminate, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft.; bottom
2in. to 3in. broad, intensely glaucous, without spot or lines,
slightly channelled upwards; middle 3in. to 4in. thick; marginal
prickles red, one to one and a half lines long. Stem simple,
finally, in old specimens, 12ft. to 14ft. 1815.
=A. Candollei= (De Candolle's). A mere form of _A. humilis_.
=A. chinensis= (Chinese). _fl._, perianth yellow, 1in. long; raceme
loose, simple, 6in. to 8in. long, and 2in. broad; pedicels one
and a half to two lines long; peduncle simple, 6in. to 12in. _l._
fifteen to twenty in a dense rosette, ensiform, 9in. to 12in. long,
1-1/2in. broad at the bottom, pale green, not lined; base nearly
flat; middle three to four lines thick; upper surface channelled;
marginal prickles distant, pale, one to one and a half lines long.
Stem short, simple. China, 1817.
=A. ciliata= (ciliated).* _fl._, perianth brilliant red, twelve
to fifteen lines long; raceme simple, loose, 2in. to 4in. long;
pedicels three to four lines long; peduncles slender, simple. _l._
linear, widely spreading, amplexicaul, green, 4in. to 6in. long;
base six to nine lines broad, slowly narrowing towards the apex,
without spots or lines; middle one line thick; marginal teeth
minute, white. Stems long, sarmentose; branches three to four
lines in diameter; internodes six to twelve lines long, obscurely
striated with green. 1826.
=A. Commelyni= (Commelin's). A mere form of _A. mitræformis_.
=A. consobrina= (related). _fl._, perianth yellowish red, twelve to
fifteen lines long; raceme rather loose, oblong, cylindrical, 3in.
to 4in. long, and 2in. in diameter; pedicels three to four lines
long; scape 1-1/2ft., slender, branched. _l._ loosely disposed,
ensiform, 6in. to 8in. long, and 1in. broad, green, spotted white;
face channelled; middle three lines thick; marginal prickles
minute, brownish; rosette 10in. to 12in. (sometimes 2ft.) in
diameter; upper leaves ascending; central ones spreading half open;
lower ones deflexed. Stem 2ft., simple, 1in. in diameter. South
Africa, 1845.
=A. Cooperi= (Cooper's).* _fl._, perianth fifteen to eighteen
lines long; raceme close, 3in. to 6in. long, and 3in. to 4in. in
diameter; lower pedicels 1in. to 2in. long; scape simple, 1-1/2ft.
to 2ft. _l._ when mature, 8in. to 10in. long, distichous, falcate,
lined; outer ones 1-1/2ft. to 2ft., above the base six to eight
lines broad, greenish, deeply channelled, sparingly spotted; middle
one and a half to two lines thick; marginal teeth minute, close,
white. Plant stemless. Natal, 1862. SYN. _A. Schmidtiana_.
=A. dichotoma= (two-branched).* Quiver-tree. _fl._, perianth
oblong, ten to twelve lines long; raceme loose, 2in. to 4in. long,
and 2in. in diameter; pedicels three to four lines long; peduncles
stout, branched. _l._ closely packed, at the top of the branch,
lanceolate, 8in. to 12in. long; bottom twelve to fifteen lines
broad, glaucous, without spots or lines, slightly channelled above
the base; middle three to four lines thick, narrow-margined with
white; marginal prickles minute, pale. Trunk short, sometimes
3ft. to 4ft. in diameter. _h._ 20ft. to 30ft. 1781. Arborescent,
branched.
=A. distans= (distant).* _fl._, perianth pale red, fifteen to
eighteen lines long; raceme densely capitate, 3in. to 4in. in
diameter; lower pedicels twelve to fifteen lines long; peduncles
1-1/2ft., usually simple. _l._ ascending, loosely disposed,
ovate-lanceolate, 3in. to 5in. long, and 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad,
green, slightly glaucous, without spots and lines; face concave;
middle three to four lines thick; back sparingly tubercled;
marginal prickles close, white, horny, one to one and a half lines
long. Stem short, simple, 1in. in diameter; internodes pale,
striated green. 1732.
=A. glauca= (milky-green).* _fl._, perianth pale red, fifteen
to sixteen lines long; peduncles simple, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long,
3-1/2in. to 4in. in diameter; pedicels 1in. to 1-1/2in. long. _l._
thirty to forty in a dense rosette, lanceolate, 6in. to 8in. long;
at the base 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, slowly narrowing towards the
apex, intensely glaucous, spotless, obscurely lined; middle three
to four lines thick; face above the base slightly concave; back
tubercled at apex; marginal teeth spreading, brownish, one to one
and a half lines long. Stem simple, at length, about 1ft., 1-1/2in.
to 2in. in diameter. 1731.
=A. gracilis= (graceful). _fl._, perianth yellow, straight,
fourteen to sixteen lines long; raceme densely packed, simple,
2in. to 3in.; pedicels three to four lines long; peduncle simple,
6in. to 9in. long, two-edged at the base. _l._ loosely disposed,
spreading, 6in. to 10in. long; base ten to twelve lines broad,
ensiform, acuminated, glaucous, spotless and without lines; face
slightly channelled; back rounded; marginal prickles close, minute.
Stem leafy, simple. 1822.
=A. Greenii= (Green's).* _fl._, perianth pale red, fourteen to
fifteen lines long; raceme oblong, 4in. to 8in. long, and 3in.
in diameter; lower pedicels five to six lines long; scape 2ft.
long. _l._ in a dense rosette, lanceolate, 15in. to 18in. long;
bottom 2-1/2in. to 3in. broad, slowly narrowing from middle to the
apex; middle three to four lines thick; face flat, shining green,
obscurely lined and spotted white; marginal prickles spreading, one
and a half to two lines long, horny. Stem short, simple, 1-1/2in.
in diameter. South Africa, 1875.
=A. Hanburyana= (Hanbury's). Synonymous with _A. albocincta_.
=A. humilis= (humble).* _fl._, perianth brilliant red, eighteen
lines long; raceme loose, simple, 6in. long, and 2in. to 2-1/2in.
in diameter; pedicels nine to twelve lines long; peduncles
about 1ft. _l._ thirty to forty in a dense rosette, ascending,
lanceolate, acuminate, 3in. to 4in. long, six to eight lines
broad, glaucous green, obscurely lined; face slightly concave
above, sparingly tubercled; middle three lines thick; back convex;
marginal prickles pale, one line long. Plant stemless. 1731.
=A. h. acuminata= (taper-pointed). _l._ ovate-lanceolate, 4in. to
5in. long, fifteen to eighteen lines broad; marginal prickles pale,
two to two and a half lines long. _A. incurva_, _A. suberecta_,
and _A. subtuberculata_, of Haworth; _A. Candollei_, and _A.
macilenta_, of Baker, are mere forms of the foregoing species.
=A. incurva= (incurved). A mere form of _A. humilis_.
=A. latifolia= (broad-leaved).* _fl._, perianth brilliant golden
scarlet, fifteen to eighteen lines long; raceme dense, corymbose,
terminal, 4in. to 5in. long and wide; lower pedicels 1-1/2in. to
2in. long; peduncle robust, 2ft., often branched. _l._ twelve to
twenty in a dense rosette, ovate-lanceolate, 6in. long, 2-1/2in. to
3-1/2in. broad at bottom, slowly narrowing from below the middle
upwards, green, not lined, but copiously spotted white; middle
three to four lines thick; marginal prickles one and a half to two
lines long, horny, brownish. Stem at length, 1ft. to 2ft., 1-1/2in.
to 2in. in diameter, simple. 1795.
=A. lineata= (line-marked).* _fl._, perianth red, fifteen
to eighteen lines long; raceme dense, 6in.; pedicels hardly
perpendicular, fifteen to eighteen lines long; scape simple, 1ft.
_l._ in a dense rosette, lanceolate, 6in. long, 2in. broad at base,
narrowing slowly from thence to the apex, pale green, spotless,
lined; middle three lines thick, channelled upwards on both sides,
unarmed; marginal teeth numerous, red, one and a half to two lines
long. Stem finally 6in. to 1ft., simple, 2in. in diameter. 1789.
=A. macilenta= (thin). A mere form of _A. humilis_.
=A. macracantha= (long-spined). _fl._ unknown. _l._ fifteen to
twenty in a dense rosette, lanceolate, 15in. to 20in. long, and
3in. to 4in. broad at the bottom, slightly narrowed from middle to
apex; middle four lines thick; face flat, green, obscurely lined,
spotted; marginal prickles horny, three to four lines long. Stem
simple, 2ft. to 3ft., 1-1/2in. to 2in. in diameter. South Africa,
1862.
=A. macrocarpa= (large-fruited).* _fl._, perianth club-shaped,
brilliant red, fifteen to sixteen lines long; raceme loose,
terminal, 6in. long, and 2-1/2in. to 3in. in diameter; lower
pedicels 1/2in. long; peduncles 2ft. _l._ twelve to twenty in a
dense rosette, ovate-lanceolate, less than 1ft. long; bottom 3in.
to 4in. broad; top channelled; middle three to four lines thick,
green, copiously spotted; marginal prickles spreading, half line
long. Stem short, simple. Abyssinia, 1870.
=A. maculata= (spotted). Synonymous with _A. abyssinica_.
=A. margaritifera= (pearl-bearing). _See_ =Haworthia margaritifera=.
=A. mitræformis= (mitre-shaped).* _fl._, perianth brilliant red,
eighteen to twenty-one lines long; raceme dense, corymbose, 4in.
to 6in. long, and nearly as much in diameter; pedicels ascending;
lower ones fifteen to eighteen lines long; peduncles strong,
1-1/2ft., sometimes branched. _l._ rather loosely disposed,
ascending, lanceolate, about 1ft. long, 2in. to 3in. broad; green,
slightly glaucous, without spots or lines; face concave; middle
three to four lines thick; back convex, sparingly tubercled; apex
horny, pungent; marginal prickles rather close, pale, one to one
and a half lines long. Stem finally 3ft. to 4ft., simple, 1in. to
2in. in diameter.
=A. m. flavispina= (yellow-spined). Differs from the type in
having narrower and more lanceolate leaves, and yellow spines.
_A. Commelyni_, _A. spinulosa_, _A. pachyphylla_, and _A.
xanthacantha_, are also forms of this species.
=A. myriacantha= (many-spined). _fl._, perianth pale red, eight
to nine lines long; racemes densely capitate, 2in. in diameter;
pedicels four to six lines long; peduncles slender, simple, 1ft.
_l._ ten to twelve, falcate, linear, 5in. to 6in. long, four to
five lines broad, green, glaucous; face deeply channelled; back
convex, spotted white; marginal teeth numerous, white. Plant
stemless. 1823.
=A. nobilis= (noble).* _fl._, perianth red, fifteen to eighteen
lines long; raceme dense, 6 or more inches long, 4in. broad; lower
pedicels 1-1/2in. to 2in. long; peduncles simple, 1-1/2ft. _l._
rather loosely disposed, lanceolate, 9in. to 12in. long, 2-1/4in.
to 4in. broad; face green, without spots or lines, concave above
the base; middle three to four lines thick; apex rather pungent;
back prickly upwards; marginal prickles rather close, one and a
half to two lines long, horny. Stem simple, at length 3ft. to 4ft.
high, 1-1/2in. to 2in. in diameter. 1800.
=A. pachyphylla= (thick-leaved). A mere form of _A. mitræformis_.
=A. paniculata= (panicled). Synonymous with _A. albocincta_.
=A. Perryi= (Perry's).* _fl._, perianth greenish, nine to ten lines
long; raceme dense, 3in. to 4in. long; pedicels three to four
lines long; inflorescence 1-1/2ft. long, commonly two-headed. _l._
in a rosette, lanceolate, 7in. to 8in. long, and 2-1/2in. broad,
from below the middle to the apex narrowed, pale glaucous green,
spotless, obscurely lined, channelled above the base; middle three
to four lines thick; marginal teeth close, horny, one line long.
Stem simple, 1in. in diameter. Socotra, 1879.
=A. prolifera= (proliferous). Synonymous with _A. brevifolia_.
=A. purpurascens= (purplish). _fl._, perianth reddish, twelve to
fifteen lines long; raceme dense, 6in. to 9in. long, and about 3in.
in diameter; pedicels nine to twelve lines long; scape strong,
simple, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. _l._ forty to fifty in a dense rosette,
1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long, ensiform, 2in. broad at the base, slowly
narrowed towards the apex, green; base flat; middle three lines
thick, slightly channelled upwards, sometimes spotted; marginal
prickles small, white. Stem 2ft. to 3ft., sometimes forked. 1789.
=A. rhodocincta= (red-margined), of gardens, is probably a form of
_A. albocincta_.
=A. saponaria= (soapy).* _fl._, perianth brilliant red, eighteen to
twenty-one lines long; raceme dense, corymbose, 3in. to 4in. long
and wide; lower pedicels 1-1/2in. to 2in. long; scape 1ft. to 2ft.,
simple, or sparingly branched. _l._ twelve to twenty in a dense
rosette, lanceolate, 9in. to 12in. long, eighteen to twenty-four
lines broad, narrowed from below the middle upwards; middle three
to four lines broad; face flat at bottom; back swollen, green,
copiously spotted, distinctly lined; marginal prickles adjoining,
horny, one and a half to two lines long. Stem short, simple,
1-1/2in. to 2in. in diameter. 1727.
=A. Schimperi= (Schimper's).* _fl._, perianth bright red, eighteen
to twenty-one lines long; racemes densely corymbose, 4in. in
diameter; pedicels twelve to fifteen lines long; scape strong, 3ft.
long, strongly branched above. _l._ twenty in a dense rosette,
oblong-lanceolate, about 1ft. long, 4in. broad, glaucous green,
lined, sometimes spotted, three to four lines thick at middle,
above which they are channelled; teeth minute, spreading. Stem
short, simple. Abyssinia, 1876.
=A. Schmidtiana= (Schmidt's). Synonymous with _A. Cooperi_.
=A. serra= (saw). _fl._, perianth brilliant red, eighteen lines
long; raceme simple, dense, 6in. long or more, 3in. to 4in. in
diameter; pedicels six to twelve lines long; scape simple, 1-1/2ft.
to 2ft. _l._ thirty to forty in a dense rosette, lanceolate, 3in.
to 5in. long, twelve to eighteen lines broad below, without spots
and lines; base swollen, concave towards the apex; middle three to
four lines thick, sparingly tubercled; marginal prickles close, one
to one and a half lines long. Plant shortly stemmed. 1818.
=A. serratula= (finely-toothed).* _fl._, perianth red, fifteen to
eighteen lines long; raceme rather dense, 6in. long; pedicels six
to nine lines long; peduncles simple, about 1ft. _l._ twelve to
twenty in a dense rosette, lanceolate, 6in. to 9in. long; bottom
1-1/2in. to 2-1/4in. broad, pale green; face below the top flat
or slightly concave, obscurely lined, spotted; margin minutely
denticulated. Stem simple, finally 1ft. to 2ft. high, 1-1/2in. to
2in. in diameter. 1789.
=A. spinulosa= (spiny). A mere form of _A. mitræformis_.
=A. striata= (striated). Synonymous with _A. albocincta_.
=A. striatula= (slightly striped).* _fl._, perianth yellow, twelve
to fifteen lines long; raceme oblong, rather dense, simple, 3in. to
6in. long, and 2in. in diameter; pedicels short; peduncles simple,
nearly 1ft. _l._ linear, spreading, green, 6in. to 9in. long; base
not dilated, six to eight lines broad, above the base upwards
narrowed, slightly channelled; middle one line thick; marginal
prickles deltoid. Stem long, sarmentose; floral branches three to
six lines in diameter; internodes 6in. to 12in. long. 1823.
=A. suberecta= (slightly erect). A mere form of _A. humilis_.
=A. subtuberculata= (slightly knobbed). A mere form of _A. humilis_.
=A. succotrina= (Socotrine).* _fl._, perianth reddish, fifteen
lines long; raceme dense, about 1ft. long, 2-1/2in. to 3in. in
diameter; lower pedicels nine to twelve lines long; peduncles
simple, 1-1/2ft. _l._ thirty to forty in a dense rosette, ensiform,
acuminate, falcate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long; base 2in.; middle 1in.
broad, green, slightly glaucous, sometimes spotted, slightly
channelled upwards; marginal prickles pale, one line long. Stem
3ft. to 5ft., often forked. Isle of Socotra. 1731.
=A. tenuior= (thinned). _fl._, perianth pale yellow, five to six
lines long; racemes rather loose, simple, oblong, nearly 1ft. 2in.
in diameter; pedicels three to four lines long; peduncles slender,
simple, 4in. to 8in. _l._ loose, linear, 5in. to 8in. long, slowly
narrowing from middle towards apex, green, spotless, slightly
channelled; middle one line thick; marginal prickles minute, pale.
Stem long, sarmentose. 1821.
=A. tricolor= (three-coloured).* _fl._, perianth coral red, fleshy;
raceme loose, oblong, 3in. to 4in. long, and 2in. broad; pedicels
ascending, three to four lines long; scape 1-1/2ft. long, glaucous
purple; panicle deltoid. _l._ twelve to sixteen in a close rosette,
lanceolate, 5in. to 6in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad at bottom,
slowly narrowing from below the middle to apex; middle five to
six lines thick; back rounded; face slightly swollen, copiously
spotted, not lined; marginal prickles close, spreading, about one
line long. Stem short, simple. South Africa, 1875.
=A. variegata= (variegated).* _fl._, perianth reddish, fifteen
to sixteen lines long; raceme simple, loose, 3in. to 4in. long
and about 3in. in diameter; pedicels three to four lines long;
scape simple, tapering, 6in. to 8in. _l._ close, erecto-patent,
lanceolate, 4in. to 5in. long, 1in. broad; face concave; back
keeled, bright green, copiously spotted grey on both sides; margin
whitish, denticulated. 1790. This is the variegated Aloe so
frequently seen in cottage windows.
[Illustration: FIG. 61. ALOE VERA.]
=A. vera= (true).* _fl._, perianth yellow, cylindrical, 3/4in. to
1in. long; raceme dense, 6in. to 12in. long; scape strong, 2ft. to
3ft. long, simple or branched. _l._ ensiform, dense, aggregate,
2in. to 4in. broad, narrowing from the base to apex, pale green;
middle about 1/2in. thick; face channelled above the base; marginal
prickles subdistant, deltoid, horny. Stem rarely more than 1ft. or
2ft. 1596. SYNS. _A. barbadensis_, _A. vulgaris_. See Fig. 61.
=A. vulgaris= (common). Synonymous with _A. vera_.
=A. xanthacantha= (yellow-spined). A mere form of _A. mitræformis_.
=A. Zeyheri= (Zeyher's). A garden synonym of _A. Bainesii_.
=ALOMIA= (from _a_, not, and _loma_, a fringe). ORD. _Compositæ_.
Allied to _Eupatoria_. An ornamental half-hardy evergreen plant. Grows
freely in sandy loam, and may be propagated by cuttings.
=A. ageratoides= (ageratum-like). _fl.-heads_ white, many flowered;
involucrum campanulate, imbricate; scales narrow, acute; receptacle
naked, convex. July. _l._ opposite, or upper ones alternate,
petiolate, denticulated. _h._ 1-1/2ft. New Spain, 1824.
=ALONA= (primitive name, _Nolana_--letters transposed; from _nola_,
a little bell, in allusion to the shape of the flowers). ORD.
_Nolanaceæ_. A genus of pretty evergreen shrubs closely allied to
_Nolana_, but differing principally in having several ovaries from one
to six-celled, whereas _Nolana_ has five four-celled ovaries. Leaves
fasciculate; stems woody. They require ordinary greenhouse treatment,
in a peat and loam compost. Cuttings root freely in sandy loam, with a
very gentle bottom heat, in about a fortnight.
=A. cÅlestis= (sky-blue).* _fl._ pale blue, very large, axillary,
solitary; peduncle elongated. July. _l._ terete, fascicled; plant
nearly glabrous. _h._ 2ft. Chili, 1843. This pretty species is an
excellent one for growing out-of-doors during summer months.
=ALONSOA= (in honour of Z. Alonso, formerly Spanish secretary for
Santa Fe de Bogota). ORD. _Scrophularineæ_. A genus of very pretty
little half-hardy shrubs, herbaceous perennials, or annuals, with
axillary, sub-racemose flowers, which are resupinate, with a sub-rotate
five-cleft limb. Leaves opposite, or ternately whorled. They will grow
freely in light rich soil; and are readily increased by cuttings in
August or March, which should be placed in sandy soil in gentle heat,
or by seeds sown in March. The herbaceous species may be treated as
outdoor summer annuals, and should be raised in a little heat, and
planted out early in May.
=A. albiflora= (white-flowered).* _fl._ pure white, with yellow
eye, in long terminal spikes. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. Mexico, 1877.
This is recommended for pot culture, as in the conservatory it will
provide a succession of flowers throughout the autumn and winter.
=A. caulialata= (wing-stemmed). _fl._ scarlet, racemose. June. _l._
ovate, acute, serrated. Stems and branches quadrangular, winged.
_h._ 1ft. Peru, 1823. Half-hardy, herbaceous.
=A. incisifolia= (cut-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet; peduncles long,
alternate, disposed in terminal racemes. May to October. _l._
opposite, ovate, acute, deeply toothed, or serrate. _h._ 1ft.
to 2ft. Chili, 1795. Glabrous greenhouse shrub. SYN. _Hemimeris
urticifolia_.
=A. linearis= (linear-leaved). _fl._ scarlet, with a dark bottom,
like most of the species. May to October. _l._ opposite, or three
in a whorl, linear, entire or remotely denticulated; young leaves
fascicled in the axils of the old ones. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Peru,
1790. Greenhouse shrub. SYN. _Hemimeris coccinea_.
=A. linifolia= (flax-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft.
New Holland. This is an elegant little annual, forming symmetrical,
graceful, and very free flowering plants, either for pot or outdoor
culture.
=A. Matthewsii= (Matthew's). _fl._ scarlet, in loose, terminal
racemes. July. _l._ lanceolate, toothed, about 1in. long. Stem
slender, quadrangular. _h._ 1ft. Peru, 1871. Greenhouse shrub.
=A. myrtifolia= (myrtle-leaved). _fl._ scarlet, very large. New and
pretty species.
=A. Warscewiczii= (Warscewicz's).* _fl._ rosy scarlet. _h._
1-1/2ft. Chili, 1858. This is probably a herbaceous variety of _A.
incisifolia_, and one of the best annuals.
=ALOYSIA= (in honour of Maria Louisa, mother of Ferdinand VII., King
of Spain). Sweet-scented Verbena. ORD. _Verbenaceæ_. This genus is
nearly allied to _Verbena_, which _see_ for generic characters. A
greenhouse deciduous shrub, with a very fine perfume and graceful
habit. The most satisfactory plan of culture is to obtain well-grown
thrifty young plants in spring, and grow them on for the season. As
the wood ripens, give less water until they are at rest, when it must
be nearly withheld. About the end of January, bring into the light and
warmth, and water thoroughly. As soon as the plants break, cut back to
three or four eyes; and when the young shoots are about an inch long,
transfer into rich sandy soil, using pots a size or two smaller than
those they were in before. When the pots are full of roots, transfer
to those that are to hold the plants for the season. By this mode of
culture, good plants are to be maintained for any length of time.
Aloysias form excellent pillar subjects for either a cold greenhouse,
or out-of-doors, in which latter situation they thrive remarkably
well, but require thorough protection, with straw bands or mats, from
November until March, and afterwards at night, until danger from severe
frosts has passed. They require no summer training, their young growth
being continually cut off for the many purposes of decoration to which
they are applied, and to which they are so well adapted. They are
easily increased by young cuttings in spring, which should be placed in
sandy soil and gentle heat, when they will root in about three weeks.
=A. citriodora= (lemon-scented).* _fl._ whitish or lilac, very
small, in terminal panicles. August. _l._ pale green, lanceolate,
agreeably scented, arranged in whorls of threes; branches slender.
Chili, 1781. SYNS. _Lippia citriodora_, _Verbena triphylla_.
=ALPINE GARDEN.= A very interesting style of gardening, which succeeds
best by imitating Nature as closely as possible. The situation may
be an open or a sheltered one. In building a Rock or Alpine Garden,
it should be so arranged that all aspects are secured--shady and
sunny--fully or in degree only. Pockets and crevices of various
sizes may be made, and filled with soil suitable for the subjects
to be planted therein, each one having a direct connection with the
bulk of the soil; and the constructing material should be arranged
with a gentle fall, so that moisture drains towards rather than from
the roots. Alpine plants, as a rule, flourish better on a properly
constructed rockery than if placed in any other position, because
thorough drainage is effected, and the long and fine roots can run
down in the crevices, where the soil is cool and moist. Although most
alpine plants are naturally exposed to the full action of sun and wind,
they should be placed out in early autumn, or early spring, so as to
become thoroughly established before the approach of scorching summer
weather. Failing materials necessary for the construction of a rockery,
many alpines are easily grown in the ordinary border, in a naturally or
artificially well drained situation. Excavate to the depth of 18in.,
put in a layer of stones, broken bricks, &c., 6in. deep; fill up with
rich fibrous loam and leaf mould, adding sufficient sand to keep the
soil porous. When the desired subjects are firmly planted, cover the
surface with small gravel or stone chippings, which, while allowing the
rain to penetrate the soil, effectually checks evaporation, and keeps
it moist and cool, as well as giving the appearance of rocky _débris_.
The effect will be better if the surface is slightly undulated.
=ALPINE ROSE.= _See_ =Rhododendron ferrugineum=.
=ALPINIA= (in honour of Prosper Alpinus, an Italian botanist). ORD.
_Zingiberaceæ_. A rather large genus of stove herbaceous perennials,
with considerable grace and beauty. Flowers disposed in terminal
spikes. Leaves lanceolate, smooth, even, entire, sheathed at the base,
and having transverse veins. Roots fleshy, branched, having much of
the smell and taste of ginger. The soil can hardly be too rich for the
successful culture of these plants. A mixture of equal parts loam,
peat, leaf mould, or thoroughly rotted hotbed manure, freely mixed with
sharp sand or fine charcoal dust, forms an excellent compost. During
the growing season, a top dressing of rotten dung, and a frequent
application of weak manure water, prove excellent stimulants. They
grow rapidly and consume a great deal of food in the production of
so much stem and so many leaves. Unless the former is vigorous and
of considerable thickness, it will fail to be crowned with spikes
of flower. Alpinias require a high temperature, a rich, light soil,
abundance of water, and not a little space, to grow them well. Soon
after flowering, the plants will assume the yellow leaf, when water may
be gradually withheld; but no attempt should be made to dry them off
too severely, even after the stems die down. Nor must they be stored
when at rest in a low temperature; in fact, they require as much heat
to preserve them in health when resting as at any other time. The best
time to divide the plants is after the young shoots have made an inch
of growth in spring.
=A. albo-lineata= (white-lined).* _l._ elliptic lanceolate, pale
green, marked with oblique broad bands of white. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft.
New Guinea, 1880.
=A. mutica= (beardless). _fl._ in pairs on a spike-like raceme;
calyx white; corolla duplex, consisting of three outer oblong white
segments; upper lobe concave and projecting, broad; lip large,
bright yellow, veined with crimson; mouth finely crispulate at the
edge. Borneo, 1882. A very handsome species.
=A. nutans= (nodding).* _fl._ pink, sweetly-scented; racemes
drooping. May. _l._ lanceolate, smooth, even, entire. _h._ 13ft.
India, 1792. This species looks best in considerable masses, even
larger than those shown in the illustration, grown in large pots or
tubs, or planted out in borders of tropical houses. It should on
no account be severely divided. See Fig. 62.
[Illustration: FIG. 62. ALPINIA NUTANS, showing Form of Individual
Flower.]
=A. vittata= (striped).* _l._ 6in. to 8in. long, elliptic
lanceolate, tapering to a long fine point, and also narrowed
gradually towards the sheathing base, pale green, marked by broad
stripes of dark green and creamy white, running off from the midrib
in divergent lines, corresponding to the venation. South Sea
Islands. See Fig. 63, for which we are indebted to Mr. Bull.
=ALSIKE.= _See_ =Trifolium hybridum=.
=ALSODEIA= (from _alsodes_, leafy; plants thickly beset with leaves).
ORD. _Violarieæ_. Ornamental evergreen stove shrubs. Flowers small,
whitish, racemose; petals equal; racemes axillary and terminal;
pedicels bracteate jointed. Leaves usually alternate, feather-nerved;
stipules small, deciduous. They thrive best in a mixture of loam and
sand, and young cuttings root readily under a bell glass if planted in
sand, in heat.
=A. latifolia= (broad-leaved).* _fl._ on dense, glabrous racemes.
_l._ ovate, obtusely acuminated. _h._ 6ft. Madagascar, 1823.
=A. pauciflora= (few-flowered). _fl._ few, somewhat corymbose;
pedicels reflexed. _l._ wedge-shaped, on short footstalks. _h._
4ft. Madagascar, 1824.
=ALSOPHILA= (from _alsos_, a grove, and _phileo_, to love; in reference
to the situation which they affect in Nature). ORD. _Filices_. A
magnificent genus of tropical and temperate tree ferns. Sori globose,
dorsal, on a vein or in the forking of a vein; receptacle mostly
elevated, frequently villous; involucre none. The species of this genus
require an abundant supply of water, particularly in summer, and the
young fronds must be carefully shaded from solar heat. They thrive well
in a peat and loam compost. For general culture, _see_ =Ferns=.
=A. aculeata= (prickly).* _fronds_ ample, tripinnate. _rachises_
brown-stramineous; pinnæ ovate-lanceolate, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long;
pinnules sessile, ligulate, 3in. to 4in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in.
broad; segments close, ligulate, blunt, denticulate, often less
than one line broad; both sides bright green, slightly hairy on
the ribs, not scaly. _sori_ minute, medial; texture herbaceous.
Tropical America; very common. A very effective stove species. SYN.
_A. ferox_, &c. See Fig. 64.
=A. armata= (armed).* _fronds_ ample, tripinnatifid or tripinnate.
_rachises_ stramineous, densely pilose; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate,
1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules ligulate-lanceolate, sessile, 3in.
to 5in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad; segments falcate, blunt, one
to one and a half lines broad, sub-entire or toothed; both sides
densely pilose on the ribs, not scaly. _sori_ subcostular. Tropical
America; extremely abundant. Stove species.
[Illustration: FIG. 63. ALPINIA VITTATA.]
=A. aspera= (rough).* _cau._ slender, 10ft. to 30ft. high. _sti._
and _rachises_ strongly aculeated; main and partial rachis above
strigillose, slightly scaly beneath and on the costa, the rest
glabrous, often glossy. _fronds_ bipinnate; pinnules shortly
petiolate, oblong; apex acuminated, pinnatifid half or two-thirds
of the way down to the costa; lobes oblong-ovate, often acutely
serrulate; costa bearing small, deciduous, bullate scales beneath.
_sori_ very deciduous. West Indies, &c. Stove species.
=A. australis= (southern).* _sti._ with very long, firm, subulate
scales, 1-1/2ft. long, and as well as the main rachises,
muricato-asperous, stramineous. _fronds_ ample, subglaucous
beneath, more or less villous on the costæ and costule above, and
very minutely bullato-paleaceous beneath, often quite naked, from
6ft. to 30ft. long; primary pinnæ 1-1/2ft. long, 6in. to 10in.
wide; pinnules 3in. to 4in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. wide, oblong,
acuminate, deeply pinnatifid, or towards the base even pinnate;
ultimate pinnules or lobes oblong, acute, serrated, subfalcate.
_sori_ copious, rather small. New Holland, &c., 1833. A very
handsome greenhouse species.
=A. comosa= (hairy). Synonymous with _A. Scottiana_.
=A. contaminans= (contaminating).* _cau._ slender, growing from
20ft. to 50ft. high. _sti._ and _rachises_ purplish brown, glossy,
aculeate. _fronds_ 6ft. to 10ft. long, ample, glabrous, deep green
above, glaucous beneath; primary pinnæ 2ft. or more in length,
oblong-ovate, acuminate; pinnules sessile, 4in. to 5in. long,
1/2in. to 1in. wide, deeply pinnatifid, linear-oblong, sub-falcate,
entire. _sori_ nearer the costule than the margin. Java and Malaya.
Stove species. SYN. _A. glauca_.
=A. Cooperi= (Cooper's).* _fronds_ ample, tripinnate. _rachises_
stramineous, muricated, glabrous beneath; basal scales large,
linear, pale, spreading; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft.
long; pinnules ligulate, 4in. to 5in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad,
lowest long-stalked; segments ligulate, blunt, toothed, one and a
half to two and a half lines broad. _sori_ small. Queensland, &c.
Greenhouse.
=A. excelsa= (tall).* _trunk_ about 30ft. high. _sti._ and main
_rachises_ muricated. _fronds_ ample, dark green above, paler
beneath; primary pinnæ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 10in.
wide; pinnules numerous, oblong-lanceolate, acuminated, deeply
pinnatifid, often quite pinnate; ultimate divisions 1/4in. to
3/4in. long, oblong, acute or obtuse, falcate, the margins
sub-recurved, serrated. _sori_ copious near the costules. Norfolk
Island. This rapid-growing and splendid species proves nearly hardy
in the neighbourhood of Cornwall; and is a most effective plant for
sub-tropical gardening purposes generally. Greenhouse species.
=A. ferox= (fierce). Synonymous with _A. aculeata_.
=A. Gardneri= (Gardner's). Synonymous with _A. paleolata_.
=A. gigantea= (gigantic). _cau._ growing from 20ft. to 40ft. high.
_sti._ asperous; _fronds_, primary pinnæ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. and more
long, deeply pinnatifid at the apex; pinnules, upper ones sessile,
lower ones petiolate, oblong-acuminate, 3in. to 6in. long, five to
nine lines wide, deeply pinnatifid; lobes triangular or rounded,
serrated. _sori_ copious. India, &c. Stove species. SYN. _A.
glabra_.
=A. glabra= (glabrous). Synonymous with _A. gigantea_.
=A. glauca= (grey). Synonymous with _A. contaminans_.
=A. infesta= (troublesome). _fronds_ ample, tripinnatifid; pinnæ
oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long; pinnules ligulate,
3in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad, cut down to a narrow wing;
segments 1/8in. broad, ligulate, blunt, nearly entire; texture
sub-coriaceous; colour deep green on both sides. Tropical America;
widely distributed. Stove species.
=A. Leichardtiana= (Leichardt's).* _cau._ 10ft. to 20ft. high.
_sti._ jointed upon the caudex; main and secondary rachises purple,
deciduously powdery, spiny. _fronds_ 6ft. to 10ft. long, firm, dark
green above, sub-glaucous beneath, naked and glaucous (or nearly
so), tripinnate; primary pinnæ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 8in. wide,
oblong-lanceolate, acuminate; pinnules oblong-acuminate, sessile,
pinnatifid only at the apex; ultimate divisions linear-oblong,
acute, spinulose-serrate. _sori_ copious, close to the costa.
Australia, 1867. Greenhouse species. SYNS. _A. Macarthurii_, _A.
Moorei_.
=A. lunulata= (moon-shaped pinnuled). _fronds_ ample, tripinnate.
_rachises_ stramineous, glabrous below, densely muricated; pinnæ
oblong-lanceolate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules close, ligulate,
sessile, 4in. to 5in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad; segments close,
ligulate, falcate, blunt, one line broad, obscurely crenulate.
_sori_ minute. _h._ 25ft. Polynesia. Greenhouse species.
=A. Macarthurii= (MacArthur's). Synonymous with _A. Leichardtiana_.
=A. Moorei= (Moore's). Synonymous with _A. Leichardtiana_.
=A. paleolata= (scaly).* _cau._ slender, 10ft. to 20ft. high.
_fronds_ ample, tripinnatifid. _rachises_ stramineous, smooth,
pubescent below; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long;
pinnules ligulate, sessile or shortly stalked, 3in. to 4in. long,
1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, deeply cut, the segments blunt and nearly
entire; texture sub-coriaceous; colour deep green, both surfaces
deeply pilose, the lower scaly on the ribs. _sori_ large, medial.
Columbia, &c. Stove species. SYN. _A. Gardneri_.
=A. procera= (tall). _sti._ aculeated and paleaceous below, with
large glossy, dark brown scales. _fronds_ bipinnate, glabrous,
pinnatifid at the apex; primary pinnæ 1ft. or more long, the
rachis winged above; pinnules 2in. to 3in. long, oblong-acuminate
or obtuse, pinnatifid half way down to the costa; lobes short,
sub-rotundate, often acute, mostly entire. _sori_ small on all the
lobes, between the costule and the margin. Tropical America. Stove
species.
=A. pruinata= (as if hoar-frosted).* _sti._ densely woolly at the
base. _fronds_ glaucous, bi-tripinnate; primary pinnæ petiolate,
12in. to 18in. long, ovate-lanceolate; pinnules 3in. to 4in. long,
1in. wide, petiolulate, from a broad base, oblong-acuminate,
deeply pinnatifid, or again pinnate; ultimate divisions 1/2in.
long, lanceolate, very acute, deeply and sharply serrated. _sori_
solitary. Tropical America, extending to Chili. Stove or greenhouse
species.
=A. radens= (rasping). _cau._ 3ft. high, 3in. diameter. _sti._ 2ft.
to 3ft. long, clothed with ovate, pale brown scales. _fronds_ 6ft.
to 8ft. long, lanceolate-ovate, bipinnatisect; primary segments
1-1/2ft. long, elongato-oblong, acuminate; secondary ones 2in.
to 3in. long, petiolulate, linear-lanceolate, pinnati-partite;
segments oblong, denticulate. _sori_ between the costule and the
margin. Brazil. Stove species.
=A. Rebeccæ= (Rebecca's).* _cau._ slender, 8ft. high. _fronds_
ample, bipinnate; pinnules twenty to thirty on each side, the
lower ones stalked, linear, 2in. to 3in. long, more or less
inciso-crenate, apex acuminate. _sori_ principally in two rows
between the midrib and edge. Queensland. Greenhouse species. See
Fig. 65, for which we are indebted to Mr. Bull.
=A. sagittifolia= (arrow-leaved).* _fronds_ oblong-deltoid, 4ft.
to 6ft. long, bipinnate. _rachises_ stramineous, muricated; pinnæ
lanceolate, 3/4ft. to 1ft. long, the lower shorter, deflexed;
pinnules sessile, ligulate, crenulate, cordate on both sides at the
base, 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, nearly 1/4in. broad. _sori_ large.
Trinidad, 1872. Very handsome and distinct stove species.
[Illustration: FIG. 64. ALSOPHILA ACULEATA.]
=A. Scottiana= (Scott's).* _fronds_ ample, tripinnatifid.
_rachises_ castaneous, naked and smooth beneath; pinnæ
oblong-lanceolate, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules sessile, 3in.
to 4in. long, about 1/2in. broad, ligulate, cut down to a narrow
wing on the rachis; segments ligulate, blunt, dentate, sub-falcate,
not 1/8in. broad. _sori_ sub-costular. Sikkim, 1872. Greenhouse
species. SYN. _A. comosa_.
=A. Tænitis= (Tænitis-like).* _fronds_ 3ft. to 6ft. long,
bipinnate; pinnules distant, 3in. to 5in. long, lanceolate,
acuminate, glabrous, sub-entire, petioled; petiole articulated on
the rachis. _sori_ in a single series, equidistant between the
costa and the margin, mixed with long, copious hairs. Brazil. An
elegant stove species.
=A. villosa= (villous).* _cau._ 6ft. to 12ft. high. _sti._ 1ft. or
more long, tubercular, densely clothed at the base with ferruginous
scales. _fronds_ from 6ft. to 8ft. long, bi- or sub-tripinnate,
broadly lanceolate in outline; pinnules 1in. to 3in. long,
oblong-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate, deeply pinnatifid; lobes
oblong, obtuse, entire or coarsely serrated. _sori_ copious.
Tropical America. A very beautiful stove species.
=ALSTONIA= (in honour of Dr. Alston, once Professor of Botany
at Edinburgh). ORD. _Apocynaceæ_. Usually tall, lactescent, or
milk-bearing stove evergreen shrubs or trees, with small white flowers,
which are disposed in terminal cymes. Leaves entire, opposite or often
whorled. Of easy culture, thriving best in a mixture of peat, loam,
and sand. Cuttings root readily in sand, in heat. Besides the one
mentioned, there are eleven other species.
=A. scholaris= (school). _fl._, corolla salver-shaped, white; cymes
on short peduncles. March to May. _l._ five to seven in a whorl,
obovate-oblong, obtuse, ribbed; upper surface glossy, under white,
and having the veins approximating the margin. _h._ 8ft. India,
1803. SYN. _Echites scholaris_.
[Illustration: FIG. 65. ALSOPHILA REBECCÃ.]
=ALSTRÃMERIA= (in honour of Baron Alströmer, a Swedish botanist and
friend of Linnæus). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. Tall handsome hardy or
half-hardy tuberous rooted plants, with leafy stems and terminal
umbels of richly-coloured flowers; perianth regular, six-parted,
subcampanulate; inner segments narrower, two of which are somewhat
tubulose at the base; stamens included within, and inserted with
perianth; stigma trifid. Leaves linear, lanceolate, or ovate, and
resupinate, or inverted in position by the twisting of the petiole.
Cultivation: Few plants need less attention to grow them successfully,
either in pots or planted out. The best position for those kinds which
succeed outside is a deep and dry, sloping, sheltered border, in a
compost of two-parts peat and leaf soil, and one loam with some sharp
sand. Water freely if severe drought sets in; a surface covering of
common moss, or cut fern in winter, will prove an advantage. They are
very effective in masses. Propagation: They may be increased by seed or
root division. Sow the former when ripe, or in early spring, thinly in
pans, pots, or boxes, and place in a cool house or frame, so that they
will receive some fostering in their early stages. The seedlings should
be pricked out singly, when large enough to handle, and grown on till
well established under glass. A mixture of peat, leaf mould, and sandy
loam, is the best compost in which to sow the seeds and grow the young
plants. When sufficiently established, they may be placed in a warm
sheltered spot outside, and about 1ft. apart. The fasciculated masses
of fleshy roots are readily separated into as many pieces as there are
crowns; this operation may be performed during September or October, or
February and March; but it must be done carefully. Except for the sake
of increase, the less they are disturbed the better. They are excellent
subjects for pot culture (some can only be managed thus, unless planted
out in a house), and may be potted as early in the autumn as possible,
in 8in., 10in., or 12in. pots. Thorough drainage is essential; arrange
the crocks carefully, and place a layer of thin turfy loam over them.
A compost of equal parts turfy loam, leaf mold, and fibrous peat,
with an abundance of sand, will suit them admirably. Water sparingly
at first, but when root-action is fully resumed, they must never be
allowed to get dry. Support the stems by staking when they require it,
and just previous to flowering, top-dress with some rotten manure and
leaf soil. Occasional syringings will be necessary to keep down red
spider, especially if the atmosphere is very dry. As the plants finish
flowering, and the leaves fade, gradually diminish the supply of water
until the stems are quite down, when they may be placed somewhere out
of the way, free from frost, for the winter, but not kept dry enough
to make them shrivel. In repotting, as much of the old soil as is
practicable should be removed, without seriously disturbing the roots,
and the plants shifted into larger or the same sized pots, according to
their condition. Alströmerias were at one time much more largely grown
than they are at present, and the genus was represented in nearly every
garden.
[Illustration: FIG. 66. ALSTRÃMERIA AURANTIACA, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. aurantiaca= (golden).* _fl._ orange; two upper perianth
segments lanceolate, streaked with red; arranged in a five to six
stalked umbel, bearing ten to fifteen blooms. Summer and autumn.
_l._ numerous, linear-elliptical, obtuse, glaucous, twisted and
turned back at the base, about 4-1/2in. long. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft.
Chili, 1831. A variable but very showy species, quite hardy. See
Fig. 66.
=A. caryophyllæa= (clove-like scent).* _fl._ scarlet; very
fragrant, perianth two-lipped; peduncles longer than the involucre.
February and March. _l._ spathulate-oblong. Stem erect. _h._ 8in.
to 12in. Brazil, 1776. This stove species requires perfect rest in
winter. SYN. _A. Ligtu_.
[Illustration: FIG. 67. FLOWER OF ALSTRÃMERIA PELEGRINA.]
=A. chilensis= (Chilian).* _fl._ blood-red or pink, large, the two
upper interior petals longer and narrower, variegated with yellow
lines; in pairs on a five to six stalked umbel. Summer and autumn.
_l._ scattered, obovate, spathulate; upper ones lanceolate, twisted
at the base, minutely fringed on the edges, glaucescent. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. Chili, 1849. Hardy. There are many varieties of this
species, varying in colour from a rosy white to a deep orange or
red.
=A. densiflora= (thickly-flowered).* _fl._, perianth scarlet,
dotted with black spots inside towards the base; umbels
many-flowered, dense; pedicels pubescent, rarely bracteated. _l._
alternate, ovate, shortly acuminate, pubescent underneath. Stem
climbing, glabrous. Peru, 1865. Tender species.
=A. Flos Martini= (St. Martin's flower). Synonymous with _A.
pulchra_.
=A. Hookeri= (Hooker's). Synonymous with _A. Simsii_.
=A. Ligtu= (Ligtu). Synonymous with _A. caryophyllæa_.
=A. Pelegrina= (the native name).* _fl._ white, or pale yellow,
striped with rose, and yellow spot on each segment; pedicels
one-flowered, on a six or more stalked umbel. Summer. _l._
lanceolate, twisted at the base. _h._ 1ft. Chili, 1754. Rather
tender. See Fig. 67.
=A. p. alba= (white).* Lily of the Incas. _fl._ white. Perhaps
this is the most chaste of all the Alströmerias, and more tender
than many others; it should have a specially warm spot, or the
protection of glass. 1877.
=A. peruviana= (Peruvian). Synonymous with _A. versicolor_.
=A. psittacina= (parrot-like).* _fl._ bright crimson at the base,
greenish upwards, spotted with purple; upper perianth segments
slightly hooded, hence the specific name; umbels many-flowered;
peduncles angular. September. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, acute,
twisted at the base. Stem erect, spotted. _h._ 6ft. Mexico, 1829.
Hardy.
=A. p. Erembaulti= (Erembault's). _fl._ white, spotted with purple.
August. _h._ 2ft. 1833. A beautiful but rather tender hybrid.
=A. pulchella= (pretty). Synonymous with _A. Simsii_.
=A. pulchra= (fair).* St. Martin's Flower. _fl._ in umbels of
from four to eight in each; the lower perianth segments purplish
outside, and edges of a sulphur-white; the upper part of the upper
segments of a fine yellow, dotted with deep red spots, the lower
part of a flesh colour; pedicels twisted. _l._ linear lanceolate.
Stem erect. _h._ 1ft. Chili, 1822. A beautiful species, but one
requiring protection. SYNS. _A. Flos Martini_, _A. tricolor_.
=A. rosea= (rosy). A synonym of _A. Simsii_.
=A. Simsii= (Sims's).* _fl._ brilliant yellow, with red streaks,
very showy; umbels many-flowered; peduncles two-flowered. June.
_l._ spathulate, ciliated. Stem weak. _h._ 3ft. Chili, 1822. Tender
species. SYNS. _A. Hookeri_, _A. pulchella_, _A. rosea_.
=A. tricolor= (three-coloured). A synonym of _A. pulchra_.
[Illustration: FIG. 68. ALSTRÃMERIA VERSICOLOR, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. versicolor= (various coloured).* _fl._ yellow, with purple
marks; lowest segment the broadest; umbel of usually three
shortly-stalked blooms, very floriferous. Late summer. _l._
linear-lanceolate, sessile, scattered. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Peru,
1831. This is a very robust species, with several beautiful
varieties, which are both easily obtained and very cheap. SYN. _A.
peruviana_. See Fig. 68.
=A. v. niveo-marginata= (snowy-margined).* _fl._ rose, crimson and
white, with green tips and black spots. _l._ lanceolate, stalked,
white-edged. 1875. A charming but scarce variety.
=ALTERNANTHERA= (in allusion to the anthers being alternately
barren). ORD. _Amaranthaceæ_. Well known ornamental-leaved half-hardy
plants, with inconspicuous flowers in axillary heads. Some of the
undermentioned species and varieties belong, technically speaking, to
_Telanthera_, in which genus the five stamens are inseparate below, and
alternate with as many sterile filaments. They are so universally known
in gardening under the present generic name, that we have here included
them for convenience' sake. Where Alternantheras are used in large
quantities (and if they are to be used effectively, a considerable
number must be provided), their economical propagation becomes a matter
of importance. A good colour can only be secured by growing them in
some house or pit in the full light and warmth of the sun; for, unless
so grown, green or badly coloured plants will be the result. The best
and quickest way of producing this class of plants in large quantities,
is to make up a special hotbed for them about the end of March or
beginning of April. If a pit be used, it should be filled up within
6in. of the glass with leaves and manure, or any other material that
will produce a steady bottom heat of 80deg. or 85deg., and will last
for three weeks or so at that point; which, at this season, will be an
easy matter. When the heat has become regular and steady, about 4in. or
5in. of light, rich, sandy soil should be placed all over the surface,
adding, at the same time, a sprinkling of silver sand on the top, and
pressing it moderately firm with a flat board. The cuttings may now be
prepared and dibbled in, 1in. apart each way. If kept close, moist, and
shaded from bright sunshine, in a few days they will be forming roots,
and so soon as that takes place the shading should be discontinued, and
the ventilation gradually increased until they are finally hardened off
and planted out. If carefully lifted, and placed in trays or baskets,
with a rhubarb leaf over them, they may be taken any distance, and
planted without flagging; with this advantage-Âthat the plants being
in good colour, the beds are effective at once. April is early enough
to commence striking them, and these will be fit to plant out by the
middle of June. The several species quoted in various dictionaries
hitherto are unknown in English gardens.
=A. amabilis= (lovely).* _l._ elliptic, acuminate, greenish in
some stages, with the principal ribs stained with red, but under
free growth becoming almost entirely suffused with rose colour,
mixed with orange, the midribs continuing to be of a deep red hue.
Brazil, 1868.
=A. a. amÅna= (charming).* _l._ small, spathulate, orange red and
purple in colour, which is shaded with deep green and bronze.
Brazil, 1865. A most elegant little plant, with a spreading habit.
=A. a. tricolor= (three-coloured).* _l._ broadly ovate, glabrous,
dark green at the edge, and have a centre of vivid rose, traversed
by purple veins, an irregular band of orange yellow intervening
between the centre and margin. Brazil, 1862.
=A. Bettzichiana= (Bettzich's). _l._ olive and red. Brazil, 1862.
=A. B. spathulata= (spathulate-leaved). _l._ spathulate, but more
elongated than the others; the principal colours are reddish pink
and light brown; these are shaded with bronze and green. Brazil,
1865. A rather tall species.
=A. ficoidea= (fig-like).* _l._ variegated with green, rose, and
red. India, 1865.
=A. paronychioides= (Paronychia-like).* _l._ narrow, spathulate,
ground colour deep orange red, beautifully shaded with olive green.
Dense and compact grower, forming a little clump about 4in. high.
=A. p. magnifica= (magnificent).* A very fine variety, with a much
higher colour than the type.
=A. p. major= (greater).* _l._ bronze, with rich orange tips; very
effective.
=A. p. m. aurea= (greater-golden).* _l._ bright golden yellow,
which colour they retain all through the season.
=A. versicolor= (various-colour).* _l._ medium sized, ovate, bright
rosy pink and crimson, shaded with bronzy green, branching freely,
and making a compact and handsome plant. Brazil, 1865.
=ALTERNATE.= Placed on opposite sides of an axis on a different line,
as in alternate leaves.
=ALTHÃA= (from _altheo_, to cure; in reference to the medicinal
qualities of some of the species). Marsh Mallow. ORD. _Malvaceæ_. Hardy
biennials or perennials, closely allied to _Malva_. Outer calyx six
to nine-cleft, inner one five-cleft. Most species belonging to this
genus are worthy of cultivation, particularly in woods, coppices, and
shrubberies; they will thrive in almost any kind of soil. They may be
either increased by dividing the plants at the roots, or by seeds; the
biennial species must be raised from seed every year, which may be
sown in spring where they are intended to remain, or in pans placed in
a cold frame, from which the young plants may be removed when large
enough.
=A. cannabina= (Hemp-leaved).* _fl._ rose-coloured; peduncles
axillary, many-flowered, loose, longer than the leaves. June. _l._
pubescent, lower ones palmately-parted, upper ones three-parted;
lobes narrow, and grossly toothed. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. South France,
1597. Perennial.
=A. caribæa= (Caribean).* _fl._ rose coloured, with a yellow
base, solitary, almost sessile. March. _l._ cordate, roundish,
lobed, crenate-serrated. Stem straight, hispid. _h._ 3ft. Caribbee
Islands, 1816. Biennial.
=A. ficifolia= (fig-leaved). Antwerp Hollyhock. _fl._ generally
yellow or orange coloured, in terminal spikes, large, single or
double. June. _l._ divided beyond the middle into seven lobes;
lobes oblong, obtuse, irregularly toothed. _h._ 6ft. Siberia, 1597.
Biennial.
=A. flexuosa= (zigzag).* _fl._ scarlet, axillary, solitary,
stalked; petals obcordate. June. _l._ cordate, somewhat
seven-lobed, obtuse, on long footstalks. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. North
India, 1803. Perennial.
=A. frutex= (shrubby). Synonymous with _Hibiscus syriacus_.
=A. narbonensis= (Narbonne).* _fl._ pale red; peduncles
many-flowered, loose, longer than the leaves. August. _l._
pubescent, lower ones five or seven-lobed, upper ones three-lobed.
_h._ 3ft. to 6ft. France, 1780. Perennial.
[Illustration: FIG. 69. FLOWER AND BUDS OF ALTHÃA OFFICINALIS.]
=A. officinalis= (officinal). Common Marsh Mallow. _fl._ of a
delicate, uniform blush colour; peduncles axillary, many-flowered,
much shorter than the leaves. July. _l._ clothed with soft, white
tomentum on both surfaces, cordate or ovate, toothed, undivided, or
somewhat five-lobed. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Marshes, Britain. Perennial.
See Fig. 69.
=A. rosea= (rose).* Hollyhock. _fl._ rose-coloured, large,
axillary, sessile, somewhat spiked at the top. July. _l._ cordate,
with five or seven angles, crenated, rough. Stem straight, hairy.
_h._ 8ft. China, 1573. For special culture and varieties, _see_
=Hollyhock=.
=A. striata= (streaked). _fl._ white, 2-1/2in. in diameter,
solitary, on short pedicels; calyx striped. July. _l._ cordate,
bluntly three-lobed, crenated. Stem puberulous, and somewhat
scabrous. _h._ 5ft. Biennial.
=ALUMINOUS.= Pertaining to, or containing alum, or alumina; as
Aluminous soils.
=ALUM-ROOT.= _See_ =Heuchera=.
=ALYSSUM= (from _a_, not, and _lyssa_, rage; in reference to a fable
that the plant allayed anger). Madwort. Including _Psilonema_,
_Ptilotrichum_, _Schivereckia_. ORD. _Cruciferæ_. Annuals or dwarf,
branching, shrubby perennials, often clothed with hoary, stellate
hairs. Flowers small, cruciform, white or yellow. Leaves distant, or
the radical ones tufted, usually entire. Several of the species are
very much alike. They are excellent plants for the rockery, or for the
front of borders, growing freely in common but well-drained garden
soil. They may be increased by cuttings, by division of the roots, or
by seed. The cuttings should be made from young shoots, 2in. to 3in. in
length, inserted in sandy loam, early in the season, in a shady place.
Seed may be raised outside, or in a frame in pans in sandy soil, most
of them germinating in two or three weeks.
=A. alpestre= (alpine).* _fl._ yellow; raceme simple. June. _l._
obovate, hoary. Stem rather shrubby at the base, diffuse, greyish.
_h._ 3in. South Europe, 1777. Perennial. A very neat little tufted
species. _A. argenteum_ (silvery), _A. Bertolonii_ (Bertoloni's),
and _A. murale_ (wall), are larger growing species allied to the
above, but of less cultural merit.
[Illustration: FIG. 70. ALYSSUM SAXATILE.]
=A. a. obtusifolium= (obtuse-leaved). _fl._ yellow, corymbose.
June. _l._ obovate-spathulate, blunt, silvery on the under surface.
_h._ 3in. Tauria, 1828. A rare alpine.
[Illustration: FIG. 71. ALYSSUM SAXATILE VARIEGATUM, showing Flower and
Habit.]
=A. atlanticum= (Atlantic). _fl._ yellow; raceme simple. June.
_l._ lanceolate, hoary, and pilose. Stems shrubby at the base,
erect. _h._ 6in. to 1ft. S. Europe, 1820. _A. Marschallianum_ is
intermediate between _A. alpestre_ and _A. a. obtusifolium_; but is
seldom met with under cultivation.
=A. gemonense= (German).* _fl._ yellow, in close corymbs. April to
June. _l._ lanceolate, entire, greyish-velvety from stellate down.
Stem shrubby at the base. _h._ 1ft. Italy, 1710. Closely allied to
_A. saxatile_, but not so hardy; it is very desirable for rockeries.
=A. macrocarpum= (large-fruited). _fl._ white, racemose. June. _l._
oblong, blunt, silvery. Stem shrubby, branched, somewhat spiny.
_h._ 8in. South of France, 1828. _A. spinosa_ (thorny), and _A.
halimifolia_ (purslane-leaved), are very like this species. _A.
dasycarpum_ (thick-fruited) is an annual with yellow flowers.
=A. maritimum.= _See_ =KÅniga=.
=A. montanum= (mountain). _fl._ yellow, sweet-scented; raceme
simple. May to July. _l._ somewhat hoary; lower ones obovate;
upper ones oblong. Stems rather herbaceous, diffuse, pubescent.
_h._ 2in. or 3in. Europe, 1713. A distinct and charming species
for the rockery, forming compact tufts of slightly glaucous green.
_A. cuneifolium_ (wedge-leaved), _A. diffusum_ (diffuse), and _A.
Wulfenianum_ (Wulfenius') come close to this species, the latter
being the most desirable.
=A. olympicum= (Olympian). _fl._ deep yellow, small, in roundish
corymbose heads. Summer. _l._ spathulate, sessile, very small,
greyish. _h._ 2in. to 3in. Northern Greece.
=A. orientale= (Oriental).* _fl._ yellow, corymbose. May. _l._
lanceolate, repandly-toothed, waved, downy. Stems suffruticose at
the base. _h._ 1ft. Crete, 1820. There is a variety with variegated
leaves.
=A. saxatile= (rock).* _fl._ yellow, in close corymbose heads.
April. _l._ lanceolate, entire, clothed with hoary tomentum. Stems
shrubby at the base. _h._ 1ft. Eastern Europe, 1710. A very common
and showy spring plant. See Fig. 70.
[Illustration: FIG. 72. FLOWER SPIKE OF AMARANTHUS CAUDATUS.]
=A. s. variegatum= (variegated).* A constant and prettily
variegated form, which is even more handsome than the type. On
the rockery it does well, as it requires a sunny, well drained,
position. See Fig. 71.
=A. serpyllifolium= (Thyme-leaved).* _fl._ pale yellow, in simple
racemes. April to June. _l._ very small, 1/4in. to 1/2in. long,
ovate, scabrous, hoary. _h._ 3in. to 4in. Branches spreading,
sub-woody at the base. South Europe, 1822.
=A. tortuosum= (twisted). _fl._ yellow; raceme corymbose. June.
_l._ hoary, somewhat lanceolate. Stem shrubby at the base, twisted,
diffuse. _h._ 6in. Hungary, 1804.
=A. Wiersbeckii= (Wiersbeck's).* _fl._ deep yellow, in close
corymbose heads, about 1-1/2in. across. Summer. _l._ 2in. long,
oval-oblong-pointed, sessile, attenuated at the base, roughish and
hairy. Stems erect, scabrous, simple, rigid. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Asia
Minor.
=AMARANTHACEÃ.= An extensive order of herbs or (rarely) shrubs, with
opposite or alternate leaves, and inconspicuous apetalous flowers,
which are spicately or capitately disposed. The majority of this order
are weeds; well-known exceptions being many species of _Amaranthus_.
=AMARANTH, GLOBE.= _See_ =Gomphrena=.
[Illustration: FIG. 73. FLOWER SPIKE OF AMARANTHUS HYPOCHONDRIACUS.]
=AMARANTHUS= (from _a_, not, and _maraino_, to wither; in reference
to the length of time some of the flowers retain their colour). ORD.
_Amaranthaceæ_. Hardy or half-hardy annuals, with alternate entire
leaves and small green or red flowers in large bracteate clustered
spikes. Flowers polygamous, furnished with three bracts at the base
of a three or five-lobed glabrous perianth. Stamens four or five. Of
very easy culture; they thrive best in rich loamy soil, and are largely
employed for sub-tropical and other bedding, for vases and conservatory
decorations, being very ornamental. The seed should be sown in April in
a hotbed, and the plants thinned out in the same situation when about
1/2in. high. About the end of May, they can be transplanted out of
doors in their permanent situations. They are also very handsome when
grown in pots. The young plants should be potted off early, and freely
encouraged, allowing plenty of pot-room and moisture, and be kept near
the glass, to bring out their brightest colouring. To develop their
full beauty, plenty of room is required. There are about twelve species
(indigenous to warm and tropical countries).
=A. bicolor= (two-coloured). _l._ green, variously streaked with
light yellow. _h._ 2ft. India, 1802. This species is rather
delicate, and must have a warm sunny situation.
=A. b. ruber= (red).* _l._ brilliant glistening scarlet, merging
into a dark violet red, mixed with green. Hardier than the type.
=A. caudatus= (caudate).* Love Lies Bleeding. _fl._ dark
purplish, collected in numerous whorls, which are disposed in
handsome drooping spikes. August. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. India, 1596.
A very common and vigorous growing hardy annual. There is a
yellowish-flowered variety, which, though less ornamental, is an
effective contrast. See Fig. 72.
=A. cruentus= (dark bloody). Synonymous with _A. hypochondriacus_.
=A. Henderi= (Hender's). _l._ lanceolate, undulated, intense rosy
carmine, varying with orange buff, golden yellow, and olive green.
_h._ 3ft. A garden hybrid, closely allied to _A. salicifolius_.
Pyramidal habit.
=A. hypochondriacus= (hypochondriac).* Prince's Feather. _fl._
deep crimson, on densely packed, erect spikes. July. _l._ purplish
beneath. _h._ 4ft. to 5ft. Asiatic, 1684. SYN. _A. cruentus_. See
Fig. 73.
=A. h. atropurpureus= (dark purple).* An improved variety of above.
=A. melancholicus ruber= (melancholy-red).* _h._ about 1ft. Japan.
A compact growing variety, with large shaded crimson leaves.
Largely used for bedding purposes.
=A. salicifolius= (willow-leaved).* _l._ 7in. to 15in. long,
willow-shaped, linear, and wavy, which, by their drooping outline,
present a very elegant and effective appearance. When fully grown,
the leaves are brilliantly banded and tipped with orange, carmine,
and bronze. _h._ 3ft. Philippine Isles, 1871.
=A. s. Princess of Wales.=* _l._ carmine, orange green, and bright
yellow, beautifully blended. _h._ 3ft. A garden hybrid.
=A. sanguineus= (bloody). _fl._ purple, disposed partly in small
heads in the axils of the upper leaves, and partly in slender,
flexible spikes, which form a more or less branching panicle. July.
_l._ blood red. _h._ 3ft. Bahama, 1775.
[Illustration: FIG. 74. AMARANTHUS TRICOLOR.]
=A. speciosus= (showy).* _fl._ dark crimson purple, disposed in
large erect spikes, forming a fine plumy panicle. July. _l._
suffused with a reddish tinge, which disappears at the time of
flowering. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft. Nepaul, 1819.
=A. s. aureus= (golden). _fl._ of a fine brownish-golden hue. Very
effective when grown in masses.
=A. tricolor= (three-coloured).* _l._ of a fine, transparent,
purplish-red or dark carmine from the base to the middle; a large
spot of bright yellow occupies the greater part of the upper end of
the leaf; point generally green; leafstalks yellow. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
East Indies, 1548. See Fig. 74. There are several garden varieties
of this species, requiring a somewhat warmer situation.
=AMARYLLIDEÃ.= A large and important order of usually bulbous plants,
sometimes with a stem. Flowers solitary, umbellate, or paniculate;
perianth superior, six-lobed, often with a corona at the top of
the tube. Leaves ensiform or linear. This order contains many
very beautiful genera, including _Agave_, _Amaryllis_, _Crinum_,
_Hæmanthus_, _Hippeastrum_, _Narcissus_, _Pancratium_, and several
others.
=AMARYLLIS= (from _Amaryllis_, the name of a country-woman mentioned
by Theocritus and Virgil). ORD. _Amaryllideæ_. Half-hardy or hardy,
deciduous, bulbous plants. Flowers large, sweet-scented, pedicelled;
spathe two-leaved; umbels few-flowered; perianth with a very short
tube, funnel-shaped, six-parted, sub-regular or irregular; segments
many-nerved, broad, undulate, spreading somewhat at the apices;
stamens at the summit of the tube, unequal, declined; anthers fixed
by the middle, incumbent, curved into a circular arch after bursting;
style declined; stigma thickened, sub-three-lobed; scape tall, solid,
compressed. Capsule obovate; seeds globose, fleshy. Leaves appearing
at a different season from the scapes, numerous, strap-shaped. The
following genera are sometimes arranged hereunder, but in this work are
treated separately: _Brunsvigia_, _Crinum_, _Hippeastrum_, _Nerine_,
_Sprekelia_, _Sternbergia_, _Vallota_, _Zephyranthes_. Warm, dry, and
well-drained positions in front of hothouses, or at the base of south
or south-west walls, are the most suitable sites for _A. Belladonna_
and its varieties. The soil should be composed of good, fibrous loam,
leaf mould, and sand, in equal parts. Insert the bulbs 6in. to 8in.
deep, and surround with sand, after which they may be covered with
the compost, which should be pressed firmly about them; they should
not be again disturbed for years, when they will ultimately establish
themselves, and produce grand masses of blossom. The best time to
plant a fresh stock is June or July, when they commence root-action,
before the flower-stems are sent up. In their growing season, and in
dry weather, an occasional soaking of clear water, or liquid manure,
will be greatly beneficial. The extremely ornamental plants now
largely grown, and frequently classed as _Amaryllis_ in nurserymen's
catalogues, belong to the genus _Hippeastrum_. For pot-culture of the
Belladonna Lily, _see_ =Hippeastrum=.
[Illustration: FIG. 75. AMARYLLIS BELLADONNA, showing Habit at
Flowering Season.]
=A. Belladonna.=* Belladonna Lily. This splendid species is very
variable, both in the size and colour of the flowers, frequently
producing variously-shaded flowers, from almost white to a reddish
or purplish hue. Autumn. West Indies, 1712. See Fig. 75. The leaves
and flowers are not produced together. In Fig. 76 they are both
shown in the same illustration for economy of space.
=A. B. pallida= (pale).* A pale-coloured variety. _h._ 2ft.
=AMASONIA= (named in honour of Thomas Amason, one of the earlier
American travellers). SYN. _Taligalea_. ORD. _Verbenaceæ_. A
genus comprising six species (which may be reduced to four) of
stove sub-shrubs, natives of tropical America. Flowers yellow or
sulphur-coloured, racemose or panicled; calyx five-cleft; corolla
five-cleft, sub-bilabiate. Leaves alternate, toothed or rarely entire.
For culture of the only species introduced, _see_ =Clerodendron=.
=A. punicea= (reddish-brown). _fl._ yellow, with pretty, brownish
bracts; peduncles once or twice trifid, cymose or one-flowered.
May and June. _l._ slender, 3in. to 2in. long, oblong- or
elliptic-lanceolate, shortly acuminate, unequally toothed. Stem
erect, simple or slightly branched. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Brazil, 1884.
=AMATEUR.= This term is usually meant to refer to one who has a taste
for a particular pursuit, and who is, in a pecuniary point of view,
independent of it. An Amateur gardener is one who rears and grows his
plants, and cultivates his garden, for his own amusement--for mere love
of horticulture.
[Illustration: FIG. 76. AMARYLLIS BELLADONNA, showing Bulb and Flower
Spike.]
=AMBER, SWEET.= _See_ =Hypericum Androsæmum=.
=AMBER-TREE.= _See_ =Anthospermum=.
=AMBROSINIA= (commemorative of Professor Giacinti Ambrosini, of
Bologna). ORD. _Aroideæ_ (_Araceæ_). A curious, half-hardy, tuberous
perennial, thriving in any light soil, with protection in winter.
Increased by seeds, and by divisions. The former should be sown, as
soon as ripe, in a cool house; and the latter should be made just
previous to new growth in spring.
=A. Bassii= (Bass's).* _fl._, spathes prolonged into a long tail,
and a tongue-shaped spadix, with the male flowers on one side, and
so placed as to preclude the access of pollen to the stigma on
the other side of the spathe, save by insect agency. _l._ oblong,
stalked. _h._ 4in. Corsica, Sardinia, 1879.
=AMBURY=, or =ANBURY=. The name given to galls of small Weevils
(_Ceuthorhynchus sulcicollis_) which appear on the roots of
Cabbages and Turnips, as well as of the Wild Mustard, and of other
weeds belonging to the genus _Brassica_. The galls form swellings
individually about the size of split peas, but often two or more are
joined to form considerable masses. In each is a space inclosing a
white grub. Anbury is usually not very hurtful. It is quite distinct
from Clubbing. The galled roots should be collected, before the grubs
emerge, and burned.
=AMELANCHIER= (Savoy name of the Medlar, to which this genus is closely
allied). TRIBE _Pomaceæ_ of ORD. _Rosaceæ_. Hardy, deciduous shrubs
or small trees, with racemes of white flowers, and simple, serrated
leaves; bracteas linear-lanceolate. Pome, when mature, three to
five-celled. They are of easy cultivation, in a somewhat rich, loamy
soil, and are propagated by layers or cuttings, in autumn, in sheltered
situations; by seeds, and by grafting, in early spring, on the Hawthorn
or the Quince, or the weaker on the stronger-growing species.
=A. canadensis= (Canadian).* Grape Pear. _fl._ white. April. Pome
purple. _l._ oblong-elliptic, cuspidate, when young rather villous,
but at length glabrous. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. Canada, 1746. A very
ornamental tree, having a profusion of flowers in early spring, and
rich autumnal foliage. SYN. _Pyrus Botryapium_.
=A. c. florida= (flowery).* _fl._ white, numerous, in upright
racemes. May. Pome purple. _l._ oblong, obtuse at both ends,
coarsely serrate in the terminal portion, glabrous in every state.
_h._ 10ft. to 20ft. North America, 1826.
=A. c. ovalis= (oval-leaved). _fl._ white; racemes pressed
together. April. _l._ roundish-elliptic, acute when rather young,
velvety beneath, glabrous when mature. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. North
America, 1800.
=A. c. parvifolia= (small-leaved). This has a dwarfer habit, and
shorter leaves, than the type.
=A. sanguinea=, (bloody). _fl._ white; racemes capitate. April.
Pome blackish-purple. _l._ oblong, rounded at both ends, sharply
serrated, always naked. _h._ 4ft. to 8ft. North America, 1800. This
form differs principally from _A. canadensis_ in the fewer flowers,
much shorter raceme, and shorter, broader, and more ovate petals.
=A. vulgaris= (common).* _fl._ white. April. Pome darkish-purple.
_l._ roundish-oval, bluntish, pubescent beneath, at length
glabrous. _h._ 3ft. to 9ft. Europe, 1596. A desirable shrub,
producing an abundance of flowers. SYN. _Mespilus Amelanchier_.
=AMELLUS= (a name employed by Virgil for a blue, Aster-looking plant
growing on the banks of the river Mella). ORD. _Compositæ_. Pretty,
branched, ascending or diffuse, perennial herbs. Flowers in solitary
heads. Leaves hairy, lower ones opposite, upper alternate. Of very easy
culture, in ordinary garden soil. Increased by divisions, or cuttings,
inserted under glass, in spring.
=A. Lychnitis= (Lychnitis). _fl.-heads_ violet, solitary, terminal,
and lateral. June. _l._ linear, lanceolate, entire, hoary. _h._
6in. Cape of Good Hope. Evergreen, greenhouse trailer.
=AMENTUM.= A catkin. A deciduous spike of unisexual, apetalous flowers.
=AMERICAN ALMOND.= _See_ =Brabejum=.
=AMERICAN ALOE.= _See_ =Agave americana=.
=AMERICAN BLIGHT=, or =WOOLLY APHIS= (_Schizoneura lanuginosa_). The
white, cottony-looking matter which is found upon the bark of the Apple
and other trees of a similar nature, belongs to a species of Aphis,
which has short legs: the females are wingless, while the males are
winged; the latter appear in July and August. The insects belong to
a group of Aphides unprovided with honey tubes on the hinder part of
the body, and in which the third vein of the front wing shows only one
fork The woolly coating also distinguishes them from true Aphides. The
Blight is said to have been imported from America in 1787, but this is
uncertain.
As these insects get into the cracks and under the bark of trees, they
are hard to dislodge. The injury inflicted is not apparent for some
time; but, in process of time, large, cankerous wounds are produced,
which gradually (with the aid of the insects) destroy the branches, and
render the tree useless. If young trees are attacked, they are rendered
valueless in a very short time. The insects hide in crevices of the
bark of the trees each autumn, and remain dormant during the winter,
ascending to their old quarters as the weather becomes warm. Trees
which are covered with moss and lichens probably serve as places for
hybernation; hence, it is desirable to remove such hiding-places, as
well as all pieces of dead bark. To their being left may be frequently
attributed the severe attacks of Blight experienced where they exist
on trees. So soon as the cottony substance makes its appearance, one
of the following remedies should be applied, and, if persisted in for
a few seasons, the trees will be quite cleared.
_Brushing and Scraping._ In winter, the trees should be thoroughly
cleaned; and, so long as there is a chance of the insects being in the
bark, all loose pieces, moss, &c., should be brushed off, and the parts
affected should be thoroughly saturated with a strong solution of soft
soap or of soft soap and lime-water, applied with a stiff brush, so as
to enter all the crevices.
_Gas Liquor._ This is the ammoniacal liquor from gas works. It must be
diluted with from eight to twelve times its bulk of water, or it is
dangerous to the trees; in fact, after dilution, it is advisable to
test it, previous to using to any great extent. As the woolly covering
of the insects resists water, it is desirable that the liquor be
applied with a brush, and forced amongst the Blight.
_Infusion of Tobacco Leaves_ (1/2lb. to 1 gallon) kills the insects on
shoots dipped into it.
_Paraffin or Petroleum._ This is a simple and useful remedy. Obtain a
painter's half-worn sash-tool, free from paint, and just moisten it
in the oil. Then brush out each infested place as often as the Blight
appears, and in one season the trees will be cleared.
_Spent Tan._ Collect spent tan into a heap a month or two before it is
to be used, and if it has heated well and rotted, so much the better.
In winter, clear away all leaves, rubbish, grass, &c., and spread the
tan at the rate of about thirty loads to the acre, taking care that it
surrounds the base of each tree infested with Blight. Practical proof
of its utility has been given.
_Turpentine and other Spirits._ The mode of applying these is the same
as for paraffin, but they frequently injure the bark, and sometimes
kill young trees.
To kill insects on the roots, it is well to clear away the soil as
far as possible from them, and to saturate the place with soapsuds or
ammoniacal solutions; soot, quicklime, or other applications to the
soil would also prove useful.
Other remedies that have been suggested are the drainings of stables,
and grafting-clay plastered over the bark.
=AMERICAN CENTAURY.= _See_ =Sabbatia=.
=AMERICAN CHINA ROOT.= _See_ =Smilax=.
=AMERICAN COWSLIP.= _See_ =Dodecatheon=.
=AMERICAN CRANBERRY.= _See_ =Oxycoccus macrocarpus=.
=AMERICAN CRESS.= _See_ =Barbarea=.
=AMERICAN DEWBERRY.= _see_ =Rubus canadensis=.
=AMERICAN GOOSEBERRY.= _See_ =Pereskia aculeata=.
=AMERICAN GREAT LAUREL.= _See_ =Rhododendron maximum=.
=AMERICAN HIGH BLACKBERRY.= A common name for =Rubus villosus= (which
_see_).
=AMERICAN MANDRAKE.= _See_ =Podophyllum peltatum=.
=AMERICAN MOUNTAIN ASH.= _See_ =Pyrus americana=.
=AMERICAN PLANTS=. This term includes _Rhododendron_, _Azalea_, and
several others of similar habit and constitution; indeed, any hardy,
flowering shrubs requiring a moist peat border.
=AMERICAN SPANISH OAK.= _See_ =Quercus falcata=.
=AMERICAN SWAMP LILY.= _See_ =Saururus cernuus=.
=AMERICAN WHITE OAK.= _See_ =Quercus alba=.
=AMERICAN WILD BLACK CURRANT.= _See_ =Ribes floridum=.
=AMERICAN WILD RED RASPBERRY.= _See_ =Rubus strigosus=.
=AMERIMNON= (from _a_, privative, and _merinna_, care; in allusion
to the little attention the plant requires; name originally applied
to the House-leek). SYN. _Amerimnum_. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Ornamental,
evergreen, stove shrubs, with alternate, stalked, ovate, somewhat
cordate, simple leaves. For culture, _see_ =Anona=.
=A. Brownei= (Browne's).* _fl._ white, sweet-scented; peduncles
axillary, ten-flowered, glabrous or puberulous. May. _l._ ovate,
somewhat cordate, acute, glabrous. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. Jamaica,
1793. Requires a trellis or other support.
=A. strigulosum= (strigulose). _fl._ white; racemes axillary,
solitary, three times longer than the petioles. May. _l._ ovate,
rather cordate, obtuse, clothed with adpressed hairs on both
surfaces; branches and petioles clothed with light brown, dense,
short hairs. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. Trinidad, 1817.
=AMERIMNUM.= A synonym of =Amerimnon= (which _see_).
=AMHERSTIA= (commemorative of Countess Amherst, a zealous promoter of
natural history, particularly botany). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A stove,
evergreen tree of almost unsurpassed magnificence and brilliancy,
requiring a very high and moist temperature. It delights in a rich,
strong loam, and may be propagated by cuttings of the half-ripened
wood, inserted in sand, under a glass in bottom heat of about 80deg.;
also by seeds.
=A. nobilis= (noble).* _fl._ of a fine vermilion colour,
diversified with yellow spots, large; racemes long, pendulous,
axillary. May. _l._ large, impari-pinnate, bearing six to eight
pairs of leaflets. _h._ 30ft. to 40ft. India, 1837. The flowers
are, unfortunately, somewhat ephemeral, lasting but a few days in
perfection, during which period, however, no object in the whole
range of the vegetable kingdom presents a more striking aspect than
this tree.
=AMICIA= (commemorative of J. B. Amici, a celebrated French physician).
ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A pretty, greenhouse or half-hardy perennial,
succeeding in any warm, sheltered spot. Young cuttings will root in
sand, under a hand glass, in heat.
=A. Zygomeris= (two-jointed-podded).* _fl._ yellow, splashed with
purple on the keel; peduncles axillary, five or six-flowered.
Autumn. Legumes with two joints. _l._ abruptly pinnate, with two
pairs of cuneate-obcordate, mucronate leaflets, which are full of
pellucid dots; branches and petioles pubescent. _h._ 8ft. Mexico,
1826.
=AMMOBIUM= (from _ammos_, sand, and _bio_, to live; in reference to the
sandy soil in which it is found). ORD. _Compositæ_. This well-known
everlasting is closely allied to _Gnaphalium_, from which it differs
principally in habit. Receptacle with oblong, pointed, toothed, chaffy
scales; involucre of imbricated leaflets. It may be treated as a
half-hardy annual, or as a biennial, if seeds are sown in September and
kept in a cool greenhouse during the winter, and this is the best way
to grow it. Any moderately good soil suits it.
=A. alatum= (winged). _fl.-heads_ about 1in. across, of a silvery
whiteness, with the exception of the yellow disk florets, very
numerous, in loose, corymbose panicles. May to September. _l._
oblong-lanceolate; radical ones in a tufted rosette. Stems
winged--hence the specific name. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. New Holland,
1822. See Fig. 77.
=A. a. grandiflorum= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ purer white,
nearly twice the size of those in the type. This variety, which
comes true from seed, is a great acquisition.
=AMMOCHARIS.= _See_ =Brunsvigia=.
=AMMODENDRON= (from _ammos_, sand, and _dendron_, a tree; in reference
to its natural habitat). SYN. _Sophora_. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A small,
neat, hardy evergreen, silky shrub, having the petioles hardening into
spines; an excellent subject for shrubberies. It thrives in an ordinary
soil, with good drainage, and is propagated by layers and seeds.
=A. Sieversii= (Sievers').* _fl._ purple, disposed in racemes.
June. _l._ bifoliolate; leaflets lanceolate, silky-white on both
surfaces. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Siberia, 1837.
=AMMYRSINE.= _See_ =Leiophyllum=.
=AMOMOPHYLLUM.= _See_ =Spathiphyllum=.
[Illustration: FIG. 77. INFLORESCENCE OF AMMOBIUM ALATUM.]
=AMOMUM= (from _a_, not, and _momos_, impurity; in reference to
the quality of counteracting poison). ORD. _Zingiberaceæ_. Stove,
deciduous, herbaceous perennials, chiefly aromatic, formerly used in
embalming. Flowers produced close to the ground, in spikes or clusters,
bracteate. Leaves distichous, sheathing at the base, lanceolate,
entire. For culture, _see_ =Alpinia=.
=A. angustifolium= (narrow-leaved).* _fl._ sometimes of a uniform
chrome-yellow, sometimes crimson, with the labellum of a yellow
colour, more or less pale, and sometimes entirely crimson; scape
naked, from 3in. to 8in. in length; spike capitate. July. _l._
linear-lanceolate. _h._ 8ft. Madagascar.
=A. Cardamomum= (Cardamom).* _fl._ brownish; lip three-lobed,
spurred; scape compound, flexuous, procumbent. August. _h._ 8ft.
East Indies, 1823.
=A. Danielli= (Daniel's). _fl._ 4in. across; outer sepals fine red;
the spreading labellum whitish, tinged with rose and yellow; scape
short, arising from the bottom of the stem. _l._ oblong-lanceolate,
9in. long. _h._ 2-1/2ft. Western Africa.
=A. grandiflorum= (large-flowered). _fl._ white, numerous, close;
spike short. June. _l._ elliptic-lanceolate, pointed. _h._ 3ft.
Sierra Leone, 1795.
=A. Granum Paradisi.=* Grains of Paradise. _fl._ white, tinged with
yellow and rose. _l._ elliptic-lanceolate, long-pointed. Stems very
red at base, and dull purplish-red above from the long, sheathing
leafstalks. _h._ 3ft. West Africa.
=A. Melegueta= (Melegueta).* Grains of Paradise. _fl._ pale pink,
solitary, with an orbicular, irregularly toothed lip. May. _l._
narrow, linear-elliptic, distichous, sessile. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
Sierra Leone, 1869. Habit creeping.
=A. sceptrum= (sceptre). _fl._ bright rose purple, large,
sub-erect; the most conspicuous portion is the lip, which is
2-1/2in. in diameter; flower-scapes 6in. high. January. _l._
narrow, oblong-lanceolate. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. Old Calabar, 1863.
=A. vitellinum= (yolk-of-egg-coloured). _fl._ yellow; lip oblong,
obtuse, toothed; spike oblong, sessile, rather loose. April. _l._
oval. _h._ 2ft. East Indies, 1846. Plant stemless, glabrous.
=AMORPHA= (from _a_, not, and _morphe_, form; incomplete formation
of the flowers). Bastard Indigo. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A handsome genus
of hardy deciduous shrubs with very graceful impari-pinnate leaves,
and many pairs of leaflets, which are full of pellucid dots. Racemes
spicate, elongated, usually in fascicles at the tops of the branches;
corolla without wings and keel; vexillum or standard ovate, concave.
They are well adapted for small shrubberies, requiring a sheltered
situation, and thrive well in common garden soil. Increased by layers,
or cuttings, taken off at a joint, and planted in a sheltered situation
early in autumn; these should be allowed to remain undisturbed till the
following autumn. Amorphas produce an abundance of suckers, from which
they may be readily propagated.
=A. canescens= (hoary).* The Lead Plant. _fl._ dark blue. July.
_l._, leaflets ovate-elliptic, mucronate. _h._ 3ft. Missouri, 1812.
Whole plant clothed with hoary hairs.
=A. fruticosa= (shrubby).* The False Indigo. _fl._ very dark bluish
purple. June. _l._, leaflets elliptic-oblong; lower ones distant
from the stem. _h._ 6ft. Carolina, 1724. Shrub glabrous, or a
little villous. There are several varieties, having mucronate,
emarginate, or narrower leaflets, but all with purple flowers. A
host of names, representing the merest forms of _A. fruticosa_,
are to be found in nurserymen's catalogues. Amongst them are:
_caroliniana_, _crocea_, _crocea-lanata_, _dealbata_, _fragrans_,
_glabra_, _herbacea_, _nana_, _pubescens_, &c. These differ so
slightly from the type and from each other, that it is impossible
to distinguish them.
=AMORPHOPHALLUS= (from _amorphos_, deformed, and _phallos_, a
mace; alluding to the inflorescence). SYN. _Pythion_. Including
_Proteinophallus_. ORD. _Aroideæ (Araceæ)_. A very remarkable genus,
closely allied to _Arum_, but distinguished therefrom by "their
spreading, not convolute, spathes; by their anthers opening by pores,
not by longitudinal slits; by the numerous cells to the ovary; and by
the solitary, erect ovules, those of _Arum_ being horizontal." A soil
consisting of two-thirds good rich loam, with the additional third of
sweet manure, thoroughly rotted, suits them well. Other essentials are
plenty of pot room, a genial atmosphere, and a temperature ranging from
55deg. to 65deg., or even 70deg. They require to be kept dry, and warm
in winter, as nothing is more fatal to them than cold or damp. Beneath
a shelf or stage in the stove is an excellent spot for them, or they
may be stored in sand, and kept free from frost. They are difficult to
increase; the corms of most of them are of great size, and rarely make
offsets. Efforts should consequently be made to induce the plants to
seed whenever practicable. All the species are strikingly effective in
sub-tropical bedding. For fertilising and growth of seedlings, _see_
=Arum=.
=A. campanulatus= (bell-shaped).* Similar to _A. Rivieri_, but the
flowers are brown, red, and black, and the scape is neither so
stout nor so tall. _h._ 2ft. India, 1817. SYN. _Arum campanulatum_.
=A. grandis= (large). _fl._, spathe green, white inside; spadix
purplish. _h._ 3ft. Java, 1865. Stove species.
=A. Lacourii= (Lacour's).* _l._ pedatisect, the ultimate segments
lanceolate, yellow-spotted; petioles transversely mottled with
yellow markings. Cochin China, 1879. Greenhouse. The correct name
of this species is _Pseudodracontium Lacourii_.
=A. nivosus.= _See_ =Dracontium asperum=.
=A. Rivieri= (Rivier's).* _fl._, spadix, spathe, and scape,
reaching 3ft. or more in height, appearing before the leaves; scape
stout and strong, of a deep green colour, speckled or dotted with
rose; spadix projecting, deep red; spathe of a rosy-green colour.
March to May. _l._ solitary, decompound, 40in. to 50in. across,
on tall marbled petioles. Cochin China. Perhaps the most useful
species. SYN. _Proteinophallus Rivieri_. See Fig. 78.
[Illustration: FIG. 78. AMORPHOPHALLUS RIVIERI, Foliage and
Inflorescence.]
=A. Titanum= (Titan's).* _fl._, spadix 5ft. high, black purple;
spathe nearly 3ft. in diameter, campanulate in shape, with patent
and deeply toothed edges. The deeper portion of the interior is
pale greenish, but the limb is of a bright black purple hue; the
outside is pale green, smooth in the lower portion, but thickly
corrugated and crisp above; scape about 1-1/2ft. long, green,
marked with small whitish orbicular spots. _l._ the divided blade
covers an area of 45ft. in circumference. West Sumatra, 1878.
As will be seen from the above, this extraordinary plant is of
gigantic proportions, and, in size of the flowers, eclipsing nearly
all others in the vegetable kingdom. SYN. _Conophallus Titanum_.
=AMORPHOUS.= Without definite form.
=AMPELOPSIS= (from _ampelos_, a vine, and _opsis_, resemblance;
resembling the Grape Vine in habit, and to which it is closely allied).
SYN. _Quinaria_. ORD. _Ampelideæ_. A genus nearly allied to _Vitis_.
Calyx slightly five toothed; petals concave, thick, expanding before
they fall; disk none. Fast growing and ornamental climbing, hardy
deciduous shrubs, of very easy culture in common garden soil. Cuttings,
having a good eye, may be taken in September, and pricked either under
handlights in sandy soil on the open border, or in pots stood on the
stage or shelf in a greenhouse; they root readily, and will be fit for
transplanting early in the spring. Or cuttings made from the young
soft wood, expressly grown for the purpose, in spring, root freely in
gentle heat. This applies especially to _A. tricuspidata_. They are
also easily increased by layers. Most of the species will thrive with
equal vigour in almost any position, however exposed.
=A. aconitifolia= (Aconite-leaved).* _l._ palmisect, with
pinnatifid segments. China, 1868. A slender and very elegant
free-growing species, with long reddish branches. There are two or
more varieties. SYNS. _A. lucida_, _A. triloba_, _A. tripartita_,
and _Vitis dissecta_. See Fig. 79.
=A. bipinnata= (bipinnate). _fl._ green, small; raceme stalked,
twice bifid. Berries globose. June. _l._ bipinnate, smooth;
leaflets deeply lobed. _h._ 10ft. Virginia, 1700.
=A. hederacea= (Ivy-leaved). Synonymous with _A. quinquefolia_.
=A. japonica= (Japanese). Synonymous with _A. tricuspidata_.
=A. lucida= (shining). Synonymous with _A. aconitifolia_.
=A. napiformis= (turnip-like).* Greenish. China, 1870. See Fig. 80.
=A. quinquefolia= (five-leaved).* Virginian Creeper. _fl._
greenish-purple; raceme corymbose. June. _l._ palmate, with three
and five leaflets, smooth on both surfaces; leaflets stalked,
oblong-acuminated, mucronately toothed; autumnal tint red. North
America, 1629. SYN. _A. hederacea_.
=A. q. hirsuta= (hairy). _l._ downy on both surfaces.
=A. serjaniæfolia= (Serjania-leaved).* _l._ green, palmately
five-parted, or the upper ones three-parted, the intermediate
division being often ternate or pinnate; leaflets obovate acute,
and incisely toothed or sublobate; the rachis is articulately
winged. Japan, 1867. SYNS. _A. tuberosa_, _Cissus viticifolia_.
Roots tuberous; see Fig. 81.
[Illustration: FIG. 79. STEM AND LEAVES OF AMPELOPSIS ACONITIFOLIA.]
=A. tricuspidata= (three-pointed).* _l._ very variable in shape;
younger ones almost entire; older ones larger, roundish-cordate,
divided to the middle into three deltoid lobes, which run into
little tails, and are coarsely toothed at the margin. Japan, 1868.
SYNS. _A. Veitchii_, _Vitis japonica_ (of gardens).
=A. triloba= (three-lobed). A synonym of _A. aconitifolia_.
=A. tripartita= (three-parted). A synonym of _A. aconitifolia_.
=A. tuberosa= (tuberous). A synonym of _A. serjaniæfolia_.
=A. Veitchii= (Veitch's). A synonym of _A. tricuspidata_.
=AMPHIBLEMMA CYMOSUM.= _See_ =Melastoma corymbosum=.
=AMPHIBLESTRA.= Included under =Pteris= (which _see_).
=AMPHICARPÃA= (from _amphi_, both, and _karpos_, a fruit; in
allusion to the two kinds of pods--those of the upper flowers being
scimitar-shaped, three or four-seeded; those of the lower, pear-shaped,
fleshy, usually ripening but one seed; these lower pods bury themselves
in the ground after fertilisation). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A genus of
ornamental annuals, with herbaceous, twining stems, and sometimes
apetalous flowers, allied to _Wistaria_. The species are of easy
culture. Seeds should be sown in the open border, in spring, in a sunny
situation.
=A. monoica= (monÅcious). Hog Pea-nut. _fl._ with a pale violet
vexillum, and white keel and wings; racemes axillary, pendulous.
June to August. _l._ pinnately-trifoliate; leaflets ovate,
glabrous. North America. 1781.
[Illustration: FIG. 80. TUBERS AND LEAF OF AMPELOPSIS NAPIFORMIS.]
[Illustration: FIG. 81. ROOTS OF AMPELOPSIS SERJANIÃFOLIA.]
=AMPHICOME= (from _amphi_, on both sides, and _kome_, a head of hair;
in reference to the seeds being furnished with a tuft of hairs at
both ends). ORD. _Bignoniaceæ_. Flowers axillary or terminal. Leaves
alternate, unequally pinnate. Very ornamental greenhouse or half-hardy
rock herbaceous plants. If planted outside, they must be protected
during the winter from wet and severe frosts. A mixture of loam, sand,
and leaf soil suits them well. Increased by striking the young shoots
in spring in sandy soil in gentle heat; or by seed, which should be
sown in early spring, in pots of sandy soil placed in a greenhouse.
=A. arguta= (finely-cut).* _fl._ red, drooping; racemes axillary,
terminal; corolla tubular near the base, ventricose above. August.
_l._ alternate, impari-pinnate; leaflets opposite, on short
petioles, three to four pairs, lanceolate, acuminated, deeply
serrated. _h._ 3ft. Himalaya, 1837.
=A. Emodi= (Emodian).* _fl._ rose and orange, erect; racemes
axillary; corolla 1-1/2in. to 2in. long, bell-shaped, slightly
tubular below. August to October. _l._ impari-pinnate, with
numerous leaflets. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. India, at high altitudes,
1852. A very beautiful plant.
=AMPHILOPHIUM= (from _amphilophos_, crested on all sides; limb of
corolla much curled). SYN. _Amphilobium_. ORD. _Bignoniaceæ_. A
handsome stove evergreen climber. Corolla somewhat coriaceous, with a
short tube, and a large ventricose throat. Loam and peat, well mixed,
suits it best; cuttings from young shoots root readily in sand, under
a hand glass, with bottom heat, during the spring months.
=A. paniculatum= (panicled).* _fl._ rose-coloured; panicle
terminal, composed of three-flowered peduncles. June. _l._
joined by pairs, opposite; leaflets ovate-roundish, acuminated,
sub-cordate. West Indies, 1738.
=AMPLEXICAULIS.= Embracing the stem; usually applied to leaves.
=AMPULLACEOUS.= Resembling a bladder or flask.
=AMSONIA= (in honour of Charles Amson, a scientific traveller in
America). ORD. _Apocynaceæ_. Very pretty hardy, herbaceous perennials,
with alternate leaves, and terminal panicles of pale blue flowers;
corolla with linear lobes, and a narrow funnel-shaped tube. They thrive
in half shady positions in borders, or the edges of shrubberies,
where they will not need to be frequently transplanted. Propagated by
cuttings during the summer months, or by divisions of the roots in
spring.
=A. latifolia= (broad-leaved). Synonymous with _A. Tabernæmontana_.
[Illustration: FIG. 82. AMSONIA SALICIFOLIA, showing Habit and Flower.]
=A. salicifolia= (willow-leaved).* _fl._ light blue, in terminal
corymbose cymes; corolla small, funnel-shaped, with a rounded tube;
throat whitish, bearded. Summer. _l._ lanceolate, smooth, acute.
_h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2-1/2ft. North America, 1812. Habit less erect
than the following species. See Fig. 82.
=A. Tabernæmontana= (Tabernæmontanus).* _fl._ pale blue, in cymes;
petals lanceolate, acute, slightly hairy on the outside; sepals
also lanceolate, acute. Summer. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, acute,
shortly stalked. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2-1/2ft. North America, 1759.
SYNS. _A. latifolia_, _Tabernæmontana Amsonia_.
=AMYGDALUS= (from _amysso_, to lacerate; fissured channels in the stone
of the fruit). Almond. ORD. _Rosaceæ_. TRIBE _Drupaceæ_. Well known,
ornamental, deciduous spring flowering shrubs. Drupe clothed with
velvety pubescence, with a fibrous dry rind, separating irregularly,
having the stone of the fruit pitted or smooth. The larger-growing
species are very excellent for shrubberies, or as specimen trees;
being in blossom before most other trees, they make a fine appearance
in early spring. The dwarfer kinds are also well fitted for small
shrubberies or the fronts of large ones. For greenhouse culture they
should be obtained in a small pyramidal shape; they are not, however,
suited to a small house, as the plants, to bloom well and be effective,
ought to be at least 2ft. or 3ft. high, and proportionately wide.
Plenty of root room is essential. After potting, water thoroughly, and
place the trees in an orchard house for a few weeks, when they may be
removed to their permanent station. A temperature of about 50deg. or
55deg. is sufficient to hasten the flowering; a higher temperature is
apt to frustrate the object in view. After flowering, gradually harden
off the plants until about the end of May, when they may be plunged out
of doors for the season. Repotting should be done as soon as the leaves
fall. Increased by budding upon seedling plum-stocks in summer. The
Almond is grown on the Continent for its fruit. _See also_ =Prunus=.
=A. argentea= (silvery). A synonym of _A. orientalis_.
=A. Besseriana= (Besser's). A synonym of _A. nana_.
=A. cochinchinensis= (Cochin China). _fl._ white; racemes small,
sub-terminal. _fr._ ovate, ventricose, acute at the apex. March.
_l._ oval, quite entire. _h._ 30ft. to 40ft. Cochin China, 1825.
Greenhouse.
[Illustration: FIG. 83. FLOWERING BRANCH OF AMYGDALUS COMMUNIS.]
=A. communis= (common).* Common Almond. _fl._ white or rose
coloured, solitary. March. _fr._ compressed, egg-shaped, tomentose.
_l._ oblong lanceolate, serrulated. _h._ 10ft. to 30ft. Barbary,
1548. See Fig. 83.
=A. c. amara= (bitter).* Bitter Almond. _fl._ larger, white, but
rose coloured at the base. April. Seeds bitter.
=A. c. dulcis= (sweet). Sweet Almond. _fl._ red, earlier; fruit
ovate, compressed, acuminated. Seeds sweet. _l._ of a greyish green
colour.
=A. c. flore-pleno= (double-blossomed).* _fl._ flesh colour, full
double, rosy in the bud. _l._ oval-elliptic, acuminate.
=A. c. fragilis= (brittle). _fl._ pale rose coloured, rising with
the leaves; petals broader, deeply emarginate. _l._ shorter than
those of the type.
=A. c. macrocarpa= (large-fruited).* _fl._ whitish rose colour,
large, rising before the leaves, with broadly obcordate undulated
petals. _fr._ larger than that of the type, umbilicate at the base,
but acuminated at the apex. _l._ broader than the type, acuminated.
There are also numerous other varieties.
=A. incana= (hoary).* _fl._ red, solitary. April. Drupe compressed,
pubescent. _l._ obovate, serrated, clothed with white tomentum
beneath. _h._ 2ft. A handsome dwarf shrub. Caucasus, 1815.
=A. nana= (dwarf).* _fl._ rose coloured, solitary. March. _fr._
of the same form as that of _A. communis_, but much smaller. _l._
oblong-linear, attenuated at the base, serrated, quite glabrous.
_h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Tartary, 1683. SYN. _A. Besseriana_.
=A. orientalis= (Oriental). _fl._ rose coloured. March. _fr._
mucronate. _l._ lanceolate, quite entire, almost permanent, clothed
with silvery tomentum, as well as the branches. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft.
Levant, 1756. SYN. _A. argentea_.
=AMYLACEOUS.= Starch-like.
=AMYRIDACEÃ.= _See_ =Burseraceæ=.
=AMYRIS= (from _a_, intensive, and _myron_, balm; the whole of
the trees in this genus smell strongly of balm or myrrh). ORD.
_Burseraceæ_. Ornamental stove evergreen trees, abounding in a resinous
fluid. Flowers white, disposed in panicles. Leaves unequally pinnate.
They thrive well in a mixture of loam and peat; and cuttings root
freely in sand, under a hand glass with bottom heat, during the spring
months.
=A. balsamifera= (balsam-bearing). Synonymous with _A. toxifera_.
=A. braziliensis= (Brazilian).* _fl._ white; panicles axillary,
shorter than the leaves. August. _l._ with one to three pairs of
opposite leaflets; leaflets lanceolate, tapering to the base,
rounded at the apex, mucronate, quite entire, veiny, shining above,
discoloured beneath. _h._ 20ft. Brazil, 1823.
=A. heptaphylla= (seven-leaved). _fl._ whitish yellow;
panicles branched, axillary, and terminal. _l._ with three to
four pairs of alternate, simple leaflets, which are stalked,
obliquely-lanceolate, acuminated, entire. _h._ 16ft. India, 1823.
=A. Plumieri= (Plumier's).* Gum Elemi Tree. _fl._ white; panicles
branched, terminal. The fruit of this species is the shape and size
of an olive, but red, having an odoriferous pulp within it. _l._
leaflets three to five, all stalked, somewhat serrated, ovate,
acuminate, villous beneath. _h._ 20ft. West Indies, 1820.
=A. toxifera= (poison-bearing).* _fl._ white; racemes simple, about
the length of the petioles. _fr._ the shape of a pear, and of a
purple colour, hanging in bunches. _l._, leaflets five to seven,
stalked, ovate, somewhat cordate, acuminated. _h._ 50ft. West
Indies, 1818. The wood, known as Rhodes Wood, bears a fine polish,
and has a pleasant smell. SYN. _A. balsamifera_.
=ANACAMPSEROS= (from _anakampto_, to cause return, and _eros_, love).
SYN. _Rulingia_. ORD. _Portulacaceæ_. Very dwarf greenhouse succulent
herbs or sub-shrubs, natives of the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers large,
expanding only in the heat of the sun; petals five, very fugacious;
sepals five, opposite, oblong, rather concrete at the base; pedicels
one-flowered, short or elongated, disposed in racemes. Leaves ovate,
fleshy. They grow freely in sandy loam, mixed with some lime rubbish;
but little water is needed. Cuttings root freely if laid to dry a few
days before planting. Leaves taken off close to the plants, and also
left to dry for a short time before being planted, will take root.
Seed, when obtainable, should be sown in the spring.
=A. arachnoides= (cobwebbed).* _fl._ white; petals lanceolate;
racemes simple. July. _l._ ovate, acuminated, difformed, green,
shining, cobwebbed. _h._ 6in. to 9in. 1790.
=A. filamentosa= (thready). _fl._ reddish, or deep rose coloured;
petals oblong. August. _l._ ovate-globose, gibbous on both sides,
and cobwebbed, rather rugged above. _h._ 6in. to 1ft. 1795.
=A. intermedia= (intermediate). Very like _A. filamentosa_, but has
broader and more numerous leaves.
=A. rubens= (reddish).* _fl._ red; racemes simple. July. _l._
ovate, difformed, shining, dark green, somewhat reflexed at the
apex. _h._ 6in. to 9in. 1796.
=A. rufescens= (rusty-coloured). _fl._ reddish, similarly disposed
to _A. varians_. July. _l._ crowded, expanded and recurved, ovate,
acute, thick, green, usually dark purple beneath. _h._ 6in. 1818.
=A. Telephiastrum= (Telephium-like). Synonymous with _A. varians_.
=A. varians= (varying).* _fl._ reddish; racemes few-flowered,
sub-panicled. July. _l._ ovate, difformed, glabrous. _h._ 3in.
1813. SYN. _A. Telephiastrum_.
=ANACAMPTIS.= _See_ =Orchis=.
=ANACARDIACEÃ.= A rather large order of trees or shrubs, with a
resinous, milky juice. Flowers inconspicuous. Leaves generally dotless.
Ovary containing a single ovule. This order contains, among other
genera, _Anacardium_, _Mangifera_, and _Rhus_.
=ANACARDIUM= (origin doubtful; probably from _ana_, like, and _kardia_,
the heart; in reference to the form of the nut). ORD. _Anacardiaceæ_.
An ornamental stove evergreen tree with entire, feather-nerved leaves
and terminal panicles of flowers; nut reniform, umbilicated, seated
laterally on a fleshy, wide, pear-shaped peduncle. It requires a light
loamy soil. Ripened cuttings, with their leaves left on, root freely in
sand under a hand glass, in heat.
=A. occidentale= (Western). Cashew Nut. _fl._ reddish, small,
very sweet scented, succeeded by an edible pome-like fruit of a
yellow or red colour. _l._ oval, cuneated, very blunt, somewhat
emarginate, obovate-oblong, entire, smooth. _h._ 16ft. West Indies,
1699.
=ANADENIA.= _See_ =Grevillea=.
=ANAGALLIS= (from _anagelas_, to laugh; removing despondency:
meaning doubtful). Pimpernel. ORD. _Primulaceæ_. Annual or perennial
trailers with angular stems, opposite or verticillate leaves, and
solitary pedunculate flowers; corolla rotate or funnel-shaped, deeply
five-cleft. All are very pretty and free flowering plants, of easy
culture. The annuals are raised from seed sown in a sunny spot in
spring; the perennials are increased by striking cuttings of the young
shoots, or division, at any time, either under a hand glass or in a
close frame. Keep in the shade until well established, and gradually
harden off. Plant outside in light rich soil for summer flowering, and
each year secure a stock in frames during the winter. They require, if
left out of doors, a protection during the winter, except _A. tenella_.
=A. fruticosa= (shrubby).* _fl._ axillary, large, vermilion, with a
dark throat. May to August. _l._ verticillate, four in each whorl.
_h._ 2ft. Morocco, 1803. A biennial.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ very variable, but
intense blue and deep vermilion red are predominant. May to autumn.
_h._ 4in. Habit very compact and neat, and very floriferous. There
are several varieties. Annual.
=A. indica= (Indian). _fl._ deep blue, small. July. _h._ 1ft.
Nepaul, 1824. Annual; trailing.
[Illustration: FIG. 84. ANAGALLIS LINIFOLIA, showing Habit and Flowers.]
=A. linifolia= (flax-leaved).* _fl._ brilliant blue, large, about
1/2in. in diameter. July. _l._ opposite. _h._ 9in. to 12in.
Portugal, 1796. Perennial. There are many varieties, the best of
which are the following. SYN. _A. Monelli_. See Fig. 84.
=A. l. Brewerii= (Brewer's).* _fl._ red. June. _h._ 9in. Known also
as _Phillipsii_.
=A. l. Eugenie= (Eugenie's).* _fl._ blue, margined with white.
=A. l. lilacina= (lilac-flowered). _fl._ lilac. May. _h._ 1ft.
=A. l. Napoleon III.= (Napoleon's).* _fl._ crimson maroon, distinct
and pretty.
=A. l. Parksii= (Parks'). _fl._ red, large.
=A. l. phÅnicea= (PhÅnician).* _fl._ scarlet. May. Morocco, 1803.
=A. l. sanguinea= (bloody). _fl._ bright ruby colour.
=A. l. Wilmoreana= (Wilmore's).* _fl._ bright blue purple, with
yellow eye. _h._ 6in.
=A. Monelli= (Monell's). A synonym of _A. linifolia_.
=A. tenella= (delicate).* _fl._ delicate pink, with deeper veins;
corolla bell-shaped. Summer. _l._ roundish, very small, opposite.
A beautiful little native bog trailer, and one of the prettiest in
the whole genus. Requires a boggy and wet soil.
=A. Webbiana= (Webb's). _fl._ blue; petals with their tops slightly
denticulated. June to August. _l._ several, verticillate. _h._ 4in.
Portugal, 1828.
=ANAGYRIS= (from _ana_, backwards, and _gyros_, a circle; the pods
are curved backwards at their extremities). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. An
ornamental greenhouse or half-hardy shrub, having the two stipules
placed opposite the leaves. It thrives in a mixture of loam, sand, and
peat in equal proportions. Young cuttings should be planted in July in
a pot of sand, and placed under a hand glass.
=A. fÅtida= (fÅtid). _fl._ yellow, hairy, like those of the
Laburnum; racemes short. May. _l._ trifoliate; leaflets lanceolate,
acute, entire. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. South Europe, 1750. This shrub is
fÅtid in every part when bruised.
=ANALOGY.= Resembling a thing in form but not in function; or _vice
versâ_. Corresponding with a thing in many points, but differing in
more, or in points of more importance.
=ANANAS= (from _nanas_, the South American name for the Pine Apple).
SYN. _Ananassa_. Pine Apple. ORD. _Bromeliaceæ_. Stove herbaceous
perennials, having the berries collected with the bracts into a
compound fruit. Leaves rigid; edges spiny. The variegated form is a
useful plant for decorative purposes, and may be employed without the
usual harmful consequences attending stove plants generally, but it
must not be subjected to cold draughts. The soil should consist of
two parts fibrous loam, one of peat, one of dung and leaf mould, and
another of sand. Those propagated from suckers, which should be laid
by a day or two and then inserted in a strong heat, have, as a rule,
longer and lighter-coloured leaves. Offsets are often produced at the
base of the fruit, and make stout plants, with high-coloured foliage.
When the plants are potted in spring, plunge them in bottom heat, to
hasten their growth; but this is not absolutely necessary. Should it
be desired to fruit the variegated form, the plants may be submitted
to the same process of culture as detailed under =Pine Apple= (which
_see_).
=A. bracamorensis= (Bracamora). Brazil, 1879.
=A. bracteata= (bracted). _fl._ crimson. April. _h._ 3ft. Brazil,
1820.
=A. lucida= (shining). _fl._ pink. April. _h._ 3ft. South America,
1820.
=A. macrodonta= (large-toothed).* _fl._ reddish, tinted buff; spike
elongate-ovoid, with imbricating dentate bracts. _fr._ conical,
about 8in. long and 4in. wide, with conspicuous bracts, and highly
perfumed. _l._ with conspicuous teeth. 1878. SYN. _Bromelia
undulata_.
=A. Mordilona= (Mordilona; native name). _fr._ large, with a fine
aroma. _l._ distinguished in being without spines. Columbia, 1869.
=A. Porteana= (Porter's).* _l._ armed on the margins with sharp
spines, deep olive green, with a broad band of pale yellow running
down the centre from base to apex. This species has a somewhat
erect habit of growth. Philippines, 1866.
=A. sativa= (cultivated). Pine Apple. For culture, _see_ =Pine
Apple=.
=A. s. variegata= (variegated).* _l._ rosulate, finely arched,
2ft. or 3ft. long, serrated on the edges; centre bright green,
sometimes with a few lines of white, broadly margined with rich
creamy-yellow, tinged with red towards the margins. A very elegant
variegated plant for vases, &c.
=ANANASSA.= _See_ =Ananas=.
=ANANTHERIX= (from _a_, without, and _antherix_, an awn; there are no
horn-formed processes from the base of the leaflets of the corona, as
in _Asclepias_, to which it is closely allied). ORD. _Asclepiadeæ_. A
small genus of pretty, hardy herbs. _A. viridis_ is of easy culture in
an open situation, and light soil. Increased by division of the root;
or by seeds, which ripen in abundance.
=A. viridis= (green). _fl._ purplish-green, large; corolla
sub-campanulate, five-cleft; umbels proceeding from the stem,
sub-panicled, few-flowered. August. _l._ opposite, sessile,
obovate-oblong, pointed, smoothish. _h._ 1ft. North America, 1812.
=ANAPELTIS.= Included under _Polypodium_.
=ANARRHINUM= (from _a_, without, and _rhin_, a snout; the corolla
being without a spur, or furnished with a very short one). ORD.
_Scrophularineæ_. Elegant little half-hardy biennials or perennials
allied to _Antirrhinum_. Flowers small, drooping, in long spike-formed,
twiggy, and interrupted racemes. Radical leaves usually in a rosette;
stem and branch leaves palmate-parted, or toothed at the apex; superior
ones quite entire. They are of easy culture in ordinary garden soil;
seed may be sown outside in spring, or they can be increased by growing
cuttings, but they require protection during severe weather.
=A. bellidifolium= (Daisy-leaved).* _fl._ white, or pale blue;
racemes slender, elongated. June. _l._ radical ones spathulate or
obovate-lanceolate, deeply toothed; branch leaves deeply three to
seven-parted. _h._ 2ft. South Europe, 1629.
=A. Duriminium= (Douro). A synonym of _A. hirsutum_.
=A. fruticosum= (shrubby). _fl._ white, without a spur. July. _l._
lower ones mostly tridentate at the apex; superior ones oblong,
quite entire. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. South Europe, 1826. Shrubby.
=A. hirsutum= (hairy). _fl._ whitish, a little larger than those of
_A. bellidifolium_, of which it is, perhaps, only a downy variety.
_h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Portugal, 1818. SYN. _A. Duriminium_.
[Illustration: FIG. 85. DRY FRUITING PLANT OF ANASTATICA HIEROCHUNTINA.]
=ANASTATICA= (from _anastasis_, resurrection; plant recovering its
original form, however dry it may be, on immersion in water). ORD.
_Cruciferæ_. A very curious and interesting little annual, the leaves
of which fall off from the plant after flowering, the branches and
branchlets then become dry, hard, and ligneous, and rise upwards and
bend inwards at their points. This plant has the remarkable property of
resuming vitality on being placed in water, after being kept in a dry
state for many years. Seeds should be sown in heat, in the spring, and
the plants afterwards potted off and plunged again in heat to hasten
their growth, which cannot otherwise be fully developed with our
precarious and sunless summers.
[Illustration: FIG. 86. ANASTATICA HIEROCHUNTINA.]
=A. Hierochuntina.= Rose of Jericho. _fl._ small, white, sessile,
disposed in spikes along the branches; petals obovate. July. _fr._,
or silicle, ventricose, with the valves bearing each an appendage
on the outer side at the end. _l._ obovate, with stellate hairs;
lower ones entire, upper ones slightly toothed. Branches crowded
lattice-wise into a globular form. _h._ 6in. Syria, &c., 1597.
Supposed by some commentators to be the "_rolling thing_ before the
whirlwind" mentioned by Isaiah. See Figs. 85 and 86.
=ANASTOMOSE.= Branching of one vein into another.
=ANBURY.= _See_ =Ambury=.
=ANCEPS.= Two-edged; as the stem of an Iris.
=ANCHIETEA= (named in honour of P. Anchietea, a celebrated Brazilian
writer on plants). SYNS. _Lucinæa_, _Noisettia_. ORD. _Violarieæ_. An
ornamental, stove, evergreen climber. Petals five, very unequal, two
upper ones smallest, two intermediate ones longer, lowest one largest,
with a spur at the base. The species thrives in a mixture of loam,
sand, and peat. Young cuttings root freely under a bell glass if
planted in sand, and placed in a moderate heat.
=A. pyrifolia= (pear-leaved). _fl._ whitish, veined with red at
the base, in axillary fascicles; lower petal obovate. July. _l._
alternate, stalked, stipulate, ovate, acute, crenated. Brazil, 1826.
=ANCHOMANES= (name of doubtful origin). ORD. _Aroideæ_. A remarkable
and beautiful stove tuberous-rooted perennial aroid, allied to
_Amorphophallus_, and requiring somewhat similar treatment. As soon as
the leaves die down, the plants should be repotted in rich sandy loam
and leaf mould, with ample drainage. They will need scarce any water or
attention until growth commences the following spring, when they must
have an abundance of water, and a moist atmosphere. Summer temperature,
60deg. to 85deg.; winter, 55deg. to 60deg. Propagated by seeds and
offsets.
=A. Hookeri= (Hooker's).* _fl._, spathe pale purple, appearing
before the leaf, much expanded; spadix whitish; scape prickly,
shorter than the petiole. June. _l._, petiole slender, prickly,
bearing on its summit the horizontal blade, about 3ft. in diameter;
this is divided into three primary divisions, which are again cut
up into several leaflets, the largest of these being toothed. _h._
3ft. Fernando Po, 1832. There is a variety with a paler coloured
spathe. SYN. _Caladium petiolatum_.
=ANCHOVY PEAR.= _See_ =Grias cauliflora=.
[Illustration: FIG. 87. ANCHUSA CAPENSIS, showing Flower and Habit.]
=ANCHUSA= (from _anchousa_, paint for the skin; use of some species).
ORD. _Boraginaceæ_. Very pretty hardy annuals, biennials, or
perennials. Flowers in scorpoid racemes; corolla funnel-shaped; throat
closed by erect, obtuse processes; nuts four, one-celled, inversely
conical, with a contraction towards the point, fixed to the bottom of
the calyx, perforated and concave at the base. Of easy culture, in
ordinary soils, and preferring a sunny situation. Propagated by seeds,
which should be sown in early spring in pots of sandy soil, when most
of them will germinate in three or four weeks, some less. The honey-bee
is very partial to this genus.
=A. Agardhii= (Agardh's). _fl._ purple, on short pedicels, distant,
disposed in terminal racemes, which are generally conjugate. July.
_l._ linear-lanceolate, tubercled, strigose. _h._ 1ft. Siberia,
1820. Perennial. Rare.
=A. azurea= (blue). Synonymous with _A. italica_.
=A. Barrelieri= (Barrelier's). _fl._ blue, with a white tube and
yellow throat; racemes conjugate, panicled, bracteate. May. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, denticulated, hispid. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. South
Europe, 1820. Perennial. SYNS. _Buglossum Barrelieri_, _Myosotis
obtusum_.
=A. capensis= (Cape).* _fl._ blue; racemes terminal, panicled.
July. _l._ linear lanceolate, hispid. Stem simple, hairy. _h._
1-1/2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1800. Requires greenhouse protection in
winter. Biennial. See Fig. 87.
[Illustration: FIG. 88. INFLORESCENCE OF ANCHUSA ITALICA.]
=A. italica= (Italian). _fl._ bright blue or purple, in panicled
racemes. Summer. _l._ lanceolate, entire, shining; radical ones
sometimes 2ft. long. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Caucasus, &c., 1810. One of
the best. SYNS. _A. azurea_, _A. paniculata_. See Fig. 88.
=A. latifolia= (broad-leaved). Synonymous with _Nonnea rosea_.
=A. myosotidiflora= (Myosotideum-flowered). _fl._ fine blue; throat
yellow; raceme terminal, panicled, bractless. July. _l._ large,
radical ones on long petioles, reniformly cordate; those of the
stem sessile, ovate, hairy. _h._ 1ft. Siberia, 1825. A pretty
plant. SYN. _Myosotis macrophylla_.
=A. officinalis= (officinal). _fl._ blue or purple, sessile,
imbricate; spikes joined by pairs, terminal. June to October. _l._
lanceolate, hispid; radical ones tufted. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Britain,
naturalised here and there.
=A. o. incarnata= is a variety with flesh coloured flowers.
=A. paniculata= (panicled). Synonymous with _A. italica_.
=A. sempervirens= (evergreen). _fl._ rich blue, in short axillary
spikes, generally leafy at the base. May. _l._ broadly ovate, lower
ones upon long stalks. Stem erect. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. Perennial;
here and there naturalised in Britain. See Fig. 89.
=A. tinctoria= (dyers'). Alkanet. _fl._ deep blue; tube
blood-colour; racemes usually twin, terminal, many-flowered. June.
_l._ oblong, hispid. _h._ 6in. South Europe, 1596. A diffuse
perennial.
=ANCYCLOGYNE.= A synonym of =Sanchezia= (which _see_).
=ANDERSONIA= (in honour of Messrs. Anderson, surgeons, great
promoters of botany). ORD. _Epacridaceæ_. Elegant and delicate little
greenhouse shrubs. Flowers terminal, solitary, or spicate; corolla
sub-campanulate, hypocrateriform, five-lobed. The undermentioned, which
is the only species yet introduced, grows freely in a sandy peat with
perfect drainage, which latter is most essential. Cuttings from the
tips of young shoots may be made in autumn, winter, or spring, and
planted in sand in a gentle heat, with a bell glass placed over them.
=A. sprengelioides= (Sprengelia-like).* _fl._ pink, furnished with
two small bracteas, spicate. March. _l._ spreading, bases curved
inwards, so as to resemble a hood, ending in a flat point. _h._
1ft. to 3ft. New Holland, 1803. Evergreen squarrose shrub. SYN.
_Sprengelia Andersoni_.
=ANDIRA= (its Brazilian name). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Large ornamental
stove evergreen trees, nearly allied to =Geoffroya= (which _see_ for
cultivation). Flowers in axillary or terminal panicles. Pod drupaceous.
Leaves alternate, unequally pinnate.
=A. inermis= (unarmed). _fl._ purple, on short pedicels; panicles
terminal. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets thirteen to fifteen,
ovate-lanceolate, acute, glabrous on both surfaces. _h._ 20ft. to
30ft. Jamaica, 1773. Known as the Cabbage Tree.
=A. racemosa= (branchy). _fl._ purple, in panicled racemes. _l._
impari-pinnate; leaflets thirteen, ovate-oblong, acuminated,
glabrous on both surfaces. _h._ 20ft. to 60ft. Brazil, 1818.
[Illustration: FIG. 89. ANCHUSA SEMPERVIRENS.]
=ANDROCYMBIUM= (from _aner_, a man, and _cymbos_, a cavity; the
stamens are enclosed in a hollow formed by the folding of the limb of
the petals). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A peculiar greenhouse bulbous plant,
requiring a light sandy soil, dry atmosphere, no shade, and a season
of rest; during the latter period, scarcely any water is required.
Propagated by seeds and offsets.
=A. punctatum= (dotted). _fl._ whitish, few, in a dense sessile
umbel, surrounded by about four spreading lanceolate, acuminate
leaves, which are 5in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad above
the base, channelled down the centre from base to tip. South
Africa, 1874.
=ANDRÅCIUM.= The male organ of the flower.
=ANDROGYNOUS.= Producing male and female flowers on the same spike.
=ANDROLEPIS= (from _aner_, a man, and _lepis_, a scale; referring to
the scaly stamens). ORD. _Bromeliaceæ_. Stove evergreen epiphyte. For
culture, _see_ =Ãchmea=.
=A. Skinneri= (Skinner's). _fl._ white. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Guatemala,
1850. SYN. _Billbergia Skinneri_.
=ANDROMEDA= (named after the daughter of Cepheus, who was rescued from
the sea monster by Perseus). ORD. _Ericaceæ_. A dwarf, hardy shrub,
found in peaty bogs in the temperate and Arctic regions of the northern
hemisphere. Sow seeds as soon as ripe in pots or pans, very thinly, in
sandy peat soil, and place in a cool frame, giving plenty of air. Place
the young plants out in spring. Layers, pegged carefully down during
September, will generally take twelve months to make sufficient roots
to allow of their being separated, and thus become independent plants.
For other species often included under this genus in catalogues, _see_
=Cassandra=, =Cassiope=, =Leucothoë=, =Lyonia=, =Oxydendrum=, =Pieris=,
and =Zenobia=.
=A. polifolia= (Polium-leaved). Wild Rosemary. _fl._ pinky white,
drooping, sometimes tipped with red; corolla ovate, furnished with
ovate, rather leafy imbricated bracteas, terminal, umbellate. June.
_l._ linear-lanceolate, mucronulate, with the margins more or less
revolute, quite entire, glaucous beneath, with an elevated rib, and
reticulated veins. _h._ 1ft. The numerous varieties of this very
beautiful native shrub principally differ in the colouring of the
flowers.
=ANDROPOGON= (from _aner_, a man, and _pogon_, a beard; tufts of hair
on flowers). ORD. _Gramineæ_. A large genus of grasses with polygamous
flowers. The majority of species are of no horticultural value;
several, however, are very ornamental subjects, and thrive well in
a rich, deep soil. Easily propagated by seeds or by division of the
roots. The South European kinds succeed in the open air if planted in
a warm dry border.
=A. citratum= (Citrus-leaved). Synonymous with _A. SchÅnanthus_.
=A. SchÅnanthus.= Lemon Grass. _fl._ in threes; spikes imbricate,
conjugate, panicled. A handsome species, the leaves of which emit
a very fragrant odour when bruised. _h._ 2ft. India, 1786. Stove
species. SYN. _A. citratum_.
Other species worth growing are _furcatus_, _halepensis_, _muricatus_,
_pubescens_, _scoparius_, _squarrosus_, and _strictus_.
=ANDROSACE= (from _aner_, a man, and _sakos_, buckler; in reference
to the resemblance of the anther to an ancient buckler). Including
_Aretia_. ORD. _Primulaceæ_. Dwarf annuals or perennials, entirely
alpine, agreeing in most characters with _Primula_, but having the
tube of the corolla narrowed at the mouth. An airy, well-drained,
and partially sunny position is essential in their culture. They
thrive well between fissures of rocks or stones with a rich sandy
peat soil. Drought and a sour soil are alike fatal, and both will be
greatly obviated if small pieces of sandstone are mixed with the soil.
The woolly species are best arranged beneath a jutting ledge of the
rockery, which will afford them protection from the hottest sunshine,
and from excessive wet in winter; additional comfort will be provided
from the latter ill if a piece of glass is placed over them during
the autumn and winter months. They can also be well grown, and make
charming little specimens, in pots, with rich sandy soil and thorough
drainage. Sprinkle sand among the small rosettes of leaves. They are
increased by divisions, cuttings, or seed; the latter should be sown as
early as possible, and raised in a frame.
=A. alpina= (alpine). _fl._ purplish rose; throat and tube yellow,
solitary; peduncles about 1/2in. long. June. _l._ crowded, small,
tongue-shaped, in small rosettes. _h._ 2in. to 3in. Switzerland,
1775. This species requires a rather shady aspect, and to be
planted almost perpendicularly in a soil composed of leaf mould,
peat, fibrous loam, and sharp sand. SYN. _A. glacialis_.
=A. Aretia= (Aretius'). Synonymous with _A. helvetica_.
=A. aretioides= (Aretia-like). Synonymous with _A. obtusifolia_.
=A. argentea= (silvery).* _fl._ white, sessile, very numerous.
June. _l._ densely imbricated, lanceolate, oblong, covered with
short hairs, forming very pretty silvery-grey rosettes. _h._
about 2in. Switzerland, 1826. This requires a well drained, sunny
fissure. SYN. _A. imbricata_.
=A. carnea= (flesh-coloured).* _fl._ pink or rose, with a
yellow eye, three to seven, on hairy stalked umbels. July. _l._
awl-shaped, smooth, acuminated, not forming rosettes. Stem somewhat
elongated. _h._ 3in. or 4in. Switzerland, 1768. This forms charming
little cushions if allowed to remain undisturbed; it is easily
increased. SYNS. _A. Lachenalii_, _A. puberula_.
=A. c. eximia= (select).* Larger and more robust than the typical
species, and a more rapid grower. Forms compact tufts of dense
rosettes, bearing heads of rosy-crimson yellow-eyed flowers, on
stems 2in. or 3in. high. Auvergne Alps, 1871. It requires moist
sunny ledges and fissures of rockwork in peat, loam, and sand.
=A. Chamæjasme= (rock jasmine).* _fl._ blush, ultimately deep pink,
with a yellow eye, umbellate. June. _l._ lanceolate, tapering
to a point towards the base, in comparatively large, not dense,
rosettes. _h._ about 2in. to 4in. Austria, &c., 1768. A very free
flowering species, growing freely when established, ultimately
forming large tufts. It thrives best in a deep, well drained and
rich loam soil.
=A. ciliata= (ciliated). _fl._ deep carmine red, on stems double as
long as the leaves. June. _l._ lanceolate-oblong, smooth on both
surfaces, with ciliated margins, imbricated. _h._ 2in. to 3in.,
forming dense cushions. Pyrenees.
=A. coronopifolia= (buckhorn-leaved).* _fl._ pure white, on slender
pedicels, umbellate on peduncles, about 6in. high. April to June.
_l._ lanceolate, distantly serrated, smooth, in flattish rosettes.
Russia, 1755. This is a charming little biennial, well worthy of a
place on the rockery. A colony of it is extremely pretty; it seeds
freely, and a batch of young plants almost invariably takes the
place of the old ones. SYN. _A. septentrionalis_.
=A. glacialis= (glacial). Synonymous with _A. alpina_.
=A. helvetica= (Swiss).* _fl._ white, nearly sessile, with a
yellow eye, larger than the little rosettes of leaves on the stalk
from which they spring. May. _l._ lanceolate, obtuse, closely
imbricated, small, ciliated. _h._ 1in., forming dense cushions.
Switzerland, 1775. A rare little gem, requiring a partially shaded
position, and very sandy soil. SYN. _A. Aretia_.
=A. imbricata= (imbricated). Synonymous with _A. argentea_.
=A. Lachenalii= (Lachenal's). Synonymous with _A. carnea_.
=A. lactea= (milk-white).* _fl._ pure white, with yellow throat,
large, on long graceful stalks, umbellate. June. _l._ linear,
or nearly so, in rosettes, sometimes scattered on the elongated
branches. _h._ about 4in. Austria, 1752. Very floriferous and
strong growing. Should have an eastern or western aspect, and be
propagated from seeds. SYN. _A. pauciflora_.
[Illustration: FIG. 90. ANDROSACE LAGGERI.]
=A. Laggeri= (Lagger's).* _fl._ pink, sessile; when approaching
maturity the stem becomes elongated, and bears a tuft of stalked
flowers. March. _l._ awl-shaped, sharply pointed, in tiny rosettes.
_h._ 3in. Pyrenees, &c., 1879. Very like _A. carnea_, but more
delicate, earlier, and more abundant flowering, with deeper green
foliage. It suffers from exposure to the sun, and therefore
requires a partially shady position. Should be propagated from
seeds or cuttings, which latter strike freely. See Fig. 90.
=A. lanuginosa= (woolly-leaved).* _fl._ delicate rose, with a
small yellow eye, umbellate. June to October. _l._ nearly 1in.
long, clothed with shiny silken hairs. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Himalaya,
1842. A very beautiful species, with spreading or trailing shoots,
easily multiplied by cuttings or layers. It requires a warm sunny
spot on the rockery, with a sandy peat soil. When planted so that
its shoots drape the face of a rocky ledge, it is one of the most
charming plants possible to grow.
A. obtusifolia (blunt-leaved). _fl._ white or rose, with yellow
eye; umbels five or six-flowered. Spring. _l._ lanceolate or
rather spathulate, in rather large rosettes. Stems downy. _h._
2in. to 6in. European Alps. A very pretty form, closely allied to
_A. Chamæjasme_, and differing principally in its somewhat larger
rosette of leaves and stronger growth. SYN. _A. aretioides_.
=A. pauciflora= (few-flowered). Synonymous with _A. lactea_.
=A. penicillata= (finely hairy). Synonymous with _A. villosa_.
=A. puberula= (puberulous). Synonymous with _A. carnea_.
=A. pubescens= (downy). _fl._ white, with a faint yellow eye,
solitary, at the ends of the branchlets, very numerous. June. _l._
oblong-ovate, ciliated, in a crowded rosette. Stem with a small
swelling close to the flower. _h._ 2in. Alps, 1869. Treat like _A.
Chamæjasme_.
=A. pyrenaica= (Pyrenean). _fl._ white, with yellowish eyes, on
a scape about 1/4in high. Summer. _l._ narrow-oblong, ciliated,
recurved, keeled at the back. _h._ 1in. Pyrenees. An exceedingly
pretty and diminutive little alpine plant, grown, according to Mr.
Robinson, "to great perfection in fissures between large rocks,
with, however, deep rifts of sandy peat and loam in them. It will
also grow on a level exposed spot, but in such a position should be
surrounded by half-buried stones."
=A. sarmentosa= (trailing).* _fl._ bright rose, with a white eye,
in umbels of ten to twenty, on an erect scape. May and June. _l._
very silvery, forming dense rosettes, whence spring a number of
runners, bearing at their extremities other tufts, which should
be pegged down and covered with soil, when they will root freely.
Himalayas, 1876. It requires rich sandy loam, a sunny position, and
to be wedged between pieces of sandstone. Cover the rosettes during
winter with a sheet of glass. See Fig. 91.
=A. septentrionalis= (northern). Synonymous with _A. coronopifolia_.
=A. villosa= (hairy).* _fl._ rose or blush, with a deeper coloured
eye, and a honey-like perfume, umbellate. May. _l._ narrow, oblong,
covered with soft white down, chiefly on the under surface, in
compact tufts. _h._ 2in. to 4in. Pyrenees, &c., 1790. When well
grown, the flowers are produced in great abundance, almost covering
the green cushions. Plant in a sunny fissure of the rockery, in
sandy loam and leaf soil. SYN. _A. penicillata_.
[Illustration: FIG. 91. ANDROSACE SARMENTOSA, showing Habit, and the
two kinds of Leaves, &c.]
=A. Vitaliana= (Vital's).* _fl._ rich yellow, comparatively large;
tube inflated at the middle, almost nestling among the leaves.
May to July. _l._ linear, acute, greyish. Stems numerous. _h._
1in. to 2in. Pyrenees, &c., 1787. When well grown, it produces
flowers in abundance, and is the only species in cultivation having
yellow flowers. A well-drained, sunny pocket is desirable, with a
calcareous soil, covering the surface with nodules of sandstone.
SYN. _Gregoria Vitaliana_.
=A. Wulfeniana= (Wulfen's).* _fl._ rosy or crimson, large. Summer.
_l._ oval, acuminated, in dense rosettes. _h._ 2in. Styria. A very
rare species in cultivation in this country.
=ANDROSÃMUM.= _See_ =Hypericum=.
=ANDROSTEPHIUM= (from _aner_, a man, and _stephos_, a crown; some
of the stamens are barren and petaloid, forming a corona). ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. A very pretty little hardy bulb, of dwarf habit, allied
to _Brodiæa_. It requires a rich sandy loam, in a sunny position, and
may be propagated by offsets and seeds; the latter should be sown as
soon as ripe in a cold frame. Plant 6in. deep, when it will require no
protection in winter.
=A. violaceum= (violet). _fl._ violet blue, about 1in. long, three
to six in an umbel, on pedicels about their own length; tube
infundibuliform, about as long as the spreading segments; corona
half as long. Spring. _l._ four to six, very narrow. _h._ 6in.
Texas, 1874.
=ANDRYALA= (the meaning of this is unknown). ORD. _Compositæ_. These
are pretty half-hardy evergreen herbaceous perennials, easily grown in
ordinary well-drained garden soil. Increased by seeds and divisions in
spring. Two species only are in cultivation.
=A. lanata= (woolly).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, Hieracium-like. May.
_l._ white, woolly, thick, oblong-ovate; radical ones stalked;
upper ones sessile. Stems with a leaf at each joint. _h._ about
1ft. South Europe, 1732.
=A. mogadorensis= (Mogador). _fl.-heads_ bright yellow, as large
as a half-crown; disk bright orange. April. Morocco, 1871. This
species is rare in cultivation.
=ANEILEMA= (from _a_, not, and _eilema_, involucre; in reference
to the absence of the involucre). ORD. _Commelynaceæ_. Greenhouse
and stove evergreen perennials, with generally a trailing habit.
A genus resembling _Commelyna_, from which it is distinguished by
the inflorescence being sub-paniculate, and the peduncles entirely
exserted from the bracts at the branching of the panicle. Flowers
without any involucre. They thrive in a compost of loam, peat, leaf
mould, and sand, well mixed. Increased by seeds and root divisions.
There are a large number of species known to botanists.
=A. biflora= (two-flowered).* _fl._ blue; floral stalks
two-flowered. July. _l._ lanceolate. Stem creeping; plant smooth.
New Holland, 1820. Greenhouse species.
=A. sinicum= (Chinese). _fl._ pale blue; racemes about
seven-flowered, alternate, placed in a panicle form. May. _l._
ligulate, acuminate. Stems branched, diffuse. _h._ 1ft. China,
1820. Greenhouse species.
=ANEMIA= (from _aneimon_, naked; in reference to the naked panicles of
sporangia). Including _Anemidictyon_. ORD. _Filices_. A well-marked
genus of stove and greenhouse ferns, chiefly confined to Tropical
America. Capsules small, very abundant, forming a copiously-branched
panicle, quite distinct from the leafy part of the frond. This genus
of handsome dwarf-growing ferns is of easy culture, in a compost of
fibrous peat, leaf soil, and sand. Several species are exceedingly
pretty for fern cases. For general culture, _see_ =Ferns=.
=A. adiantifolia= (maidenhair-leaved).* _sti._ 12in. to 18in. long,
firm, naked. _fronds_, barren portion shortly-stalked, 6in. to 9in.
long, 4in. to 6in. broad, deltoid, bi-tripinnate; pinnæ close,
lanceolate, the lowest the largest; ultimate divisions oblong or
linear-cuneate, the outer toothed, with a firm texture; panicle
3in. to 4in. long, the peduncle 1in. to 3in. long. West Indies,
1793. A very handsome stove fern.
=A. ciliata= (ciliated). Synonymous with _A. hirsuta_.
=A. collina= (hill). _sti._ 8in. to 12in. long, firm, erect,
densely clothed with fine ferruginous hairs. _fronds_, barren
portion sessile, 6in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, with about
twelve sessile pinnæ on each side, which are 1in. to 1-1/2in. long,
and about 1/2in. broad, unequal-sided, obliquely-truncate below,
blunt, sub-entire, with a sub-coriaceous texture; panicle 2in. to
3in. long, close, the peduncle 4in. to 6in. long. Brazil, 1829.
Very rare stove species. SYN. _A. hirta_.
=A. deltoidea= (deltoid-like). Synonymous with _A. tomentosa_.
=A. Dregeana= (Drege's).* _sti._ 8in. to 12in. long, firm, slightly
villose. _fronds_, barren portion sub-sessile, 8in. to 12in. long,
2in. to 3in. broad, about equal in width in the lower half, with
eight to twelve pinnæ on each side, which are 1in. to 1-1/2in.
long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, ovate-deltoid, unequal at the base,
the upper side sub-cordate, the edge inciso-crenate; panicle 3in.
to 4in. long, the lower branches elongated; peduncle same length.
Natal. Stove species.
=A. flexuosa= (wavy). Synonymous with _A. tomentosa_.
=A. hirsuta= (hairy). _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, slender, naked.
_fronds_, barren portion 2in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 3in. broad,
sessile, oblong-deltoid, bipinnatifid; pinnæ in six to eight
opposite pairs, 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 3/4in. broad,
varying from oblong, obtuse, sub-entire, truncate at the base on
the lower side, to deeply pinnatifid with narrow divisions; panicle
1in. to 2in. long, close; peduncle 2in. to 6in. long, slender.
Jamaica, 1704. Very handsome stove species. SYNS. _A. repens_ and
_A. ciliata_.
=A. hirta= (hairy). Synonymous with _A. collina_.
=A. mandioccana= (Mandioccan).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long,
deciduously villose. _fronds_, barren portion 1ft. or more long,
2in. to 4in. broad, oblong-lanceolate, the lower half about equal
in width; pinnæ in twenty or more close pairs, the point narrowed,
but scarcely acute; edge finely serrulate, the upper base parallel
with the stem, the lower obliquely truncate; rachis and surfaces
finely pilose; texture sub-coriaceous; panicle very compound,
3in. to 4in. long: peduncle longer. Brazil. A very beautiful and
distinct stove species.
=A. Phyllitidis= (Phyllitis-like).* _sti._ 6in. to 18in. long,
stramineous, naked, or fibrillose. _fronds_, barren portion
sessile, 4in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 8in. broad, ovate-oblong,
simply pinnate; pinnæ in four to twelve sessile pairs, the lowest
the largest, ovate, 1in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. to 2in. broad, the
apex acute, the edge crenulate, the base rounded or cuneate, or
unequal, with a firm texture; panicle dense, 3in. to 9in. long, the
branches short; peduncles the same length. Cuba, Mexico, &c. SYN.
_Anemidictyon Phyllitidis_. Greenhouse species.
=A. P. lineata= (lined). _fronds_ with a yellowish-green central
stripe down the pinnæ. South America, 1868.
=A. P. plumbea= (leaden). Synonymous with _A. P. tessellata_.
=A. P. tessellata= (tessellated). Pinnæ dark green, with bright
green centre and leaden-grey border. Brazil, 1875. The forms of
this species are numerous: _fraxinifolia_ and _macrophylla_ are
names often met with, but only show slight deviations. They all
have a more hardy constitution than the other species, and grow
well in the greenhouse. SYN. _A. P. plumbea_.
=A. repens= (creeping). Synonymous with _A. hirsuta_.
=A. tomentosa= (tomentose).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, strong,
erect, clothed with ferruginous hairs. _fronds_, barren portion
6in. to 12in. long, half as broad, ovate-deltoid, bipinnatifid
or bipinnate; lowest pinnæ the largest, the blunt lobes 1/2in.
to 3/4in. long, 1/4in. broad, nearly entire; rachis and surfaces
densely pilose, with a firm texture; panicle 4in. to 9in. long,
loose; peduncle 1in. to 2in. long. Tropical America. Greenhouse
species. SYNS. _A. deltoidea_, _A. flexuosa_, _A. villosa_.
=A. villosa= (hairy). Synonymous with _A. tomentosa_.
=ANEMIDICTYON.= _See_ =Anemia=.
=ANEMONE= (from _anemos_, wind; the greater part of the species grow
in elevated places, much exposed to the wind). Wind Flower. ORD.
_Ranunculaceæ_. An extensive genus of very ornamental hardy perennials.
The generic characters of Anemone proper are: Involucre of three cut
leaflets, distant from the flower; calyx of five to twenty petal-like
sepals; petals absent. Of sub-genus Hepatica: Involucre of three entire
leaflets, just under the flowers; calyx of six to nine petal-like
sepals; petals absent. For botanical purposes, they are both now
included under the one generic name of Anemone; but in gardens the
Hepaticas are frequently regarded as a distinct genus. They delight in
a rich sandy loam, but most will thrive in ordinary garden soil. Some
are suitable for borders, while others thrive best on the rockery,
most of them preferring a damp and partially shady position. For the
numerous varieties of _A. coronaria_, both double and single flowered,
the soil can hardly be too rich, and the position, though open, should
be a sheltered one, and well drained. The tubers may be planted early
in October, about 6in. apart, and 3in. deep, various colours being
intermixed, when a splendid effect is produced in the following spring.
After flowering, the tubers should be taken up--say in June--and spread
out thinly, in a shady, airy situation, until they are dry, when they
should be thoroughly cleaned, and, if necessary, divided, and finally
stored away in a cool place, in pots or boxes of dry sand until the
planting season. Anemones make admirable pot plants if placed in a
compost of two parts turfy loam, and one of leaf mould or rotten hotbed
or cow manure, with about a sixth part of sharp gritty sand; but, if
so grown, they should be protected through severe weather, and brought
into warmth as required. The herbaceous species are propagated by root
divisions or root cuttings, or by seeds, in autumn or early spring;
the seeds are better sown as soon as ripe in pans in a cold frame.
Some, such as _A. japonica_, are freely increased by division; while
others, such as _A. narcissiflora_, are very slow; and the tuberous
rooted ones, by root division and seeds. The best and most rapid means
of propagating the invaluable varieties of _A. coronaria_, and also of
obtaining new ones, is by seed. A careful selection of flowers, and
skilful hybridising, will produce results commensurate with the trouble
incurred. So soon as the seed ripen, they should be gathered and sown
at once in a warm sheltered situation outside, or in pans under glass,
covering lightly with sandy soil, and keeping moist. They are somewhat
difficult to sow on account of a mass of cotton-like down which adheres
closely to them; they should be thoroughly separated therefrom by
rubbing them in dry sand. Of course, if the seed are sown at different
times, plants will be produced which will flower at different periods,
and a succession of bloom may be had from April to November--indeed,
nearly all the year.
=A. alba= (white). _fl._ white; pedicel solitary; sepals five,
obovate, very blunt. June. _l._ ternate or quinate; segments deeply
toothed at top; those of the involucre stalked. _h._ 6in. Siberia,
1820.
=A. alpina= (alpine).* _fl._ variously coloured, sometimes white,
white with the back purple, cream, yellowish or yellow with their
backs paler; sepals six, spreading, elliptical, rarely ovate. May.
_l._ sometimes smooth, sometimes clothed with long crowded silky
hairs, biternate; segments pinnate and deeply serrated; involucre
of the same form. _h._ 6in. Middle Europe, 1658. Very handsome
alpine. Plant on the rockery in rich deep soil, with a damp
situation. SYN. _Pulsatilla alpina_.
=A. a. sulphurea= (sulphur).* _fl._ beautiful soft yellow, 2in. to
2-1/2in. across when expanded, but they are usually cup-shaped;
sepals six, covered with a silky down outside; anthers of a rich
golden colour. May and June. _l._ radical, stalked, drooping,
more than 1ft. long; leaflets pinnatifid, deeply toothed. A very
beautiful form, thriving in ordinary garden soil, and a rather
moist situation. See Fig. 92.
[Illustration: FIG. 92. ANEMONE ALPINA SULPHUREA, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. americana= (American). A synonym of _A. Hepatica_.
=A. angulosa= (angled).* _fl._ fine sky blue, over 2in. across,
with numerous black anthers surrounding a tuft of yellow styles;
sepals eight to nine, elliptical, spreading. February. _l._
palmately five-lobed; lobes serrated. _h._ 8in. to 12in. East
Europe. A very fine species, twice the size of _A. Hepatica_ in all
its parts; it is well suited for the border or rockery, enjoying a
deep rich soil. SYN. _Hepatica angulosa_.
=A. apennina= (Apennine).* _fl._ blue, 1-1/2in. across; sepals ten
to fourteen, oblong, obtuse, erect; pedicel one-flowered. March.
_l._ binately pinnate; segments lanceolate, deeply-toothed, acute.
_h._ 6in. England (naturalised here and there), and Southern
Europe. An exceedingly pretty plant, with soft-looking feathery
foliage. It thrives best under the partial shade of trees, where
the flowers retain their colour longer. Tuberous rooted.
=A. baldensis= (Mount Baldo).* _fl._ white, clothed with adpressed
hairs on the outside, and reddish tinged with blue; sepals eight
to ten, oblong-oval; pedicels one-flowered. May. _l._ biternate;
segments many-parted; lobes linear; involucral leaves multifid.
_h._ 6in. Switzerland, 1792. _A. cÅrulea_ is probably identical
with this species. Shady parts of the rockery. Rare. Tuberous
rooted.
=A. blanda= (fair).* _fl._ deep blue, nearly 2in. across; sepals
nine to fourteen, narrow. Winter or early spring. _l._ triternate;
segments deeply cut and acute; involucral leaves stalked, trifid,
deeply cut. _h._ 6in. Eastern Europe. A very handsome early
flowering plant. It requires a rich, light, and well drained sandy
loam, and a warm, sheltered position. It closely resembles _A.
apennina_, of which it is merely a form, with deeper blue flowers.
Tuberous rooted.
=A. caroliniana= (Carolina). _fl._ purple or whitish, pubescent
on the outside, on a long one-flowered pedicel; sepals ten to
twenty, oblong-linear. May. _l._ ternate, with three-parted, or cut
acutely-toothed lobes; involucral leaves trifid, with cut lobes.
_h._ 9in. Carolina, 1824. A very slender and delicate plant. Shady
parts of the rockery. Tuberous rooted.
=A. cernua= (drooping). _fl._ somewhat drooping, dark purple;
sepals six, spreading, elliptical-oblong. May. _l._ pinnate,
villous underneath; segments pinnatifid; lobes cut, oblong; scapes,
petioles, and peduncles clothed with downy hairs. _h._ 6in. Japan,
1806. Rare.
=A. coronaria= (garland).* Poppy Anemone. _fl._ very various in
colouring, solitary; sepals six, oval, approximate. April to May.
_l._ ternate; segments multifid; lobules linear, mucronated;
involucral leaves sessile, multifid. South Europe, 1596. This is
one of the species from which the majority of "florists' varieties"
have originated, which can be purchased at such a cheap rate,
either in named varieties, or in mixture, and are invaluable for
spring flowering. It thrives best in a good loamy soil, and should
be somewhat shaded from the mid-day sun. Tuberous rooted. See Fig.
93.
[Illustration: FIG. 93. ANEMONE CORONARIA FLORE-PLENO.]
[Illustration: FIG. 94. ANEMONE FULGENS.]
=A. decapetala= (ten-petaled).* _fl._ cream white or pale sulphur,
about 1in. to 2in. across, erect; sepals eight to twelve, oblong,
spreading. May to June. _l._ tripartite, and freely divided into
numerous linear-acute segments, of a deep green colour. _h._ 12in.
to 18in. North-West America, &c. A pretty free-flowering species,
suitable for naturalising in woods, &c. It is less ornamental than
many others, but is very distinct.
[Illustration: FIG. 95. ANEMONE HEPATICA.]
=A. dichotoma= (forked).* _fl._ white, with a tinge of red on
the under side; sepals five, elliptical; pedicels many, usually
bifid. May. _l._ three parted; lobes oblong, deeply-toothed at
top; those of the involucrum sessile. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Siberia, North
America, &c., 1768. Border, or for naturalising in woods. SYN. _A.
pennsylvanica._
[Illustration: FIG. 96. FLOWER AND LEAF OF ANEMONE JAPONICA.]
=A. fulgens= (shining).* _fl._ of a dazzling vermilion or scarlet,
with a black central patch of stamens, about 2in. across; sepals
obovate. May. Greece, South Europe, &c., 1865. A very beautiful
variety, much more showy than _A. hortensis_ (of which it is
generally regarded as a variety), and a universal favourite. In
"Hardy Perennials," Mr. Wood says of this splendid species: "It may
be grown in pots for conservatory or indoor decoration. It needs
no forcing for such purposes; a cold frame will prove sufficient
to bring the flowers out in winter. Borders or the moist parts of
rockwork are suitable for it; but perhaps it is seen to greatest
advantage in irregular masses in the half shade of trees in front
of a shrubbery; and, after all, it is impossible to plant this
flower wrong as regards effect. To grow it well, however, it must
have a moist situation and good loam." See Fig. 94.
=A. Halleri= (Haller's).* _fl._ purplish inside, large, erect;
sepals six, oval-lanceolate. April. _l._ pinnate, very villous;
segments three parted; lobes with lanceolate-linear, acuminated
divisions. _h._ 6in. Switzerland, 1816. A sunny border or the
rockery. SYN. _Pulsatilla Halleri_.
=A. Hepatica= (supposed remedy for liver diseases). Common
Hepatica. _fl._ usually blue; sepals six to nine. February. _l._
cordate, three-lobed; lobes quite entire, ovate, acutish; petioles
and scapes rather hairy. _h._ 4in. to 6in. There are numerous
varieties of this species. England, &c. SYN. _Hepatica triloba_.
Varieties: _alba_ has large pure white flowers; _cÅrulea_ (blue),
the double form of _cÅrulea_ is scarce and very showy; _rubra_
produces reddish-pink flowers, and of which there is also a double
variety, very bright and lasting; _Barlowi_ has large sky-blue
flowers. Besides these there are many others. They are all charming
early spring-flowering plants, preferring rich light soil, and to
remain undisturbed for years, when they form grand clumps, often
producing seedlings where they stand. SYN. _A. americana_. See Fig.
95.
=A. Honorine Jobert= (Honorine Jobert). Synonymous with _A.
japonica alba_.
=A. hortensis= (garden). Nearly approaches _A. coronaria_, the
parent of a large number of garden forms. _A. fulgens_ and _A.
stellata_ are by competent authorities placed as varieties.
=A. Hudsoniana= (Hudson's). Synonymous with _A. multifida_.
=A. japonica= (Japanese).* _fl._ rosy carmine, from 2in. to
2-1/2in. across, on footstalks which spring from a whorl of three
or four leaves; anthers golden yellow. Autumn. _l._ ternate, with
unequally lobed, toothed segments. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Japan, 1844.
See Fig. 96.
[Illustration: FIG. 97. ANEMONE JAPONICA ALBA.]
=A. j. alba= (white).* This is a splendid variety, with a profusion
of large pure white flowers, which are produced from August to
November. This white form is one of the handsomest of border
flowers. The blooms are 2in. to 3in. across, with a centre of
dense lemon coloured stamens. For cutting purposes the flowers
are invaluable. It thrives best in deep soil. SYN. _A. Honorine
Jobert_. See Fig. 97.
=A. j. elegans= (elegant).* Very like _A. japonica_, with broader
leaves, and pale rose-coloured flowers, which are more than 3in.
across. This is also called _rosea_ and _hybrida_. Japan.
=A. lancifolia= (lance-leaved). _fl._ white; sepals five,
ovate-acute; scapes one-flowered. May. _l._ all stalked, ternate;
segments lanceolate, crenate-toothed. _h._ 3in. Pennsylvania, 1823.
Very rare. Rockery. Tuberous rooted.
=A. multifida= (many-cleft).* _fl._ red, whitish yellow, or citron
colour, small; sepals five to ten, elliptical, obtuse; peduncles
three, one-flowered, one of which is naked and earlier, the other
two longer, and bearing two-leaved multifid involucels on their
middle. June. _l._ radical ones ternate; segments cuneated, three
parted, multifid, with linear lobes; those of the involucrum
multifid, on short petioles. _h._ 6in. to 12in. North America.
Border or rockery. SYN. _A. Hudsoniana_.
[Illustration: FIG. 98. ANEMONE NARCISSIFLORA, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. narcissiflora= (Narcissus-flowered).* _fl._ usually cream
coloured, sometimes purplish on the outside; umbels generally
many-flowered; pedicels in some instances twice or three times
longer than the involucrum, and in others very short; sepals five
or six, ovate or oval, blunt or acute. May. _l._ radical ones
palmately three to five parted; lobes deeply toothed; lobules
linear, acute; those of the involucrum three to five cleft. _h._
about 1ft. Europe, North America, 1773. An extremely variable and
beautiful species. Rockery. See Fig. 98.
=A. nemorosa= (grove).* Wood Anemone. _fl._ generally white; sepals
six, elliptical; scapes one-flowered. March. _l._ ternate; segments
trifid, deeply toothed, lanceolate, acute; involucral leaves
stalked. _h._ 6in. This species varies greatly in the colour of
its flowers. It is a most beautiful little plant, frequent in our
native woods, and suitable for planting in shaded shrubberies, &c.
Tuberous rooted.
=A. n. cÅrulea=, (blue),* from the North-west States of America, is
very near, if not identical with, the variety _Robinsoniana_, of
our native woods.
=A. n. flore-pleno= (double-flowered).* _fl._ pure white, over 1in.
across, solitary, double. This is an exceedingly pretty plant, and
remains in beauty considerably longer than the type. It should be
grown in large clumps, and in rich loam.
=A. n. Robinsoniana= (Robinson's).* _fl._ bright azure blue, large,
over 1-1/2in. in diameter. A charming variety for the rockery or
border, and one of the prettiest in the whole genus.
=A. n. rosea= (rosy).* A very pretty form, with rose-coloured
flowers, of which there is a double flowered sub-variety; there is
also a double form of the type, named _bracteata_ _fl.-pl._, white
flowers, surrounded with a large involucrum.
=A. obtusiloba= (blunt-lobed-leaved). _fl._ cream coloured; sepals
five, obovate; peduncles two to three, one-flowered, villous,
naked, or the lateral ones are bracteate. June. _l._ three lobed
cordate, and are, as well as petioles, very villous; segments
broadly cuneated, and deeply crenate; involucral leaves trifid.
Himalaya, 1843. This species requires a warm and sheltered position.
=A. palmata= (palmate).* _fl._ golden yellow; sepals ten to twelve,
oblong, obtuse; scape one, rarely two, flowered. May. _l._ cordate,
sub-orbicular, bluntly three to five-lobed, toothed; involucral
leaves trifid. South-west Europe, 1597. A white flowered variety,
though scarce, is in cultivation, and is very pretty. True alpines,
which should be grown on the rockery, where the soil is both rich
and deep, with a somewhat damp situation. Tuberous rooted.
=A. patens= (spreading).* _fl._ purplish, or rarely yellow, erect,
spreading, in the involucre almost sessile; sepals five to six.
June. _l._ pinnate, rising after the flowers; segments three
parted; lobes toothed at the top. Northern Europe, &c., 1752.
=A. p. Nuttalliana= (Nuttall's).* _fl._ purple, sometimes cream
coloured, erect, villous on the outside; sepals five or six, erect,
connivent. June. _l._ three parted; segments cuneate, trifid, cut;
lobes linear-lanceolate, elongated; those of the involucre with
linear lobes. _h._ 1ft. North America, 1826. A pretty border plant.
=A. pavonina= (peacock). Synonymous with _A. stellata_.
=A. pennsylvanica= (Pennsylvanian). Synonymous with _A. dichotoma_.
=A. pratensis= (meadow).* _fl._ dark purple, pendulous; sepals
six, erect, reflexed at the top, acute. May. _l._ pinnate, many
parted; lobes linear. _h._ 6in. to 12in. Northern Europe, &c.,
1731. Differs chiefly from the following species in having smaller
flowers, sepals narrower and more acute, connivent at base, and
reflexed at apex. SYN. _Pulsatilla pratensis_.
=A. Pulsatilla= (common Pulsatilla).* Pasque Flower. _fl._
generally violet, sub-erect; sepals six, spreading, externally
silky, very handsome. April. _l._ pinnate; segments many parted;
lobes linear. _h._ 6in. to 12in. England, &c. A singular
and beautiful species, thriving best in a dry situation and
well-drained soil of a calcareous nature. It is a very pretty
plant for a border or rockery; when well grown, it forms handsome
tufts, and flowers very freely. See Fig. 99. SYN. _Pulsatilla
vulgaris_. There are numerous varieties, the best of which are:
=A. P. dahurica= (Dahurian). _fl._ erect; sepals oblong, very
villous. Plant dwarf. Sunny border or rockery.
[Illustration: FIG. 99. ANEMONE PULSATILLA.]
=A. P. lilacina= (lilac). _fl._ lilac.
=A. P. rubra= (red). _fl._ erect; sepals blunter. Plant dwarfer.
=A. ranunculoides= (Ranunculus-like).* _fl._ usually yellow (but in
the Pyrenean variety purple), generally solitary, single or double;
sepals five to six, elliptical. March. _l._ radical ones three
to five parted; segments subtrifid, deeply toothed; those of the
involucrum on short stalks three parted, deeply toothed. _h._ 3in.
Naturalised in English woods, but rarely. Tuberous rooted.
[Illustration: FIG. 100. ANEMONE STELLATA.]
=A. rivularis= (river).* _fl._ white; anthers purple; sepals five,
oval, smooth; pedicels three, one of which is naked. April. _l._
villous, as well as petioles, three parted; lobes cuneated, trifid;
lobules cut, acutely toothed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. North India,
1840. Should be grown on the banks of running water, or in a damp
situation in the border.
=A. sibirica= (Siberian). _fl._ white; sepals six, orbicular;
scapes one-flowered. June. _l._ ternate; segments deeply toothed,
ciliated, those of the involucrum on short stalks, ternate;
segments lanceolate. _h._ 6in. Siberia, 1804. Rockery; very rare.
=A. stellata= (star-leaved).* _fl._ purple, or rose red, or
whitish, solitary; sepals ten to twelve, oblong, bluntish. April.
_l._ three parted; lobes cuneated, deeply-toothed; involucral
leaves sessile, oblong. _h._ 8in. to 10in. South Europe, 1599. A
pretty and gay spring flowering plant. Tuberous rooted. SYN. _A.
pavonina_. Double forms of this occur in cultivation. See Fig. 100.
[Illustration: FIG. 101. ANEMONE SYLVESTRIS.]
=A. sylvestris= (wood).* Snowdrop Windflower. _fl._ pure satin
white, slightly drooping, 1-1/2in. across when fully open,
fragrant; sepals six, elliptical; pedicel solitary. April. _l._
ternate or quinate, hairy beneath; segments deeply toothed at top,
those of the involucrum stalked. _h._ 6in. to 18in. Europe, 1596.
This distinct and showy species thrives best in a light vegetable
soil in a rather shady and moist situation. The roots are creeping,
and should be allowed plenty of room, so that they may ramble
without check. See Fig. 101.
[Illustration: FIG. 102. ANEMONE VERNALIS.]
=A. trifolia= (three-leaved). _fl._ white, erect; sepals five,
elliptical, obtuse. April. _l._ all stalked, ternate; segments
ovate-lanceolate, acute, toothed. _h._ 6in. France, 1597. This
species comes close to _A. nemorosa_.
=A. vernalis= (spring).* _fl._ whitish inside, violet and covered
with silky down outside, erect, sub-sessile or on pedicels; sepals
six, straight, elliptic-oblong. April. _l._ pinnate; segments
cuneate-lanceolate, trifid; involucrum very villous. _h._ 6in.
Europe, 1816. A curious rather than a showy species; it makes a
pretty pot plant, but must not, under any consideration, be allowed
to want water. It can be plunged in sand or ashes in the open, and
just as the flowers commence to expand, transfer to a cool frame.
It thrives best in a peat and loam compost, to which small pieces
of charcoal may be added. SYN. _Pulsatilla vernalis_. See Fig. 102.
=A. virginiana= (Virginian).* _fl._ purplish green or pale purple,
small; sepals five, elliptical, silky-pubescent on the outside;
pedicels often rising in pairs from the involucel. May. _l._
ternate; segments trifid, acuminated, deeply toothed; those of
the involucre and involucels stalked; peduncles three to four,
much elongated, middle one naked, sometimes 1ft. high; lateral
ones bearing two-leaved involucels. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1722.
Border or woodlands, and damp places.
=A. vitifolia= (vine-leaved). _fl._ white, villous on the outside;
anthers copper colour; sepals eight, oval, oblong; pedicels
one-flowered. July. _l._ large, cordate, five-lobed, beneath
as well as the stems clothed with white wool; lobes broadly
ovate, cut, and crenate; those of the involucrum stalked, woolly
underneath, smooth above, bluntly cordate, five-lobed. _h._ 2ft.
Upper Nepaul, 1829. This requires a warm sheltered position to
stand the winter. Very near _A. japonica alba_, and probably the
progenitor of it.
=ANEMONOPSIS= (from _anemone_, and _opsis_, resemblance; flowers like
those of the Anemone). ORD. _Ranunculaceæ_. A handsome and remarkable
hardy herbaceous perennial, not unlike _Anemone japonica_, but smaller.
It thrives in any light soil. Propagated by seeds and divisions of the
root-stock in spring.
=A. macrophylla= (large-leaved).* _fl._ in loose racemes; sepals
about nine, concave, the outer three purple, internally pale lilac;
petals twelve, in many rows, one-third the length of the sepals,
linear-oblong. July. _l._ large, biternate, coarsely toothed,
glabrous. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Japan, 1869.
=ANEMOPÃGMA= (from _anemos_, the wind, and _paigma_, sport). ORD.
_Bignoniaceæ_. A handsome stove climbing shrub. For culture, _see_
=Bignonia=.
=A. racemosum= (racemose).* _fl._ delicate buff coloured, in
axillary racemes, large. September. Brazil, 1879. This beautiful
and vigorous climber is, as yet, very rare in cultivation.
=ANETHUM= (from _ano_, upwards, and _theo_, to run; in reference to its
quick growth). ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. A genus of erect glabrous annuals.
Flowers yellow; involucre and involucels wanting. Leaves decompound,
with linear-setaceous lobes. This genus is of no ornamental value, its
most important species being the garden Dill (_A. graveolens_), which
_see_ for culture.
=ANGELICA= (in reference to the supposed angelic medicinal virtues
of some species). ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. Perennial or biennial herbs.
Flowers white; umbels terminal; involucra wanting or of few leaves;
involucels of many leaves. Leaves bipinnate. The common Angelica (_A.
Archangelica_) is the only species that calls for mention. It is a
native biennial, and was at one time in much request for confectionery,
and as a herb of supposed great medicinal value. Seed should be sown in
September or March in ordinary soil, and the young plants thinned out
to about 18in. apart.
=ANGELICA TREE.= _See_ =Aralia spinosa=.
=ANGELONIA= (from _angelon_, the local name of _A. salicariæfolia_
in South America). SYN. _Schelveria_. ORD. _Scrophulariaceæ_. Very
pretty stove herbaceous perennials. Flowers axillary, racemose; corolla
irregular, bilabiate; lower lip saccate at the base, trifid; upper
one smaller, bifid. Leaves opposite. Stem and branches quadrangular.
A mixture of light turfy loam, peat, leaf soil, and sand, is a good
compost. Cuttings of young shoots in spring strike readily under a hand
glass, or plunged in the propagating bed, giving plenty of air daily.
=A. salicariæfolia= (Willow-leaved).* _fl._ blue, hairy, axillary,
solitary, pedicellate, disposed in terminal racemes. August. _l._
sessile, lanceolate, acute, serrated towards the apex, finely
pubescent on both surfaces. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 3ft. South America,
1818.
=ANGIOPTERIS= (from _aggeion_, a vessel, and _pteris_, a wing).
Including _Psilodochea_. ORD. _Filices_. A genus of gigantic greenhouse
ferns. Capsules eight to fifteen, opening by a slit down the side,
sessile, very close but not concrete, arranged in linear-oblong or
boat-shaped sori near the edge of the frond. These ferns require a very
liberal supply of water, and plenty of room to fully expand. The most
suitable compost is a mixture of strong loam and peat, with some sharp
sand. Thorough drainage must be afforded.
=A. evecta= (evectic). _cau._ erect, 2ft. to 6ft. high, 1-1/2ft.
to 2ft. thick, very fleshy. _sti._ swollen and articulated at
the base, furnished with two large leathery persistent auricles.
_fronds_ 6ft. to 15ft. long, bi- or tripinnate; pinnæ 1ft. to
3ft. long, spreading, the lowest the largest; rachis swollen at
the base; pinnules 4in. to 12in. long, 1/2in. to 1-1/2in. broad,
linear-oblong, sessile or shortly stalked, acuminate; edge entire
or finely toothed. Tropics of Old World. This is the only clearly
defined species; the others usually known as distinct species are
but varieties of it, and its culture should not be attempted if
plenty of room cannot be afforded it.
=ANGOPHORA= (from _aggos_, a vessel, and _phero_, to bear; in reference
to the shape of the fruit). ORD. _Myrtaceæ_. Australian evergreen
greenhouse ornamental trees or shrubs. Flowers corymbose; calyx five or
six-cleft. Leaves large, opposite. A mixture of leaf soil, peat, and
sand suits them well. Ripened cuttings will root in sandy soil under a
hand glass in a cool house, in a few weeks.
=A. cordifolia= (heart-leaved).* _fl._ yellowish, corymbose, large.
May. _l._ sessile, ovate, cordate at the base, glabrous. _h._ 7ft.
to 10ft. New Holland, 1789.
=A. lanceolata= (lanceolate-leaved).* _fl._ white, corymbose. May.
_l._ petiolate, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft.
New Holland, 1816.
=ANGRÃCUM= (deduced from _angurek_, a Malayan name for air plants).
ORD. _Orchidaceæ_. TRIBE _Vandeæ_. These are among the most beautiful
of epiphytal orchids. One characteristic, both remarkable and peculiar,
is the long, hollow, tail-like spur depending from the base of the lip.
The flowers are produced on spikes from the axils of the leaves. The
leaves are evergreen, and arranged in two rows, the one opposite to the
other, and, in many kinds, being curved, give the plant a very graceful
appearance. The fact of these plants producing their blooms during
the winter--a period when flowers are generally scarce--considerably
enhances their value. They usually continue six or eight weeks in
perfection, or even more. The following table of night temperatures
should be almost universally adhered to for all the species enumerated,
except _A. falcatum_, which thrives best in a cool house. From November
to February, 58deg. to 63deg.; March to May, September and October,
65deg.; June to August, 70deg. The day temperature should be 7deg. or
8deg. higher than that of the night. A compost of crocks, charcoal,
and sphagnum is best. A layer of a few large crocks at the bottom of
the pot or pan will be required; over these spread another layer of
charcoal and smaller crocks, just enough to allow the roots to support
the plant; so that the first pair of leaves will be, in large plants,
about 4in. above the rim of the pot, or proportionately less in the
case of small plants. When the plant is carefully adjusted in its
proper position, and held there with one hand, the other hand should
work in among the roots more crocks and charcoal, ceasing so to do
when within 2in. of the rim; the remaining space must be occupied with
fresh sphagnum, pressed firm (this is most essential) in a cone shape,
which may be built up to within 1/2in. of the lower pair of leaves.
Prior to potting, which ought to be done between February and April,
water should be withheld for a short time; but give a good soaking
immediately after the operation. In the process of repotting, clear
the roots of the old moss, all rotten stems, and particles of decayed
roots. If plants are potted as we have recommended, a thorough soaking
once a week only, or if grown on blocks of wood, or in suspended
baskets or pans, about twice weekly will be found sufficient. Excessive
fumigation, drought, whether atmospherical or at the roots, will cause
the leaves to drop, and prevent any growth being made, in which case
the plant ought to be lowered. If the stems have emitted but few roots,
a ring of moss fastened round the stems, and kept constantly wet, will
induce the plant to throw out additional roots, when the lowering
may be proceeded with. To keep the plants free from insect pests,
frequently sponge the foliage. Thrips generally prove very troublesome,
and a moderate fumigation is needful, dislodging the insects that may
be secreted low down in the centre of the plant, shortly before the
operation, by dropping a little weak tobacco water or sulphur among
them.
=A. arcuatum= (curved).* _fl._ white; racemes from the axils of
the two-year-old leaves, two or three being produced from a single
growth, about 6in. long, arching. _l._ about 4in. long, and 3/4in.
broad. Natal. SYNS. _Listrostachys arcuata_. _A. (Listrostachys)
Sedeni_ comes close to the above species, but is excessively rare
in cultivation.
=A. bilobum= (two-lobed).* _fl._ white, with a tinge of rose, about
1-1/2in. in diameter; spur 2in. long, produced from the side of
the stem, just above the two-year-old leaves; racemes pendulous,
6in. or more long, bearing about a dozen flowers, which possess
a slight fragrance. October to December. _l._ 4in. long by 2in.
broad, two-lobed at the apex, about eight on a plant. Stem erect,
about 6in. high. Cape Coast, 1841. Should be grown in a basket.
=A. caudatum= (tailed). _fl._ greenish yellow, mixed with brown;
labellum pure white; spur thick, pale green, about 9in. long,
two-lobed at the lowest portion; racemes arching, 1ft. or more
long, produced from the base of the two-year-old leaves. Autumn.
_l._ pale green, drooping, about 10in. long by 1in. broad. _h._
1-1/2ft. Stem erect, or nearly so. Sierra Leone, 1834.
=A. cephalotes= (capitate).* _fl._ white. Tropical Africa, 1873.
=A. Chailluanum= (Chaillu's).* _fl._ white; sepals and petals
narrow, acute; spur yellowish green, 4in. or more long; racemes
pendulous, 8in. or 10in. long, about twelve medium sized flowers
produced from the side of the stem, just above the axils of
two-year-old leaves. _l._ 6in. long, 1-1/2in. broad, slightly
wavy, two-lobed at the apex, arranged in an imbricate manner. West
Africa, 1866. A rare species.
=A. Christyanum= (Christy's). A curious species, with yellow or
greenish-white flowers, having a much developed three-lobed lip.
The plant has the aspect of _A. arcuatum_. 1880.
=A. citratum= (citron-like).* _fl._ creamy white, or pale yellow,
nearly 1in. in diameter; spurs about 1-1/2in. long; racemes
three, on strong plants, produced from the axils of two-year-old
leaves, arched, about 1ft. long, bearing sometimes twenty flowers.
_l._ 4in. to 6in. long and 2in. broad, six or eight on a plant,
occupying about 1-1/2in. of stem. Madagascar, 1868. Habit compact;
stem nearly erect.
=A. distichum= (two-rowed-leaved). _fl._ whitish, 1/4in. across,
on one-flowered pedicels, which are produced from the axils of the
leaves. _l._ very short, closely imbricated, deep bright green.
_h._ 6in. Sierra Leone, 1834. A very neat growing little species,
and quite distinct.
=A. eburneum= (ivory-lipped).* _fl._ sepals and petals greenish
white; lip uppermost, white, very large; racemes about 18in. long,
from the axils of two-year-old leaves; footstalks erect, but
gradually becoming pendulous from the commencement of the flowers.
_l._ 20in. long by 2in. broad, light green, stiff. Madagascar,
1826. SYN. _Ãrobion eburneum_. _A. virens_ is an inferior variety,
but _A. e. superbum_ surpasses the type in beauty; it is, however,
at present extremely rare.
=A. Ellisii= (Ellis's).* _fl._ pure white, fragrant, about 2in.
across, with narrow reflexed sepals and petals, the column
standing very prominent; spur pale brownish, 6in. to 8in.; racemes
frequently 2ft. long, on the side of the stem just above the axils
of the two-year-old leaves, bearing about twenty blossoms. _l._
dark green, 9in. or 10in. long, and 2in. broad, divided at the apex
into two unequal lobes. Madagascar, 1879.
=A. falcatum= (sickle-shaped).* _fl._ pure white, very fragrant;
spur upcurved, 2in. long; racemes from the axils of the
two-year-old leaves, short, bearing from two to five blooms. _l._
2in. to 4in. long, very narrow and fleshy, dark green. 1815.
An elegant little cool house species, and one of the smallest
belonging to this genus. It should be grown in peat, in a basket or
small pot suspended about 2ft. from the glass, but rather shaded.
=A. Kotschyi= (Kotschy's).* _fl._ yellowish white, perfume
similar to the common white pink, 1in. to 1-1/2in. across; spur
reddish-tinted, 6in. or 7in. long, distinguished by the two spiral
twistings; racemes from the axils of the lower leaves, 18in. long,
bearing about twelve blossoms. _l._ 6in. long by 3in. broad, of
which there are generally six or more on a good plant. Zanzibar,
1880. Should be grown in a basket, or on a cylindrical block of
teak wood.
=A. modestum= (modest).* _fl._ pure white, 1in. to 1-1/2in. across.
_l._ distichous, 3in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad,
elliptic or linear-oblong, acute, tip entire, pale bright green,
leathery, nerveless. Stem short. Madagascar, about 1880.
=A. pellucidum= (transparent).* _fl._ white, of a delicate
semi-transparent texture, and with a finely fringed labellum;
racemes from the axils of the lowest leaves, hanging
perpendicularly from the stems, about 1ft. long, bearing thirty
to forty blossoms. _l._ 12in. long by 2in. or 3in. broad. Sierra
Leone, 1842. Must be grown in a suspended basket.
=A. pertusum= (broken).* _fl._ pure white; spur comparatively
short, with a well-marked yellow tinge; racemes from the axils of
two-year-old leaves, horizontal, or slightly nodding, 6in. to 7in.
long, with from forty to sixty densely packed, small blossoms. _l._
dark green, arching, 10in. long by 1in. broad. _h._ 1ft. Sierra
Leone, 1836. Very distinct and attractive.
=A. Scottianum= (Scott's).* _fl._ pure white, very delicate in
texture, the lip is uppermost, 1in. or more across; spur narrow,
yellowish, 3in. to 4in. long; peduncle slender, a little longer
than the spur, usually but one-flowered. _l._ narrow, terete--thus
differing from most of its congeners--tapering or awl-shaped, about
4in. long, 1/8in. to 1/4in. in diameter, channelled in the upper
surface and ridged below. Comoro Islands, 1878.
=A. Sedeni= (Seden's). A rare form of _A. arcuatum_.
=A. sesquipedale= (foot-and-a-half).* _fl._ beautiful ivory white,
on stout, solitary, axillary peduncles, with sepals and petals
spreading out like rays, from 6in. to 8in. across; the whip-like
spur or nectary hangs down from the labellum, often from 10in. to
18in. long. November, December, and January, and lasts about three
weeks in beauty. _l._ dark green, distichous, about 10in. long.
_h._ 1ft. Madagascar, 1823. It is one of the grandest of winter
flowering orchids.
=A. virens= (green). An inferior variety of _A. eburneum_.
=ANGULAR.= Having angles, or forming angles.
=ANGULOA= (commemorative of Angulo, a Spanish naturalist). ORD.
_Orchidaceæ_. A small genus containing about six species. The flowers,
which are large and beautiful, are borne singly on scapes from 12in. to
16in. high, several of which are produced from the ripened pseudo-bulbs
of the preceding year's growth. Pseudo-bulbs from 5in. to 8in. high, as
thick as a man's wrist, bearing two to three erect, broad, lanceolate
leaves, 2ft. to 4ft. long. Temperature, summer, day (maximum), 70deg.;
night (minimum), 60deg. Winter, day (maximum), 60deg.; night (minimum),
45deg. These are bold growing cool-house plants, best grown in rough
fibrous peat, with good drainage. They delight in an abundant supply
of water both to the roots and foliage when growing, and require to
be kept in a somewhat dark or heavily-shaded place. During the season
of rest, and until young shoots commence growth, they should be kept
rather dry. They are propagated by dividing the pseudo-bulbs, just
before they commence to grow. The flowering season is summer.
=A. Clowesii= (Clowes's).* _fl._ fragrant; sepals and petals
concave, clear golden yellow; lip pure white; whole conformation
globular, or tulip-like. Columbia (at 5000ft. to 6000ft.
elevation), 1842. This is the largest growing species, of which
there are one or two rare varieties.
=A. eburnea= (ivory-flowered).* _fl._, sepals and petals of the
purest white; lip spotted with pink. New Grenada. In other respects
similar to above, but is very rare.
=A. Ruckeri= (Rucker's).* _fl._, sepals and petals yellow, with
crimson spots; lip deep crimson. Columbia, 1845. Not so large a
grower as either of the foregoing, but with same sized flowers.
=A. R. sanguinea= (bloody).* This variety has flowers of a deep
blood red colour, but is rare.
=A. superba= (superb).* Synonymous with _Acineta Humboldtii_.
=A. uniflora= (one-flowered).* _fl._ sub-globose, pure white,
sometimes freckled with brown, spotted profusely with pink inside.
Columbia, 1844. One of the best in cultivation.
=ANGURIA= (one of the Greek names for the cucumber). ORD.
_Cucurbitaceæ_. A stove genus of evergreen climbers allied to
_Momordica_. Flowers monÅcious; corolla joined to the calyx,
ventricose, red, with a five-parted spreading border. Fruit somewhat
tetragonal. Several species have been introduced from time to time, but
they are rarely seen in our gardens. Some of them are handsome plants,
and well worthy of cultivation.
=ANHALONIUM.= _See_ =Mammillaria=.
=ANIGOZANTHUS= (from _anoigo_, to expand, and _anthos_, a flower;
in reference to the branching expansion of the flower stalks). SYN.
_Schwægrichenia_. ORD. _Hæmodoraceæ_. Greenhouse or half-hardy
perennial herbs. Flowers large, racemose or corymbose; perianth
tubular, elongated, woolly. Leaves linear ensiform. The species thrive
in a turfy compost of peat and loam, three parts of the former to one
of the latter; the whole intermixed with sand to make it porous. In the
growing season they must be kept well watered, and somewhat dry during
their period of rest in winter. They are very easily propagated by
dividing the roots in spring.
=A. coccineus= (scarlet).* _fl._ scarlet; perianth swelling
towards the summit, hairy, segments a little reflexed; disposed in
dichotomously-forked panicles; pedicels rather long. June. _l._
lanceolate, deep green. Stem ciliated. _h._ 5ft. Swan River, 1837.
[Illustration: FIG. 103. INFLORESCENCE AND LEAF OF ANIGOZANTHUS
FLAVIDUS.]
=A. flavidus= (yellowish-green-flowered).* _fl._ yellowish green,
panicled; scapes long. May. _l._ lanceolate, smooth, as is also
the stem; down of branches deciduous. _h._ 3ft. New Holland, 1808.
There is a scarlet and green-flowered variety of this species. See
Fig. 103.
=A. Manglesii= (Mangle's). _fl._ green; stigma capitate, projecting
beyond the tube, in a short terminal spiked raceme. May. Stem
erect, clothed with short thick crimson persistent velvety down.
_h._ 3ft. Swan River, 1833.
=A. pulcherrimus= (beautiful).* _fl._ yellow; panicles much
branched, clothed with rufous bristles. May. _l._ equitant, linear
falcate, covered with stellate tomentum. _h._ 3ft. Swan River,
1844.
=A. tyrianthinus= (purple).* _fl._ purple and white; panicle
clothed with purple tomentum. May. _l._ linear, stiff, straight,
glabrous. Stem tall, ternate, panicled, clothed with hoary tomentum
below. _h._ 3ft. Swan River, 1844.
=ANIL.= _See_ =Indigofera Anil=.
=ANIME RESIN.= _See_ =Hymenæa Courbaril=.
=ANIMATED OAT.= _See_ =Avena sterilis=.
=ANISANTHUS.= _See_ =Antholyza=.
=ANISE= (_Pimpinella Anisum_). A hardy annual, occasionally used for
garnishing or seasoning. Sow seed, in ordinary garden soil, on a warm
sunny border, in May, where it is intended for the plants to remain.
=ANISEED TREE.= _See_ =Illicium=.
=ANISOCHILUS= (from _anisos_, unequal, and _cheilos_, a lip; in
reference to the inequality of both lips of calyx and corolla). ORD.
_Labiatæ_. A very ornamental genus of stove perennials or biennials.
Whorls of flowers densely imbricate into oblong cylindrical spikes;
corolla with an exserted, defracted tube, inflated throat, and
bilabiate limb. They thrive in any light rich soil. Cuttings will root
in a sandy soil under a bell glass, in heat; seeds may be sown in
February in heat.
=A. carnosum= (fleshy). _fl._ lilac; whorls densely imbricate into
oblong cylindrical pedunculate spikes. June to September. _l._
petiolate, ovate-roundish, obtuse, crenated, cordate at the base,
thick, fleshy, tomentose on both surfaces. Stem erect. _h._ 2ft.
East Indies, 1788.
=ANISOMELES= (from _anisos_, unequal, and _melos_, a member; in
reference to the anthers of the longer stamens being halved). ORD.
_Labiatæ_. Ornamental greenhouse or evergreen stove shrubs, herbaceous
perennials, or annuals. Whorls sometimes densely many-flowered, at
others few, and loose; corolla with upper lip erect, oblong, entire;
lower lip larger, spreading, and lateral lobes ovate, obtuse. They are
of very easy culture in light rich soil; young cuttings strike freely
in spring, in heat, under a bell glass. _A. furcata_ requires little or
no artificial heat, but the protection of a bell glass is beneficial.
Seeds of _A. ovata_ may be sown in spring, in heat, and, after due
hardening off, the seedlings may be planted outside in May.
=A. furcata= (forked).* _fl._ small, elegantly variegated with
white, red, and purple, in loose many-flowered racemose cymes.
July. _l._ petiolate, ovate, acuminated, crenated, cordate at the
base, hispid on both surfaces. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Nepaul, 1824.
=A. malabarica= (Malabar). _fl._ purplish; whorls distant,
many-flowered, dense. July. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, 2in. to 4in. in
length, obtuse, serrately crenated in the upper part, quite entire
at the base. _h._ 2ft. to 5ft. Tropical Asia, in humid places,
1817. Shrub.
=A. ovata= (ovate-leaved).* _fl._ purple; lower lip of a deeper
colour; whorls many-flowered, lower ones distant, upper ones
interruptedly spicate. August. _l._ ovate, obtuse, broadly
crenated. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Nepaul, 1823. An annual. Habitat
similar to last.
=ANISOMEROUS.= Unequally-parted; unsymmetrical.
=ANISOPETALUM.= _See_ =Bulbophyllum=.
[Illustration: THREAD-LEAVED PINE, AGAVES, AND YUCCA, IN A GUERNSEY
GARDEN.]
=ANNUALS.= All plants which spring from the seed, flower, and die
within the course of a year. A number of things, however, which are
not strictly of annual duration, but which are sown every year in
preference to housing the roots before they are killed by late autumn
or winter frosts, are generally classed, for the sake of convenience,
under the head of Annuals. Hardy Annuals are those which require no
artificial aid to enable them to develop, but grow and flower freely
in the open air. These are best sown in the spots where they are
intended to remain during March and April, and care must subsequently
be taken to keep the ground clear of weeds, and also to thin out the
seedlings, allowing each sufficient room to develop and exhibit its
true character. If allowed to remain too crowded, the plants, as a
matter of course, suffer, and the size and number of the flowers and
the general effect are considerably decreased. Successional sowings
of a good many of the showy species will be found to prolong their
flowering season. In well-kept establishments, where Annuals are duly
appreciated, several sowings are made in pots at intervals of a few
weeks. As the previously-sown clumps begin to get shabby, they are
removed, and replaced by others which have still to flower. By this
means a continual sheet of blossom can be maintained for a long time.
It is much better to trust to plants grown in pots in order to carry
out the plan just sketched, as these receive no check when placed in
their new quarters; whilst transplanted clumps frequently fail, and
many species do not transplant at all readily from an open border.
In order to secure, in early spring, a fine show of such plants as
several of the _Silenes_, _Myosotis_, _Saponaria_, and a number of
others, it is best to sow the seeds in an open, sheltered border, about
the end of July or beginning of August, taking care to keep a small
reserve stock in a cold frame, in case very severe weather kills the
unprotected plants. Half-hardy Annuals are those for which our climate
is not sufficiently warm, or, rather, our summer is not, as a rule,
either hot enough or long enough, to allow them to grow, flower well,
and ripen seeds, if sown in the open air. Many of these are amongst
the showiest of garden plants, so it is worth while to give them the
shelter of a warm frame during their earlier stages, and gradually
harden them off, planting out at the end of May or beginning of June,
when danger resulting from severe weather is passed. After germination,
the seedlings should have plenty of light and air, or a weak, spindly
growth, and, as a consequence, poor flowers, will result. The most
satisfactory method of watering very tiny seeds is to place a piece of
fine muslin over the seed-pot, through which the water will be easily
conveyed to the seeds, and thus prevent disturbance. Tender Annuals
require the same treatment as the half-hardy ones, except that they
need throughout their existence the protection of a glass structure.
All, or nearly all, garden Annuals delight in full sunlight and plenty
of air. In the open, these requirements, as a rule, obtain, but
sometimes mistakes are made under glass by keeping the plants too close
and over much shaded, as well as too great a distance from the glass.
=ANNULAR.= Having a ring-like form.
=ANNULATE.= With the appearance of rings.
=ANÅCTOCHILUS= (from _anoiktos_, open, and _cheilos_, a lip; in
reference to the spreading apex of the lip). SYNS. _Anecochilus_,
_Chrysobaphus_. ORD. _Orchideæ_. Stove terrestrial orchids, the radical
leaves of which are the chief attraction, being amongst the most
beautiful and delicate objects in the vegetable kingdom. The flowers,
which should be pinched off so soon as they appear, are, as a rule,
small and unattractive. Few of the species exceed 6in. in height,
with leaves from 2in. to 6in. long, including the fleshy petioles.
They require a good deal of attention. To one part of silver sand,
thoroughly washed twice or three times, add two of sphagnum, which
should also be well washed and picked over, when it should be chopped
into minute particles, in order that it may freely amalgamate with
the sand; mix a little loam and peat with the whole. In the pots,
when well drained by first placing a large piece of potsherd over the
bottom and nearly half filling up with pieces broken small and of
uniform size, place a thin layer of crude sphagnum, afterwards filling
firmly with the mixture above mentioned, and bringing it up more or
less in the form of a cone above the rim of the pot, into which the
plants should be firmly fixed. Plants which have been propagated by
division should be carefully transferred to 32-sized pots. About five
separate pieces might be placed evenly over the surface. Make holes
with a neat dibble, and into these drop the roots their entire length,
pressing the soil firmly with the dibble. Fix them so that they may
grow inwardly, and not out over the rim of the pots, pegging each
creeping root needing such attention firmly down upon the surface of
the soil afterwards; after a good soaking, they may be replaced in any
warm, shady situation. For propagating, a strong plant is necessary; it
may be cut into pieces just below the first joint, each piece having
a root. The bottom piece should have two eyes--one to root from, and
the other to push into a shoot. The "bottom," or plant which has been
cut, should be replaced in its pot, and then put under a bell glass.
It will soon throw up a young shoot; this ought to be left on until
well rooted, when it may be separated and treated similarly to the
portion first removed, still leaving the old part in the pot. These
plants must be grown in glass cases, or under bell glasses, but they
should always have a little air, for, as Mr. Williams says, when too
much confined, they grow up spindly, and damp off in the stem; the
latter, being fleshy, requires more substance and sturdiness. Air
should be admitted through a space of about 1in. or 2in. The following
ranges of temperature are advised: Winter, night, 55deg. to 60deg.;
day, 65deg. to 70deg. during March, April, and May; night, 60deg. to
70deg.; and, afterwards, a few degrees higher, with a maximum day
temperature of 80deg. Bottom heat should not be given, as it induces
a weak, fast growth. Great care will be needed to prevent ravages of
insects. The most suitable month for repotting is March, just before
growth commences, when the plants will need plenty of water up to
October, excepting when it is desirous to utilise them as drawing-room
ornaments, in which case they should be kept rather dry for a short
time previous. _See also_ =Dossinia=, =Goodyera=, =Hæmeria=, =Macodes=,
=Physurus=, and =Zeuxine=.
[Illustration: FIG. 104. ANÅCTOCHILUS FRIDERICI-AUGUSTI.]
=A. argenteus pictus= (silvery-painted). A synonym of _Physurus
pictus_.
=A. argyroneurus= (silvery-veined).* _l._ light green, dark
mottled; veins forming a beautiful silvery network. Java.
=A. Boylei= (Boyle's).* _l._ ovate, acuminate, 2in. long and broad,
olive-green, netted and pencilled with gold. India.
=A. Bullenii= (Bullen's).* _l._ 2-1/2 in. long, ground colour
bronzy green, with three broad distinct lines of coppery-red, or
golden stripes running the entire length. Borneo, 1861.
=A. concinnus= (neat). _l._ ovate, acuminate, rounded at base, dark
olive-green, netted and striped with shining coppery-red. Assam.
=A. Dawsonianus= (Dawson's).* _l._ ovate, of a dark velvety, rich
olive-green, traversed by about seven longitudinal copper-coloured
veins; the space on each side of the midrib being filled with fine
reticulations of the same colour. Malay Archipelago, 1868. The
proper name of this plant is _Hæmeria discolor Dawsoniana_.
=A. Dayi= (Day's). A synonym of _Dossinia marmorata Dayi_.
=A. Dominii= (Dominy's). _l._ dark olive-green, streaked down
the centre with pale coppery-yellow, the main ribs marked by
pale lines. Hybrid between _Goodyera discolor_ and _A. Friderici
Augusti_.
=A. Eldorado= (Eldorado). _l._ dark green, with small tracery of a
lighter colour, deciduous. Central America.
=A. Friderici-Augusti= (Frederick Augustus').* _l._ 2-1/2in. long,
and 1-1/2in. broad, dark velvety green, with broad orange and green
stripes down the centre, covered with a beautiful golden network.
_h._ 5in. Very distinct. See Fig. 104. SYN. _A. xanthophyllus_.
=A. Heriotii= (Heriot's). _l._ 3-1/2in. long, 2-1/2in. broad, dark
mahogany-colour, golden-reticulated, and with shadowy network.
India.
=A. hieroglyphicus= (hieroglyphic-marked). _l._ small, dark green,
with hieroglyphic-like, silvery-grey blotches. Assam.
=A. intermedius= (intermediate).* _l._ 2-1/2in. long, and 1-1/2in.
broad, with a silky surface, dark olive, striped and veined with
gold. _h._ 3in. Will succeed with a glass covering, in a stove, if
shaded.
=A. javanicus= (Java). _fl._ pink, small, spicate; scape 9in. high.
_l._ 2in. long, 1-1/2in. broad, dark olive-green, with lighter
blotches and faint golden reticulation, pinkish beneath. Java.
=A. latimaculatus= (broad-spotted).* _l._ dark green, with silvery
markings. Borneo. A distinct and free-growing kind.
=A. Lowii= (Low's).* _l._ 4in. to 5in. long, 3in. broad, dark
velvety-green, shading to orange-brown, lined from base to apex
with deep golden veins, crossed by lines of the same hue. _h._ 6in.
Borneo. The correct name of this plant is _Dossinia marmorata_.
=A. L. virescens= (greenish).* _l._ brighter green, with brighter
markings over the whole surface.
=A. Ordianus= (Ordi's).* _l._ shape and habit of _A. Dawsonianus_,
but the colour is a vivid green, and lined with golden veins. Java,
1869. The proper name of this plant is _Hæmeria discolor Ordiana_.
=A. pictus= (painted). A synonym of _Physurus pictus_.
=A. querceticola= (forest-dwelling). A synonym of _Physurus
querceticolus_.
=A. regalis= (royal).* King Plant. _l._ 2in. long, 1-1/2in. broad;
surface a beautiful velvety green, veined in regular lines, and
covered with a network of gold. _h._ 4in. Java, 1836. If examined
with a lens in sunshine, the beauty of the network will be plainly
seen. SYN. _A. setaceus_ (of gardens). There are several varieties,
the best of which are:
=A. r. cordatus= (heart-shaped). _l._ rounder, and gold markings
broader. Very rare.
=A. r. grandifolius= (large-leaved).* _l._ light green, beautifully
laced and banded with a network of gold. Also rare.
=A. r. inornatus= (unadorned). _l._ dark rich velvety, with a few
slight markings, destitute of the golden reticulation. Java.
=A. Reinwardtii= (Reinwardt's).* _l._ rich, deep velvety-bronze,
intersected with bright golden lines. Java.
=A. Roxburghii= (Roxburgh's).* _l._ 2-1/2in. long, 1-1/2in. broad,
dark velvety-green, striated with well-defined lines of silver.
_h._ 3in. India. The true species is very rare; several are sold as
such.
=A. Ruckerii= (Rucker's).* _l._ broadly ovate-bronzy-green, with
six rows of distinct spots running from base to apex. Borneo, 1861.
=A. setaceus= (bristly). A garden synonym of _A. regalis_.
=A. striatus= (striated). A synonym of _Zeuxine regia_.
=A. Turneri= (Turner's).* _l._ large, rich bronze, freely
golden-reticulated. One of the handsomest; a very free grower.
=A. Veitchii= (Veitch's). A synonym of _Macodes Petola_.
=A. xanthophyllus= (yellow-leaved). A synonym of _A.
Friderici-Augusti_.
=A. zebrinus= (striped).* _l._ ovate-lanceolate, deep olive green,
with copper-coloured veins. India, 1863. Dwarf and elegant.
=ANOMATHECA= (from _anomos_, singular, and _theca_, a capsule, or
seed-pod). ORD. _Irideæ_. Very pretty little bulbous perennials.
Perianth hypocrateriform; tube triquetrous, constricted at the throat.
The species are hardy when planted in warm sunny situations in the
open border. Their dwarf stature, brilliance, profusion of flowers,
and habit of blossoming continuously over a long period, render them
very popular subjects amongst growers of hardy perennials. Although
generally credited with being hardy, when cultivated out of doors they
should be lifted and stored in frost-proof quarters before winter
commences, until the following March. They are excellent as window
garden plants, and also for pot culture. If grown in pots, they should
be shaken out, and repotted in February or March. They multiply very
rapidly, and may be divided in patches, not by single bulbs, once
yearly. Light sandy loam, mixed with a little leaf mould, is the best
compost. Anomathecas are sometimes increased by seed, which may be sown
so soon as ripe, very thinly, in seed pans. Thin out the seedlings if
growing very close together; the next season they may be put out four
or five in a pot. When they become crowded, shift into a much larger
pot, but do not disturb the ball. The young seedlings will probably
produce flowers the second season.
=A. cruenta= (bloody).* _fl._ rich carmine-crimson; perianth
segments elliptical, three lower ones broader than the others,
with a dark blotch at the base; tube long, whitish; scapes secund,
bearing about five or six flowers. Summer and autumn. _l._
two-ranked, about 1/2in. broad, sword-shape, somewhat tapering.
Bulb ovate, rather large. _h._ 6in. to 12in. Cape of Good Hope,
1830.
=A. juncea= (rushy). _fl._ very bright pink, with a dark spot at
the base, produced in profusion. The leaves are narrower than those
of the foregoing. Cape of Good Hope, 1791. A rare species.
=ANONA= (_Anona_ is the name applied to these plants in St. Domingo).
Custard Apple. ORD. _Anonaceæ_. Stove evergreen shrubs, with fragrant
leaves. Petals six, in two rows. Carpels indefinite, joined into one
fleshy, many-celled, edible, roundish fruit, with a muricated, scaly,
or reticulated skin. Anonas thrive best in rich loamy soil, mixed with
a little peat. Ripened cuttings, with leaves intact, will root if
inserted in sand and placed under a hand glass, in a moist heat. When
seeds are procurable, they should be sown in pots, and plunged into a
hotbed.
=A. Cherimolia= (The Cherimoyer). _fl._ outer petals somewhat
concave, linear-oblong, brown on the outside, each marked with a
dark spot at the base; peduncles opposite the leaves, solitary.
July. _fr._ somewhat globose and scaly, dark purple; esteemed by
the Peruvians as one of their most delicate, and as being not
inferior to any fruit in the world. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, not
dotted; under surface silky tomentose, strong scented. _h._ 20ft.
Peru, 1739.
=A. glabra= (smooth-fruited).* _fl._ outer petals ovate, obtuse,
brown; calyx leathery, large; peduncles opposite the leaves,
two-flowered. July. _fr._ greenish-yellow, conoid, blunt, smooth.
_l._ ovate-lanceolate, smooth. _h._ 10ft. West Indies, 1774.
=A. longifolia= (long-leaved). _fl._ purplish; outer petals
concave, thick, all acute, large, axillary, solitary, stalked. May.
_fr._ ovate-globose, dotted, and reticulated, flesh-coloured. _l._
oblong, acuminated, mucronate, smooth. _h._ 20ft. Guiana, 1820.
=A. muricata= (muricated-fruited).* The Sour Sop. _fl._ outer
petals cordate, concave, thick, acuminated, green on the outside,
yellow inside, and spotted; peduncles solitary, one-flowered,
sweet-scented. _fr._ muricated, with fleshy points, green. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, smooth, shining. _h._ 15ft. West Indies, 1656.
=A. palustris= (marsh). Alligator Apple; Cork-wood. _fl._ yellow;
petals all acute. _fr._ rather areolate, large, heart-shaped,
sweet-scented. _l._ ovate-oblong, leathery, quite smooth. _h._
10ft. to 20ft. South America, 1788.
=A. reticulata= (netted). The Custard Apple, or Bullock's Heart.
_fl._ outer petals oblong-lanceolate, acute, somewhat concave at
the base, brownish on the outside, whitish-yellow on the inside,
marked with dark purple spots. _fr._ ovate-globose, reticulate,
as large as a tennis ball, with yellowish soft flesh; it is much
esteemed by some people. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, acute, smooth,
somewhat dotted. _h._ 15ft. to 25ft. Brazil, 1690.
=A. squamosa= (scaly). Sweet Sop. _fl._, outer petals
linear-oblong, somewhat concave at the base, nearly closing,
greenish-yellow. _fr._ egg-shaped, scaly. _l._ oblong, bluntish,
smooth, full of pellucid dots, rather glaucous beneath. _h._ 20ft.
South America, 1739.
=ANONACEÃ.= An order of trees or shrubs, mostly tropical, with axillary
peduncles, lateral or opposite the leaves, and with alternate, simple,
entire or hardly toothed leaves, without stipules. _Anona_ is the
typical genus.
=ANONYMO.= A synonym of =Saururus= (which _see_).
=ANONYMOS BRACTEATA.= _See_ =Zornia tetraphylla=.
=ANOPLANTHUS= (in part). A synonym of =Phelipæa= (which _see_).
=ANOPLOPHYTUM.= _See_ =Schlumbergeria= and =Tillandsia=.
=ANOPTERUS= (from _ano_, upwards, and _pteron_, a wing; in reference
to the seeds, which are winged at the apex). ORD. _Saxifrageæ_. A very
handsome greenhouse evergreen shrub, having a free branching habit,
large dark shining green leaves, and long panicles of salver-shaped
flowers. It would probably prove quite hardy in the south and west
of England, and parts of Scotland, provided it had a slight winter
protection. It grows well in sandy loam and peat. When grown in pots,
it requires plenty of room and water. Half-ripened cuttings root freely
under a bell glass in a cool house or frame in summer.
=A. glandulosa= (glandular).* _fl._ white, rose tinted, large;
racemes erect, simple, terminal. April, May. _l._ alternate, rarely
nearly opposite, ovate-oblong, attenuated at both ends, nearly
sessile, leathery, toothed. _h._ 3ft. Van Diemen's Land, 1823.
=ANSELLIA= (named after Mr. Ansell, the botanical collector who
accompanied the ill-fated Niger Expedition). ORD. _Orchidaceæ_. Strong
growing, free flowering stove epiphytal orchids. Best grown in large
pots, as they produce a quantity of roots. They require a compost of
turfy peat, with moderate drainage. An ample supply of water during the
growing season is needed; but care must be taken not to let any remain
in the heart of the plants, as they are very likely to rot. During the
season of rest, little or no water, but a damp atmosphere, are the
chief requirements. Propagated by divisions of the bulbs just after
flowering.
=A. africana= (African).* _fl._, sepals and petals nearly 2in.
long, greenish yellow, spotted with brownish red; lip small,
yellow; spikes large, drooping, branched, each sometimes bearing
nearly a hundred blooms. Stems 3ft. to 4ft. high, with light
evergreen foliage. Fernando Po, 1844. Lasts two months in
perfection.
=A. a. gigantea= (gigantic).* _fl._ on upright spikes from the top
of the pseudo-bulbs, but smaller, of a light yellow tint, with
very few narrow, transverse, brown bars, and a deep yellow lip,
without warts of any kind on its middle lobe, and with more or less
crenulated keels. Natal, 1847. The perfume is very peculiar. Very
rare.
=A. a. lutea= (yellow). Not so strong a grower; producing clusters
of light yellow flowers from the top of the pseudo-bulbs. Natal.
=A. a. nilotica= (Nile district).* As a garden plant this is
much superior to the type. The habit is dwarfer, the colours of
the flowers brighter and more distinctly defined. The sepals and
petals, too, are more spreading. Eastern Africa.
=ANSERINA.= _See_ =Potentilla anserina=.
=ANTENNÃ.= Two movable, articulated organs attached to the heads of
insects and crustacea, commonly called "horns" or "feelers." They are
variable in form and length. Antennæ seem to serve for touch, and,
perhaps, for smell and hearing.
[Illustration: FIG. 105. ANTENNARIA MARGARITACEA, showing Habit and
Inflorescence.]
=ANTENNARIA= (from _antennæ_; in reference to the similarity which
exists between the seed down of the plant and the antennæ, or feelers,
of an insect). ORD. _Compositæ_. Hardy herbaceous perennials,
distinguished by the dry, coloured, chaffy scales encircling each
head of flowers, of which the stamens and pistils are on different
plants. These are charming little alpine plants, admirably adapted for
rockwork, pots, edgings, or borders, in any light soil. Propagated by
divisions of the roots in spring, and seeds; the latter should be sown
in spring in a cold frame. Grown chiefly for their leaves.
=A. dioica= (diÅcious).* _fl.-heads_ pink, in crowded corymbs, 3in.
to 4in. high. June. _l._ radical ones spathulate, woolly chiefly
beneath; upper ones lanceolate. Stems simple; shoots procumbent.
Britain. The two or three varieties of this pretty species exceed
the type in beauty. SYN. _Gnaphalium dioicum_.
=A. d. hyperborea= (northern). _l._ woolly on both surfaces.
=A. d. minima= (smallest).* A very small growing variety.
=A. margaritacea= (pearly).* _fl.-heads_ white, corymbose. August.
_l._ linear-lanceolate, acute, alternate, cottony, especially
beneath. Stems branched above. _h._ 2ft. Naturalised in England
and on the Continent. Said to have been introduced from America
about the sixteenth century. The prettier but much rarer _A.
triplinervis_, from Nepaul, comes close to this species. See Fig.
105.
=A. tomentosa= (downy).* _fl.-heads_ corymbose. Summer. One of the
dwarfest and best of silvery-leaved plants, either as an edging for
small beds or for covering the higher portions of rockwork; it is
much used in carpet bedding. It scarcely grows more than 1in. high,
and forms a dense carpet in a short space of time. It should be
grown separate from other plants. It is frequently known under the
name of _A. candida_.
=ANTERIOR.= Placed in front, or outwards.
=ANTHEMIS= (from _anthemon_, a flower; referring to their general
floriferous character). Camomile. ORD. _Compositæ_. Receptacle convex,
chaffy. Involucre hemispherical or nearly flat; scales imbricated,
membranaceous at the margin. Pappus none; ray florets ligulate; disk
tubular. This is a large genus, principally of medicinal value, and
contains very few species worth the cultivator's trouble. Of easy
culture in any ordinary soil. Propagated by divisions.
=A. Aizoon= (Aizoon).* _fl.-heads_ resembling a white Daisy;
florets of the ray fourteen to eighteen, trifid, twice as long as
the breadth of the disk. Summer. _l._ lanceolate, or broadly so,
acutely and deeply serrated, narrowed towards the base, covered
with white down; lower ones crowded; stem-leaves rather acute,
gradually lessening in size. _h._ 2in. to 4in. Northern Greece.
Free grower, dwarf, and compact.
=A. Biebersteinii= (Bieberstein's).* _fl.-heads_ yellow. Summer.
_l._ pinnately divided into linear three-lobed segments, which are
covered with white silky pubescence. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Caucasus.
=A. Chamomilla fl. pl.= _See_ =Matricaria=.
=A. nobilis= (noble). Common Chamomile. _fl.-heads_ solitary; disk
yellow; ray white; scales of the receptacle membranaceous, scarcely
longer than the disk. _l._ bipinnate, segments linear-subulate, a
little downy. Stem procumbent, and much branched. England. A very
strong smelling plant, of great medicinal value. For culture, _see_
=Chamomile=.
=A. tinctoria= (dyer's). _fl._ bright yellow, in large heads.
July and August. _l._ bipinnatifid, serrate, downy beneath. Stem
angular. _h._ 1-1/2ft. England. A very pretty plant.
=ANTHER.= The male part of a flower containing the pollen.
=ANTHERICUM= (from _anthos_, a flower and _kerkos_, a hedge; in
reference to the tall flower stems). SYN. _Phalangium_. ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. A large genus, belonging to the capsular group of the
order, and inhabiting, for the most part, the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers white, racemose or panicled, scapose; perianth segments either
spreading from near the base or campanulately united; stamens short,
with naked or bearded filaments. Leaves radical, filiform or linear.
The hardy varieties are now extensively grown, and are among the most
ornamental of border plants. They thrive best in rich light soil, and
are excellent subjects for pot culture; for which purpose use a compost
of fibrous loam, leaf mould, or well-decayed manure, and coarse sand.
The pots should be about 12in. across, well drained, and the plants
potted just previous to, or so soon as, growth commences. During
activity, plenty of water is needed, until the plants have finished
flowering, when the quantity may be lessened; but never allow them
to get dry. Propagated by division of the roots or seeds, sowing the
latter, as early as possible after they are ripe, in a cold frame.
=A. graminifolium= (grass-leaved). A garden name of _A. ramosum_.
=A. Hookeri= (Hooker's). _See_ =Chrysobactron Hookeri=.
=A. Liliago= (Liliago).* St. Bernard's Lily. _fl._ pure white, 1in.
to 1-1/2in. across; perianth segments spreading; style curved. May
to August. _l._ tufted, narrow, channelled, 12in. to 18in. high.
South Europe, 1596. A very free flowering species, of which there
is a _major_ variety in gardens. SYNS. _Phalangium_ and _Watsonia
Liliago_.
=A. Liliastrum= (Liliaster).* St. Bruno's Lily. _fl._ much larger
than the last, 2in. long, and as much across, fragrant, of a
transparent whiteness, with a delicate green spot on the point
of each segment, campanulate, arranged in loose spikes. Early
summer. _l._ long, narrow, six or eight to each plant, about 1ft.
to 2ft. long, _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. South Europe, 1629. SYNS. _Czackia
Liliastrum_ and _Paradisia Liliastrum_ (this is the correct name).
See Fig. 106.
[Illustration: FIG. 106. ANTHERICUM LILIASTRUM, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. L. major= (greater). _fl._ about 1in. larger than the type.
_h._ about 6ft. A very desirable border plant.
=A. ramosum= (branched).* _fl._ white, rather smaller than those
of _A. Liliago_; perianth segments narrow and spreading; style
straight; flower stems much branched. June. _l._ long, narrow,
channelled, grass-like. _h._ 2ft. South Europe, 1570. A rapid
grower. SYN. _A. graminifolium_ (of gardens).
=A. serotinum= (late-flowering). _See_ =Lloydia=.
=A. variegatum= (variegated). _l._ keeled, grass-like, striped and
margined with white. South Africa, 1875. Half hardy. The proper
name of this plant is _Chlorophytum elatum variegatum_. SYNS. _A.
Williamsii_ and _Phalangium argenteo-lineare_.
=A. Williamsii= (Williams'). Synonymous with _A. variegatum_.
=ANTHERIDIA.= The reproductive organs in cryptogamic plants, analogous
to anthers in flowering plants.
=ANTHERIFEROUS.= Bearing anthers.
=ANTHESIS.= The opening period of flowers.
=ANTHOCARPOUS.= Bearing a fruit resulting from many flowers.
=ANTHOCERCIS= (from _anthos_, a flower, and _kerkis_, a ray; in
reference to the radiated corolla). ORD. _Solanaceæ_. Handsome
greenhouse evergreen shrubs, with alternate leaves, attenuated into
the petioles or base, thick, sometimes glandularly dotted. Flowers
axillary, generally solitary; corolla campanulate. Cuttings strike
freely in sand under a bell glass, with a mild bottom heat. So soon as
they have well rooted, pot off into very small pots in two-thirds good
loam and one of peat. After having made a little headway, the leading
shoots should be pinched off, to induce a lateral growth; they may
be transferred to pots a size larger when the roots have filled the
first pot. Continue growing throughout the summer in frames or in the
greenhouse, near the glass, allowing plenty of air. Vigorous growth
should be checked; thus encouraging bushy plants.
=A. albicans= (whitish-leaved).* _fl._ white, streaked with
bluish-purple inside the tube, fragrant; petals longer than the
tube. April. _l._ oblong, obtuse, densely tomentose on both
surfaces, as well as the branches. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. New South
Wales, 1824.
=A. floribunda= (many-flowered). _fl._ white. _h._ 3ft. New South
Wales.
=A. ilicifolia= (Holly-leaved). _fl._ yellowish green. June. _h._
6ft. Swan River, 1843.
=A. littorea= (shore). _fl._ white. June. _h._ 3ft. New Holland,
1803.
=A. viscosa= (clammy).* _fl._ large, white. May. _l._ obovate,
glandularly dotted with scabrous margins; young leaves and branches
clothed with fine down. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. New Holland, 1822.
=ANTHOLOMA= (from _anthos_, a flower, and _loma_, a fringe; in allusion
to the fringed or crenulated limb of the corolla). ORD. _Tiliaceæ_. A
very fine greenhouse evergreen tree; it thrives best in a light loamy
soil, mixed with a little peat. Cuttings of ripened wood will strike
root in sand, under a hand glass.
=A. montana= (mountain).* _fl._ white; corolla ovately cylindrical,
with a crenate, rather toothed margin; racemes axillary, somewhat
umbellate, reflexed. May. _l._ elliptical-oblong, leathery,
stalked, scattered at the top of the branchlets. _h._ 20ft. New
Caledonia, 1810.
=ANTHOLYZA= (from _anthos_, a flower, and _lyssa_, rage; in reference
to the opening of the flowers, which resemble the mouth of an enraged
animal). SYN. _Petamenes_. Including _Anisanthus_. ORD. _Irideæ_. A
very pretty genus of bulbous plants from the Cape of Good Hope, having
narrow, erect, Iris-like leaves, and flower-spikes that over-top the
foliage, bearing numerous bright-coloured flowers. Perianth tubular,
six-cleft, unequal, the upper segments longest; stamens three. The
species may be grown in a greenhouse, or planted out in a frame. They
also thrive excellently out of doors, and should be planted 8in. or
9in. deep for fear of frost, or have a winter protection of several
inches of cocoa-nut fibre refuse or litter. The safer plan is to
raise the roots, winter them in some dry part of the greenhouse; but,
previous to storing, divide the clumps, clean them, and re-plant or pot
in February, or early in March. A mixture of equal parts peat, sandy
loam, and leaf soil is most suitable for their culture. Just previous
to flowering, if in pots, frequent doses of weak manure water will be
found beneficial. They may be propagated by offsets, which are produced
in abundance, at almost any time. Seeds are sometimes procured, which
should be sown so soon as ripe, in light soil, in a cool house, where
they will germinate the following spring, and will be fit to plant out
in the summer of the same year. With the exception of _A. Cunonia_,
they all much resemble each other. Only four or five species of this
genus are worth cultivating.
=A. æthiopica= (Ãthiopian).* _fl._ scarlet and green. June. _h._
3ft. 1759. SYNS. _A. floribunda_, _A. præalta_.
=A. æ. ringens= (gaping). _fl._ red and yellow, rather smaller than
those of the type. SYN. _A. vittigera_.
=A. bicolor= (two-coloured). Synonymous with _A. Cunonia_.
=A. caffra= (Caffrarian).* _fl._ rich scarlet; spike distichous,
many-flowered. June. _l._ long, linear, or linear-ensiform. _h._
2ft. 1828. A very showy and pretty species, but rarely seen in our
gardens. SYN. _Anisanthus splendens_.
=A. Cunonia= (Cunon's).* _fl._ scarlet and black, a combination of
colours uncommon among bulbous plants; spikes secund. June. _h._
2ft. 1756. SYN. _Anisanthus Cunonia_.
=A. floribunda= (much-flowered). A synonym of _A. æthiopica_.
=A. præalta= (very tall). Synonymous with _A. æthiopica_.
=A. vittigera= (glandular). Synonymous with _A. æ. ringens_.
=ANTHOMYIA.= _See_ =Beet Fly=, =Cabbage Fly=, and =Onion Fly=.
=ANTHONOMUS.= _See_ =Grubs=.
=ANTHOSPERMUM= (from _anthos_, a flower, and _sperma_, a seed). Amber
Tree. ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrub from
the Cape of Good Hope. It thrives in peat, loam, and sand, with a
summer temperature of 50deg. to 65deg., and winter, 40deg. to 45deg.
Increased by cuttings, in sand, under a bell glass. There are above
twenty other species belonging to this genus.
=A. æthiopicum= (Ãthiopian).* _fl._ diÅcious, male brownish, and
the female ones green, disposed in verticillate spikes. June.
_l._ linear-lanceolate, three in a whorl, shining above, glabrous
beneath, about 1/4in. long. Stem much branched, downy above. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. 1692.
=ANTHOTAXIS.= The arrangement of flowers on an inflorescence.
=ANTHOXANTHUM= (from _anthos_, a flower, and _xanthus_, yellow). Spring
Grass. Calyx of two valves, glumaceous, one-flowered; corolla double,
each of two valves: the exterior awned; the interior small, awnless;
stamens two, not three, as is usually the case with grasses. ORD.
_Gramineæ_. A pretty native hardy perennial, of easy culture in common
garden soil.
[Illustration: FIG. 107. ANTHOXANTHUM ODORATUM.]
=A. odoratum= (sweet). _fl._ panicle spiked, oblong, dense,
becoming dullish yellow. _l._ short, pale green. _h._ 1ft. The
pleasant smell of new-made Hay is chiefly owing to this plant,
which in drying emits an odour similar to that of _Asperula
odorata_. See Fig. 107.
=ANTHURIUM= (from _anthos_, a flower, and _oura_, a tail; referring
to the inflorescence). ORD. _Aroideæ_. Flowers densely disposed on a
cylindrical spadix, at the base of which is a large bract-like spathe,
that ultimately bends backwards. Leaves of various shapes. This very
large genus of handsome stove and greenhouse plants is remarkable
both for the peculiar inflorescence and often noble leaves, and is
distinguished in structure from all the European members of the order
in the flowers being hermaphrodite. Fibry peat, loam, sphagnum, broken
crocks, or charcoal, and silver sand, form the most suitable compost.
In preparing the peat, it should be broken up into small lumps, and
then have most of the earthy matter knocked out of it by giving it a
few raps with a stick, or by shaking it about in a sieve. To this,
after so treated, add about one-fourth its bulk of sphagnum, and about
half its bulk of fibrous loam, and just a sprinkling of fresh broken
crocks, or small pieces of charcoal and sharp silver sand. In placing
them in the pots--Âwhich must be well drained--Âcarefully spread out the
roots and work the mixture among them, keeping the plant well up, so
that when finished it stands clear above the rim of the pot at least
2in. or 3in., and forms a kind of mound or hillock. They must then be
kept freely syringed or watered, and placed in a moist atmosphere,
where they can enjoy a temperature ranging between 60deg. and 70deg.,
or a few degrees lower for the less tender species. Raising plants
from seed requires patience. About a year elapses from the time the
flowers are fertilised--Âwhich should be done artificially--before
the seed ripens, and often another to get up plants. Sow as soon as
ripe in shallow, well-drained pans or pots, filled with the potting
mixture, and cover slightly, and place in a close, moist propagating
case, where a temperature of from 75deg. to 85deg. is maintained, or
they may be covered with bell glasses. The principal thing is to keep
the air about them constantly humid, and the material in which they
are sown in a uniformly moist condition; if this is done, the young
seedlings will make their appearance in due course. When these are of
sufficient size to handle, they should be pricked off in the same sort
of compost, and be kept close and moist till they get a start, after
which gradually inure them to more air. January is the best month of
the year wherein to propagate these plants by divisions. This is done
by carefully turning them out of their pots and shaking out what soil
they have amongst their roots, which must be tenderly dealt with, so as
not to bruise or injure them. This done, they may then be pulled apart,
and as many plants made as there are separate crowns, or the mass may
be simply halved or quartered, according to the stock required. Treat
now as recommended above for potting. They are all moisture-loving
plants, and must have a copious supply of water at all times, although,
of course, much less during the winter than spring and summer months.
There is no season of the year when they can be handled for any purpose
with less risk or check than January. A moderate moist stove heat is
advisable for them generally. The species enumerated are selected from
nearly 150, and will be found to be a very representative collection.
_See also_ =Spathiphyllum=.
=A. acaule= (stemless).* _fl._, spadix blue in a young state, borne
on long footstalks, sweetly scented. Spring. _l._ broad, oblong,
acuminate, 1ft. to 3ft. in length, erect, arranged in a rosulate
manner, dark shining green on the upper surface, somewhat paler
beneath. West Indies, 1853. A noble species.
[Illustration: FIG. 108. ANTHURIUM ANDREANUM.]
=A. Andreanum= (André's).* _fl._, spadix about 3in. long,
yellowish, with a broad central band of white; spathe open,
cordate-ovate, orange red, leathery, 3in. to 4in. across,
and 6in. to 9in. long; surface irregularly corrugated. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, deeply cordate, green. Columbia, 1876. A very
beautiful species. See Fig. 108.
=A. Bakeri= (Baker's).* _fl._, spathe small, green, reflexed; the
spadix, wherein lies the plant's principal beauty, exhibits a
lovely combination of pink and bright scarlet; the fleshy rachis
being pink, and the pea-sized fruits bright scarlet. July. _l._
linear, leathery, green, with stout midribs. Costa Rica, 1872.
=A. cordifolium= (cordate-leaved).* _l._ 3ft. long and 20in. broad,
heart-shaped, deep shining green on the upper surface, and paler
below. _h._ 4ft. New Grenada. One of the best, and may be grown in
a greenhouse or even in a sheltered spot of the sub-tropical garden
during July and August. _A. Browni_, although quite distinct, comes
close to this species.
=A. coriaceum= (leathery).* _l._ very thick, leathery, ovate,
about 2ft. long; petioles stout, about the same length. Brazil. An
admirable sub-tropical species.
[Illustration: FIG. 109. ANTHURIUM CRYSTALLINUM.]
=A. crystallinum= (crystalline).* _l._ large, ovate-cordate,
acuminate, bright rich velvety green, principal veins elegantly
banded with pure crystal white; when young, the leaves are violet
colour; petioles terete. _h._ 2ft. Columbia. See Fig. 109.
=A. cuspidatum= (cuspidate). _fl._, spathe crimson, reflexed,
shorter than the purplish spadix. _l._ ovate-oblong, acuminate,
10in. to 20in. long, green. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Columbia.
_A. ferrierense_ (Ferrières).* _fl._, spathe cordate, about 5in.
long, and 4in. wide, bright red; spadix erect, about 4in. long,
ivory white. _l._ large, cordate. A handsome hybrid between _A.
ornatum_ and _A. Andreanum_.
=A. fissum= (cut-leaved). _fl._, spathe green, erect, narrowly
lanceolate-acuminate. _l._ cut into four to seven elliptic
oblong-acuminate segments, green; petioles longish, terete. _h._
2ft. Columbia, 1868.
=A. Harrisii pulchrum= (beautiful).* _fl._, spathe
linear-lanceolate, creamy white, deflexed, and pinkish at top;
spadix erect, deep crimson; scape about 1ft. long, pale green. _l._
lanceolate, rounded at the base, pale green, with confluent white
markings intermixed with dark green. Stem short. Brazil, 1882. A
beautiful variegated plant. The typical _A. Harrisii_ is extremely
rare.
=A. Hookeri= (Hooker's). _fl._, spathe green; spadix green or
violet. _l._ obovate-spathulate, narrowed to a wedge-shaped base,
and shortly stalked, shining, about 30in. long and 8in. broad. _h._
3ft. Tropical America, 1840. SYNS. _A. Huegelii_, _Pothos acaulis_.
=A. Huegelii= (Huegel's). A synonym of _A. Hookeri_.
=A. insigne= (showy).* _l._ three-lobed, middle lobe lanceolate,
the two lateral ones are nearly ovate, and have from three to five
longitudinal ribs; when young, the leaves have a bronzy tinge;
petioles terete, slightly sheathing at the base. Columbia, 1881. A
very handsome species.
=A. Kalbreyeri= (Kalbreyer's).* _l._ palmate, about 2-1/2ft.
across; leaflets nine, obovate-oblong, acuminate, sinuate, thick,
glabrous, rich deep green, those furthest from the stem are much
larger than those next the axis; petiole cylindrical, thickened at
the top. New Grenada, 1881. A very handsome climbing species.
=A. lanceolatum= (lanceolate). _fl._, spathe lanceolate, deflexed,
yellowish green; spadix dark brown. _l._ lanceolate, stalked,
green, 1ft. long, narrowed to the base. There appears to be much
confusion as regards this and many varieties of _A. Harrisii_;
and the specific designation is indiscriminately applied to
lanceolate-leaved forms generally. The true species was introduced
to Kew from the West Indies. SYN. _A. Wildenowii_.
=A. leuconeurum= (white-nerved). Green. Mexico, 1862.
=A. Lindenianum= (Linden's).* _fl._ fragrant, spathe very pretty,
white, not reflexed, but the pointed apex slightly arches over
and shelters the white or purplish spadix. October. _l._ deeply
cordate, of a roundish outline; petioles long. _h._ 3ft. Columbia,
1866. SYN. _A. Lindigi_ (of gardens).
=A. Lindigi= (Lindig's). A garden synonym of _A. Lindenianum_.
=A. macrolobum= (large-lobed).* _l._ large, deflexed, cordate,
acuminate, with an open sinus at the base, and about three acute
marginal lobes, dark green, marked with about five pale green ribs;
petioles green, terete. Stem erect, short. A fine hybrid.
=A. nymphæifolium= (Nymphæa-leaved). _fl._, spathe white; spadix
purplish. Venezuela, 1854.
=A. ornatum= (adorned).* _fl._, spathe linear-oblong, white,
5in. to 6in. long, on terete green scapes, enclosing cylindrical
purplish spadices of about the same length as the spathes, and
studded with white points arranged spirally. Spring. _l._ ovate
or oblong-cordate, on slender terete petioles. _h._ 2-1/2ft.
Venezuela, 1869.
=A. regale= (royal).* _l._ large, cordate-acuminate, 1ft. to 3ft.
long, dull metallic green, with white veins; young leaves tinged
with rose, on long smooth footstalks. East Peru, 1866. An excellent
species for conservatory or window decoration during summer.
[Illustration: FIG. 110. ANTHURIUM SCHERZERIANUM.]
=A. Scherzerianum= (Scherzer's).* _fl._ on bright red peduncles,
which spring from among the base of the leafstalks; spathe
ovate-oblong, 3in. long and nearly 2in. broad, intense and
brilliant scarlet; spadix orange coloured. _l._ oblong-lanceolate,
12in. to 18in. long, and 2in. or more broad, deep rich green,
leathery. Costa Rica. A very compact dwarf-growing evergreen about
1ft. high. It continues in beauty about four months. See Fig. 110.
=A. S. album= (white). A synonym of _A. Scherzerianum Williamsii_.
[Illustration: FIG. 111. ANTHURIUM SCHERZERIANUM MAXIMUM.]
=A. S. maximum= (greater).* A very fine variety, with "gigantic
flower spathes, which measure about 9in. in length by 4in. in
breadth, and are of the most brilliant scarlet colour." See Fig.
111.
=A. S. pygmæum= (small).* Altogether smaller than the type, with
narrow leaves, which are from 4in. to 6in. long, and about 1/2in.
broad. It is one of the best varieties, and produces flowers very
freely. 1880.
=A. S. Rothschildianum= (Rothschild's). _fl._, spathe creamy white,
spotted with crimson; spadix yellow. 1880. Exactly intermediate
between its parent plants--the typical species and the following
variety.
=A. S. Wardii= (Ward's).* _fl._, spathe 6in. long, 4in. broad, very
brilliant. _l._ broader and more robust than those of the typical
species. A splendid variety.
=A. S. Williamsii= (Williams's).* _fl._, spathe white; spadix
yellowish. May. _l._ lanceolate-acuminate. Costa Rica, 1874. SYN.
_A. Scherzerianum album_.
=A. signatum= (well-marked). _l._ apparently three-lobed; front
lobe about 1ft. long and 4in. wide; the two side ones 4in. long,
and about 6in. from the midrib to the extremity, dark green;
petioles about 1ft. long. Venezuela, 1858.
=A. spathiphyllum= (Spathiphyllum). _fl._, spathe about 1-3/4in.
long, and nearly as much broad, erect, boat-shaped, broadly ovate,
white; spadix nearly 1in. long, very obtuse, pale yellow. _l._
narrow lanceolate, 16in. to 24in. long, and about 2in. wide, bright
green above, pale greyish green beneath; midrib prominent; petiole
3in. to 6in. long, trigonous. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Tropical America, 1875.
=A. splendidum= (splendid).* _l._ cordate, with an open sinus,
the lobes meeting behind; "the course of the nerves is marked by
a broadish band of deep lustrous velvety green, the intervening
spaces of about equal width being in striking contrast, of a pale
yellowish green; the leaf surface is scabrous, and the portions
between the ribs strongly bullate, as if raised in papillose
blisters; the veins on the under surface are angular, with
tooth-like projections at intervals, while the whole under surface
is punctuated with small pallid dots" (W. Bull). Stem short, thick.
South America, 1882. A very beautiful species, quite distinct from
any others of the genus. See Fig. 112.
[Illustration: FIG. 112. ANTHURIUM SPLENDIDUM.]
=A. subsignatum= (nearly allied to Signatum).* _l._ thick and
fleshy, hastate, with blunt points, 12in. to 18in. long, and as
much in breadth at the widest part; dark shining green above, paler
beneath; petioles about 1ft. long. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Costa Rica, 1861.
An excellent species.
=A. tetragonum= (four-angled). _l._ erect, commences very
narrow, 1ft. wide at its broadest part; margins undulate, deep
shining green on the upper surface, paler below; petioles short,
quadrangular. Tropical America, 1860. An excellent sub-tropical
species.
=A. triumphans= (superior). _fl._, spathe narrow, green; spadix
stout, greenish-white; peduncle quadrangular. _l._ alternate,
elongately cordate, bright green; ribs prominent, and of a paler
hue. Stem erect. Brazil, 1882. A handsome plant.
=A. Veitchii= (Veitch's).* _l._ ovate-oblong, greatly elongated,
2ft. to 3ft. long, with a breadth of less than one-third of these
dimensions, leathery, deep green, with a glossy metallic surface
when first expanded that becomes paler with age; the principal
nerves are arched and deeply sunk, imparting a curiously waved
appearance to the surface. _h._ 2-1/2ft. Columbia, 1877. Rare but
very handsome.
=A. Waluiewi= (Walujew's).* _l._ broadly cordate, 12in. to 14in.
long, 8in. to 10in. broad, olive metallic green, when young, bright
reddish crimson; petioles four to five-angled. _h._ 2ft. Venezuela,
1880. A very distinct and noble species.
=A. Waroqueanum= (Waroque's).* _l._ elongated, from 24in. to
sometimes 36in. long, and 8in. to 11in. broad, very rich deep
green, of a velvety lustre; midribs and veins light, forming a very
pleasing contrast. Columbia, 1878. A very free grower.
=A. Wildenowii= (Wildenow's). A synonym of _A. lanceolatum_.
It may be here remarked that by far the majority of species
enumerated in the _Supplement_ of Johnson's Dictionary are
chiefly of botanical interest, and will, therefore, never become
extensively cultivated.
=ANTHYLLIS= (from _anthos_, a flower, and _ioulos_, down; flowers
usually downy). Kidney Vetch. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Herbaceous or
sub-shrubby plants, of variable habit. Flowers in spikes or heads;
calyx tubular, five toothed, permanent after flowering, more or less
inflated. Petals nearly equal. Although not extensively grown, all
the species are very beautiful when in flower, the hardy sorts being
admirably adapted for rockwork. The herbaceous perennials may be easily
propagated by seed or division. The seeds of the annual kinds should be
sown in a rather dry, warm situation in the open ground. The shrubby
evergreens will need the protection of a frame or cool greenhouse in
cold northern climates, and are best grown in a mixture of loam, sand,
and peat. Young cuttings of most species will root in a pot of sandy
soil, with a bell glass placed over them, in a cool house or frame.
=A. Barba-Jovis= (Jupiter's beard).* _fl._ pale yellow, numerous,
in globose, bracteate heads. March. _l._ pinnate, and are as well
as the branches, clothed with silky tomentum; leaflets nine to
thirteen, oblong-linear. _h._ 4ft. to 8ft. Spain, 1640. Shrub.
=A. erinacea= (prickly).* _fl._ bluish-purple; heads few flowered,
on short peduncles, bracteate. April. _l._ very few, oval, or
oblong. _h._ 6in. to 12in. Spain, 1759. A much branched, spiny,
almost leafless, and slow-growing species; hardy in a dry sunny
position on the rockery. SYN. _Erinacea hispanica_.
=A. Hermanniæ= (Hermann's). _fl._ yellow; heads few flowered,
nearly sessile in the axils of the upper leaves. April. _l._ almost
sessile, simple, or trifoliate; leaflets oblong-cuneated, glabrous
or clothed with adpressed pubescence. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Corsica,
1739. Shrubby, much branched.
=A. montana= (mountain).* _fl._ pink or purplish, in dense heads,
on peduncles, with a leafy involucre. June. _l._ pinnate, and
are as well as the branches, silky and hoary; leaflets numerous,
oval-oblong, acute, small, entire. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Alps of
Europe, 1769. A very handsome little rock plant, with a dwarf and
tufted habit.
=A. tetraphylla= (four-leaved). _fl._ white; heads axillary,
sessile, few flowered. July. _l._ pinnate, the terminal leaflets
ovate and large, the other three small and acute. South Europe,
1640. A procumbent annual.
=A. Vulneraria= (Common Woundwort).* _fl._ generally yellow,
sometimes white, red, or pinkish, in crowded twin heads. Summer.
_l._ pinnate, with five or more unequal leaflets; the lower ones
smallest. An elegant native herbaceous, perennial, admirably
adapted for rockwork. It is plentiful in most dry pastures. There
are several varieties, the best of which is _alba_.
=ANTIARIS TOXICARIA.= This is the famous Upas tree of Java, from which
is obtained poison of a most deadly nature. It belongs to the NAT. ORD.
_Urticaceæ_.
=ANTIGONON= (from _anti_, against, or opposite, and _gonia_, an
angle). ORD. _Polygonaceæ_. Elegant stove climbers. Flowers racemose,
cirrhose at the apex of the rachides; petals five, three outer ones
broadly cordate, two inner oblong. Leaves alternate, cordate. Although
extremely handsome plants, they are difficult to flower. They seem to
succeed best when planted out in a very thoroughly drained border over
hot-water pipes or flues, the long climbing stems being trained near
the glass in full light.
=A. amabile= (lovely).* _fl._ bright rose, profusely borne
in axillary and terminal racemes. _l._ 3in. to 5in. long,
ovate-cordate, and deeply lobed at the base. It is of free slender
growth, the young shoots are pubescent, and having a slight reddish
tinge. An exceedingly attractive and effective species.
=A. guatemalensis= (Guatemala). Probably the same as _A. insigne_.
=A. insigne= (remarkable).* _fl._ very numerous, borne in tufts
along the sides of long racemes or panicles, which terminate in
branched tendrils; the calyx, which is the showy part of the
flower, has five membranous sepals, the three outer are of a
beautiful rosy pink colour, about 1in. in length by rather less in
breadth, cordate at the base, oblong, rounded towards the apex; the
two inner sepals about the same length as the outer ones, but much
narrower, falcate, lanceolate; pedicels 3/4in. long. _l._ broadly
ovate oblong, deeply cordate at the base, with two rounded lobes;
4in. by 3in., the upper ones smaller, supported on short terete
downy stalks. Stems slender, angular, pubescent. Columbia, 1876.
_A. leptopus_ (slender-stemmed). _fl._ numerous; the outer three
sepals of a beautiful rose colour, the centre of a much deeper
tint; racemes secund, bearing several coloured bracts as well as
flowers, and end in a branched tendril. _l._ alternate, cordate,
petiolate. Stem slender, sub-pubescent. Mexico, 1868.
=ANTIGRAMME.= _See_ =Scolopendrium=.
[Illustration: FIG. 113. ANTIRRHINUM CAPSULE, with Persistent Style.]
[Illustration: FIG. 114. ANTIRRHINUM ASARINA, showing Habit and Flower.]
=ANTIRRHINUM= (from _anti_, like, and _rhin_, a nose or snout; alluding
to the shape of the corolla). Snapdragon. ORD. _Scrophulariaceæ_.
Hardy herbaceous plants. Flowers in terminal racemes, or solitary and
axillary; corolla personate; tube ample, saccate at the base; lobes
of the upper lip erect; lower lip spreading, having the middle lobes
smaller than the lateral ones, with an ample bearded palate, which
closes the throat. Seed pod or capsule two-celled, upper cell bursting
by one pore, lower by two many-toothed pores. See Fig. 113. Leaves
entire, rarely lobed. The genus contains several very handsome species,
suitable for borders and the rockery, while innumerable varieties have
originated from _A. majus_, which are very popular, and extremely
useful for bedding purposes; these may be increased by cuttings or
seeds; if it is desired to increase certain colours or varieties,
the former is the only sure method to adopt. They should be taken in
September, when they will readily root in a cold frame, or under a
hand glass, or they may be rapidly propagated in gentle heat in spring.
Seeds should be sown in July or August, when they will produce good
plants by the following season; or if sown in March in warmth, the
plants will bloom late in the same year. The "Tom Thumb" strain is
especially desirable for bedding, being very dwarf and free. All the
other species may be increased by cuttings and seeds treated in the
same way. Light soil, well enriched with manure, is most suitable for
all of them, especially for the varieties of _A. majus_.
[Illustration: FIG. 115. FLOWER-SPIKE OF ANTIRRHINUM MAJUS.]
=A. angustifolium= (narrow-leaved). Synonymous with _A. siculum_.
=A. Asarina= (Asarina).* _fl._ axillary, solitary; corolla
1-1/2in. long, white, sometimes tinged with red; palate yellow;
tube glabrous, compressed on the back, marked by purple spots,
and bearded by yellow hairs inside. June. _l._ opposite, on long
petioles, five-nerved, five-lobed, cordate, and crenated. South
France, &c., 1699. A greyish clammy procumbent plant, requiring a
warm position on the rockery. See Fig. 114.
=A. hispanicum= (Spanish). _fl._ in loose spikes; corolla hardly
an inch long, purple, with a golden yellow palate; tube villous.
Summer. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, contracted at the base, bluntish;
lower ones opposite; superior ones alternate, narrower. _h._ 1ft.
Spain, 1878. SYN. _A. latifolium_.
=A. latifolium= (broad-leaved). Synonymous with _A. hispanicum_.
=A. majus= (large).* Greater, or Common Snapdragon. _fl._ racemose,
approximate; corolla 1in. to 2in. long, shades infinite; palate
yellow at top, very prominent; tube downy outside. Spring,
summer, and autumn. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, 1in. to 3in. long;
upper ones narrower, attenuated at both ends, glabrous. Branches
erect, usually branched again. _h._ 2ft. Europe (naturalised in
Britain). The named varieties are numerous, but it is unnecessary
to enumerate any, as an equal amount of variation can be obtained
from seed. See Fig. 115.
=A. molle= (soft).* _fl._ few, at the tops of the branchlets;
corolla 1in. long, whitish, with a yellow palate; upper lip striped
with purple. July. _l._ opposite, petiolate, clothed with glandular
and clammy hairs, about 1/2in. long, and little more than 1/4in.
broad; branches procumbent, slender, clothed with woolly hairs.
Pyrenees, 1752. A very pretty plant, which should have a warm
position on the rockery. _A. sempervirens_ comes close to this
species.
=A. Orontium= (Orontium). _fl._ axillary, distant; corolla
rose-coloured or white, striped with purple; tube furnished
with a few glandular hairs; palate veined with purple; sepals
linear-lanceolate, large. June. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, acutish,
attenuated at both ends, glabrous, 2in. long. _h._ 6in. to 12in.
Europe (British cornfields). Annual. See Fig. 116.
[Illustration: FIG. 116. ANTIRRHINUM ORONTIUM.]
=A. O. grandiflorum= (large-flowered). A variety with larger,
paler, and more approximate flowers, and with broader leaves, than
the type. Europe (British cornfields).
=A. siculum= (Sicilian). _fl._ in loose racemes; corolla hardly
1in. long, white or yellowish, rarely purple; tube rather hairy;
lobes of the upper lip and the middle lobe of the lower lip
emarginate. July. _l._ 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, linear-lanceolate,
opposite, alternate or three in a whorl, narrowed into petioles at
the base. Branches erect. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Sicily, 1804. SYN. _A.
angustifolium_.
=A. tortuosum= (twisted).* _fl._ disposed in spiked racemes,
approximating by threes and fours; corolla (the largest of the
genus) purple; tube short; upper lip large. June. _l._ linear,
acute, opposite or three in a whorl, 2in. long, attenuated at both
ends; upper ones very narrow. Branches erect. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft.
Italy.
=ANTONIA.= A synonym of =Rhynchoglossum= (which _see_).
=ANTROPHYUM= (from _antron_, a cavern, and _phuo_, to grow; referring
to its place of growth). Including _Polytænium_. ORD. _Filices_.
A small genus of stove ferns, very rarely seen in cultivation,
all with simple fronds, of firm but fleshy texture, and copious,
uniform, hexagonal areolæ. Sori carried along the veins, imperfectly
reticulated. For culture, &c., _see_ =Ferns=.
=A. cayennense= (Cayenne). _sti._ 1in. to 4in. long. _fronds_ 6in.
to 9in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, lanceolate-oblong, narrowed
at both ends; edge thickened, entire; areolæ half as broad as long.
_sori_ sub-superficial, often forked. Guiana, &c.
=A. coriaceum= (leathery). _fronds_ 6in. to 8in. long, about
1/2in. broad, narrowed very gradually from the centre to the base,
very acute at the apex, very thick; areolæ very long and narrow,
distinctly raised on the upper surface. _sori_ quite immersed,
sometimes confluent. Himalayas, &c.
=A. lanceolatum= (lance-leaved).* _fronds_ 1ft. or more long,
1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, point acute, edge entire, the lower half
narrowed very gradually to the base; areolæ two or three times as
long as broad, about three rows between the midrib and the edge.
_sori_ slender, superficial, often joining. West Indies, southwards
to New Grenada, 1793.
=ANTS= (_Formicidæ_). Well-known pests, easily distinguished from
all other insects. There are a great number of species, differing
more or less in habits; but, as a rule, they dwell underground in
communities, and construct extensive ant-cities, which are occupied
by three classes--the neuters or workers (by far the most numerous),
the males, and the females. There are often, in addition to these,
larger and stronger neuters, known as the "soldiers," or defenders
of the community. Ants have a long, slender body, supported on long
and slender legs. The head bears a pair of elbowed horns or antennæ,
constantly waving about and touching everything the insect comes
across. They have powerful mandibles for cutting, sawing, and biting,
and it is with these instruments that Ants do mischief in gardens. The
winged males and females become mature in summer, and on a warm day
they ascend in a body into the air; after a short time, they fall to
the ground, the females at once free themselves from the henceforth
useless wings, and begin to form new colonies. Vast numbers of eggs
are laid, from which issue larvæ, and these soon become pupæ, and
then perfect Ants. Some kinds are injurious from their habit (in some
species) of collecting aphides together, and farming them for the
sake of the honey secreted by the aphides, and that passes out from
their honey-tubes (thus helping to perpetuate the stock of these most
injurious insects); and also from the mechanical damage they do in
pots, and other receptacles for plants. They likewise cause unsightly
hills on lawns and paths, and the large black species that live in
decayed wood often injure the framing of greenhouses, &c., when the
woodwork has become somewhat decayed. Where fruit, such as peaches
or wall pears, are grown, Ants will at times inflict damage, and,
therefore, they should be kept away; but this is a comparatively easy
matter, as the placing of an obnoxious substance along the base of
the walls and around the stems of the trees will deter them. For the
extirpation of Ants from indoors, the Arsenical solution described
below is most efficacious, but it is extremely dangerous.
* * * * *
_Lime._ Air-slaked lime plentifully dusted, in warm, dry, weather, over
and around the hills and other places infested, will cause the Ants to
vacate them in a short time. A thick chalk line drawn round a smooth
tree, or across an upright board or post, will render it impassable.
_Arsenic._ This must be used with the utmost caution, as it is a poison
most fatal to animal life. Recipe: 1oz. of ordinary arsenic is placed
in an old iron pot with a quart of water, and then boiled until reduced
to a pint or a little more of liquid, to which is added 1/2lb. of
coarse sugar. This mixture can either be dropped about the runs and
around the nests, or placed in saucers in the Ants' haunts.
_Ferrocyanide of Potassium._ This is also very dangerous: Ferrocyanide
of potassium, 1dr.; raspings of quassia, 1dr.; and enough sugar to form
a syrup. Use in the same way as the preceding.
_Calomel and Sugar._ Mix together one part of calomel and ten parts
of finely-powdered loaf sugar, and lay it in little heaps about their
nests and runs; the Ants will eat it and die. Spring is the best season
for this method.
_Guano_, when fresh, if sprinkled on and around their quarters, is said
to be efficacious in driving them away.
_Camphor._ If a piece of camphor, about the size of a filbert, be
placed in two quarts of hot water, and this, when cool enough, applied
to pot or other plants infested with Ants, the insects will be driven
off without injury to the plants.
_Bones._ Lay a quantity of partially-picked boiled bones in the haunts,
and they will be quickly covered with insects. As soon as this occurs,
throw the bones into hot water. Before laying them down again, let
all superfluous moisture drain off. This is a cheap remedy, and, if
persisted in, is very effectual.
_Carbolic Acid._ This, if of good strength, diluted with about ten or
twelve times its bulk of water, and well sprinkled over paths or other
places where there is no vegetation, will keep the Ants away. It has,
however, an objectionable smell.
_Paraffin Oil._ Paraffin, mixed with six times its bulk of water, and
sprinkled over the nests every few days, will kill and drive away Ants;
but the smell is disagreeable.
_Quassia._ 4oz. of quassia chips, boiled in a gallon of water for about
ten minutes, and 4oz. of soap added to the liquor as it cools, if used
like the preceding, is fairly effectual; but this, like the other
remedies, must be persisted in for some time.
Fly pans or saucers, nearly filled with thin honey or sweet oil,
attract Ants, and they are drowned in them. Ants are very hard to clear
effectually out of a place, and therefore it is very desirable, in all
attempts to be rid of them, to persist in the above remedies. When
not living close to the roots or stems of plants, the best and surest
remedy of all is to flood them out or scald them in with boiling water.
The specifics are endless, but the best are mentioned above.
=ANTWERP HOLLYHOCK.= _See_ =Althæa ficifolia=.
=AOTUS= (from _a_, without, and _ous_, an ear; in allusion to the
absence of appendages in the calyx, which distinguishes it from its
allied genus, _Pultenæa_). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Elegant little greenhouse
evergreen shrubs, with yellow flowers, and simple, linear-subulate
leaves, revolute at the margins, alternate or nearly opposite, or three
in a whorl. They should be grown in a compost of equal parts loam,
sand, and peat, with a little charcoal, and the pots should be well
drained. Cuttings of half-ripened wood, made in April, root freely in
sand, under a bell glass.
=A. gracillima= (most slender).* _fl._ yellow and crimson, small,
on long, dense, graceful spikes, which are often over a foot long;
pedicels short. May. _h._ 3ft. New Holland, 1844. A very pretty
slender growing shrub.
=A. villosa= (soft-haired). _fl._ axillary, disposed in racemose
spikes along the branches; calyx silky. April. _l._ smoothish on
the upper surface. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. New Holland, 1790.
=APEIBA= (the native name in Guiana.) ORD. _Tiliaceæ_. Very handsome
stove evergreen trees or shrubs, clothed with starry down. Flowers
large, golden yellow, pedunculate, bracteate. Capsule spherical,
depressed, rough from rigid bristles. Leaves broad, alternate, entire
or serrate. They thrive in a mixture of loam and peat. The best way
to induce them to flower in this country is by cutting a ring round
the bark of a large branch; by this means the growth is stopped. Well
ripened cuttings should be planted in sand in heat, under a bell glass,
which should be tilted occasionally, so as to give a little air to the
cuttings, otherwise they are apt to damp off.
=A. aspera= (rough).* _fl._ golden yellow; peduncles opposite the
leaves, branched, many flowered. May. _l._ ovate-oblong, somewhat
cordate, quite entire, smooth. _h._ 30ft. to 40ft. Guiana, 1792.
=A. Petoumo= (Petoumo). _fl._ yellow, similarly disposed to
_A. aspera_. August. _fr._ densely clothed with bristles. _l._
ovate-oblong, somewhat cordate at the base, entire, hoary beneath.
_h._ 40ft. Guiana, 1817.
=A. Tibourbou= (Tibourbou).* _fl._ dark yellow. August. _fr._
densely clothed with bristles. _l._ cordate, ovate-oblong,
serrated, hairy beneath. _h._ 10ft. Guiana, 1756.
=APETALOUS.= Without petals.
=APEX.= The summit or point of anything.
=APHELANDRA= (from _apheles_, simple, and _aner_, a male; the anthers
being one-celled). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. Very handsome stove evergreen
shrubs, mostly of an erect habit of growth, and having handsome shining
leaves, which in some instances are variegated. Flowers produced in
terminal four-sided spikes-Âthe preponderating colours being brilliant
shades of orange or scarletÂ-conspicuously situated above the foliage;
they are exceedingly attractive; corolla ringent, two-lipped, upper
lip three-lobed; central lobe large. They bloom generally during the
autumn months, and if the plants are removed to a warm dry atmosphere
so soon as the flowers begin to open, they will continue much longer
in perfection than if left in the moisture-laden atmosphere of the
stove. From the time the flower spikes are at first seen till they
bloom, the plants will derive much benefit from frequent applications
of clear manure water. When the plants have finished flowering, they
should be allowed to rest, by reducing the supply of water, but never
allow them to shrivel. During this time they may be kept in a house or
pit, where the atmosphere is rather dry, with a night temperature of
50deg. to 55deg. Here they may remain till March, when they should be
pruned. This operation is commenced by thinning out the weakest shoots
altogether, and cutting the others back to one or two of the strongest
joints or buds above the old wood in order to keep the plants dwarf and
bushy. When pruned, the plants should be placed in the stove, giving
moderate supplies of water at the roots, and occasionally sprinkling
the stems overhead till growth commences. When the young shoots have
attained an inch or so in length, the plants should be turned out of
the pots, removing the crocks and as much of the old soil as can be
got away easily, at the same time shortening-in any of the straggling
roots. They should then be placed into smaller-sized pots, keeping
them rather close, and watering them carefully for a time till growth
has commenced. When fairly started, they may be transferred into
larger-sized pots, in which they are to flower. During the summer,
these plants require a moist atmosphere, with a temperature of 65deg.
by night, allowing it to rise 15deg. or 20deg. by day, and whilst
active growth is taking place they should be frequently supplied with
moisture at the roots, keeping them well exposed on all sides to the
light. After growth has commenced, it is not advisable to stop the
shoots, for the stouter and stronger they grow up the finer will be the
flower spikes when they appear. The compost should consist of equal
parts fibry loam, leaf soil, and peat, with a good proportion of sand
added. In preparing it, it should be rather lumpy, and, before using,
should be warmed to about the temperature of the house in which the
plants are grown. Clean pots and perfect drainage are most essential.
Cuttings are best prepared from half ripened wood, or taken off when
young with a heel. The base of each cutting should invariably be cut
clean across. These may be inserted an inch apart, in pots of sandy
soil, and plunged in a brisk bottom heat. To obtain young shoots for
cuttings, if the old plants break freely after pruning, and very large
specimens are not required, when the shoots are 2in. long they should
be thinned out, leaving the requisite number of the strongest to form
the plant. If the surplus pieces are removed with a slight heel of the
older wood, they make good cuttings, and should be treated the same
as the others. These cuttings strike root quickest, and when rooted,
if potted into 5in. or 6in. pots, and allowed to grow up without
stopping or pinching out the tops, they will flower the first season.
Although Aphelandras can be grown into large sized specimens, it will
be found to be more generally satisfactory to have specimens of neat
and moderate dimensions. The mealy bug and scale insects are very
troublesome, and must be kept down, otherwise they will prove most
prejudicial to the plants.
=A. acutifolia= (acute-leaved). _fl._ large, deep vermilion red;
the upper lip of corolla concave, and projected forward, the lower
one consists of three oblong-obtuse spreading lobes. October. _l._
broad, oblong-ovate, acuminate. Columbia, 1868.
=A. aurantiaca= (orange-coloured).* _fl._ deep orange scarlet;
upper lip of corolla erect, bidentate, concave; lower one spreading
horizontally, three lobed. December. _l._ broad, ovate, opposite,
dark green, somewhat wavy at the edge. _h._ 3ft. Mexico, 1844.
=A. a. Roezlii= (Roezl's).* Differs chiefly from the type in the
curiously twisted leaves, which are dark green, shaded with a
silvery hue between the primary veins; in the brighter scarlet of
the flowers; and a few other, but purely technical, points. It is
one of the best. Mexico, 1867. SYN. _A. Roezlii_.
=A. cristata= (crested).* _fl._ brilliant orange scarlet, 2in. or
3in. long, in large terminal branching spikes. August to November.
_l._ large, broadly ovate, and tapering to a point. _h._ 3ft. West
Indies, 1733. A handsome and continuous bloomer. SYN. _Justicia
pulcherrima_.
=A. fascinator= (fascinating).* _fl._ bright vermilion, in
very large spikes. Autumn. _l._ ovate acuminate, olive green,
beautifully banded with silvery white, whilst the under side is of
a uniform purplish violet. _h._ 1-1/2ft. New Grenada, 1874.
=A. Leopoldi= (Leopold's).* _fl._ citron-yellow. _l._ opposite,
ovate-oblong, acuminate; ground colour on the upper surface dark
green, the midrib and primary veins pure white; under surface
uniformly pale green. Brazil, 1854.
=A. medio-aurata= (golden-centred). _fl._ unknown. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, sinuate, bright green, with yellow central brand.
Brazil, 1871. SYN. _Graptophyllum medio-auratum_.
=A. nitens= (shining).* _fl._ glowing vermilion-scarlet, very
large, in erect, simple, terminal spikes, which, after the flowers
have fallen, are clothed with the imbricating, lanceolate,
appressed bracts. _l._ ovate, sub-acute, leathery, brilliant glossy
on the upper surface, dark vinous purple underneath. _h._ 2ft. to
3ft. Columbia, 1867.
=A. Porteana= (Porte's).* _fl._ in fine terminal heads; corolla and
bracts bright orange. _l._ rich green, with metallic silvery-white
veins. _h._ 2ft. Brazil, 1854.
=A. pumila= (dwarfish).* _fl._ orange-coloured; upper lip erect,
concave, entire; bracts large, purplish. _l._ large, cordate,
ovate-oblong, acute. _h._ 8in. Brazil, 1878. Very distinct from all
others.
=A. punctata= (dotted).* _fl._ bright yellow, in large and rather
dense spikes; the spiny-edged long pointed bracts are also yellow,
with the exception of the tip, which is green, and forms a pleasing
contrast. November. _l._ opposite, elliptic, acuminate; the green
midrib is conspicuous in the middle of a white central band, which
also extends beside the green veins, this silvery band breaking up
on its margin into numerous small white dots, producing a pretty
and distinct form of variegation. South America, 1881.
=A. Roezlii.= A synonym of _A. aurantiaca Roezlii_.
=A. variegata= (variegated). _fl._ yellow; spike, 6in. long, with
bright orange-red bracts. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, dark
green with white veins. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Brazil.
=APHELEXIS= (from _apheles_, simple, and _exis_, habit). ORD.
_Compositæ_. A genus of elegant dwarf evergreen greenhouse shrubs.
Flower-heads large, solitary, or small and two or more together. Leaves
small. These plants are valuable for exhibition purposes, on account of
their bright colours, and the length of time they last in perfection;
they are included among what are familiarly known as "everlastings."
The most suitable soil is a compost of two parts of good fibrous peat
and one of leaf mould, with a liberal supply of silver sand, and a few
pieces of charcoal added to it. Repot the plants firmly in February,
and allow thorough drainage. Cuttings can be made in spring or summer;
small half-ripened side shoots are best; and these will root in sandy
soil, under a bell glass, in a cool greenhouse.
=A. ericoides= (heath-like).* _fl.-heads_ white. April. _l._ very
small, three-cornered, imbricated, appressed; branches numerous,
very fine, filiform. _h._ 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1796.
=A. fasciculata= (fascicled). _fl.-heads_ purplish, solitary,
terminal; peduncles scaly. March. _l._ acerose linear, roundish,
downy above; lower spreading; upper appressed. _h._ 2ft. Cape of
Good Hope, 1779. There are two or three forms of this species,
varying in the colour of the flowers.
=A. humilis= (humble, or dwarf).* _fl.-heads_ pink, solitary,
terminal, opening only in sunshine; peduncles scaly. April. _l._
subulate, erect, imbricate. Branches numerous, slender, covered
with white tomentum. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1810. A handsome
greenhouse plant, with much-branched stems, terminated by the
flower-head. SYNS. _A. macrantha_ and _Helipterum humile_.
=A. h. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ rosy-purple,
produced in great abundance. Habit rather dwarf, and free
branching. Very highly esteemed.
=A. h. purpurea= (purple).* _fl._ dark purple, very abundant. _l._
silvery white and shining. A vigorous grower, and perhaps the best
for exhibition purposes. It is known in gardens as _A. macrantha
purpurea_; also under the name of _A. spectabilis_.
=A. h. rosea= (rose-coloured).* _fl.-heads_ delicate rose, very
profuse. Habit very compact and free-branching. A very showy and
desirable variety, known in gardens as _A. macrantha rosea_.
=A. macrantha= (large-flowered). Synonymous with _A. humilis_.
=A. sesamoides= (Sesamum-like). _fl.-heads_ purple and white,
sessile, solitary, terminal. April. _l._ acerose linear, keeled,
smooth, appressed. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1739.
=APHIDES=, or =PLANT LICE=. These belong to the order _Homoptera_,
meaning "same winged," and the name has reference to the fact that
the fore wings are uniform in their structure from base to apex, not
divided into a leathery base and a membranous tip. Aphides are all
minute in size, soft bodied, and generally long legged; the mouth is
furnished with a curiously-constructed beak, or rostrum, for sucking
the juice of plants; the antennæ, or feelers, are long and slender; the
legs have usually two joints in the tarsi, one of which is generally
very ill-developed; and near the tip of the abdomen, on the back of a
ring, in many kinds, stand two prominent tubes, called honey-tubes,
from which a sweet secretion, much sought after by ants, is emitted.
They are very destructive, and nearly every plant has its own peculiar
Aphis; but among the worst are the cherry fly and bean fly. All these
insects are very destructive to the young shoots and foliage of plants,
on which they cluster in large numbers, sometimes completely hiding
the stems, increasing with marvellous rapidity. They produce eggs in
autumn, which lie dormant through the winter, and upon the approach of
warm weather in spring, hatch and produce individuals which, during
the summer, are viviparous, budding off young insects at a surprising
rate, which quickly in turn become possessed of the same marvellous
power; hence the enormous number which are produced in so surprisingly
short a time. It has been computed that in a few weeks many millions
of young might be produced directly or descended from a single female.
_See also_ =Black Fly= and =Bean Fly=.
The following remedies may be successfully employed:
_Tobacco._ This is applied, as a rule, in three forms, each of which
is useful for particular purposes. Tobacco powder is useful as a
dry application to plants where, from any cause, the other modes of
employing it are not desirable. It causes no smell, and is useful in
conservatories, &c., for that reason. The mode of applying it is to
dredge or dust it over the foliage of the plants affected, and to
syringe off in from three to thirty hours, according to the nature of
the plants. Fumigation with tobacco, if done in a proper way, is very
effective, but it leaves an unpleasant smell. The foliage of the plants
should be quite dry, and a still day must be chosen for the work; the
house should be filled with smoke, but no flame must arise in the
burning. The plants should be well syringed the next morning, and full
ventilation allowed; if the fumigation is repeated twice or thrice, it
will prove very effectual. Tobacco water is made by soaking a pound of
coarse shag in 6gals. of hot water, to which 1/2lb. of size or soft
soap has been added. The plants should be dipped into or syringed with
this mixture, and well syringed with clean tepid water about twelve
hours after. It should not be employed for plants having woolly or
hairy foliage. Tobacco paper and cloth are used for fumigating in
the same manner as tobacco; but as they vary in strength, more care
is necessary, as they sometimes cause the leaves to become spotted.
Judiciously employed, they are cheaper than Tobacco.
_Quassia._ Boil 1lb. quassia chips in 4gals. of soft water, for about
ten minutes, and after straining off the chips, add 1lb. of soft soap.
Apply in the same way as Tobacco water, and syringe the plants with
clean water after ten minutes or a quarter of an hour.
_Soft Soap._ This, in proportion of 8lb. to 12gals. of rain water, and
1gal. of tobacco water added after it is cold, is a cheap and good
remedy out of doors, and requires the same mode of application as
tobacco water.
_Soap Suds._ Where bleaching powder, or much soda, is not mixed with
these, they make a good insect killer for hard-foliaged plants, but
should be washed off with clean water in twelve hours. No mixture
containing chloride of lime should be used.
_Various._ Fir-tree Oil, Gishurst's Compound, and Fowler's Insecticide,
are all serviceable, if used as directed on the labels. Hardeman's
Beetle Powder, applied with the little French powder-bellows which is
sold with it, is very efficacious. For outdoor work, nothing surpasses
clean cold water, applied often and forcibly with a syringe.
The best mode of clearing Aphis off Beaus, Currants, &c., is to remove
the tops of the infested shoots, and to wash the plants with soapy
water, or a solution of Gishurst's Compound. In some cases, a good
dusting with soot and wood ashes, while the plants are wet, will keep
them in check. The "Golden Eyes" or "Lacewing" fly, and also ladybirds,
are to be encouraged, as the larvæ of each of these wage incessant war
against Aphides, especially the green varieties, and thin them out
considerably.
=APHROPHORA.= _See_ =Frog Hopper=.
=APHYLLANTHES= (from _aphyllos_, leafless, and _anthos_, a flower; the
flowers are on rush-like branches). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A very pretty
rush-like hardy perennial, forming dense, erect tufts. It thrives best
in sandy peat, requires a warm sunny situation, and slight protection
in winter. Increased by division of the roots, and seeds; the latter
should be sown in pots in a cool greenhouse as soon as ripe.
=A. monspeliensis= (Montpelier).* _fl._, perianth six-cleft,
spreading at the apex, deep blue, nearly an inch across, disposed
in a small head, on slender scapes. June. _l._ absent; the very
slender scapes are leaflike, with membranous sheaths at the base.
South of France, 1791.
=APHYLLOUS.= Without leaves.
=APICRA= (from _apicros_, not bitter). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A group of
succulents allied to _Aloe_, and having the following among other
characters:--Flowers small, loosely sub-spicate; perianth regular,
cylindrical, with short spreading segments; peduncles simple or forked.
Plants small; rosette leaves always elongated. Leaves thick, diffuse,
never spinosely dentated. They require treatment similar to Aloes,
under which genus they are included by some authors.
=A. aspera= (rough).* _fl._, perianth 1/2in. long; raceme loose,
3in. to 4in.; pedicels three to four lines long; peduncle slender,
simple, nearly 1ft. _l._ dense, in many rows, spreading, rounded,
deltoid, six to seven lines long and broad; face rather flat;
middle three to four lines thick; back convex hemispherical,
wrinkled. Cape of Good Hope, 1795.
=A. bicarinata= (double-keeled).* _fl._ unknown. _l._ dense, in
many rows, ascending, deltoid-lanceolate, nine to twelve lines
long, six lines broad, dirty green; face flat; middle two lines
thick; margin scabrous; back copiously tubercled. Cape of Good
Hope, 1824.
=A. congesta= (congested). _fl._, perianth six to seven lines,
whitish; raceme loose, sub-spicate, about 1ft.; pedicels short;
peduncles 6in. long, simple. _l._ dense, spreading, in many rows,
deltoid-lanceolate, eighteen to twenty-one lines long, three to
four lines thick; back convex; top unevenly keeled towards the
margins. 1843.
=A. deltoidea= (deltoid). _fl._, perianth greenish, five to six
lines long; raceme about 1ft. long, sub-spicate; pedicels short;
peduncles 6in., simple or branched. _l._ in five regular rows,
spreading, nine to twelve lines long, deltoid, shining green;
when mature, upper surface rather flat, apex pungent; middle two
to three lines thick; back distinctly keeled upwards; margins and
keels minutely serrated. South Africa, 1873.
=A. foliolosa= (small-leafy).* _fl._, perianth greenish, five to
six lines long; raceme loose, sub-spicate, about 1ft.; pedicels two
to three lines long; peduncle 6in., simple. _l._ dense, spreading,
in many rows, rounded deltoid, cuspidate, six to eight lines long
and broad, without spots or tubercles; face rather flat; middle
one and a half to two lines thick; back obliquely keeled upwards
towards the margins. Cape of Good Hope, 1795.
=A. imbricata= (imbricated). Synonymous with _A. spiralis_.
=A. pentagona= (five-angled).* _fl._, perianth whitish, 1/2in.
long; raceme about 1ft., loose; lower pedicels two to three lines
long; peduncles 1ft., often branched. _l._ dense, regular, lower
ones spreading, upper ones ascending, lanceolate-deltoid, fifteen
to eighteen lines long; bottom six to eight lines broad, shining
green; face flat; middle three to four lines thick; apex pungent;
margin scabrous; back irregularly one to two keeled at top. Cape of
Good Hope, 1731.
=A. p. bullulata= (little-blistered). _l._ irregularly spiral, five
rowed; back with spreading close wrinkled tubercles.
=A. p. spirella= (small spiral). _l._ smaller and more deltoid,
1in. long, six to eight lines broad at the bottom, irregularly five
rowed, or as if in many rows.
=A. spiralis= (spiral).* _fl._, perianth reddish-white, 1/2in.
long; raceme loose, nearly 1ft.; pedicels ascending, two to three
lines long; peduncles 6in., simple or branched. _l._ dense, in many
rows, strong, ascending, lanceolate-deltoid, twelve to fifteen
lines long, six to eight lines broad; face almost flat, without
tubercles; apex pungent; back swollen, scarcely keeled; margins
obscurely crenulated. Cape of Good Hope, 1790. SYN. _A. imbricata_.
=APICULATE=, =APICULATED=. Terminated in a little point.
=APIOS= (from _apion_, a pear; in reference to the form of the tubers
of the root). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. An elegant little hardy twining
perennial, easily trained into almost any shape. It must have a
well-exposed, sunny position, and the soil should be of a warm or light
sandy nature. Propagated by division of the tubers.
[Illustration: FIG. 117. APIOS TUBEROSA, showing Habit and Flower.]
=A. tuberosa= (tuberous).* Ground Nut. _fl._ brownish-purple,
sweet-scented, in axillary racemes. Summer and early autumn. _l._
pinnate. Tubers edible, farinaceous. Habit very light and graceful.
Pennsylvania, 1640. SYN. _Glycine Apios_. See Fig. 117.
=APIOSPERMUM.= A synonym of =Pistia= (which _see_).
=APIUM= (from _apon_, Celtic for water; in reference to the habitat).
ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. This genus contains no species worth growing for
ornament, and nearly all are more or less acrid and poisonous. A.
_graveolens_ is the Celery of gardens, for culture of which, _see_
=Celery=.
=APLECTRUM= (from _a_, without, and _plectron_, a spur; flower
spurless). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A monotypic genus from North America. A
curious, hardy, terrestrial orchid, requiring a shady spot in light
loam and leaf mould, moderately damp. Very difficult to cultivate.
=A. hyemale= (wintry).* _fl._ greenish-brown, large, racemose,
borne on a naked scape after the leaves have died down; labellum as
long as the sepals; column sessile, rather long, wingless. April.
Stem pseudo-bulbous, with one large, broad, ribbed leaf. _h._ 1ft.
1827.
=APLOTAXIS.= Included under =Saussurea= (which _see_).
=APOCARPOUS.= Having the carpels or fruit separate, or disunited.
=APOCYNACEÃ.= A large order of trees, shrubs, or rarely herbs, usually
with a poisonous, milky sap. Flowers regular, solitary or corymbose;
corolla salver-shaped or campanulate. Leaves simple, opposite,
sometimes alternate or whorled. Well known genera belonging to this
order are: _Allamanda_, _Nerium_, _Tabernæmontana_ and _Vinca_.
=APOCYNUM= (from _apo_, away, and _kyon_, a dog; adopted by
Dioscorides, because the plant was supposed to be poisonous to dogs).
ORD. _Apocynaceæ_. Dog's Bane. Perennial erect herbs, with cymose
flowers and membranous, opposite leaves. There are several species
belonging to this genus, but only the one described below is worthy of
being cultivated. They are of extremely easy culture, thriving in any
ordinary soil; and may be propagated by suckers, divisions, or seeds.
The best time to divide is just as they are starting into fresh growth
in spring.
=A. androsæmifolium= (Tutsan-leaved).* _fl._ pale red, with darker
stripes; corolla campanulate; cymes terminal and lateral. July.
_l._ ovate, glabrous, petiolate, pale beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
Virginia, and Canada, 1683. A very old garden favourite, thriving
best in peaty soil, with Azaleas, &c. See Fig. 118.
[Illustration: FIG. 118. INFLORESCENCE OF APOCYNUM ANDROSÃMIFOLIUM.]
=APONOGETON= (from _apon_, Celtic for water, and _geiton_, neighbour;
alluding to the habitat of these plants). ORD. _Naiadaceæ_. Very
ornamental aquatic perennials. There are several species, but _A.
distachyon_ is superior to the others. This species may be cultivated
in small tanks or aquaria; it delights in an abundance of light and
air, and is perfectly hardy, having become naturalised in many parts
of the country. Pot the plants in rich sandy loam and rotten cow
manure, using, of course, small pots, if the vessel in which it is to
be grown is restricted. When introducing it to large tanks or lakes,
commence with strong, previously well-established plants, in large
pots, breaking the latter when the plants are immersed. Place them in
positions where the water is about 1ft. 6in. to 2ft. deep; they will
then rapidly increase by offsets and seeds, and, when established, will
flower nearly all the year round. The other kinds will thrive with the
same treatment; but they are neither so hardy nor so vigorous, and
should only be grown in small tanks or aquaria.
[Illustration: FIG. 119. APONOGETON DISTACHYON, showing Habit and
Flower-spikes.]
=A. angustifolium= (narrow-leaved). _fl._ white. July. Cape of Good
Hope, 1788. Half hardy.
[Illustration: FIG. 120. APONOGETON DISTACHYON, showing Flower-spikes,
Leaf, and Root.]
=A. distachyon= (two-spiked).* Cape Pond Weed; Winter Hawthorn.
_fl._ with a delicious Hawthorn-like perfume; petals none; bracts,
or showy portion oval, entire, white; anthers purple-brown;
scape two-spiked, each spike being from 2in. to 4in. long. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, entire, bright green, on long stalks, floating.
Cape of Good Hope, 1788. See Figs. 119 and 120.
=A. monostachyon= (simple-spiked). _fl._ pink. September. _h._ 1ft.
East Indies, 1803. Stove species. Rare.
=A. spathaceum junceum= (rush-like).* A very pretty, but rare,
half-hardy aquatic plant, with the forked inflorescence having both
bracts and flowers suffused with a delicate blush colour. _l._
rush-like, standing clear up out of the water. South Africa, 1879.
=APORETICA.= A synonym of =Schmidelia= (which _see_).
=APPENDICULATE, APPENDICULATED.= Having appendages.
=APPLANATE.= Flattened out.
[Illustration: FIG. 121. APPLE BLOSSOM.]
=APPLE= (_Pyrus Malus_). The Apple is one of the most useful, and
probably most largely cultivated, of our hardy fruits. It is known
as the Crab in its wild state, and is indigenous to Britain and to
all the temperate and warmer parts of Europe. It is supposed that the
progenitors of the varieties now grown were introduced to this country
at various times from the Continent, and not obtained here as direct
improvements on the native Crab. Those now cultivated are extremely
numerous, and include good varieties that can be made to prolong the
season all the year round. Apart from its great value as a fruit, the
apple is a strikingly handsome tree when in flower (see Fig. 121). A
fruiting branch is shown at Fig. 122.
[Illustration: FIG. 122. FRUITING BRANCH OF APPLE.]
_Propagation._ Seeds are sown extensively, chiefly for raising stocks
to graft approved sorts on; also with a view to raising new varieties.
The seeds do not retain their germinative properties very long,
consequently they must be sown soon after being taken from the fruit.
As grown in this country, they are generally sown in the autumn,
transplanted the following year, and so on until they are of sufficient
size for Grafting purposes. The standard of excellence being at present
so high, improved forms raised from seed are comparatively scarce.
_Grafting._ This method of propagation is the one generally adopted
for most purposes, the stocks being previously prepared for size or
height of tree required. Cordon and other dwarf-trained trees should be
worked near but not below the ground, while standards are best worked
on stocks of the desired height. The practice of working standard trees
low, and growing the scion to form the stem of the future tree, is not
recommended, as many of the tenderer sorts will not grow straight or
strong enough for the purpose. Whip-grafting is the most preferable
mode adopted. The scions should be selected from healthy trees not
later than January, and laid in singly in the ground until the stocks
have slightly advanced in growth, which is generally about the middle
of April. Several other methods of Grafting may be adopted with
success, but the one above recommended is considered the best.
_Budding._ Apples may be successfully propagated by Budding, and
this method is practised much more now than formerly. It has many
advantages, as it requires to be performed at a season when there is
not so much work in hand. It should be done in damp, dull weather, if
possible, as the weather if dry soon destroys the buds. July and August
is the proper time for the purpose. The stocks and woods from which the
buds are taken should be as much as possible in the same condition.
_Propagation by Cuttings, Layers, &c._ This system may be made use
of in the case of new varieties or where it is desired to increase
any one variety with a limited number of scions, but the results are
uncertain--at least in the case of cuttings; consequently, it is much
better to resort to the safer method of Grafting.
_Pruning._ _See_ =Pruning=.
_Training._ _See_ =Training=.
_Planting._ The best time to plant is as soon as most of the leaves
have fallen, which is generally about the end of October. The roots
being then in an active state, and the ground still retaining a certain
amount of heat, they will form new roots before winter, which is a
material advantage. Where it is impossible to plant at this time, it
may be done in suitable weather any time during the winter, but it
is best not deferred till spring. It is important in planting that
the soil should be moderately dry and free from frost; this condition
cannot always be obtained during winter. The effects of soil and
situation have a very important bearing on the Apple, specimens of
the same sort from different places being often hardly recognisable.
Although not over fastidious in the matter of soil as far as growing
is concerned, the best results are obtained where it is of a rich
loamy character and well drained. Dry, sandy soils invariably produce
canker, while the trees are often overgrown with lichens in undrained
land. The addition of heavier loam, or sometimes trenching and mixing
the sub-soil with that at the top, will convert light soils into those
suitable for Apple culture; while, on the other hand, heavy soils
may be improved by drainage, the addition of lime, vegetable refuse,
burnt earth, and other matters. Rank manure should on no account be
used anywhere near the roots, but a little well-decayed manure, mixed
with the soil or used as a mulching, is beneficial. The site best
suited is an open, though not exposed one, with a south, south-east,
or south-west aspect. Shelter from north-east winds in spring, which
destroys the bloom, and from west and south-west winds in autumn, which
blow down the fruit, should be the aim of cultivators. Planting in a
valley should be avoided on account of spring frosts. In Planting,
care must be taken to make the bottom of the hole tolerably firm, and
slightly raised under the base or bole of the tree. The roots should
then be carefully spread out all round, and if any have been ruptured
in transplanting, cut them clean off on the upper side, thus inducing
new roots to be formed near the surface. The soil should be trodden
firmly after a quantity has been filled in, if it is in a dry, suitable
condition, as previously recommended. Secure with stakes in proportion
to the size of tree, or injury will be caused by the wind. The distance
at which Apple trees are planted varies considerably. Standards in
orchards may be planted in good soil, from 20ft. to 40ft. apart,
especially if they are strong-growing culinary sorts. Pyramids may be
planted from 5ft. to 15ft., according to size; and similar distances
will suit Bush trees. The oblique Cordon system of training admits of
a large number of varieties being cultivated in a small space, as they
may be planted as close as 18in. or 2ft. apart. Horizontal Cordons
should be planted about 5ft. asunder, and one branch trained each way.
Watering will be necessary after planting in most cases, especially
should the winter and following season be at all dry. Thinning the
fruit is sometimes advisable for obtaining good specimens, but it is
not generally necessary, at least with many of the shy-setting sorts.
If, however, the crop should be exceptionally heavy, it is best to thin
the fruit, or the tree may be unable to make and ripen its wood for the
crop of the succeeding year.
_Gathering._ The three following tests are sure indications of the
gathering period: (1) The apples will begin to fall of their own
accord; (2) their seeds will be plump and brown in colour; and (3) the
fruit will separate with a mere touch from the trees; the second test
may be said to be infallible. All Apples should be gathered before
the end of October, for none will bear frost with impunity. They must
be gathered in dry weather, and handled with the greatest care, laid
gently in baskets and trays, in single file only, and conveyed to the
store room.
_Storing._ The simplest and best method is in choosing or forming some
room or place free from extremes of heat and cold, dryness or damp,
where a temperature of about 45deg. is maintained. A current of air is
not necessary. The shelves should be made of poplar, sycamore, lime, or
other white wood. Deal, oak, ash, elm, and almost all other woods, give
a bad taste to the fruit. One sheet of paper--and paper only--should be
placed under the fruit. They ripen best, and are of the highest flavour
when left fully exposed to the free atmosphere of the fruit room, and
in order to preserve a more even temperature the light should be shut
out. Early and late ripening varieties must be stored in separate
places, as well as all inferior or injured fruit. The plan of isolating
each fruit by packing in tissue paper, sand, burnt earth, or other
substances, often destroys the flavour of the fruit, and possesses no
material benefit otherwise.
_Diseases._ Apple Mussel Scale, Apple or Codlin Grub, Canker, Mildew,
American Blight, Scale, and Insect Pests, such as Caterpillars,
Maggots, and Weevils, _see_ under their separate headings.
The following are some of the best varieties in cultivation:--
=Adams' Pearmain.= Dessert. Fruit medium, very handsome; flavour
juicy and sugary. December to March.
=Alexander.= Kitchen. Very large, showy, and good. September to
December.
=Alfriston.= Kitchen. Very fine, large, white flesh. November to
April.
=Ashmead's Kernel=, or =Cockle Pippin=. Dessert. Fruit below
medium; flavour very rich and sugary. This variety is, according to
Mr. Rivers, much esteemed in Gloucestershire. November to January.
=Bedfordshire Foundling.= Kitchen. Fruit large. One of the finest
and most useful sorts, a great bearer. February to May.
=Bess Pool.= Kitchen. Fruit large. Good late cooking apple.
December to May.
=Betty Geeson.= Kitchen. Fruit large, produced in great abundance.
February to May. A valuable sort.
=Blenheim Pippin.= One of the best kitchen sorts. November to
February.
=Boston Russet.= Dessert. Fruit medium; flavour very sugary and
rich, similar to the Ribston Pippin. An excellent American variety.
January to May.
=Brabant Bellefleur.= Kitchen. Fruit large, round, pale yellow,
red-streaked. A most useful cooking variety, also useful for
dessert. November to April.
[Illustration: FIG. 123. APPLE, CALVILLE BLANCHE.]
=Calville Blanche.= Dessert. Fruit large; flavour first-class.
October to December. See Fig. 123.
=Cellini.= Kitchen. Fruit perfect in form, size, colour, and
quality. October to January.
=Claygate Pearmain.= Dessert. Fruit medium; flavour rich, aromatic,
excellent, same as Ribston Pippin. January to May.
=Coe's Golden Drop.= Dessert. Fruit small, with a crisp and juicy
flavour. November to January. A delicious variety.
=Cornish Aromatic.= Dessert. Fruit medium; flavour rich, juicy, and
aromatic. October to December.
=Cornish Gillyflower.= Dessert. Fruit medium; flavour very rich,
quite aromatic. October, November to January. An excellent variety,
thriving best in a warm situation.
=Court of Wick.= Dessert. Fruit medium, very handsome; flavour
somewhat similar to Golden Pippin. December to March.
[Illustration: FIG. 124. APPLE, COURT PENDU PLAT.]
=Court Pendu Plat.= Dessert or kitchen. Fruit medium, rich russet
brown, of first-rate quality, and the tree is a good cropper.
November to April. See Fig. 124.
=Cox's Orange Pippin.= Dessert. Fruit medium, very handsome;
flavour rich aromatic. October to December. One of the best apples
grown.
=Cox's Pomona.= Kitchen. Fruit very large, of superior quality.
October.
=Devonshire Quarrenden.= Dessert. Fruit medium, excellent quality,
and handsome. July to September. A very prolific sort.
=D. T. Fish.= Kitchen. Fruit large, roundish, of a clear
straw-colour, with small specks of russet, slightly flushed with
crimson on the side where the sun strikes it; flavour sub-acid.
November to January. A fine and handsome variety.
=Duchess of Oldenburgh.= Kitchen. Fruit large, red-striped. August
to October. A very desirable and handsome Russian variety.
=Duke of Devonshire.= Dessert. Fruit medium; flavour crisp, juicy,
rich and sugary. December to March.
=Dumelow's Seedling=, or =Wellington=, or =Normanton Wonder=.
Kitchen. Fruit firm, large, and somewhat acid. November to March.
=Early Harvest.= Dessert. Fruit medium; flavour juicy, excellent,
with a pleasant sharpness. July to September. According to Mr.
Rivers this variety is equally good for cooking or dessert, and is
a very fertile tree on the Paradise stock.
=French Crab.= Kitchen. Fruit large, pale green, firm, acid. An
excellent sort, and the longest keeper.
=Golden Pippin.= Dessert. Fruit small, very excellent flavour.
November to January. A well-known and highly-esteemed sort.
=Golden Reinette.= Dessert. Fruit rather small, yellowish red,
streaked with red; flavour excellent, sweet and rich. One of the
best and most useful of dessert apples. October to December.
=Gravenstein.= Kitchen. Fruit large, handsome, sweet and crisp.
November to January. A very prolific sort.
=Greenup's Pippin.= Kitchen. Fruit very large. February to May. A
vigorous grower and abundant bearer.
=Irish Peach.= Dessert. Fruit medium, yellowish-green, very early;
flavour juicy, excellent. July and August. A very good variety,
often known as Early Crofton.
=Jolly Beggar.= Kitchen. Fruit large, pale yellow, tender
and juicy. November to January. A very desirable sort and an
extraordinary cropper.
=Keddlestone Pippin.= Dessert. Fruit small, yellow or golden
colour, specked with russet; flavour delicious, highly aromatic.
December to March. An excellent variety.
=Kerry Pippin.= Dessert. Fruit medium, firm, yellow, and red;
flavour sugary and rich. September to October.
=Keswick Codlin.= Kitchen. Fruit large and early. August to
October. An admirable sort for market purposes.
=King of the Pippins.= Dessert. Fruit medium, yellow and red;
flavour juicy and rich. October to January.
=Lady Henniker.= Kitchen. Fruit yellow, with crimson streaks near
the sun, highly flavoured, and with a pleasant perfume. February to
May. An excellent sort, suitable for dessert or kitchen.
=Lodgemore Nonpareil.= Dessert. Fruit small; flavour rich, sugary,
and aromatic. January to May. An excellent sort.
=Lord Suffield.= Kitchen. Fruit very large, white, soft, excellent
for sauce and tarts. August to September.
=Manx's Codlin.= Kitchen. Fruit large. September and October. One
of the finest and most useful of kitchen sorts.
=Mère de Ménage.= Kitchen. Large and good. October to March.
=Mr. Gladstone.= Dessert. Fruit large and handsome, very early,
scarlet cheek, striped and shaded; of excellent quality. July and
August. New.
=New= or =Winter Hawthornden=. Kitchen. Fruit very large,
excellent. November to January. An extraordinary bearer, one of the
best for sauce and cooking.
=Nonsuch.= Kitchen. Fruit large, juicy. August to October. An
admirable sort, unequalled for sauce and cooking.
=Norfolk Beefing.= Kitchen. Large and good flavour, excellent
keeper, most useful for baking whole and preserving. November to
July.
=Norfolk Greening.= Kitchen. Fruit medium; rather acid. Keeps till
April or May.
=Northern Spy.= Dessert. Fruit large, tender; flavour highly
aromatic. December to May.
=Old Nonpareil.= Dessert. Fruit medium, tender, and juicy. November
to January. A prolific variety.
=Pitmaston Pineapple.= Dessert. Fruit small; flavour very rich.
July to September. According to Mr. Rivers this variety is a very
abundant bearer on the Paradise stock; it is not a vigorous grower.
=Red Astrachan.= Dessert. Fruit good size, bright; flavour delicate
and rich. August to September.
=Red Ingestrie.= Dessert. Fruit very pretty bright red next the
sun, on a yellow ground, flesh pale yellow; flavour brisk and
sparkling, like the Golden Pippin in quality. August and September.
An excellent sort.
=Red Juneating=, or =Margaret=. Dessert. Fruit medium, early, very
good quality. July and August. A well-known sort, with numerous
synonyms.
=Red Quarrenden.= Dessert. Fruit under medium, bright scarlet;
flavour crisp and sweet. August. One of the best summer sorts.
=Reinette du Canada.= Dessert. Fruit greenish-yellow and brown,
large; flavour juicy, brisk, sub-acid. November to May. See Fig 125.
=Reinette Grise.= Dessert. Flesh yellowish-white, sugary, pleasant;
flavour sub-acid. November to April. It does best on the Paradise
stock, and is an abundant cropper. See Fig. 126.
=Ribston Pippin.= Dessert. Fruit greenish-yellow and red, medium;
flavour rich, aromatic, excellent. October to December.
=Sam Young.= Dessert. Fruit small, yellowish with russet spots;
flavour delicious, tender, and juicy. October to December. An
excellent Irish sort.
=Scarlet Crofton.= Dessert. Fruit medium, yellow and red; flavour
crisp, juicy, and sweet. October to December.
=Scarlet Nonpareil.= Dessert. Fruit well coloured, large; flavour
crisp and juicy. January to March.
=Small's Admirable.= Kitchen. Fruit large, green, crisp, sweet, and
juicy. November to January. A prolific cropper.
=Stamford Pippin.= Dessert. Fruit large, with a brisk flavour and
an agreeable aroma. November to January. A very desirable sort.
[Illustration: FIG. 125. APPLE, REINETTE DU CANADA.]
=Sturmer Pippin.= Dessert. Fruit medium; flavour brisk and rich.
February to June.
=Syke House Russet.= Dessert. Fruit small; flavour very rich.
January to May. An excellent sort.
=Tower of Glammis.= Kitchen. Fruit yellow, very large,
square-shaped, crisp, and excellent. February to May. A very
excellent sort.
=Van Mons Reinette.= Dessert. Fruit small, with a rich, aromatic,
and excellent flavour. November to January.
=Waltham Abbey Seedling.= Kitchen. Fruit large. November and
December. An admirable sort.
=Warner's King.= Kitchen. Fruit large, handsome, and good. November
to March.
=Worcestershire Pearmain.= Kitchen. Fruit large, conical, of a very
brilliant colour; flavour crisp and juicy. August to October. A
splendid variety, said to be as prolific as Lord Suffield.
[Illustration: FIG. 126. APPLE, REINETTE GRISE.]
=White Juneating.= Dessert. Fruit small, very early, and good
quality, but a bad keeper. July and August. A prolific sort.
=White Nonpareil.= Dessert. Fruit medium, very delicious. March to
June. A very desirable sort.
=Winter Quoining=, or =Queening=. Dessert. Fruit very bright,
almost red; flavour excellent. November to May. An excellent sort,
useful for dessert or culinary purposes.
=Winter Strawberry.= Dessert. Fruit yellow, medium, striped with
red; flavour brisk aromatic. November to March. A very useful sort.
=Wormsley Pippin.= Kitchen or dessert. Fruit of an excellent
quality, large, pale green; excellent for kitchen or dessert.
September to October.
=Yorkshire Greening.= Kitchen. Fruit large, juicy, tender. November
to January.
=For Cordons= the following are the best:--BETTY GEESON, COE'S
GOLDEN DROP, COX'S ORANGE PIPPIN, DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE, KING OF THE
PIPPINS, LODGEMORE NONPAREIL, NORTHERN SPY, REINETTE DU CANADA,
RIBSTON PIPPIN, SCARLET NONPAREIL.
=For Pyramidal, Bush, and Espalier Trees=, the best are:-ÂADAMS'
PEARMAIN, ASHMEAD'S KERNEL, BOSTON RUSSET, CLAYGATE PEARMAIN,
CORNISH GILLYFLOWER, COURT OF WICK, COURT PENDU PLAT, COX'S ORANGE
PIPPIN, EARLY HARVEST, GOLDEN PIPPIN, GOLDEN REINETTE, IRISH PEACH,
KEDDLESTONE PIPPIN, KERRY PIPPIN, RED INGESTRIE, RED QUARRENDEN,
REINETTE DU CANADA, RIBSTON PIPPIN, SAM YOUNG, SCARLET CROFTON,
SCARLET NONPAREIL, STURMER PIPPIN, SYKE HOUSE RUSSET, WORMSLEY
PIPPIN. The following Kitchen sorts are well adapted to this
method:-ÂALFRISTON, BED-FORDSHIRE FOUNDLING, BRABANT BELLEFLEUR,
CALVILLE BLANCHE, CELLINI, COX'S POMONA, D. T. FISH, DUCHESS OF
OLDENBURGH, DUMELOW'S SEEDLING, JOLLY BEGGAR, KESWICK CODLIN, LORD
SUFFIELD, MANX'S CODLIN, NEW HAWTHORNDEN, NONSUCH, WALTHAM ABBEY
SEEDLING, WARNER'S KING.
=For Cold and Exposed Situations=, the following are the
best:--BESS POOL, CLAYGATE PEARMAIN, FRENCH CRAB, GREENUP'S PIPPIN,
KESWICK CODLIN, NONSUCH, STURMER PIPPIN, TOWER OF GLAMMIS, WINTER
STRAWBERRY, WORMSLEY PIPPIN.
=For Cottage Gardens=: ALEXANDER, BEDFORDSHIRE FOUNDLING, BLENHEIM
PIPPIN, KING OF THE PIPPINS, MANX'S CODLIN, NEW HAWTHORNDEN,
REINETTE DU CANADA, RIBSTON PIPPIN, STURMER PIPPIN, WALTHAM ABBEY
SEEDLING, WARNER'S KING, WORMSLEY PIPPIN.
=APPLE BERRY.= _See_ =Billardiera=.
=APPLE-BLOSSOM WEEVIL= (_Anthonomus pomorum_). This is a small beetle
of a reddish-brown colour, with three inconspicuous stripes of a paler
colour behind the head; the wing cases show a large pitchy-coloured
blotch, with oblique striæ and yellowish spots thereon. The female
busily engages herself in piercing the flower buds; while the male may
be usually seen flying about the trees during the breeding season,
which, of course, varies according to the earlier or later expansion
of the buds. The female, by means of strong jaws at the end of the
long proboscis, bores a hole in the bud, in which she lays a single
egg, finally closing the opening, then passing on to other buds. The
laying season lasts for two or three weeks, or, indeed, as long as the
buds remain unexpanded; eggs are never laid in open blossoms. In warm
weather, the eggs are hatched in six or seven days, usually about the
end of April, into small, white, legless maggots, which feed upon the
stamens and pistil; hence, although the petals are normally coloured,
and expand, the flowers ultimately wither, and in some seasons very
serious consequences have arisen from these injurious little pests. The
maggot is fleshy, whitish, with a few hairs and a black, hard head; in
a few days, it turns into a brown chrysalis or pupa, which, in turn,
is changed into the Weevil, only about a month having elapsed from the
deposition of the egg till the Weevil is developed. It feeds upon the
foliage during summer, and hybernates in crannies of the bark, or under
the soil at the base of the trees, during winter, waking up in the
following spring to go through the same performances as its parents.
_Remedies._ Some of the methods advised for the extirpation of the
American Blight will prove very useful for the destruction of this
pest. Clear away all useless portions of the bark and rubbish round
about the tree during the winter, and many will be destroyed. Place
bandages of tarred cloth around the stem in spring; this will prevent
the females crawling up, as they seldom fly. If a white cloth is placed
beneath the tree affected when in bud, and the tree is severely shaken,
a large number will be caught, as the Weevil falls to the ground when
alarmed. Timely thinning of the trees, allowing the free admission of
light and air, is also a very effectual preventive, as it has been
proved that the greatest ravages are committed where neglect of this
has been the rule; and that, on the other hand, in proportion to its
being done, the pest has been lessened in numbers.
=APPLE MUSSEL SCALE= (_Aspidiotus conchiformis_). This insect attacks
the bark of Apple and Pear-trees. It is in outward appearance like the
half of a mussel shell. Under the scale is the insect. It is closely
allied to the true scale insects, and has similar habits. The scales
are about 1/8in. long, brown, and wider at one end than at the other.
The female is like a fat, green, fleshy maggot, without jointed limbs.
The eggs of this curious insect are not laid, but simply remain in the
body of the mother until she dies, thus leaving a protecting shield or
case from which the hatched larvæ emerge. To get rid of this insect,
therefore, the females containing eggs should be destroyed. It differs
from most other species in the absence of the long tail filaments. If
numerous, this Scale causes the trees to become sickly and unfruitful.
It is difficult to extirpate.
_Soft-soap Lather._ When the leaves fall, in autumn, the trees should
be treated with a stiff sash-tool, and all the Scale rubbed off,
keeping the brush just moist, and not rubbing the buds. Applied for two
seasons, this should clear the trees. All loose bark should be removed.
_Seal Oil_ is sometimes recommended as a good remedy: but oils are
rather unsafe applications to the bark of trees, especially of the
young branches.
[Illustration: FIG. 127. CODLIN MOTH AND GRUB (CARPOCAPSA POMONANA).]
=APPLE OR CODLIN GRUB= (_Carpocapsa pomonana_). During the month of
May, the well-known Codlin Moth (see Fig. 127) lays its eggs in the
calyces, usually one in each, of the young, quickly-growing apple.
The moth itself is a small insect; the fore-wings are grey, prettily
speckled with delicate, darker streaks, and with a curved golden mark
on the hinder part, inclosing one of a reddish-brown colour. The hind
wings are usually dark, as is also the body. The caterpillar, when
hatched, is white, with black head and neck, and with four rows of
black marks along the whole body. The colours soon, however, become
less decided, taking an indistinct brownish or grey hue. After being
hatched, the caterpillar gnaws its way down the fruit, keeping clear
of the core, and gradually forces its gallery towards the rind of the
fruit, which it finally pierces, the opening serving as the outlet for
the dirt. When nearly full grown, it pierces the core and feeds upon
the pips, which injury speedily causes the fruit to drop. The insect
then emerges therefrom, and finds a suitable shelter in a cranny of the
bark, where it spins a cocoon; and, according to British authorities,
it remains in the larval state for some weeks, finally assuming the
chrysalis form, and thus passing the winter; the moth emerges the
following season. Shortly after development, the moths pair, the female
depositing eggs in the fruit in June or July, according to the season.
Practically, there is no preventive; but the following hints will serve
to greatly reduce the numbers. All apples that fall ere they are ripe
should be picked up as promptly as possible, and be given to the pigs;
or pigs should be turned into the orchard to clear off the fallen
fruit. The following is the only serviceable remedy:
_Hayband Trap._ This is simply a loosely made hayband twisted around
the stems of the trees, about 1ft. from the ground. The grubs, in
searching for a suitable place in which to make a cocoon, will
generally choose the bands. At the end of the season, all the haybands
should be collected and burnt, and the stems of the trees from which
they were removed should be cleared of any cocoons which may adhere to
them. All loose bark and other rubbish should be removed from the tree
trunks, and also from the ground below.
=APPLE OR CODLIN GRUB TRAP.= An exceedingly ingenious and effective
method of alluring that obnoxious pest, the Apple Grub. The trap (Fig.
128) consists of two, three, or more thin pieces of board, 12in. to
20in. in length, and 2in. to 4in. wide, with a screw (_a_) through
their centre. The screw must be long enough to be firmly driven into
the trunk of the tree, so as to hold the boards in position. Small
slips of wood (_b_) are inserted between the boards, to keep them
sufficiently open to allow of the entry of the grubs, as shown at _d_.
The boards are cut on each side of the screw, as at _c_, to facilitate
their separation when fastened together by the silken threads of the
grubs, and to better expose the latter when the trap is opened. This
handy trap, which is of American origin, is very cheap. A great number
of them may be collected with little trouble, submitted to a killing
heat, and replaced again; and they can be used either on the ground or
on the trees. As regards killing the grubs when caught, Mr Weir, the
inventor, says: "The quickest and best way is to have a large tin pan,
bent in on one side, so as to fit closely to the trunk of the tree.
When you reach the tree, drop upon your knees, place the depression in
the pan against the trunk of the tree, hold it there by pressing your
body against it, and you have both hands free to open the trap. When
opening it, many of the pupæ or chrysalids will fall into the pan. The
trap must be turned clear around, as many will be found between it and
the bark. A person will open and kill the worms in from four hundred to
eight hundred traps in a day."
[Illustration: FIG. 128. APPLE OR CODLIN GRUB TRAP.
B, OPEN. A, SHUT.]
=APPOSITE.= Placed side by side.
=APPROXIMATE=, =APPROXIMATED=, =APPROXIMATING=. Near together.
=APRICOT= (_Armeniaca vulgaris_). The Apricot, or, as it was formerly
written, "Abricock," is a much esteemed and luscious fruit. It is said
to have been introduced into this country during the reign of Henry
VIII. The Apricot is one of the earliest flowering of fruit-trees (see
Fig. 129), and is generally in bloom during February. This fact is a
great drawback, as it is a difficult matter to save the flowers from
destruction by the spring winds and frosts. The fruit (see Fig. 130)
contains less acid than most stone fruits, and in appearance it is
perhaps the handsomest of all. Success with its culture in many gardens
is by no means certain, but with careful preparation of borders and
protection of the flowers in spring, satisfactory results are often
obtained. Large quantities of fruit are annually imported to this
country from France; but their quality and flavour cannot be compared
with that of good home-grown produce.
[Illustration: FIG. 129. BLOSSOM OF APRICOT.]
_Propagation_ is effected by seeds or budding. The stones, selected
from the best varieties, may be sown as soon as the fruit is ripe, in
August or September, in light rich soil, and covered with about 2in.
of earth, over which a little litter should be spread during winter.
After one season's growth, the plants should be lifted, and the tap
roots slightly cut back if the trees are intended for walls. They
should then be planted in nursery lines, allowing about a yard between
the rows, and 2ft. from plant to plant.
[Illustration: FIG. 130. FRUITING BRANCH OF APRICOT.]
Budding is the most general mode of propagating Apricots. They
are frequently budded from the beginning to the middle of June on
seedling, and also on plum stocks, of which latter the Mussell, Saint
Julien, Brussels, and Black Damson are the best. For dwarf trees, the
stock should be budded about 1ft. from the ground. There are many
disadvantages in having a great length of stem. "Rider" trees require
a stem from 3-1/2ft. to 6ft.; half-riders, 2-1/2ft. to 3ft. Grafting
by the Whip method is sometimes employed, but, for many reasons, it is
much inferior to Budding.
_Planting, &c._ South-west and western aspects suit the Apricot best,
but the fruit has been ripened in warm localities on walls facing
several points north. Large areas of garden wall (see Figs. 131 and
132), the walls of stables, barns, outbuildings, and two sides of at
least hundreds of cottages, might thus be utilised for the cultivation
of this tree. If well drained, almost any garden soil will bring these
fruits to perfection; light, fibrous, rather sandy loam will, however,
prove most satisfactory. There should be a considerable depth of soil;
a yard is not too much, provided it be on a dry base, which is most
important. Heavy soils may be improved for Apricot culture by the
addition of an equal portion of light loam, mortar rubbish, or charred
refuse. In furnishing walls, the distance apart may vary from 2ft.
between Cordons, to 12ft., 15ft., or even 20ft. between Fan-shaped
trees. The roots should be carefully arranged, interlayered at all
points with fine soil, and the whole covered to a depth of 3in. or 4in.
Not only should the roots have a good covering of suitable earth, but
a secondary one of litter, or other light material, should be added,
to render them frost proof in winter, and drought and heat proof in
summer. Newly planted trees should, on no account, be allowed to get
dry at the root. A thorough soaking of soft rain, or manure water,
will often save a crop, and restore the trees, when all other surface
remedies or appliances fail. Surface sprinklings overhead with the
garden engine, in the afternoons of bright days, are beneficial, and
help to keep the foliage clean and healthy. So soon as the trees are
cleared of their fruit, attention should be directed to the maturation
of the wood. All superfluous shoots should be removed, any excess of
growth left on the shoots cut back, and every effort made to perfect
the wood already made, rather than force the tree to make more. Unless
the weather be very dry, water should not be applied after this stage.
[Illustration: FIG. 131. APRICOT TREE, showing method of Wall Training.]
_Protection._ It is almost hopeless to expect a crop unless the
blossoms are protected, by mats or other means, from spring frosts.
Temporary wooden copings, from 1ft. to 2ft. wide, laid on iron
brackets, are indispensable for warding off storms, and keeping other
coverings away from the flowers. These should not be put up till the
trees are just bursting into bloom, and may safely be removed about the
end of May. A few fish or other nets, spread over the trees, afford
considerable resistance to the radiation of heat. This is assuredly one
of the easiest, if not one of the most efficient, modes of protection.
Frigi-domo and other thick shadings are sometimes used, but they
require to be removed from the trees in the day time. The thinner nets
mentioned are generally not in use for other purposes at this time of
year, and may remain over the trees altogether. Glass copings are the
best, but, being rather expensive, they cannot be used by the majority
of cultivators. They have, however, been applied with good results to
trees that had previously failed.
[Illustration: FIG. 132. APRICOT TREE, showing method of Training
suitable for Gable Ends of Cottages.]
_Cropping, &c._ Thinning of the fruit needs early and careful
attention. The average of 3in. apart may be chosen for a maximum yield.
As the fruit approach maturity, overhanging leaves, or branches of
young wood, must be removed, to admit sun and light to properly ripen
and colour them. Apricots for preserving should be gathered quite dry,
and with the sun upon them. For dessert, they should be plucked in the
morning, and placed in a cool room till wanted.
_Under Glass._ The Apricot will hardly bear forcing. It is more
sensitive to heat than almost any other of our semi-hardy fruits.
Practically, it is found that a confined atmosphere, or the slightest
excess of heat, brings its blooms off in showers, and this, of
course, mars all prospect of fruit. But in cold climates and northern
latitudes under glass is the best and only means of growing them.
Should red-spider appear, it is proof that the roots or the atmosphere,
probably both, have been too dry; more moisture, and syringing over
the leaves, are the surest remedies. The borders need to be about 2ft.
or 2ft. 6in. deep, of any light rich soil. Fresh planted trees should
be frequently syringed overhead before and after the flowering period.
After they have become fully established, less overhead sprinkling is
needed. During all the earlier stages of growth, and until the fruit
are stoned, an artificial temperature of 45deg. should not be exceeded.
After that stage, the fruit will bear a heat of 50deg. or 55deg. It is
hardly safe or desirable to exceed the latter under glass, and unless
abundance of air is given, 55deg. may bring off the fruit, even at
an advanced stage. A thorough soaking, at intervals of fourteen days
during the height of the growing season, may be applied; and, should
the trees be heavily cropped, manure water may be given at every
alternate watering. It is also a good practice to mulch the surface of
heavily cropped trees with 3in. or 4in. of good dung. The fruit should,
however, be freely thinned to distances of from 4in. to 6in. apart
at the most. There are three general methods of growing them under
glass: The trees may be trained on trellises or walls; grown as natural
standards, tall or dwarf; and as bushes, either planted out or in pots.
_Varieties._ The varieties of Apricot, unlike most other fruit, are not
numerous; and the following will be found in every way representative
and satisfactory:
=Blanche=, or =White Masculine=. A small and delicate fruited sort.
Fruit pale whitish-yellow, tinged with brownish-red next the sun,
covered with a fine white down; rich, delicate, and sugary.
=Blenheim=, or =Shipley's=.* Very early and prolific. Colour deep
yellow; flesh medium, rich, and juicy. Ripe in July.
=Breda.=* A small sort, of excellent quality. Colour deep orange;
flesh firm, juicy, and rich. Hardiest sort grown.
=Kaisha.=* Fruit round, much smaller than Moorpark. Colour pale
citron; flesh tender, rich, juicy; flavour delicate and delicious;
kernel very sweet.
=Large Red.= The deepest coloured of all. Fruit very large; colour
deep reddish-orange; flesh rich and juicy; kernel bitter.
=Moorpark.=* The sort most generally grown; large, handsome, and of
excellent quality. Colour brownish-orange; flesh rich, juicy, and
sweet. It is one of the best and most useful sorts in cultivation.
=Peach=, or =Grosse Peche=. Distinct and very desirable. Fruit very
large; flesh rich, firm, and juicy. One of the very best.
=Royal.=* Not unlike Moorpark, but with a more robust constitution,
and less given to limb dying. Fruit large, dull, yellow, rich, and
juicy.
=Turkey.=* A good variety. Colour pale yellow; flavour rich and
juicy; flesh firm.
For modes of Training and Budding, Diseases, Insect Pests, &c., full
information will be found under each individual title.
=APTERANTHES.= _See_ =Boucerosia=.
=APTEROUS.= Without wings.
=AQUATIC PLANTS.= The culture of Aquatic Plants, both indoors and in
the open air, has been greatly neglected of late years; they are,
therefore, rarely seen to perfection in places other than where their
culture is made a speciality. Generally speaking, they are most
easily grown. The following stove and greenhouse genera are well
worth attention: _Aponogeton_, _Cyperus_, _Damasonium_, _Herpestis_,
_Limnocharis_, _Nelumbium_, _NymphÅa_, _Ouvirandra_, _Pistia_,
_Pontederia_, _Salvinia_, _Thalia_, _Trianea_, _Victoria_. Many species
belonging to some of the foregoing genera are hardy, as are also the
following: _Alisma_, _Butomus_, _Calla_, _Hottonia_, _Menyanthes_,
_Nuphar_, _Polygonum_, _Sagittaria_, _Trapa_, _Typha_, _Villarsia_.
=AQUATICUS.= Living in water.
=AQUATILIS.= Living under water.
=AQUIFOLIACEÃ.= _See_ =Ilicineæ=.
=AQUILEGIA= (from _aquila_, an eagle; in reference to the form of the
petals). Columbine. ORD. _Ranunculaceæ_. Erect hardy perennial herbs
with fibrous roots. Flowers solitary or panicled, drooping; sepals
five, petaloid, deciduous; petals five, concave, spurred; spurs very
large, produced downwards into hollow tubes, and frequently curved at
the extremity; carpels five, sessile, free. Radical leaves on long
stalks, twice or thrice ternate, with trifid-toothed, usually blunt
segments. Too much praise can scarcely be lavished upon this elegant
genus of plants. They prefer a moist and sheltered situation, with
exposure to the sun. The more robust species will thrive in ordinary
garden soil, but the rarer and more delicate kinds require a good
friable sandy loam and leaf soil, with good drainage. Seed is produced
in abundance, and must be sown very thinly, as soon as practicable
after being ripe, in a shady place or in pans in a cold frame. When up,
and strong enough to remove, the seedlings may be planted out where
they are to bloom, allowing every plant at least 9in. each way. The
strong-growing kinds may be placed in the border, the dwarf ones on
the rockery. When in bloom, the inferior sorts should be weeded out,
retaining only the best varieties. To obtain seed true of any species,
it is absolutely necessary to plant the separate kinds far apart, and
cover them with fine muslin, to prevent the access of insects to the
flowers, as none are more easily cross-fertilised. Division of the root
is the only way to perpetuate any particular variety with certainty,
unless seed is saved in the way mentioned, or imported from the native
habitats of particular species. There are many beautiful hybrids, as
well as species, in cultivation.
=A. alpina= (alpine).* _fl._ from 2in. to 3in. in diameter
when expanded, deep blue or blue and white, on leafy, two to
three-flowered stems; spurs straight, but somewhat incurved at the
apex, one-half shorter than the petal limb. May. _l._ with segments
deeply divided into linear lobes. _h._ 1ft. Alps of Switzerland, in
shady humid places, 1731. Plant this on the rockery.
=A. arctica= (Arctic). A form of _A. formosa_.
=A. atropurpurea= (dark purple). _fl._ dark purple or bluish
violet, about 1in. or 1-1/2in. in diameter when expanded, two or
three in a head; spurs straight, equal in length with the petals'
limb; sepals about as long as the petals. May. _l._ petioled,
biternate. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia. Border plant.
=A. aurea= (golden).* A synonym of _A. chrysantha flavescens_.
=A. Bertoloni= (Bertoloni's).* _fl._ about 1in. across, blue-violet
throughout; sepals about 3/4in. long, rounded; petals about the
same length; spurs very short, knobbed; stems two to four flowered.
June and July. _l._ small, dark green, and glaucous. A very pretty
little alpine, growing about 1ft. high. SYN. _A. Reuteri_.
[Illustration: FIG. 133. AQUILEGIA CÃRULEA.]
=A. cærulea= (sky-blue).* _fl._ several on a stem, blue and white,
sometimes more or less tinted with lilac or claret, rarely pure
white, when expanded 2-1/2in. to 3in. in diameter; spur very
slender, nearly straight, green tipped, about 2in. long. April to
July. _l._ large, biternate. _h._ 9in. to 15in. Rocky Mountains,
1864. A very lovely species for the border or base of the rockery.
SYNS. _A. leptoceras_, _A. macrantha_. See Fig. 133.
=A. c. alba= (white).* _fl._ the same size and form as the type,
white throughout. Rocky Mountains. A very rare and lovely variety;
sometimes met with under the name of _A. grandiflora_.
=A. c. hybrida= (hybrid).* _fl._ blue and white, not so wide across
as the type, but more numerous, and the plant has a much more
vigorous habit. Of garden origin.
=A. californica= (Californian).* A form of _A. formosa_.
[Illustration: FIG. 134. AQUILEGIA CANADENSIS, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. canadensis= (Canadian).* _fl._ scarlet, mixed with yellow, less
than 1in. in diameter; spur straight, longer than the limb; styles
and stamens protruding; sepals acutish, a little longer than the
petals' limb. April to June. _l._, segments three-parted, bluntish,
and deeply toothed at the apex. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. North America,
1640. Border or rockery; very pretty. See Fig. 134.
=A. chrysantha= (yellow-flowered).* _fl._, sepals primrose yellow,
spreading horizontally in full expansion, nearly or quite 1in.
long, tinted claret at the tip; limb of petals deeper yellow, not
quite so long; spur straight, very slender, divergent, 1-1/2in.
to 2in. long; stems many-flowered. May to August. _l._ biternate.
_h._ 3ft. to 4ft. California, 1873. One of the finest of all hardy
perennials for the border.
=A. c. flavescens= (yellow). _fl._ of a uniform bright canary
yellow, tinged with red; spur somewhat shorter than in _A.
canadensis_, and slightly incurved. California, 1872. SYN. _A.
aurea_.
[Illustration: FIG. 135. AQUILEGIA GLANDULOSA.]
=A. eximia= (choice). Synonymous with _A. formosa_.
=A. formosa= (handsome).* _fl._, sepals bright red, usually less
than 1in. long, with an obtuse green tip; limb of petals yellow,
about half as long as the sepals; spurs 1/2in. to 3/4in. long,
slender in the lower half, nearly straight, distinctly knobbed at
the tip; stems many-flowered. May to September. _l._ biternate.
_h._ 2ft. to 4ft. North America. Border. The following are synonyms
and varieties: _A. arctica_, _A. californica_, _A. eximia_, and _A.
f. truncata_, revealing only trivial differences. There is a very
beautiful hybrid known in gardens as _A. californica hybrida_, with
the sepals and petals yellowish, or tinged with orange, while the
long slender spurs are orange red; it is one of the handsomest of
all. All the forms are very showy, and well worth growing.
=A. fragrans= (fragrant).* _fl._ white or pale claret purple,
finely pubescent, very fragrant; sepals about 1-1/2in. long, not
reflexing, twice longer than the broad petals' limb; spur slender,
slightly curved, knobbed at the top, same length as the petals;
stems few-flowered. May to July. _l._ biternate. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to
2ft. Himalayas, 1839. This requires a warm position.
=A. glandulosa= (glandular).* _fl._, sepals bright lilac blue,
about 1-1/2in. long, more than twice the length of the petals'
limb; petals white; spur 1/4in. long, or but little more, stout,
much incurved; stems one to three-flowered. Spring. _l._ biternate.
_h._ 8in. to 12in. Siberia, 1822. Extremely pretty. See Fig. 135.
=A. g. jucunda= (pleasant). _fl._ rather smaller. Very handsome
little plants, freely hybridised, and it is necessary to keep
raising fresh batches, as they are scarcely more than biennial.
=A. glauca= (glaucous). _fl._ white, tinted claret, fragrant;
sepals 1in. long, not reflexing; limb of petals 3/4in. long;
spur straight, or a little curved, about 1/3in. long; stem three
to four-flowered. June. _l._ biternate. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft.
Himalayas, 1839. Rather tender; plant in a warm dry position.
=A. leptoceras= (slender-horned). A synonym of _A. cærulea_.
=A. macrantha= (large-flowered). A synonym of _A. cærulea_.
=A. olympica= (Olympic).* _fl._ large, delicate mauve blue; petals
white, rather shorter than the sepals; spur stout, short, obtuse.
_l._ bi- or triternate, glaucous. _h._ 1-1/2ft. 1880. Mount
Olympus. See Fig. 136.
=A. pyrenaica= (Pyrenean).* _fl._, sepals bright lilac blue, about
1in. long, but not quite as much broad; limb of petals about 1/2in.
long, and half as broad; spur slender, nearly straight, or rather
incurved, nearly or quite 3/4in. long, scarcely knobbed at the end;
stem one to three-flowered, with small and little compound deep
green leaves. Summer. _h._ 9in. to 12in. Pyrenees, 1818. Plant on
the rockery.
=A. Reuteri= (Reuter's). Synonymous with _A. Bertoloni_.
=A. sibirica= (Siberian).* _fl._ bright lilac; sepals very blunt,
1in. or a little more in length, spreading or slightly reflexing
when fully expanded; limb of petals sometimes white, about 1/2in.
long; spur stout, much incurved, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long; stems
many-flowered, glabrous. Summer. _l._ biternate. _h._ 1ft. Siberia,
1806. Rockery species. Here are referred, by Mr. Baker, _A.
bicolor_, _A. Garnieriana_, and _A. speciosa_. See Fig. 137.
=A. thalictrifolia= (Thalictrum-leaved). _fl._, sepals oblong,
acute, lilac blue, about 1/2in. long; limb of petals about as long,
and rounded at the top; spurs slender, not quite as long as the
sepals; stems about three-flowered. Summer. _l._ with three-stalked
segments cut into deep oblong lobes. _h._ 2ft. Tyrol, 1879. Entire
plant clothed with fine pubescence.
=A. viridiflora= (green-flowered). _fl._, sepals oval-oblong,
shorter than the petals; spurs straight and longer than the petals;
stems two to three-flowered. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Siberia, 1780.
Border. Rather a pleasing and sweet-scented green-flowered species,
but not very ornamental.
=A. vulgaris= (common). Common Columbine. _fl._ variously coloured;
sepals ovate acute, about 1in. long, and half as broad; limb of the
petal rarely exceeding 3/4in. long, and half as much broad, rounded
at the apex; spur much incurved, stout, knobbed at the end, as long
as the petals; stems many-flowered. Spring and early summer. _l._
biternate. England, &c. There are numerous varieties of this very
handsome species, both double and single-flowered.
=A. v. alba= (white). _fl._ pure white.
=A. v. a. fl.-pl.= Double white flowers.
=A. v. cærulea nana fl.-pl.= Very dwarf, with double deep blue
flowers.
=A. v. hybrida= (hybrid). _fl._, sepals lilac purple,
oblong-lanceolate, less than 1in. long; limb of the petals white,
about 1/2in. long; spur scarcely incurved.
=A. v. Vervæneana.= This variety has pretty yellow mottled foliage.
[Illustration: FIG. 136. AQUILEGIA OLYMPICA, showing Habit and Flower.]
[Illustration: FIG. 137. AQUILEGIA SIBIRICA FLORE-PLENO, showing Habit
and Flower.]
=A. v. Wittmanniana= (Wittmann's). _fl._ large, bright lilac
purple; sepals ovate-acute, 1in. to 1-1/4in. long, more than half
as much broad; limb of petals white, about half the length of
sepals; spur curved. A very fine variety.
The following names are also met with in gardens, some of which
represent specific forms, but none are effective as garden
ornaments: _advena_, _Burgeriana_, _Haylodgensis_ (hybrid),
_grata_, _longissima_, _nevadensis_, _oxysepala_, &c.
=AQUOSUS.= Watery.
=ARABIS= (origin of the word not clear). Wall Cress; Rock Cress. ORD.
_Cruciferæ_. Hardy perennial trailers, except where otherwise stated.
Flowers mostly white; racemes terminal; pedicels bractless. Radical
leaves usually stalked; cauline ones sessile or stem-clasping, entire
or toothed, rarely lobed. Most members of this genus are peculiarly
well adapted for rockwork and the alpine garden, both from their
natural hardihood as well as their early and profuse flowering habits.
They are of the easiest possible culture in any dry soil. The perennial
species may either be increased by divisions of the root, by cuttings,
placed in a shady border during the summer, or by seed. The latter
may be sown outside, or in pans, in spring, when most of them will
germinate in two or three weeks. The annuals and biennials are for the
most part devoid of any cultural beauty.
=A. albida= (whitish).* _fl._ white; racemes terminal; pedicels
longer than the calyx. January to May. _l._ few-toothed, hoary, or
downy with branched hairs; radical ones obovate-oblong; cauline
ones cordately sagittate, clasping the stem. _h._ 6in. to 9in.
Tauria and Caucasus, 1798. SYN. _A. caucasica_.
=A. a. variegata= (variegated).* A very pretty variegated form for
edgings.
[Illustration: FIG. 138. ARABIS ALPINA, showing Habit and Flowers.]
=A. alpina= (alpine).* _fl._ white, smaller than those of _A.
albida_; racemes terminal; pedicels longer than the calyx, which
is smoothish. March to May. _l._ many-toothed, lanceolate, acute,
villous with branched hairs; radical ones somewhat stalked; cauline
ones cordate, clasping the stem. _h._ 6in. European rocks, in
sunny places, 1596. There are one or two varieties, including a
variegated-leaved form, in cultivation. See Fig. 138.
[Illustration: FIG. 139. ARABIS ARENOSA, showing Habit and Flowers.]
=A. arenosa= (sand-loving).* _fl._ rose coloured, very rarely white
or bluish; petals obovate; pedicels spreading. April to July. _l._
villous, with forked hairs; radical ones pinnatifid, with the upper
lobes much larger than the lower; cauline ones deeply toothed. Stem
branched, hispid, with simple hairs. _h._ 6in. Middle Europe, 1798.
See Fig. 139.
=A. blepharophylla= (fringed-leaved).* _fl._ rosy purple; petals
roundish, narrowing to the base, with slender claws. Spring. _l._
naked, except the margins, which are fringed with very stiff hairs;
radical ones spathulate; cauline ones oblong, sessile. _h._ 3in. to
4in. California, 1874. This succeeds best in a cool frame, where it
will flower in January.
=A. caucasica= (Caucasus). A synonym of _A. albida_.
=A. lucida= (shining).* _fl._ white; petals entire, narrowed at the
base, twice as long as the calyx. Summer. _l._ obovate, thickish,
shining, clasping the stem. _h._ 4in. to 6in. Hungary, 1790. A very
pretty species, with a dwarf habit; it is especially adapted for
edgings, borders, or rockwork.
=A. l. variegata= (variegated).* A great improvement upon the type,
being broadly edged with yellow, and the green somewhat lighter.
When grown in tufts or as edging, it is very effective, and should
be prevented from flowering. This exceedingly desirable variety
is a gem for the rockwork, and when seen in crevices, or in bold
tufts, it is very striking. It must be increased by slips or
rootlets, which should be taken in early summer.
=A. mollis= (soft). _fl._ white, in terminal racemes. May to July.
_l._ grossly toothed, somewhat pubescent, with small stellate
hairs; lower ones on long petioles, cordate-roundish; cauline ones
ovate-cordate, clasping the stem. _h._ 2ft. Caucasus, 1823.
=A. petræa= (rock).* _fl._ white; petals ovate, with stalks.
June. _l._ smooth, ciliated or scabrous, with simple or bifid
radical ones on longish stalks, entire, toothed; cauline ones
oblong-linear, entire, or toothed. _h._ 3in. or 4in. Britain.
=A. præcox= (early). _fl._ white; petals obovately cuneated,
double the length of the calyx. April to June. _l._ oblong, acute,
sessile, quite entire, smooth. Stem covered with close pressed
rigid hairs. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Hungary.
=A. procurrens= (procurrent). _fl._ white; petals obovate, double
the length of the calyx. May and June. _l._ ovate, quite entire,
smooth, ciliated with two-parted hairs; radical ones narrowed into
a petiole; cauline ones sessile, pointed. Stolons creeping. _h._
9in. Servia, 1819. There is a brilliantly variegated form of this
pretty species well worth growing.
=A. rosea= (rosy).* _fl._ rosy purple; petals oblong, somewhat
wedge-shaped, double the length of the calyx; pedicels longer
than the calyx. May to July. _l._, cauline ones oblong, somewhat
cordate, and rather stem-clasping, scabrous with branched hairs.
_h._ 1ft. Calabria, 1832.
=A. verna= (spring). _fl._ small, purple, with a white claw;
pedicels shorter than the calyx. May to June. _l._, cauline ones
cordate, clasping the stem, toothed, scabrous with three-parted
hairs. _h._ 3in. to 6in. South Europe, 1710. The best annual
species.
=ARACEÃ= or =AROIDEÃ=. An extensive order of herbaceous plants, with
tuberous rhizomes. Flowers on a spadix, unisexual or hermaphrodite,
protected by a spathe. Leaves large, radical. Well known genera
belonging to this order are: _Alocasia_, _Arum_, _Caladium_,
_Colocasia_, and _Dieffenbachia_.
=ARACHIS= (from _a_, without, and _rachis_, a branch; plant
branchless). Ground or Earth Nut. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A stove annual,
of economical value. Corolla resupinate; calyx a long tube, with a
bilabiate limb; ovary stipitate, inclosed in the tube of the calyx; the
stipe at first short, but afterwards becoming elongated. Sandy loam is
the soil most suitable for their cultivation. Seeds should be sown in
heat; and, when the plants have grown to a sufficient size, they should
be potted off singly, and placed among other stove annuals. After the
plant has finished flowering, and the pods begin to lengthen, the
pedicels force them into the earth, where they ripen their seeds.
=A. hypogæa= (underground). Monkey Nut. _fl._ yellow, five to seven
together in the axils of the leaves. May. _l._ abruptly-pinnate,
bearing two pairs of leaflets, without any tendril; stipulas
elongated, adnate to the petioles. _h._ 1ft., or procumbent. South
America, 1812. See Fig. 140.
=ARACHNIMORPHA.= A synonym of =Rondeletia= (which _see_).
=ARACHNOID.= Resembling a cobweb in appearance; seeming to be covered
with cobweb, in consequence of the entanglement of long, white hairs.
[Illustration: FIG. 140. ARACHIS HYPOGÃA, showing Leaf, Flower, &c.,
and Cluster of short wrinkled Pods.]
=ARALIA= (meaning unknown). ORD. _Araliaceæ_. This widely-grown genus
includes stove, greenhouse, and hardy, herbaceous and shrubby plants.
Flowers inconspicuous, umbellate, the umbels usually disposed in
panicles; petals five, inserted on the margin of the disk; stamens five
(see Fig. 142). Leaves usually compound. These plants are of moderately
free growth, and the majority are easy to manage. Those requiring
indoor treatment thrive well under the ordinary routine of management.
One most important requirement, however, is that they must be kept well
supplied with water at the roots. The finer, or stove varieties, should
be potted in a mixture of sandy loam and peat, with the addition of a
little fibrous leaf soil, and sufficient sand to keep the whole porous.
The stronger growing kinds thrive in a richer compost. Propagation
by cuttings of the roots is a common and very successful method. To
obtain the roots, one of the strongest plants should be turned out of
the pot, and the roots should be cleared of soil by shaking or washing
it out; the requisite number of pieces should then be selected. As
each piece is removed, it should have the end nearest the stem cut
horizontally, to distinguish it from the other or furthermost end. In
planting cuttings of the roots, it is best to place the end nearest the
stem uppermost. The pieces may be left about 2in. long, and should be
inserted in pots, well drained, and filled with sandy soil, leaving
the tops of the cuttings about level with the surface of the soil. A
square of glass must be placed over the top of each pot, plunging them
in moderate bottom heat. The stems of the plants from which the roots
have been taken may be cut into pieces 1in. or 1-1/2in. long, leaving
an eye or bud near the top; a slice of half the shoot may be taken off
opposite the bud. When prepared, these pieces should be pressed into
pots of sand or sandy soil, and plunged into bottom heat. The stems may
be cut down without disturbing the roots; in that case, if the pots
are plunged in bottom heat, and kept moderately supplied with water,
they will probably throw up several suckers or shoots from the roots.
These, if taken off with a portion of root to each, and placed in small
sized pots, will, with a little care, soon make useful plants. All the
hardy species and most of the greenhouse ones are propagated readily
by cuttings or pieces of roots. Some of the stove species, however,
are very difficult to increase, except by grafting. Among these are
_A. leptophylla_, _A. Veitchii_, &c. These should be worked on stocks
of _A. Guilfoylei_ or _A. reticulata_, the latter being the better of
the two. Cuttings of either of these strike readily, and stocks fit
for grafting are easily procured. In sheltered and warm positions, the
greenhouse species are admirably suited for sub-tropical gardening,
either planted singly or in groups. _See_ also =Dimorphanthus=,
=Fatsia=, =Hedera=, =Heptapleurum=, =Monopanax=, =Oreopanax=, and
=Panax=.
=A. canescens= (greyish). A garden synonym of _A. chinensis_.
=A. Chabrierii= (Chabrier's).* _l._ alternate, pinnate, about a
foot long; pinnæ opposite, 6in. to 9in. long, linear-lanceolate,
deep green, with a heavy crimson midrib. 1882. Suitable for table
decoration. A charming stove species.
[Illustration: FIG. 141. ARALIA CHINENSIS.]
=A. chinensis= (Chinese).* _fl._ white; panicles terminal;
peduncles umbelliferous. _l._ petiolate, coriaceous, woolly on both
surfaces when young (only); pinnæ seven, ovate, serrated at the
apex, erect and distinct. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. 1838. This species, if
planted in a soil with a dry porous bottom, will prove to be hardy.
SYN. _A. canescens_, of gardens. See Fig. 141.
=A. concinna= (neat). _l._ unequally pinnate; pinnæ lobed and
serrate. Stem spotted. New Caledonia, 1879. A handsome stove
species, but very rare. SYNS. _A. spectabilis_, _Delarbrea
spectabilis_.
=A. crassifolia= (thick-leaved). A synonym of _Pseudopanax
crassifolium_.
=A. edulis= (edible).* _fl._ numerous, white; umbels globose,
axillary and terminal, united into simple or compound racemes.
Summer. _l._, lower ones pinnate, with five leaflets, or three
pinnate, with divisions of three to five leaflets; upper ones
generally simple, with stalked leaflets, having a cordate base,
ovate, acute, finely toothed, downy. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Japan, 1843.
Hardy, herbaceous, perennial, hairy, and spineless.
=A. elegantissima= (most elegant).* _l._ digitate, on long dark
green footstalks, which are mottled with white; leaflets seven
to ten, filiform, and, being pendulous, impart a very graceful
character to the plant. Stem straight, erect. South Sea Islands,
1873. Stove species, excellent for table decoration.
=A. filicifolia= (fern-leaved).* _l._, leafstalks sheathing at
the base, and terete in the upper part, expanding into a broad
leafy limb which is impari-pinnately divided; pinnæ opposite,
deeply pinnatifid, bright green, with a purplish midrib. Stem
and leafstalks purplish, thickly marked with oblong white spots.
Polynesia, 1876.
=A. gracillima= (most graceful). Synonymous with _A. Veitchii
gracillima_.
=A. Guilfoylei= (Guilfoyle's).* _l._ pinnate, on long smooth terete
petioles; leaflets oblong-elliptic, bluntish, from three to seven,
they are sometimes obscurely lobed, and irregularly spinose,
serrate, varying in size from 2in. to 3in. long, neatly and
evenly margined with creamy white, the surface being in addition
occasionally splashed with grey. Stem erect, copiously dotted with
lenticular markings. South Sea Islands, 1876. Stove species.
=A. heteromorpha= (many-formed).* _l._ sometimes ovate-lanceolate
and serrated, and at others bifid or even trifid at the apex, about
6in. to 8in. or 9in. long, bright shining green. A very desirable
species, of robust and compact habit.
=A. japonica= (Japanese). Another name for _Fatsia japonica_.
=A. Kerchoveana= (Count Kerchove's). _l._ digitate, almost
circular in outline; leaflets nine to eleven, spreading,
elliptic-lanceolate, conspicuously serrated or undulated margins,
of a deep glossy green relieved by a pale midrib. 1883. A very
elegant slender-stemmed plant from the South Sea Islands, and
likely to prove valuable for decorative purposes. Stove species.
=A. leptophylla= (slender-leaved).* _l._ compound, bearing often
seven or more petiolate leaflets of a somewhat pendent character,
and dark green in colour. 1862. An elegant stove or greenhouse
slender growing species.
=A. longipes= (long-stalked). _l._ digitate, long stalked, and
rather distant; leaflets oblanceolate acuminate, slightly undulated
at the edge; petioles elongated. Stems simple. North Australia,
1882. A very distinct erect-growing evergreen stove species.
=A. maculata= (spotted). _l._ of a light green colour; leaflets
oblong-acuminate, in about four pairs. Stem erect, which, as well
as the stalks of the leaves, is of a blackish-purple hue, thickly
spotted with green dots. This peculiar colouring is very distinct
and conspicuous. South Pacific Islands. Stove species.
=A. Maximowiczii= (Maximowicz's).* _l._ on long stalks, palmately
five to seven-lobed; lobes lanceolate, 3-1/2in. long, serrate.
Japan, 1874. An elegant and distinct hardy shrub, with erect spiny
stem. SYN. _Acanthopanax ricinifolium_.
=A. monstrosa= (monstrous).* _l._ pendent, pinnate; leaflets three
to seven, oblong elliptic, deeply and irregularly serrated (this
serration sometimes takes most fantastic forms), broadly margined
with creamy white, the surface blotched with grey. South Sea
Islands, 1880. Stove species.
=A. nudicaulis= (naked-stemmed).* _fl._ greenish; scape trifid
at the apex, shorter than the leaf, each division bearing a
many-flowered umbel. June. _l._ radical, the divisions pinnately
five foliate; leaflets oblong-oval, with a long tapering point,
serrate. Root horizontal, very long. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. North
America, 1731. Quite hardy, herbaceous perennial.
=A. Osyana= (Osyan).* Resembling _A. leptophylla_, but with
leaflets deeply bifid at the ends; surface colour bright green;
primary veins and tips of the leaflets chocolate brown. South Sea
Islands, 1870. Very elegant stove species.
=A. pentaphylla= (five-leaved).* _l._ digitate, or sometimes only
three leaflets are produced, each varying from 6in. to 10in.
in length, and from 1in. to 2in. in breadth, deeply lobed or
pinnatifid, bright shining green. Stem arboreous, prickly. _h._
20ft. Japan. SYN. _Panax spinosa_.
=A. p. variegata= (variegated). _l._ broadly edged with creamy
white. Japan, 1874.
=A. quercifolia= (oak-leaved).* _l._ opposite, trifoliate; leaflets
deeply sinuate; lower petioles about 3in. long, light shining
green. New Britain, 1880. Very pretty stove species.
[Illustration: FIG. 142. FLOWER OF ARALIA RACEMOSA, enlarged.]
=A. racemosa= (raceme-flowering).* _fl._ greenish-white, petals
spreading; peduncles axillary, disposed in a terminal raceme,
umbelliferous. June. _l._ petioles tripartite, the partitions
bearing each three to five ovate or cordate, acuminated, serrated,
smoothish leaflets. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. North America, 1658. Hardy
herbaceous species, highly ornamental. See Fig. 142.
=A. reticulata= (netted). _l._ alternate, strap-shaped when young,
becoming larger with age, dark green, reticulated with a lighter
shade of the same colour. A very handsome species, requiring stove
heat during winter. In spring and summer it is admirably suited
for conservatory or indoor decoration, having a light and graceful
aspect.
=A. rotunda= (round). _l._ sometimes of a single leaflet only,
which is spreading, orbicular, cordate at the base, margined with
distinct white tipped teeth; at other times, especially when
approaching maturity, the leaves are trifoliate, the leaflets being
rounded and toothed, and the terminal one being about double the
size of the lateral ones. Stems erect, brownish-green, spotted when
young with pale elongate blotches. Polynesia, 1882.
=A. Scheffleri= (Scheffler's). _l._ on long petioles, digitate;
leaflets five, petiolulate, lanceolate, attenuated at the base,
serrulated, glabrous on both surfaces. Stem shrubby, smooth. New
Zealand. Greenhouse species.
=A. spectabilis= (showy). A synonym of _A. concinna_.
=A. spinosa= (thorny).* Angelica Tree. _l._ doubly and triply
pinnate; leaflets ovate, acuminated, deeply serrated. Stem simple,
prickly (as are also the petioles), forming into an umbrella-like
head, deciduous. _h._ 8ft. to 12ft. North America, 1688. A very
fine hardy species for sheltered spots.
=A. spinulosa= (small-spined). _l._ alternate, pinnate; pinnæ ovate
acuminate, dark green, margined with little reddish-crimson spines
or prickles. Stems and petioles spotted and suffused with crimson.
1880. A bold and robust stove plant.
=A. ternata= (three-leafleted).* _l._ opposite, ternate; leaflets
oblong-lanceolate; margins in some cases deeply serrate, in others
sinuate, light green. New Britain, 1879. A slender growing species.
=A. trifolia= (three-leaved). A synonym of _Pseudopanax Lessonii_.
[Illustration: FIG. 143. ARALIA VEITCHII.]
=A. Veitchii= (Veitch's).* _l._ digitate, with about eleven
filiform undulated leaflets, glossy green above, dark red beneath;
petioles long and slender. New Caledonia, 1867. A very handsome
(said to be the best) species, with slender, erect growing stem.
See Fig. 143, for which we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons.
=A. V. gracillima= (most graceful).* _l._ alternate, spreading;
leaflets nearly linear, but slightly narrowed at both ends, having
a prominent ivory-white central rib. South Sea Islands, 1876. An
erect growing species, with an elegantly graceful habit. It is
allied to _A. reticulata_, but is more handsome. This charming
variety is undoubtedly the finest for table decoration, and is
frequently grafted upon stocks of the typical form. It enjoys
plenty of heat. SYN. _A. gracillima_.
=ARALIACEÃ.= An order of trees, shrubs, or (rarely) herbaceous plants,
often pubescent, and sometimes spiny. Flowers variously disposed,
hermaphrodite or unisexual, regular; petals usually five, and valvate.
Leaves alternate, or (rarely) opposite. This order is closely allied to
_Umbelliferæ_; and the best known genera are _Aralia_ and _Hedera_.
=ARAR-TREE.= A common name for =Callitris quadrivalvis= (which _see_).
=ARAUCARIA= (from _Araucanos_, its name in Chili). SYN. _Eutacta_. ORD.
_Coniferæ_. A noble genus of diÅcious or sub-diÅcious evergreen trees,
with usually imbricated persistent flat sessile scale-like leaves. Male
cones large, cylindrical, terminal; female ones very large, globular,
terminal, with dense ligneous deciduous scales, each bearing a solitary
seed. The majority of the species are not, unfortunately, sufficiently
hardy to withstand our winters out of doors. Few trees can compete
with them in symmetry and elegant proportion for conservatory
decoration, where they may be grown in large tubs, or planted out.
Small plants grown in pots are most serviceable for table and other
decorative purposes. They thrive in a good fibrous loam, mixed with
leaf soil and sand. Propagation by means of seed is the surest and
most satisfactory method; the seed should be sown in pans or boxes, or
if in large quantities, in a bed, with but gentle heat; they usually
take some time to germinate. Cuttings are procured by taking off the
leading shoots, and fixing them firmly in a pot of sand; they first
require a cool place, but may afterwards be subjected to slight warmth.
When rooted, they should be potted off into the soil above mentioned.
The young growths which afterwards shoot from the plant, whence the
cutting, may be taken off and treated in much the same manner. These
are the only methods of propagation worth pursuing.
=A. Balansæ= (Balansa's). _male cones_ cylindrical-conical, 2in.
_female cones_ elliptic globose, 4in.; scales obovate, cuneate.
_l._ arcuately-uncinate, ovate triangular, imbricated round the
distichous, simple branchlets. _h._ 130ft. to 160ft. New Caledonia,
1875. A fine greenhouse plumosely branched tree.
=A. Bidwillii= (Bidwill's).* Bunya-Bunya Pine; Moreton Bay Pine.
_cones_ sub-globose, longest diameter 10in. to 12in., shortest 9in.
to 10in. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, in two nearly horizontal rows,
acuminated, slightly convex above, concave beneath, leathery, deep
shining green. _h._ 150ft. Moreton Bay. Habit very regular and
symmetrical. Greenhouse species.
=A. brasiliensis= (Brazilian). _l._ oblong-lanceolate, much
attenuated at the point, loosely imbricated, deep green; lower part
of the trunk usually free from branches, terminating in a rounded
head. _h._ 70ft. to 100ft. Brazil, 1819. _A. b. gracilis_, and _A.
b. Ridolfiana_ are two forms of this species.
=A. columnaris= (columnar). A synonym of _A. Cookii_.
=A. Cookii= (Cook's).* _l._ awl-shaped, short, densely imbricated
around the frondose branches. Described by Mr. Abbay as having
"a somewhat curious habit, even when growing alone, of shedding
their branches for five-sixths or more of their height, and then
replacing them by a smaller and more bushy growth, so that the tree
at a distance presents a very columnar appearance, the resemblance
being increased by the summit being crowned with a mass of foliage
somewhat like a capital." _h._ 200ft. New Caledonia, 1851. SYN. _A.
columnaris_.
[Illustration: FIG. 144. ARAUCARIA EXCELSA.]
=A. Cunninghami= (Cunningham's).* _l._ on the sterile branches
needle-shaped, obscurely quadrangular, rigid, acute; on the fertile
branches shorter, stouter, closely appressed, bright green; upper
branches ascending, lower ones horizontal. _h._ 100ft. Moreton Bay.
This fine species we have found to be quite hardy on the south-west
coast of England.
=A. C. glauca= (milky-green). A very handsome variety, with silvery
glaucous leaves.
=A. excelsa= (lofty).* The Norfolk Island Pine. _l._ awl-shaped,
curved, sharply acuminated, bright green, densely packed on the
frondose, deltoid, horizontal, or pendulous branches. When well
grown, this is a beautifully symmetrical greenhouse or conservatory
species, attaining to a height of 150ft., and a circumference of
20ft. or more. Norfolk Island. This is especially desirable in a
small state. There are several varieties known, the best being: _A.
e. glauca_, having lighter green, and very glaucous foliage; and
_A. e. robusta_, which is larger in all its parts. See Fig. 144.
=A. Goldieana= (Goldie's).* Allied to _A. Rulei_. _l._ produced in
whorls, pendulous, dark green, varying in size. New Caledonia. Most
distinct and elegant for conservatory decoration.
=A. imbricata= (imbricated).* The Monkey Puzzle. _fl._, male and
female catkins on separate trees; the males are six or seven in
a cluster, pedunculate, yellow, and oval with numerous scales,
imbricated, long, and recurved at the points; the female catkins
are oval, with numerous wedge-shaped scales, with narrow oblong
brittle points; they are produced at the ends of the branches.
_cones_, when fully ripe globular, from 3in. to 4in. in diameter,
dark brown. The branches are horizontal, inflexed, and ascending at
the extremities, and are produced in whorls. _l._ ovate-lanceolate,
sessile, thickened at the base, stiff, leathery, straight,
somewhat keeled-shaped below, and strongly mucronate at the apex;
verticillate, with seven or eight in a whorl, imbricate, and
closely encircling the branches, concave, glabrous, shining, marked
with longitudinal lines, dotted on both sides. _h._ 50ft. to 100ft.
Chili, 1796. A well known hardy tree, of striking aspect, and
indispensable to Arboreta and shrubberies. See Fig. 145.
=A. Rulei= (Rule's).* _male cones_ oblong obtuse; _female cones_
oval. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, with a prominent dorsal nerve, more
closely appressed, and less sharply pointed than in the foregoing
species; imbricated in four rows. Branches horizontal; branchlets
often quite pendulous. _h._ 50ft. Papuan Archipelago.
=A. R. elegans= (elegant).* _l._ smaller; whorls of branches closer
together; branchlets more slender. An elegant form; and, from its
comparative dwarf and graceful habit, should be very generally
grown.
=ARBOR.= A tree. A perennial plant, having a distinct bole or trunk,
from which the main branches grow.
=ARBORESCENT.= Having a tendency to become a tree.
=ARBORETUM.= A collection of hardy trees formed for pleasure or
instruction, and which, when well managed, is a source of much
interesting study. They afford shelter, improve the local climate,
renovate bad soils, &c., and also, by concealing or hiding disagreeable
objects, heighten the effect of agreeable ones, create beauty, and add
value. A properly arranged Arboretum should be constructed with a view
to picturesque beauty, and not systematically, as is usually the case
in Botanic Gardens, although scientific purposes are best served by a
systematic arrangement.
=ARBOR-VITÃ.= _See_ =Thuja=.
=ARBOUR.= A seat surrounded by lattice work, covered by Vines,
Wistarias, or other climbing plants.
=ARBUTUS= (from _arboise_, Celtic for austere bush; in allusion to
the austere quality of the fruit). Strawberry Tree. ORD. _Ericaceæ_.
Trees and shrubs, with evergreen alternate laurel-like leaves. Corolla
globose, or ovately campanulate; petals five, reflexed. Very ornamental
subjects for lawns and shrubberies, thriving well in a light sandy or
peaty soil. They may be propagated by seeds, which should be sown in
sand during March; by budding, and by inarching; the first mentioned
method is the one most generally employed, with good results. The
various sorts may be grafted, budded, or inarched upon _A. Unedo_. The
greenhouse species are rare in cultivation, but their management does
not materially differ from other plants requiring a similar temperature.
=A. Andrachne= (Andrachne).* _fl._ greenish-white; panicles
terminal, erect, clothed with viscid down. March and April. _l._
oblong, bluntish, entire in some, a little serrated in others,
glabrous. _h._ 10ft. to 14ft. Greece, 1724. A fine ornamental tree.
=A. A. serratifolia= (saw-edge-leaved). _fl._ yellowish, disposed
in rather large terminal clusters. _l._ serrated, and narrower than
those of the species. SYN. _A. serratifolia_.
[Illustration: FIG. 145. ARAUCARIA IMBRICATA.]
=A. andrachnoides= (Andrachne-like). A synonym of _A. hybrida_.
=A. canariensis= (Canary). _fl._ greenish-white; panicles erect,
hispid. May. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, serrated, glaucous beneath.
_h._ 8ft. to 10ft. Canary Islands, 1796. Greenhouse.
=A. densiflora= (thickly-flowered).* _fl._ white; corolla oval;
pedicels furnished with three bracteas at the base; panicle
terminal, composed of closely packed racemes. _l._ 4in. to 5in.
long, on long petioles, oblong, acute, sharply toothed, coriaceous,
glabrous above and shining, but downy beneath, the middle nerve
with rusty villi; branches angular, hairy. _h._ 20ft. Mexico, 1826.
Greenhouse.
=A. hybrida= (hybrid).* _fl._ white; panicle terminal, pendulous,
downy. September to December. _l._ oblong, acute, serrated,
glabrous; branches pilose. _h._ 10ft. to 0ft. A half-hardy garden
hybrid; it originated about 1800. SYN. _A. andrachnoides_.
=A. Menziesi= (Menzies').* _fl._ white; racemes axillary and
terminal, panicled, dense-flowered. September. _l._ broad-oval,
quite entire, glabrous, on long petioles. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft.
North-west America, 1827. A noble hardy tree. _A. laurifolia_ comes
close to this species. SYN. _A. procera_.
=A. mollis= (soft). _fl._ rosy, drooping; panicle terminal,
crowded, racemose. June. _l._ oblong-acute, sharply toothed,
coriaceous, clothed with soft pubescence above, and white tomentum
beneath. _h._ 6ft. Mexico. Greenhouse shrub.
=A. mucronata= (mucronate). A synonym of _Pernettya mucronata_.
=A. pilosa= (pilose). A synonym of _Pernettya pilosa_.
=A. procera= (tall).* A synonym of _A. Menziesi_.
=A. serratifolia= (saw-edge-leaved). A synonym of _A. Andrachne
serratifolia_.
=A. Unedo= (Unedo).* The Strawberry Tree. _fl._ white, deep red in
some of the varieties, nodding, in terminal racemose, bracteate
panicles. September. _fr._ large, scarlet, nearly globose,
granular, edible. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, serrulated;
branchlets clothed with glandular hairs. _h._ 8ft. to 10ft. West
of Ireland, and South Europe. There are several varieties of this
plant in cultivation. It is one of the greatest ornaments in the
months of October and November--the season when it is in flower,
and when, also, the fruit of the former year is ripe.
=A. Xalapensis= (Xalapan). _fl._ reddish white; corolla ovate;
panicle terminal, composed of many racemes. April. _l._ petiolate,
oblong, acute, quite entire, about 2in. long, glabrous above, but
clothed with brownish tomentum beneath; epidermis separating,
brownish purple. Young branches glabrous, but beset with ramentæ.
_h._ 6ft. to 9ft. Mexico. Greenhouse species.
=ARCHEGONIUM.= The female organ in ferns, &c., analogous with the ovary
in flowering plants.
=ARCTOSTAPHYLOS= (from _arktos_, a bear, and _staphyle_, a grape;
bears eat the fruit of some species). ORD. _Ericaceæ_. Handsome hardy
or half-hardy shrubs or sub-shrubs, agreeing in generic characters
with _Arbutus_, except that the fruit is five-celled and the cells
one-seeded, and not granular on the outside. For culture, &c., _see_
=Arbutus=.
=A. alpina= (alpine).* Black Bearberry. _fl._ white or
flesh-coloured, in terminal, reflexed racemes; pedicels rather
hairy. April. _l._ obovate, acute, wrinkled, serrated, deciduous.
Stems procumbent, trailing. Scotland (but rare), &c. SYN. _Arbutus
alpina_.
=A. nitida= (shining).* _fl._ white; racemes terminal. May. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, acute, smooth on both sides and shining above.
_h._ 4ft. Mexico, 1839. An erect half-hardy evergreen.
=A. pungens= (stinging).* _fl._ white; pedicels close; racemes
short, at first terminal, but at length lateral. February. _l._
ovate-oblong, acute, mucronate, rather pungent, quite entire,
coriaceous, clothed with fine down on both surfaces; branchlets
angular, downy. _h._ 1ft. Mexico, 1839. A dwarf, much branched,
half-hardy evergreen shrub.
=A. tomentosa= (tomentose).* _fl._ pure white, campanulately
urceolate, bracteate; peduncles axillary, shorter than the
leaves, somewhat capitately racemose. December. _l._ oval, acute,
sub-cordate at the base, clothed with white tomentum beneath, on
short petioles; branches hispid. _h._ 4ft. North-west America,
1826. Shrubby species; hardy.
=A. Uva-ursi.=* Bearberry. _fl._ flesh-coloured, with a red mouth,
growing in small clusters at the extremities of the branches.
April. _l._ obovate, quite entire, coriaceous, shining. Highlands
of Scotland and Wales. A hardy evergreen procumbent trailer. SYN.
_Arbutus Uva-ursi_.
=ARCTOTHECA= (from _arktos_, a bear, and _theke_, a capsule; so
named from the roughness of the fruit). ORD. _Compositæ_. Greenhouse
herbaceous perennial, allied to _Arctotis_. Heads radiate; involucral
scales imbricate in many rows, the outer linear, herbaceous, inner
larger, scariose, very obtuse; receptacle honeycombed, bearing many
little fringes; achenes ovate, somewhat four-sided, without wings
or pappus. It thrives in a compost of peat, leaf soil, and loam.
Propagated by divisions of the plant, or cuttings, in spring.
Several species formerly classed in this genus are now included under
_Arctotis_.
=A. repens= (creeping). _fl.-heads_ yellow. July. _l._ petioled,
lyrate-pinnatifid, green and mostly smooth above, white-woolly
beneath. Cape of Good Hope, 1793. A stemless, creeping or decumbent
herb.
=ARCTOTIS= (from _arktos_, a bear, and _ous_, an ear; in reference
to the shaggy fruit). ORD. _Compositæ_. Mostly half-hardy herbaceous
perennials. Involucral bracts numerous, imbricated, scariose on the
margin; receptacle pitted, studded with bristles between the florets;
achenes grooved, crowned with a pappus of membranous scales. The
species of this genus are of easy culture in a compost of loam and leaf
soil. Propagated by cuttings at any time of the year; these should
be pricked in pots of very sandy soil, and placed in gentle warmth;
they must be kept uncovered and moderately dry, or they will rot. The
Arctotis are very handsome plants in sunny, dry positions outside
during the summer months, but they must be protected during winter.
A. acaulis (stemless).* _fl.-heads_ yellow and red. Summer. _l._
hoary on each side, ternate, lyrate. Stem very short, decumbent.
_h._ 4in. Cape of Good Hope, 1759. Very rarely met with.
=A. arborescens= (tree-like).* _fl.-heads_, ray-florets white
above, pink beneath; disk-florets yellow; disposed in large
circular Daisy-like heads. Summer. _l._ linear-oblong, pinnate;
upper ones amplexicaul; lower ones stalked. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good
Hope, 1815.
=A. argentea= (silvery). _fl.-heads_ orange. August. _l._
lanceolate-linear, entire, downy. _h._ 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1774.
=A. aureola= (golden). Synonymous with _A. grandiflora_.
=A. breviscapa= (short-stalked). Synonymous with _A. speciosa_.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ orange; outer
scales of involucre reflexed, cuneate, oblong, with a broad short
point, somewhat cobwebbed. July. _l._ pinnatifid, serrulate,
three-nerved. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1710. SYNS. _A.
aureola_ and _A. undulata_.
=A. reptans= (creeping). _fl.-heads_ white, orange. July. _l._
hairy beneath; lower lyrate toothed; upper lanceolate toothed. Stem
ascending. _h._ 8in. Cape of Good Hope, 1795.
=A. rosea= (rosy). _fl.-heads_ pink. Autumn. _l._
spathulate-lanceolate, repand-toothed, hoary. Stem procumbent. Cape
of Good Hope, 1793.
=A. speciosa= (showy).* _fl.-heads_ yellow; outer scales of
involucre linear recurved. July. _l._ lyrate, pinnatifid, hoary
beneath, three-nerved. Plant stemless. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape of Good
Hope, 1812. Closely allied to _A. acaulis_. SYN. _A. breviscapa_.
=A. undulata= (wavy). Synonymous with _A. grandiflora_.
=ARCUATE, ARCUATED.= Curved or bent like a bow; forming an arch.
=ARDISIA.= (from _ardis_, a point; in reference to the acute,
spear-pointed anthers). SYN. _Pyrgus_. ORD. _Myrsineæ_. An extensive
genus of greenhouse or stove, mostly ornamental, evergreen trees and
shrubs. Flowers white or rose-coloured, more or less panicled; panicles
sometimes many-flowered at the extremities of the branches, and longer
than the leaves, sometimes few-flowered and in the axils of the leaves.
Leaves alternate, rarely almost opposite, or three in a whorl, dotted.
Propagated by cuttings of the half-ripened wood taken from the side
shoots of the plant any time from March to September; but, as the
points of these side shoots bear the blossoms and fruit, they are
not well adapted for making good plants. To obtain the best plants,
the largest, ripest, and best-coloured berries should be sown early
in spring, as soon as gathered, in a wide-mouthed pot or seed pan,
well drained and filled with loam and peat in equal parts, with the
addition of some sand, and plunged in bottom heat, the soil being kept
moderately moist. The seeds will germinate in a few weeks after sowing,
and when about 2in. high, the strongest seedlings should be selected
and placed in 3in. pots, the same mixture of soil being used, with
the addition of a fourth part well decomposed manure. After potting,
the plants must be moistened overhead twice a day with a fine rose or
syringe, and be kept in a close atmosphere until the roots have taken
to the fresh soil. When the plants begin to grow again, they should be
removed to a light situation in the house; and when the pots are well
filled with roots, a shift into 6in. pots may be effected, water being
given judiciously until well established, and here they may remain to
fruit. Until the berries are coloured, clear manure water, given once
or twice a week, will be found beneficial. The plants arrive at their
best when about 18in. or 2ft. high; after that, they begin to get naked
at the bottom. It will then be wise to cut the worst plants down to
within 2in. of the pots, in early spring, allowing them to become dry
at the roots before this operation is performed. By giving moisture
to the roots when the cut has become dry, the plants will soon break
into growth again, when some of the worst placed shoots should be
rubbed off, leaving only one or two of the strongest and best placed,
calculated to develop into a well formed plant. When the shoots have
grown 2in. or 3in., the plants should be turned out of their pots,
the soil shaken out from the roots, and the long ends of the roots
trimmed in a little with a knife; they must then be placed in a pot
sufficiently large to hold the roots without squeezing. The plants
should now occupy the warmest end of the house in which they are grown,
care being taken in watering until new roots are formed, when they may
have more air and somewhat liberal supplies of water. As soon as they
are sufficiently advanced in growth, they should be transferred to a
larger-sized pot. With proper treatment, they will flower and fruit the
same season as they are cut down, and form handsome plants. Although
most species of this genus are classed as stove plants, they will
succeed very well in a temperature that does not fall below 45deg. in
winter; and, when so grown, they are not so liable to become infested
with large brown scale and other insect pests. This is particularly the
case with _A. crenulata_, and cool treatment is also favourable to the
ripe berries hanging on the plants for a much longer time than when
grown in a stove. Moreover, they do not suffer so much when removed for
decorative purposes.
=A. acuminata= (taper-pointed). _fl._ nearly white; petals small,
acute, dotted; panicles terminal and axillary, many-flowered. July.
_l._ entire, glabrous, oblong, acuminated, attenuated at the base.
_h._ 6ft. to 8ft. Guiana, 1803.
[Illustration: FIG. 146. FLOWERING BRANCH OF ARDISIA CRENULATA.]
=A. crenulata= (round-notched-leaved).* _fl._ reddish violet;
panicles terminal; pedicels umbellate. June. Berries numerous,
bright coral-like. _l._ lanceolate-ovate, tapering at both ends,
repandly crenulated, pilose. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. Mexico, 1809.
When grown in a cool atmosphere, as previously alluded to, it is
quite common for one crop of berries to hang on the plants until
another crop is ripe. This is a splendid plant, superior even to
the red-berried Solanums for decorative purposes, for which it is
largely grown. See Fig. 146.
=A. crispa= (curled). _fl._ small, drooping, red; cymes terminal,
usually solitary, often compound; pedicels smooth, finely veined,
umbellate, drooping. July. Berries red, size of peas. _l._
bluntish, oblong-lanceolate, attenuated at both ends, with repandly
crenulated glandular edges, glabrous. _h._ 4ft. India, 1809.
=A. humilis= (humble). _fl._ rose-coloured; peduncles solitary,
bearing each a simple racemose umbel of many pretty, large,
drooping flowers; petals lanceolate, first recurved, afterwards
revolute. June. Berries size of peas, shining, black, juicy. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, acuminated at both ends, glabrous, veined,
shining. _h._ 4ft. India, 1820.
=A. japonica= (Japanese).* _fl._ white; pedicels red,
sub-umbellate, secund, drooping; racemes simple, axillary. June.
_l._ nearly opposite, or three to five in a whorl, on short
petioles, cuneate-oblong, acute, glabrous, serrated; 4in. long.
_h._ 1ft. Japan. Perhaps the hardiest of all the species.
=A. macrocarpa= (large-fruited).* _fl._ flesh-coloured, dotted;
petals ovate, obtuse; racemes terminal, corymbose, almost
sessile, slightly hairy. Berries vermilion coloured, as large as
gooseberries. _l._ oblong, acute, tapering downwards, glandularly
crenated, dotted, close together, leathery, 6in. to 8in. long,
paler beneath, veinless. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. Nepaul, 1824. A
beautiful shrub.
=A. Oliveri= (Oliver's).* _fl._ rose pink, white eye: corolla
rotate, 1/2in. across; lobes obtuse; heads terminal, consisting of
a number of stalked, many-flowered corymbs; pedicels about twice as
long as the flower. July. _l._ nearly sessile, entire, glabrous,
6in. to 8in. long, by 2in. in the broadest portion; oblanceolate,
acuminate, tapering towards the base. Costa Rica, 1876.
=A. paniculata= (panicled).* _fl._ rose-coloured; panicles
terminal, composed of many alternate compound branches, large and
elegant; petals and sepals ovate. July. Berries red, smooth, size
of a pea, juicy. _l._ glabrous, cuneate-oblong, almost sessile,
reflexed, 6in. to 20in. long, and from 3in. to 5in. broad, crowded
at the ends of the branches. _h._ 8ft. to 10ft. India, 1818.
=A. punctata= (dotted). _fl._ greyish white, sub-campanulate,
secund, beset with dark dots, and the pedicels with dark lines;
peduncles umbellate, terminal, and axillary; umbels involucrated
by deciduous bracts. June. _l._ glabrous, lanceolate, leathery,
repandly crenated, tapering to the base. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. China,
1822.
=A. serrulata= (finely serrated).* _fl._ deep red; petals ciliated;
calyces and pedicels coloured; panicles terminal; pedicels
umbellate. July. _l._ glabrous, lanceolate, acuminated, wrinkled,
serrulated, beset with rusty dots beneath; branches downy. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. China, 1820.
=A. villosa= (hairy). _fl._ whitish, umbels axillary and terminal,
very villous. October. Berries villous. _l._ lanceolate,
acuminated, villous beneath, crenulated, 5in. to 7in. long,
tapering to the base, copiously dotted. China. All the upper parts
of the plant are densely beset with hairs.
=A. v. mollis= (soft).* This variety has very fine red berries, and
is superior to the type.
=A. Wallichii= (Wallich's). _fl._ red, in loose racemes; peduncles
axillary, one-half shorter than the leaves, and are, as well as the
pedicels, pilose. July. _l._ obovate, acute, or obtuse, narrowed
into the marginate petioles, repandly crenulated, 4in. to 5in.
long, and 2in. broad, thickish. _h._ 2ft. India.
=ARDUINA= (in honour of P. Arduini, curator of the Economical Garden
of Padua, in the time of Linnæus). ORD. _Apocynaceæ_. A singular and
pretty greenhouse evergreen shrub, of easy culture in carefully drained
pots of peat and loam, mixed in equal proportions. Propagated by
cuttings in sand, under a glass. The winter temperature should not be
allowed to fall below 40deg.
=A. bispinosa= (two-spined). _fl._ small, white, sweet-scented,
terminal, corymbose. March to August. Berry red. _l._
cordate-ovate, mucronate, nearly sessile, dark green, larger than
those of Box. Spines twin, simple, but usually bifid; in this last
case, one of the clefts points downwards, and the other upwards.
_h._ 3ft. to 5ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1760. SYN. _Carissa Arduina_.
=ARECA= (_Areec_ is its name in Malabar, when an old tree). The Cabbage
Palm. ORD. _Palmeæ_. This genus is now broken up into several, and many
species formerly here arranged are now found under _AcanthophÅnix_,
_Euterpe_, _Hyophorbe_, _Kentia_, _Oncosperma_, _Phænicophorum_. Very
ornamental and graceful stove palms, with a branching spadix, and
double spathe, which incloses the flowers. Flowers unisexual, borne
upon the same spike; female flowers having six rudimentary stamens,
and male flowers a six-cleft perianth. Fruit one-seeded. They thrive
in a compost of loam, peat, and leaf soil, in equal parts, with a
liberal addition of sand; but when they are fully grown, loam should
preponderate to the extent of about two-thirds, and some rotten
cow-manure may be added. Propagated from seeds, which should be sown in
a compost similar to above, and placed in a moist gentle heat. They are
employed, when young, with much success for the decoration of drawing
rooms and dinner tables.
=A. Aliciæ= (Princess Alice's). _l._ pinnatisect; segments sessile.
North Australia. A very handsome species, with a comparatively
dwarf habit; it is a valuable decorative plant.
=A. Catechu= (Catechu). _l._ pinnate, from 3ft. to 6ft. long;
leaflets 12in. to 24in. in length, and about 2in. broad, light
green; petioles broadly sheathed at the base. _h._ 30ft. India,
1690. One of the best and oldest species in cultivation, very
effective, in a young state, for dinner table decoration. It
produces the Betel nut, of which enormous quantities are used in
India.
=A. concinna= (neat). _l._ pinnatisect, sub-glabrous; segments
sickle-shaped, much acuminated. Stem green, 8ft. to 12ft. high,
1in. to 2in. in diameter. Ceylon. The Cingalese chew the albumen of
the seeds with their Betel.
=A. gigantea= (gigantic). A synonym of _Pinanga ternatensis_.
=A. glandiformis= (gland-formed). _l._ pinnatisect, 9ft. to 12ft.
long when fully grown. _h._ 30ft. Moluccas. A handsome stove palm,
of bold aspect, and very suitable, when young, for decorative
purposes.
=A. Normanbyi= (Normanby's). A synonym of _Ptychosperma Normanbyi_.
=A. triandra= (three-stamened). _l._ pinnate, like those of _A.
Catechu_ in size, &c. _h._ 20ft. India, introduced to Britain about
1810.
=ARENARIA= (from _arena_, sand; in which most of the species are
found). Sandwort. ORD. _Caryophyllaceæ_. TRIBE _Alsineæ_. A very large
genus of hardy herbaceous plants, consisting of about 150 species. It
is distinguished by having generally three styles. The perennials only
are worth growing; these are extremely pretty little alpine plants, and
will thrive in any ordinary soil in exposed places; the rarer species
may be grown in small pots, well drained, in a mixture of sand, loam,
and leaf soil, or in well-drained crannies of the rockery. They may be
increased by either division, seeds, or cuttings; the latter, placed
under a hand-glass, will root freely. The best time to divide the
plants is early spring, or July and August. Seeds should be sown in
spring in a cold frame.
=A. balearica= (Balearic).* _fl._ white, sepals erect; peduncles
elongated, one-flowered. March to August. _l._ very small, ovate,
shining, rather fleshy, ciliated. _h._ 3in. Corsica, 1787. A pretty
little creeper, one of the best plants for covering damp borders of
the rockwork.
=A. cæspitosa= (tufted). Synonymous with _A. verna cæspitosa_.
=A. ciliata= (ciliated). _fl._ white, usually solitary; sepals
ovate, acute, five to seven ribbed; petals obovate, twice as long
as the sepals. July. _l._ ovate, or obovate, roughish, with a
few hairs, one-nerved, and ciliated. Ireland. _h._ 6in. A thick,
tufted, spreading, procumbent plant.
=A. graminifolia= (grass-leaved).* _fl._ white; panicle
three-forked, hairy, loose; sepals very blunt, much shorter than
the obovate petals. June. _l._ long, awl-shaped, filiform, scabrous
on the margins from serratures. Stem erect, simple. _h._ 6in. to
9in. Caucasus, 1817.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ white, usually solitary;
peduncles very long, pubescent; sepals ovate, awned, three-nerved,
smaller than the petals. June. _l._ awl-shaped, broadish, flat,
three-nerved, ciliated, radical ones crowded. _h._ 3in. to 6in.
France, 1783. _A. g. biflora_ is a two-flowered, and _A. g.
triflora_ a three-flowered, variety.
=A. laricifolia= (Larch-leaved).* _fl._ white; sepals bluntish,
triple nerved, hairy; petals twice as long as the sepals; stems
ascending, one, three, or six flowered, somewhat scabrous; calyx
cylindrical. June. _l._ awl-shaped, denticulately ciliated. _h._
6in. Switzerland, 1816.
=A. longifolia= (long-leaved). _fl._ white; sepals ovate, obtuse,
not half the length of the obovate petals; panicle three-forked,
glabrous, crowded. June. _l._ awl-shaped, filiform, serrulated.
Stem erect, simple. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Siberia, 1823.
=A. montana= (mountain). _fl._ large, white; peduncles terminal,
very long, one-flowered; sepals lanceolate, acuminated, much
shorter than the corolla. April. _l._ lanceolate-linear; sterile
stems very long, procumbent. _h._ 3in. France and Spain, 1800.
=A. peploides= (Peplis-like). _fl._ white; sepals ovate, shorter
than the oblong petals. May to July. _l._ ovate, light green,
rather fleshy; branches procumbent, fleshy, deciduous. _h._ 3in. to
4in. Sea shores of Britain. SYN. _Honckenya peploides_.
=A. purpurascens= (purplish).* _fl._ purplish; pedicels tomentose,
scarcely exceeding the leaves; sepals lanceolate, smooth, with
shrivelled margins, longer than the corolla; branches two to
three-flowered. May. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, glabrous.
Plant tufted, decumbent. _h._ 6in. Higher Pyrenees.
=A. rotundifolia= (round-leaved).* _fl._ white, solitary; petals
roundish-ovate, longer than the sepals. July and August. _l._ about
1/4in. across, roundish, ciliated, on spreading tufted branches.
_h._ 4in. to 6in. Siberia.
=A. tetraquetra= (four-angled). _fl._ white, somewhat capitate;
sepals stiff, acute, keeled, ciliated, almost equal in length
to the corolla. August. _l._ ovate, keeled, recurved, edged,
imbricated in four rows. Stem straight, pubescent. _h._ 3in. to
6in. France, 1731.
=A. verna= (spring-flowering). _fl._ small, white; sepals ovate,
lanceolate, acuminated, with three remote equal ribs, longer than
the obovate petals. May. _l._ awl-shaped, bluntish. Stems panicled,
elongated. _h._ about 3in.
=A. v. cæspitosa= (turfy). A variety having very leafy stems.
Calyces and peduncles smoothish. Europe. SYN. _A. cæspitosa_.
=ARENGA= (name of doubtful origin). SYN. _Saguerus_. ORD. _Palmæ_. An
extremely useful and interesting palm. The medulla of the trunk is used
as sago, and the saccharine juice forms excellent sugar. It requires a
strong heat and rich mould. Propagated by seeds only.
=A. saccharifera= (sugar-bearing). _fl._ striped. June. _h._ 40ft.
Moluccas, 1829.
=AREOLATE.= Divided into distinct angular spaces, or areolæ.
=ARETHUSA= (mythological: named after a nymph of Diana's, who was
changed into a fountain; in allusion to the habit of the plants).
ORD. _Orchideæ_. A small genus of very pretty, but rare, terrestrial
orchids. They require a moist shady spot with a northern aspect, and
thrive best in a compost of well-rotted manure and sphagnum. A mulching
in winter, by way of protection, is needed.
=A. bulbosa= (bulbous).* _fl._ large, bright rose purple, solitary,
sweet-scented, terminal; lip dilated, recurved, spreading towards
the summit, bearded-crested down the face; scape one-leaved. May.
_l._ linear, nerved. _h._ 8in. Carolina.
=ARETIA.= _See_ =Androsace=.
=ARGANIA= (from _argam_, its aboriginal name). ORD. _Sapotaceæ_. A very
fine greenhouse evergreen tree, said by Don to flourish against a south
wall, out of doors, with the protection of a mat in severe weather. It
will thrive in ordinary garden soil. Increased by layers and cuttings
in autumn and spring, the latter requiring a bell glass covering; both
operations must be performed in a moderately heated greenhouse.
=A. Sideroxylon= (Iron-wood). _fl._, corolla greenish yellow,
cup-shaped, five-parted, with ovate-lanceolate, sub-emarginate
segments; lateral and axillary, scattered, crowded, sessile. _fr._
dotted with white, size of a plum, full of white, milky juice.
July. _l._ lanceolate, entire, bluntish, glabrous, paler beneath;
branches terminated by strong spines. _h._ 15ft. to 20ft. Morocco,
1711. As the specific name implies, the wood is excessively close
and hard, so much so that it sinks in water. SYNS. _Elæodendron
Argan_, _Sideroxylon spinosum_.
=ARGEMONE= (from _argema_, cataract of the eye; in allusion to some
real or fancied medicinal properties). ORD. _Papaveraceæ_. Very
handsome annuals and perennials, abounding with yellow juice, and
covered with stiff prickles. Sepals two to three, concave, mucronate;
petals four to eight; peduncles axillary, always erect. Leaves sessile,
repand-sinuated, usually spotted with white; recesses spiny-toothed.
The species will thrive in almost any garden soil in the open border.
Seed may be sown out of doors about the end of March; those of the
rarer species on a hotbed, and planted out about the end of June.
=A. albiflora= (white-flowered).* _fl._ white; petals usually
three. July and August. _l._ sessile, feather-nerved. _h._ 1ft.
Georgia, 1820. Hardy annual.
=A. grandiflora= (great-flowered).* _fl._ large, panicled, white
with yellow anthers. July. _l._ sinuated, smooth, glaucous,
spiny-toothed; nerves unarmed. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1827. This
species, when raised from seed, does not flower until October; but
when the roots have existed through the winter, the plants produce
flowers early in the summer. Hardy perennial. See Fig. 147.
=A. hirsuta= (hairy).* _fl._ pure white, 3in. to 5in. in diameter.
September. _l._ pinnatifid, bristly. _h._ 2ft. California, 1879. A
very beautiful hardy annual.
[Illustration: FIG. 147. INFLORESCENCE OF ARGEMONE GRANDIFLORA.]
=A. mexicana= (Mexican). Devil's Fig. _fl._ solitary, yellow;
petals four to six. June. _l._ profoundly repand-sinuated, spiny,
blotched with white. _h._ 2ft. Mexico, 1592. Hardy annual.
=A. ochroleuca= (yellowish-white).* _fl._ pale yellow, solitary;
petals six. August. _l._ profoundly sinuated or pinnatifid,
glaucescent nerves with prickly bristles, blotched with white. Stem
prickly. Mexico, 1827. Hardy annual.
=ARGENTEUS.= Silvery. A pale colour resembling silver.
=ARGOLASIA.= _See_ =Lanaria=.
=ARGIYREIA= (from _argyreios_, silvery; in reference to the silvery
undersides of the leaves). Silver-weed. ORD. _Convolvulaceæ_. An
elegant genus of greenhouse and stove climbers. Sepals five; corolla
campanulate. Shrubs for the most part silvery, but sometimes silky and
tomentose. The greater number of the species are robust, extensive
twiners or climbers, usually requiring plenty of room to run, before
they will flower. _A. cuneata_, and one or two others, are of dwarf
habit, and produce their splendid blossoms in abundance. All the
species grow well in light rich soil, or a mixture of peat, loam, and
sand. Cuttings root readily if planted in sand, with a hand glass
placed over them, in a little bottom heat.
=A. capitata= (headed). _fl._, corolla 1in. to 2in. long, rose
coloured or purple, hairy outside; peduncles exceeding the
petioles. July. _l._ cordate-ovate, acuminated, 2in. to 5in, long,
and 1in. to 3in. broad, hairy on both surfaces; hairs glandular at
the base. Plant clothed with strigose hairs. Silhet, 1823.
=A. cuneata= (wedge-leaved).* _fl._, corolla large, of a beautiful
deep bright purple; peduncles downy, shorter than the leaves,
three to six-flowered. July. _l._ obovate-cuneate, emarginate,
glabrous above, but beset with short, crowded hairs beneath, hardly
petiolate. Stem clothed with powdery down at top. _h._ 2ft. to 5ft.
India, 1822.
=A. cymosa= (cyme-flowered).* _fl._, corolla pale pink, tubularly
funnel-shaped, villous outside; peduncles as long or longer
than the leaves, leafy at top, and cymosely many-flowered. _l._
roundish-cordate, or reniformly-cordate, obtuse, terminated by a
very short prickle, glabrous on both surfaces, or clothed with
pruinose down. Malabar (mountains), 1823.
=A. malabarica= (Malabar). _fl._ rather small; bottom of the bell
deep purple; throat pink, with the edges paler, almost white, and
slightly ten-lobed; peduncles as long or longer than the leaves,
many-flowered at the apex. June. _l._ roundish-cordate, acute,
glabrous, or furnished with a few scattered hairs on both surfaces.
Coromandel, 1823.
=A. pomacea= (Apple-fruited). _fl._ large, rose coloured; peduncles
villous, exceeding the petioles a little, cymose, many-flowered.
Berry size of a cherry, yellow. _l._ ovate-elliptic, obtuse,
clothed with cinerous, velvety down on both surfaces, but
especially beneath, sometimes sub-emarginate at apex. Mysore, 1818.
=A. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._, corolla nearly 2in. long, of a deep
rose colour; peduncles about equal in length to the petioles,
umbellately capitate. July. _l._ 3in. to 12in. long, and 2in. to
4in. broad, cordate, acute, glabrous above, or rarely villous,
thickly nerved beneath, and clothed with silky, silvery down.
India, 1818.
=A. splendens= (splendid).* _fl._, corolla tubularly campanulate,
1-1/2in. long, rather villous outside, pale red; peduncles
exceeding the (hoary) petioles, corymbosely many-flowered.
November. _l._ ovate-oblong or ovate-elliptic, entire or
pandurately sinuated, sometimes somewhat three-lobed, smooth
above, but clothed with silvery, silky down beneath, 6in. long,
acuminated. India, 1820.
=ARGYROCHÃTA.= A synonym of =Parthenium= (which _see_).
=ARGYROXYPHIUM= (from _argyros_, silver, and _xyphion_, a corn-flag;
in allusion to the leaves). ORD. _Compositæ_. An ornamental greenhouse
perennial herb. Involucre campanulate; receptacle conical; heads
pedunculate, racemose, or in thyrsoid panicles. Leaves alternate; lower
ones close, elongated, thick, on both sides silver-lined. Stems simple
or slightly branched. It thrives well in rich sandy loam and leaf
mould. Propagated by seed-heads.
=C. sandwicense= (Sandwich Islands). _fl.-heads_ purplish. _l._
linear lanceolate, imbricate, clothed, like the stems, with silvery
hairs. _h._ 3ft. Sandwich islands, 1872. SYN. _Argyrophyton
Douglasii_.
=ARIA.= _See_ =Pyrus Aria=.
=ARISÃMA= (from _aron_, Arum, and _sana_, a standard; in reference to
the close alliance to _Arum_). ORD. _Aroideæ_. Small tuberous rooted
greenhouse (except where stated otherwise) herbaceous plants. Spathe
rolled round the spadix at the base; spadix bearing unisexual flowers
below. and rudimentary flowers in the upper part. Leaves peltate,
pedate, palmate, or simple. For culture, &c., _see_ =Arum=.
=A. concinna= (neat).* _fl._, spathe convolute, tubular at the
base; upper portion bent over at the mouth, and gradually narrowed
into a tail-like appendage about 3in. long; spathe of the female
plant longitudinally barred with white and green, the latter colour
being replaced with blue-purple in the male. June. _l._ solitary,
sheathing at the base, and made up of ten or twelve lanceolate,
entire, light green leaflets, which radiate from the top of the
petiole, the latter being 1ft. to 2ft. high. Sikkim, 1871.
=A. curvatum= (curved).* _fl._ crowning a scape which overtops
the foliage; tube of spathe cylindrical, green, obscurely striped
with white; the elliptic blade arches forward, green on the inner
surface, and brownish-red on the outer; spadix produced into a
purplish-red tail, about 1ft. long. April. _l._ pedate. The large
bracts, which sheath the base of the stem, are beautifully marbled
with dark olive green, red, and light green. _h._ 4ft. Himalayas,
1871. SYN. _A. helleborifolium_.
=A. galeata= (helmeted).* _fl._, spathe about 4in long; tube and
cylindrical side of spathe green, tinted purplish at base, with
many longitudinal white lines; inside of the tube purple. July.
_l._ solitary, trifoliate; middle leaflet 6in. long by 3-3/4in.
broad; lateral ones 7in. long and nearly 4in. broad. _h._ 1ft.
Himalayas, Sikkim, 1879.
=A. Griffithi= (Griffith's).* _fl._, spathe large, hood-like,
brown-violet, with green veins; spadix brown-violet, and the barren
end at the base above the flowers has a disk-like projection, while
its free extremity is prolonged into a long thread-like appendage.
Spring. _l._ with bold roundish leaflets. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft.
Sikkim, 1879. Hardy; very handsome. SYN. _A. Hookerianum_.
=A. helleborifolium= (Hellebore-leaved). A synonym of _A. curvatum_.
=A. Hookerianum= (Hooker's). A synonym of _A. Griffithi_.
=A. nepenthoides= (Nepenthes-like).* _fl._, spathe above the
tubular portion extended into two decided auricles, which serve
to distinguish it from other species, ochre, brown, green; spadix
yellowish Spring. _l._ pedate, of five lanceolate or oblanceolate
leaflets; central one 6in. long, the others shorter. _h._ 2ft.
Himalayas, 1879.
=A. præcox= (early). A synonym of _A. ringens_.
=A. ringens= (gaping).* _fl._, spathe striped green and white,
erect and cylindrical below, then arching suddenly over, and again
contracting into a rather small deep purple orifice, with broad,
reflexed margins; spadix erect, pale yellow-green. Spring. _l._,
leaflets three, ovate-oblong, acuminate, and produced into a
filiform point; peduncle short. Japan. Hardy. SYNS. _A. præcox_ and
_A. Sieboldi_.
=A. Sieboldi= (Siebold's). A. synonym of _A. ringens_.
=A. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._, spadix deep glossy purple,
greenish and white, with a long flexuous prolongation, sometimes
nearly 20in. in length; spathe also terminating with a filiform
elongation. March. _l._ solitary, trifoliate; leaflets petioled,
dark green, conspicuously edged with blood red; petioles long,
mottled with white. _h._ 2ft. Temperate Himalayas, 1872.
[Illustration: FIG. 148. ARISÃMA TRIPHYLLA.]
=A. triphylla= (three-leaved).* _fl._, spathe 4in. to 6in. long,
striped with broad lines of purplish-brown, with about 1in. of
green in the middle; spadix 3in. long, spotted with brown. June to
July. _l._ on long stout petioles, trifoliate; leaflets entire,
equal, acuminated. _h._ 9in. to 1ft. North America, 1664. This is
quite hardy. SYNS. _A. zebrina_ and _Arum triphyllum_. See Fig. 148.
=A. zebrina= (zebra). A synonym of _A. triphylla_.
=ARISARUM= (name of Greek origin). ORD. _Aroideæ_. A small genus of
half-hardy herbaceous plants, possessing but little horticultural
interest, and allied to _Arisæma_. Flowers unisexual, spadix having
no rudimentary flowers. Leaves on long stalks, heart-shaped or
spear-shaped. The only species in cultivation thrives in a sand, loam,
and peat compost. Propagated by seeds or divisions of the root in
spring.
=A. vulgate= (common). _fl._, spathe livid purple. May. _h._ 1ft.
South Europe, 1596.
=ARISTATE.= Having a beard or awn, as the glumes of barley.
=ARISTEA= (from _arista_, a point or beard; in reference to the
rigid points of the leaves). ORD. _Iridaceæ_. A genus of greenhouse
herbaceous perennials from the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers blue;
perianth rotate, six-parted, twisted after flowering; scape two-edged,
rigid, often branched. Leaves narrow, sword-shaped. The species are
more interesting than ornamental, and may be grown in a compost of
three parts turfy peat, and one of loam. Easily propagated by divisions
and seeds. They vary in height from 3in. to 3ft., and flower generally
in summer.
=A. capitata= (headed). _fl._ blue. July. _h._ 3ft. Cape of Good
Hope, 1790.
=A. cyanea= (bright blue). _fl._ blue. June. _h._ 6in. Cape of Good
Hope, 1759.
=ARISTOLOCHIA= (from _aristos_, best, and _locheia_, parturition;
in reference to its supposed medicinal character). Birthwort. ORD.
_Aristolochiaceæ_. A very large genus of stove, greenhouse, or hardy,
evergreen or deciduous, climbing or erect shrubs. Flowers axillary,
clustered, or solitary, pendulous, of most extraordinary forms;
perianth tubular, curved, or straight, with an oblique, cordate limb;
stamens six, rarely four, or numerous, adhering to the stigma; capsule
six-valved. Leaves cordate entire or lobed. Good loam, with a small
proportion of decayed manure and a slight addition of sharp sand to
secure efficient drainage, is a good compost for the whole. They will
thrive when planted out in the conservatory more satisfactorily than
elsewhere; for as they usually grow a considerable height before
flowering, they require very long trellises in pots, and have to be
trained up and down; or, better still, round a pillar of uniform
circumference, a pyramid form being useless. The best way is to train
them round, close down to the pot, and keep on about 2in. from one turn
to the next. Some of the larger sorts will require more room. Cuttings
root freely in sand under a bell glass with bottom heat.
=A. anguicida= (snake-killing). _fl._ white, spotted brown; tube
of perianth inflated at base, dilated and oblique at the mouth;
peduncles axillary, solitary, one-flowered. December. _l._ on short
petioles, cordate acuminate; stipules cordate-roundish. _h._ 10ft.
New Grenada, 1845. An evergreen stove twiner.
=A. barbata= (bearded). _fl._ purple, axillary, 2-1/2in. long;
perianth straight; limb spreading; lip spathulate, bearded at the
end. July. _l._ cordate, oblong. _h._ 10ft. Caraccas, 1796. Stove
evergreen.
=A. caudata= (tailed).* _fl._ lurid; perianth cylindrical
ventricose, and six-spurred at the base; lip cordate, cuspidate;
the cusp twisted, filiform. June. _l._, lower ones reniform, lobed;
upper ones three partite. _h._ 5ft. Brazil, 1828. Deciduous stove
twiner.
=A. ciliosa= (fringed).* _fl._ purple-yellow; tube of perianth
obliquely ventricose at base, stretched out, from the middle to the
apex cylindrical, fringed; peduncles one-flowered. September. _l._
cordate reniform. Plant glabrous. _h._ 6ft. Brazil, 1829.
=A. Clematitis= (Clematis-like). _fl._ pale yellow, upright; lip
oblong, shortly acuminate. July. _l._ cordate. Stem erect. _h._
2ft. A hardy herbaceous perennial, naturalised here and there in
Britain.
=A. clypeata= (shielded). _fl._ axillary; tube yellowish,
cylindrical; limb elliptic, white, blotched with purple, long and
large, funnel-shaped. _l._ subcordate-ovate, acuminate. Columbia,
1871.
=A. cordiflora= (cordate-flowered). _fl._ axillary, very large,
with broad cordiform limb, creamy yellow, with blotchy purple
veining. May. _l._ cordate acuminate. _h._ 30ft. Mexico, 1860.
=A. deltoidea variegata= (deltoid variegated variety). _l._
variegated with white. _h._ 6ft. Columbia, 1870.
=A. Duchartrei= (Duchartre's).* _fl._ racemose; tube brown; limb
cream colour, with purple blotches. January. _l._ reniform-cordate,
acuminate. Upper Amazons, 1868. _h._ 5ft. This stove species
flowers from the old wood. SYN. _A. Ruiziana_.
=A. floribunda= (free-flowering).* _fl._ numerous; limb
purplish-red, with yellow veins, centre yellow. July. _l._ cordate
ovate, acuminate. _h._ 10ft. Brazil, 1868. Stove species.
=A. galeata= (helmeted). _fl._ creamy, with reticulated veins.
August. _l._ cordate, with broad open sinus. _h._ 20ft. New
Grenada, 1873.
=A. gigas= (giant). _fl._ purple; perianth large, cordate ribbed
outside, reticulated, downy; tube inflated, contracted in the
middle; limb large, cordate ovate, with a long tail. June. _l._
downy, cordate, acuminate; peduncles solitary, bracteate. _h._
10ft. Guatemala, 1841.
=A. Goldieana= (Goldie's).* _fl._ greenish outside, deep yellow
with chocolate veins inside, bent into two unequal portions,
the lower portion surmounting the ovary about 8in. in length,
somewhat cylindrical, terminating in a club-shaped curved knob; the
upper portion, commencing from this knob, is about a foot long,
funnel-shaped, ribbed, dilated above into a somewhat three-lobed
limb. Stamens twenty-four--a very unusual number in the whole
family. The enormous flowers are 26in. long by 11in. in diameter.
July. _l._ ovate, or triangular-cordate, acuminated. Old Calabar
River, 1867. This noble climber should be repotted in fresh soil
in February or March. But little water will be necessary until the
young shoots have made about 6in. of growth; the quantity should
then be increased with moderation until early in September, when
the old stem dies down within a few inches of the surface of the
pot--at this period, and during winter, water must be entirely
withheld. This species blooms freely in a temperature of 65deg. to
70deg.
=A. indica= (Indian). _fl._ purple; perianth erect; peduncle
many-flowered. July. _l._ elliptical, blunt, somewhat emarginate,
slightly cordate. _h._ 10ft. India, 1780. Stove evergreen.
=A. labiosa= (great-lipped).* _fl._ greenish; perianth incurved
at base, saccate, two-lipped in the middle. July. _l._ reniform,
roundish cordate, amplexicaul. _h._ 20ft. Brazil, 1821. Stove
evergreen.
=A. leuconeura= (white-veined). _fl._ purple brown. September. _l._
cordate, acuminate. _h._ 12ft. Magdalena, 1858. Stove species.
=A. odoratissima= (sweetest-scented).* _fl._ purple, sweet-scented;
peduncles one-flowered, longer than the leaf; lip cordate
lanceolate, longer than the perianth. July. _l._ cordate, ovate,
evergreen. Stem twining. _h._ 10ft. Jamaica, 1737. Stove evergreen.
=A. ornithocephala= (bird's-head).* _fl._ purple, very large, and
extremely singular. To render any description at all lucid, this
species may be said to have the head of a hawk and the beak of a
heron, with the wattles of a Spanish fowl, which, however, are
grey, netted with brown; head of the same colour, veined; and the
beak grey. _l._ between cordate and reniform, obtuse. October. _h._
20ft. Brazil, 1838. Stove species.
=A. ringens= (gaping).* _fl._ extremely grotesque, 7in. to 10in.
long, pale green, marbled and reticulated with black purple. The
perianth has an obovoid ventricose sac, or cup, 2-1/2in. long,
which is woolly inside; tube ascending obliquely from the sac,
terete, dividing into two very long lips, the upper of which
(lower as the flower hangs) is oblong-lanceolate, recurved, and
hairy inside below the middle, while the lower one is shorter,
with recurved margins, and expanding into an orbicular or almost
reniform limb. Unlike many other species, the flowers are
produced on the young shoots. July. _l._ bright green, glabrous,
roundish-reniform. _h._ 20ft. Brazil, 1820. Stove evergreen.
=A. Ruiziana= (Ruiz's). A synonym of _A. Duchartrei_.
=A. saccata= (pouch-flowered). _fl._ purplish-red, forming a large
pouch; throat circular, vertical. September. _l._ 12in. to 15in.
long, and 4in. broad, scattered, ovate-cordate, narrowed at apex,
slightly waved and sinuated, entire, more silky beneath than above.
_h._ 20ft. Sylhet, 1829. Stove evergreen.
=A. sempervirens= (evergreen). _fl._ purple; perianth incurved.
May. _l._ cordate, oblong, acuminate. Stem prostrate, flexuous,
somewhat climbing. _h._ 4ft. Candia, 1727. Greenhouse species.
[Illustration: FIG. 149. FLOWERING BRANCH OF ARISTOLOCHIA SIPHO.]
=A. Sipho= (tube-bearing).* _fl._ yellowish-brown; corolla
ascending; limb in three equal portions, not expanding, flat,
brown; bracts of the peduncle large, ovate. May and June. _l._
cordate, acute. Stem twining. _h._ 15ft. to 30ft. North America,
1763. This hardy, climbing, deciduous shrub grows freely in a deep,
free, rather dry soil. See Fig. 149.
=A. Thwaitesii= (Thwaites'). _fl._ yellow. March. _h._ 3ft. Old
Calabar, 1854. Stove species.
=A. tomentosa= (tomentose).* _fl._ purple; perianth with its tube
twisted back, and much more deeply divided than in _A. Sipho_,
expanding, flat, and yellow, with the mouth of the tube of a deep
purple; peduncle solitary, without a bract. July. _l._ cordate,
downy beneath. _h._ 20ft. North America, 1799. Hardy.
=A. tricandata= (three-tailed).* _fl._ dark purple-brown, solitary,
split into three subulate tails. August. _l._ oblong acuminate,
rugose, 5in. to 8in. long. Mexico, 1866. A curious, but pretty,
stove shrub.
=A. trilobata= (three-lobed). _fl._ purple; perianth cylindrical,
broken saccate at base; lip cordate cuspidate. June. _l._
three-lobed. Stem twining. _h._ 8ft. South America, 1775. Stove
evergreen.
=A. ungulifolia= (claw-leaved). _fl._ racemose; perianth
brownish-purple, stipitate at base, above which it is swollen out
in a globose or oblong form, with two thickened projections near
the end; upper end of tube contracted, somewhat curved, terminating
in a two-lipped limb, one lip large, ovate, the other minute. June.
_l._ 6in. to 7in. long, cordate, and pedately five-nerved at the
base, three-lobed below the middle, with broad sinuses, the two
lateral lobes arcuate, and blunt at the apex. Labuan, 1880. Stove
species.
=ARISTOLOCHIACEÃ.= An order of very curious plants, with singularly
inflated flowers, consisting of a calyx only, of a dull, dingy colour.
It is popularly known as the Birthwort family, and has an English
representative in _Aristolochia clematitis_.
=ARISTOTELIA= (said to be named in honour of Aristotle, the Greek
philosopher). ORD. _Tiliaceæ_. A hardy evergreen shrub. Calyx
campanulate; petals five, inserted in the base of the calyx, and
alternating with its lobes. Easily grown, in ordinary garden soil, in
the shrubbery. Propagated by ripened cuttings, which root freely if
placed under a hand glass; or by layers.
=A. Macqui= (Macqui's).* _fl._ small, greenish, axillary. May. _l._
nearly opposite, stalked, oblong, acute, smooth, shining, dentate,
permanent. _h._ 6ft. Chili, 1733. A shrub esteemed for its handsome
foliage. The berries are about the size of a pea, very dark purple,
at length becoming black. The variegated form is not so hardy as
the type, but much more ornamental.
=ARMENIACA= (from Armenia, the native country of the Apricot). Apricot.
ORD. _Rosaceæ_. TRIBE _Drupaceæ_. Small, hardy, deciduous trees.
Flowers appearing before the leaves from scaly buds, solitary, or
few together, almost sessile. Leaves, when young, convolute. Drupe
ovate-globose, fleshy, covered with velvety skin, containing a nut, or
stone, which is acute at one end and blunt at the other, with a furrow
on both sides; the rest smooth, not wrinkled. For culture, &c., _see_
=Apricot= and =Prunus=.
=A. brigantiaca= (Brigancon).* _fl._ white or pink, glomerate,
almost sessile. March. _l._ somewhat cordate, acuminated, sharply
toothed; the teeth numerous, and lapping over each other. _h._ 6ft.
to 8ft. South Europe, 1819.
=A. dasycarpa= (thick-fruited).* _fl._ white, pedicellate; pedicels
filiform. March. _l._ ovate, acuminate, serrated; petioles
glandular. _h._ 10ft. to 15ft. China, 1800.
=A. sibirica= (Siberian). _fl._ rose-coloured. April. _l._ ovate,
acuminate; petioles glandless. _h._ 8ft. to 20ft. Dahuria, 1788.
=A. vulgaris= (common).* Common Apricot. _fl._ pinkish-white,
sessile. February. _l._ ovate, or cordate, glabrous, glandularly
serrated. _h._ 15ft. Levant, 1548. Of this species numerous
varieties, differing in the foliar outline, &c., are sometimes met
with. _See_ =Apricot=.
=ARMERIA.= (from _Flos Armeriæ_, Latin name for the flowers of a
species of Pink). Thrift; Sea Pink. ORD. _Plumbagineæ_. A very
interesting and pretty group of hardy alpine tufted perennials. Flowers
pedicellate, collected in dense solitary heads; involucre scarious,
sheathing the scape and turned downwards; petals cohering at the base,
persistent; flower scapes leafless. Leaves linear, radical. As the
majority of the species differ in mere technical details, we have given
a representative group only. They are easily cultivated in a sandy loam
and leaf soil, and are increased by seeds and division, separate pieces
being planted as cuttings under hand glasses; or the rarer kinds should
be potted and placed in a frame. The seed should be sown in spring, in
pots of sandy soil, and placed in a cold frame. Although best grown as
rock plants, most of them do well in pots and borders. _A. vulgaris_
makes one of the best of edging plants.
=A. cephalotes= (round-headed).* _fl._ deep rose or crimson,
in a large roundish head on erect stalk. Autumn. _l._ broadly
lanceolate, glabrous, acute; petioles channelled, sheathing at the
base. _h._ 12in. to 18in. South Europe, 1800. This is perhaps the
finest species, and is best raised from an annual sowing of seed,
as it is somewhat difficult to increase by divisions. SYNS. _A.
formosa_, _A. latifolia_, _A. mauritanica_, and _A. pseudo-armeria_.
=A. dianthoides= (Pink-like).* _fl._ light pink, in close heads
about 6in. high. May and June. _l._ spreading, flattened, nerved,
slightly downy. South Europe, 1810.
=A. formosa= (handsome). Synonymous with _A. cephalotes_.
=A. juncea= (rush-like).* _fl._ rose pink, in small heads about
3in. high. June. _l._ small, erect, roundish, pointed, deep green.
South Europe. A very pretty little alpine species.
=A. juniperifolia= (Juniper-leaved).* _fl._ deep rose, in small
densely packed heads. May and June. _l._ short, stiff, erect,
Juniper-like. _h._ 6in., with a dense tufted habit. Spain, 1818.
Plant in a warm well-drained portion of the rockery in very sandy
soil, with some nodules of sandstone intermixed.
=A. latifolia= (broad-leaved). Synonymous with _A. cephalotes_.
=A. leucantha= (white-flowered). A white-flowered variety of _A.
plantaginea_.
=A. maritima= (sea). Synonymous with _A. vulgaris_.
=A. mauritanica= (Mediterranean). Synonymous with _A. cephalotes_.
=A. plantaginea= (Plantain-leaved).* _fl._ bright rose; scapes
taller than in _A. vulgaris_. _l._ broader, three to five-nerved,
and with a stouter growing habit than the common species. _h._ 1ft.
South Europe, 1818. A very pretty species. SYNS. _A. leucantha_,
which is frequently called _A. p. alba_, and _A. scorzoneræfolia_.
=A. pseudo-armeria= (false-Armeria). Synonymous with _A.
cephalotes_.
=A. scorzoneræfolia= (Scorzonera-leaved). Synonymous with _A.
plantaginea_.
=A. setacea= (bristly).* _fl._ light rose, in small heads about
2in. high, very freely produced from the axils of the leaves. April
to June. _l._ in dense rosettes, erect, or nearly so, narrow,
acute, the tufts having a bristly appearance. _h._ 3in. South
Europe. Plant in a semi-perpendicular cranny of the rockery, with
a sunny position.
=A. vulgaris= (common).* Common Thrift; Sea Pink. _fl._ pink,
rosy red, lilac, or white (the latter known as _A. v. alba_),
collected into a rounded head on the top of the simple scape. June
to August. _l._ all radical, numerous, linear, usually one-nerved,
more or less pubescent. _h._ 6in. to 12in. Britain, on the sea
coasts. _A. v. alpina_ is a dwarf alpine form of this species. The
white-flowered variety is very handsome. _A. v. Laucheana_ is also
a pretty form, with deep pink flowers in dense heads about 6in.
high, and a very tufted habit. _Crimson Gem_, of garden origin,
is stronger growing, with stems about 9in. high, carrying heads
of bright crimson pink flowers, also of tufted habit. SYNS. _A.
maritima_, _Statice Armeria_.
=ARNEBIA= (its Arabian name). ORD. _Boraginaceæ_. Handsome hardy
herbaceous perennials or annuals, allied to _Lithospermum_. Cuttings
should be removed with a heel in autumn, dibbled in sandy soil in small
pots, and placed in a cool house, where they will ultimately, though
slowly, root; they should then be gradually hardened off, and finally
planted out. _A. echioides_ is also easily increased by making cuttings
of the strong roots, which should be dibbled in pots of sandy soil, and
placed in gentle heat; it is also raised from seed.
=A. echioides= (Echium-like).* _fl._ bright primrose yellow, with
a purplish spot in the sinuses between the lobes of the corolla,
which gradually disappears in a few days; spikes terminal, large,
solitary, secund. May. _l._ sessile, alternate; margins-Âas well
as the stems-Âciliated. _h._ 9in. to 12in. Armenia. One of the
showiest of hardy perennials for the border or rockery.
=A. Griffithii= (Griffith's). This differs from above in having
narrower leaves, rather smaller flowers, which are of a more
decided yellow, a differently shaped calyx, and a longer corolla.
_h._ 9in. North-west India. Equally desirable, were it a perennial;
but, being an annual, it must be constantly raised from seed.
=ARNICA= (from _arnakis_, lambskin; in reference to the texture of the
leaves). ORD. _Compositæ_. Hardy, dwarf, herbaceous perennials, allied
to _Senecio_. They thrive best in loam, peat, and sand; the plants are
best divided in spring. Seeds should be procured when possible, and
sown in a cold frame, in spring. The only species worth growing are
described below.
=A. Aronicum.= Synonymous of _A. scorpioides_.
=A. Chamissonis= (Chamisso's).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, 1-1/2in.
to 2in. across, arranged in a corymb. July to September. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, acuminate or acute, tomentose, tapering to the
base. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. North America. A rather scarce, showy
species.
=A. Clusii= (Clusius's). _fl.-heads_ yellow, solitary, terminal;
stalks long, thickened towards the top, and covered with long
hairs. Summer. _l._ soft, radical ones entire, or nearly so,
oblong, obtuse, attenuated into the petiole; cauline ones sessile,
half stem-clasping, lanceolate, toothed in the lower part. _h._
1ft. Switzerland, 1819. SYN. _Doronicum Clusii_.
=A. foliosa= (leafy).* _fl.-heads_ pale yellow, about 1in. across,
from three to seven in a corymb. August. _l._ lanceolate, stalked,
acute, denticulate, smooth. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Stems springing from
slender rhizome-like shoots. United States. Closely allied to _A.
montana_. It requires a damp situation.
=A. montana= (mountain).* Mountain Tobacco. _fl.-heads_ yellow,
three or four together, about 2in. in diameter; ray florets
numerous. July. _l._ radical, except a few on the scape,
oblong-lanceo-late, entire, smooth. Habit tufted. _h._ 1ft.
Europe. 1731. A very handsome but rare plant; excellent for a
rockery. It is slowly increased. See Fig. 150.
[Illustration: FIG. 150. ARNICA MONTANA, showing Habit and Flower-head.]
=A. scorpioides= (scorpion-like).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, large,
solitary; scape one to three-flowered. Summer. _l._ pale green,
denticulated; radical ones on long petioles, broadly ovate; the
lower stem leaves shortly stalked, amplexicaul; the upper ones
sessile. _h._ 6in. to 12in. South Europe, 1710. Border. SYNS. _A.
Aronicum_, _Aronicum scorpioides_.
=ARNOPOGON.= _See_ =Urospermum=.
=AROIDEÃ.= _See_ =Araceæ=.
=ARONIA.= _See_ =Cratægus Aronia= and =Pyrus=.
=ARONICUM.= _See_ =Arnica scorpioides= and =Doronicum=.
=ARPOPHYLLUM= (from _arpe_, a scimitar, and _phyllon_, a leaf; the leaf
is sword-shaped). ORD. _Orchideæ_. Distinct evergreen epiphytes. There
are about six species known, and the genus belongs to the _Epidendreæ_
division of orchidaceous plants; their general characters are: Flowers
small, numerous, in closely packed cylindrical spikes; anther-bed
broad, shorter than the broad extension of the upper edge of the
stigma; pollinia eight. Stems rather long, with white sheaths. They
thrive well in fibrous peat, one-third turfy loam, freely interspersed
with lumps of fresh charcoal and an abundance of crocks. When growing,
a liberal supply of water at the roots is essential, as is also a
situation near the light, where they will blossom much more profusely
than if in any way shaded. The flowers last in perfection about four
weeks.
=A. cardinale= (cardinal). _fl._, sepals and petals light rose; lip
deep red, on upright spikes about 1ft. high. Summer. New Grenada.
=A. giganteum= (gigantic).* _fl._ dark purple and rose, densely and
symmetrically arranged on the cylindrical spikes, which are from
12in. to 14in. long. April and May. _l._ dark green, about 2ft.
long, borne on slender pseudo-bulbs. Mexico.
=A. spicatum= (spike-flowered).* _fl._ dark red, on an upright
spike about 1ft. long. During winter. Guatemala, 1839.
=ARRACACHA= (its Spanish name in South America). ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. A
half-hardy tuberous perennial, highly esteemed as an esculent in South
America, where it yields a food, which is prepared in the same manner
as potatoes, and is said to be grateful to the palate and extremely
easy of digestion. It thrives best in rich loam, and is increased by
divisions of the roots.
=A. esculenta= (edible). _fl._ white; umbels opposite the leaves
or terminal; involucre wanting. July. _l._ pinnate; leaflets
broadly ovate, acuminated, deeply pinnatifid, profoundly serrated;
the two lower leaflets petiolate, sub-ternate. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
Mountainous districts of Northern South America, 1823. SYN. _Conium
Arracacha_.
=ARRHOSTOXYLUM.= Included under =Ruellia= (which _see_).
=ARROW ARUM.= _See_ =Peltandra virginica=.
=ARROWGRASS.= _See_ =Triglochin=.
=ARROW-HEAD.= _See_ =Sagittaria=.
=ARROWROOT.= _See_ =Maranta=.
=ARTABOTRYS= (from _artao_, to suspend or support, and _botrys_,
grapes; in reference to the way the fruit is supported by the curious
tendril). ORD. _Anonaceæ_. A handsome stove evergreen shrub, thriving
in a good sandy loam and peat, to which a little rotten dung may be
added. Propagated by cuttings made of ripened wood, insert in sand
under a bell glass, with bottom heat, in early spring. Seed, when
procurable, should be sown as soon after receipt as possible.
=A. odoratissimus= (sweetest-scented).* _fl._ reddish brown,
extremely fragrant; peduncles opposite the leaves, hooked beneath
the middle. June and July. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, acuminated,
smooth, shining. _h._ 6ft. Malayan Islands, 1758. In Java, the
leaves are held to be invaluable as a preventive of cholera.
=ARTANEMA= (from _artao_, to support, and _nema_, a filament; in
reference to a tooth-like process growing on the longer filaments).
ORD. _Scrophularineæ_. An interesting and handsome greenhouse evergreen
shrub, allied to _Torenia_. Flowers disposed in terminal racemes, and
on short pedicels. Leaves opposite, sub-serrated. It may be treated as
hardy during summer, for which purpose seeds should be sown in spring;
but it requires the protection of a greenhouse during winter. Artanema
grows freely in light rich soil, and is readily increased by cuttings
and seeds.
=A. fimbriatum= (fringed). _fl._, corolla blue, large, tubularly
funnel-shaped, clothed with minute glandular pubescence
outside; lobes unequally serrated; racemes terminal, four to
sixteen-flowered. June, November. _l._ lanceolate, acute, serrated,
rough to the touch from numerous elevated dots. Stem smooth,
glossy. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. New Holland (on the banks of the Brisbane
River at Moreton Bay), 1830.
=ARTANTHE.= _See_ =Piper=.
=ARTEMISIA= (from Artemis, one of the names of Diana). Mugwort;
Southernwood; Wormwood. ORD. _Compositæ_. A very large genus of mostly
hardy herbaceous perennials, few of which, comparatively speaking, are
worth growing. Flower-heads disposed in spikes, or racemes, and these
are usually arranged in panicles; pappus none; involucre few-flowered,
ovate or rounded, imbricated; florets of the disk all tubular; of the
ray, if any, slender, awl-shaped. Leaves alternate, variously lobed.
All the species are of the easiest possible culture in any dry soil.
The shrubby kinds are best propagated by cuttings; the herbaceous ones,
by dividing at the root; and the annuals, by seeds.
=A. Abrotanum= (aromatic herb).* Southernwood. _fl.-heads_
yellowish. August to October. _l._, lower ones bipinnate; upper
ones pinnate, with the segments hair-like. Stem straight. _h._
2ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1548. A deciduous shrub; well known for its
fragrance.
=A. A. humile= (low). A low spreading variety. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
=A. A. tobolskianum= (Tobolskian). A much more vigorous growing
variety than the last, and larger in all its parts than the type.
=A. alpina= (alpine).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, solitary, on long
slender stalks; scales of involucre lanceolate. Summer. _l._
pinnate, covered with whitish silky hairs; lobes linear, entire.
_h._ 6in. to 10in. Caucasus, 1804. Dwarf, with a very tufted habit.
=A. anethifolia= (Anethum-leaved). _fl.-heads_ yellowish-green,
small; panicle very large, densely packed, nearly 2ft. long.
Autumn. _l._ chiefly cauline, much divided into thread-like
segments, greyish-green. Stem shrubby at the base, nearly glabrous,
branching at the top. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Siberia, 1816.
=A. argentea= (silvery).* _fl.-heads_ pale yellow, roundish,
closely packed. July. _l._ ovate-oblong, very freely divided,
densely clothed with soft silvery hairs. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Madeira,
1777. A very pretty species, requiring a warm sunny position on the
rockery.
=A. cana= (hoary).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, small, uninteresting,
ovate, in a close spiky panicle. August. _l._ silky, hoary;
lower ones wedge-shaped, sharply three-cleft; cauline ones
linear-lanceolate, three-nerved. Stem ascending; branches erect.
_h._ 2ft. to 3ft. North America, 1800. This is a very distinct
species, and its silvery leaves and stems render it well worthy of
cultivation.
=A. cÅrulescens= (bluish).* _fl.-heads_ bluish, erect, cylindrical.
August. _l._ hoary, most of them lanceolate, entire, tapering at
the base; lower ones variously divided. _h._ 2ft. South Europe. An
ornamental evergreen shrub.
=A. Dracunculus.=* Tarragon. _fl.-heads_ whitish green; racemes
panicled; heads sub-globose. July. _l._, radical ones three-fid;
cauline ones sessile, linear or linear-oblong, acute, entire,
toothed. _h._ 2ft. South Europe, 1548. _See_ =Tarragon=.
=A. frigida= (frigid). _fl.-heads_ yellow, uninteresting, small,
roundish, racemosely panicled. August. _l._ pinnate; segments
narrow, silvery. _h._ 1ft. Siberia, 1826. A pretty creeping,
herbaceous plant.
=A. maritima= (maritime). _fl.-heads_ brown; racemes oblong, erect
or drooping. August and September. _l._ downy, bipinnatifid,
oblong; segments linear. Britain. A much branched, erect, or
decumbent plant, excellent for rough rockwork or very dry banks,
etc.
=A. Mutellina= (Mutellina).* _fl.-heads_ yellowish-green; lower
ones stalked, upper ones sessile. July. _l._ all palmate, multifid,
white. Stem quite simple. _h._ 6in. European Alps, 1815.
=A. pontica= (Pontine). _fl.-heads_ yellow, roundish, stalked,
nodding. September. _l._ downy beneath; cauline ones bipinnate;
leaflets linear. _h._ 3ft. Austria, 1570.
=A. rupestris= (rock). _fl.-heads_ brown, globose, stalked,
nodding. August. _l._ sub-pubescent; cauline ones pinnatifid;
leaflets linear, acute. _h._ 6in. Norway, &c., 1748.
=A. scoparia= (twiggy-branched). _fl.-heads_ small, whitish;
panicle broad, densely packed, about 1-1/2ft. long. Autumn. _l._
much divided; segments hair-like; lower branches very slender. _h._
3ft. to 5ft. East Europe.
=A. spicata= (spicate). _fl.-heads_ brown, spicate. June and
July. _l._ hoary; radical ones palmate multifid; cauline ones
pinnatifid; upper linear, entire, blunt. Stem quite simple. _h._
1ft. Switzerland, 1790.
=A. Stelleriana= (Steller's).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, uninteresting,
round, somewhat erect. Summer. _l._, lower ones spathulate-incised;
upper ones obtusely lobed; end lobes often confluent, about 2in.
long, silvery white. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Siberia.
=A. tanacetifolia= (Tanacetum-leaved). _fl.-heads_ brownish;
racemes simple, terminal. Summer. _l._ bipinnate; lobes linear
sub-lanceolate, entire, acuminated, rather downy. Stem sometimes
branching at the base, herbaceous. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Siberia, 1768.
=A. vulgaris= (common).* Mugwort. _fl.-heads_ yellow, somewhat
racemed, ovate. August. _l._ pinnatifid; segments white, and downy
beneath. Stems 3ft. to 4ft. high, furrowed. Britain. The variegated
form of this species exhibits a very pleasing contrast. There is
also a pretty variety with golden leaves.
=ARTHROPHYLLUM MADAGASCARIENSE.= _See_ =Phyllarthron Bojeriana=.
=ARTHROPODIUM= (from _arthron_, a joint, and _pous_, a foot; the
footstalks of the flowers being jointed). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. Very pretty
greenhouse herbaceous perennials, allied to _Anthericum_. Flowers
purplish or white, in loose racemes. Leaves grass-like, radical. They
thrive well in a compost of sandy loam and peat, and may be increased
freely by divisions or seeds.
=A. cirratum= (curled). _fl._ white; racemes divided; bracteas
leafy. May. _l._ lanceolate, ensiform, spreading, 1ft. long. _h._
3ft. New Zealand, 1821.
=A. fimbriatum= (fringed). _fl._ white. July. _h._ 1-1/2ft. New
Holland, 1822.
=A. neo-caledonicum= (New Caledonian).* _fl._ small, white,
on a much-branched, many-flowered panicle. May. _l._ tufted,
linear-lanceolate, barred with black linear markings near the base.
_h._ 1-1/2ft. New Caledonia, 1877.
=A. paniculatum= (panicled).* _fl._ white; racemes divided;
pedicels clustered; inner sepals crenulate. May. _l._ narrowly
lanceolate. _h._ 3ft. New South Wales, 1800. _A. minus_ is a small
form of this species.
=A. pendulum= (pendulous).* _fl._ white, clustered in threes,
pendulous. June to August. _l._ linear, keeled, shorter than the
branched scape. _h._ 1-1/2ft. New Holland, 1822.
=ARTHROPTERIS.= _See_ =Nephrodium= and =Nephrolepis=.
=ARTHROSTEMMA= (from _arthron_, a joint, and _stemon_, a stamen;
in reference to the stamens or connectives being jointed). ORD.
_Melastomaceæ_. Beautiful stove or greenhouse evergreen shrubs. Tube of
calyx turbinate or campanulate, usually clothed with bristles, pili,
or scales; lobes four, lanceolate, permanent, without any appendages
between them; petals four. A mixture of loam, peat, and sand, suits
them best; and cuttings of small firm side shoots will root, in April
or August, under a hand glass in sandy soil. Only three or four out
of the half-dozen species belonging to this genus have been as yet
introduced.
=A. fragile= (brittle). _fl._ rosy; cymes loose, terminal,
few-flowered; calyx glandular. July. _l._ ovate-cordate, acute,
five-nerved, serrated; branches tetragonal, beset with glandular
hairs. _h._ 3ft. Mexico, 1846. Stove species.
=A. nitida= (glossy-leaved). _fl._ lilac; peduncles axillary
towards the top of the branches, three-flowered, longer than the
petioles. June. _l._ ovate, acute, serrulated, glabrous on both
surfaces, shining above, but glandularly hispid on the nerves
beneath. Stems shrubby, erect, and are, as well as the branches,
tetragonally winged, beset with coloured hairs. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
Buenos Ayres, 1829 greenhouse species.
=A. versicolor= (changeable-flowered). _fl._, petals obovate,
ciliated, at first white, but at length becoming reddish,
terminal, solitary. September. _l._ petiolate, ovate, serrulated,
five-nerved, discoloured beneath. Plant shrubby; hairy. _h._ 1ft.
Brazil (on the sea shore), 1825. Stove species.
=ARTHROTAXIS.= _See_ =Athrotaxis=.
=ARTICHOKE, GLOBE.= (_Cynara Scolymus_, a cultivated form of _C.
Cardunculus_). As a vegetable, the Globe Artichoke is cultivated for
the use of the immature flower-heads, and is highly esteemed. A good
open position, free from overhanging trees, is best suited for its
culture generally, but, by planting successional suckers in different
aspects, the season may be considerably prolonged. The soil must be
of good depth, rich, and not too heavy. It may be greatly improved
for Artichoke culture by the addition of sea-weeds or salt applied as
manure.
[Illustration: FIG. 151. GLOBE ARTICHOKE.]
_Preparation of Soil._ Trench the ground two spits deep if possible,
mixing a liberal dressing of well-rotted manure in autumn, and ridge
up for the winter, to sweeten. Crude manure full of straw, leaves,
and sticks, often induce fungoid growths, and are most injurious to
the crowns of the plants. Clay or stiff loam is about the worst soil
on which to attempt the culture of this vegetable; this drawback may,
however, to some extent be alleviated by the addition and thorough
amalgamation of a light free soil or liberal dressings of sandy road
drifts, or similar materials. An ill-drained soil is also fatal to good
results. During hot, dry weather, the plants are greatly benefited by
copious applications of clear water and dilute liquid manure; and this
must be especially attended to on such soils as are liable to burn or
dry up in summer.
_Cultivation._ When the beds have been properly prepared, the plants
should be put in them in April or May. Place three together in rows
between 3ft. and 4ft. apart, and about 3ft. from plant to plant.
Water-in carefully to settle the soil around the roots, and apply a
mulching of half-decayed manure, to prevent an undue evaporation of
moisture. During hot, dry weather, give liberal supplies of water, and
the plants will become established as fine stools the first season.
A few heads will probably be produced the first year; but there will
not be much of a crop until the second season, when five or six good
heads will be got from each plant, and for three or four years the
produce will be large if the beds are properly attended to; after
which time it will become desirable to make up new plantations. In
October or November, it will be necessary to apply a good mulching
of straw or fern to the beds, to protect the plants from frost. In
April, all this litter should be cleaned off, a dressing of rotten
manure applied, and the beds forked over and kept clean for the rest
of the season, treating as before described. Great care must be taken
to remove the heads as soon as they are in a fit state; and, when the
whole of them are removed from the stems, cut the latter out as low
as possible. Globe Artichokes will keep for some considerable time if
laid in a cool place, although they will deteriorate in quality. These
plants may be used in the background of flower borders in the kitchen
garden, their handsome foliage being peculiarly well adapted for such
purposes, whilst their economical value is also secured. See Fig. 151.
Where there is plenty of room in light, warm sheds, orchard houses, or
other places where frost can be kept out, some stools can be taken up
with the root intact in the early part of November, placed in boxes
of soil, and well watered-in. When drained, the boxes may be put in
any of those positions for their winter quarters, and, if kept moist,
will develop much earlier than the outdoor crops, provided they are
planted out early in April on a warm border, and protected with mats
when the weather is cold. Propagation may be effected by seeds, or by
suckers from the old stools, the latter being the better plan. In the
former case, sow the seeds in March, on a gentle hotbed, and prick
the seedlings off singly, when large enough, into small pots. Harden
off by the last week in May, and plant out in threes as previously
recommended, protecting the plants from late frosts. During the growing
season, give an abundance of water and liquid manure mulching, to
prevent undue evaporation. In November, well cover with dry litter
which will not heat; and, in hard frosts, or heavy snow, throw a few
mats over the beds, uncovering at the same time as recommended above
for the older plants. To propagate by rooted offsets or suckers, take
up and divide the stools, when they have made a fair amount of growth
in April or early in May, separating the suckers with as many roots and
as much soil adhering to them as possible. The old woody portions are
of little use, but they may be replanted to give off a fresh supply of
suckers for the next year, if required. Propagation by suckers, if they
are to be obtained, has many advantages; but care must be taken, in
removing them from old plants, that some roots are attached, or growth
will be uncertain. Seeds generally produce a large percentage of plants
that are useless, and this is not found out until the flower-heads
appear. On the other hand, suckers reproduce the parent plant, and
if these are previously selected, the superior stock is thereby
perpetuated.
_Sorts._ The Green and Purple are the best for ordinary purposes; and
of these preference should be given to the former. _See also_ =Cynara=.
=ARTICHOKE, JERUSALEM= (_Helianthus tuberosus_). A hardy
tuberous-rooted herbaceous perennial, native of Brazil. The roots are
used as a vegetable principally during the winter, sometimes as a dish,
but more generally for flavouring purposes. Plants will grow in almost
any position, but the best results and largest tubers are obtained
where they receive plenty of room and liberal treatment. Their culture
has been recommended as a substitute for the potato, but they are not
likely to take the place of this vegetable, the flavour being disliked
by many persons. A few are, however, generally acceptable.
_Cultivation._ To ensure the most successful results, trench over a
piece of ground in autumn, and give a light dressing of manure. Fork
over in March; at the same time plant good-shaped tubers (see Fig.
152) in rows about 3ft. apart, and allow from 18in. to 2ft. between the
tubers in the rows. Keep clear of weeds; and, as soon as the foliage
is yellow, in the latter part of the autumn, the roots will be fit for
use. The best plan with this crop is to leave it in the ground till
wanted, or till the end of February, and then to take up every tuber,
replanting those which are wanted for stock, and storing the others
away in a cold dry place. When they commence growth, they turn black,
and are of little use for cooking, save for flavouring soups. This
vegetable has of late years grown into favour as a marketable crop, and
the demand seems to be increasing. Considering its very easy culture,
it is fairly remunerative. _See also_ =Helianthus=.
[Illustration: FIG. 152. TUBERS OF JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE.]
=ARTICULATE, ARTICULATED.= Jointed; having joints.
=ARTILLERY PLANT.= _See_ =Pilea microphylla=.
=ARTOCARPEÃ.= A tribe of the large order _Urticaceæ_.
=ARTOCARPUS= (from _artos_, bread, and _carpos_, fruit; the fruit, when
baked, resembling bread). Bread Fruit. SYNS. _Polyphema_, _Rademachia_,
_Rima_. ORD. _Urticaceæ_. TRIBE _Artocarpeæ_. Included in this most
remarkable tribe, in addition to the Bread Fruit Tree, is the virulent
poisonous _Antiaris toxicaria_, and the economic Cow Tree (_Brosimum
Galactodendron_), of Caraccas. A genus of stove evergreen trees,
requiring a high and very moist atmosphere, a copious supply of water,
perfect drainage, and a compost of two parts rich loam and one of leaf
mould, with the addition of a little silver sand. Under all conditions,
this genus is difficult to propagate; the young and slender lateral
growths are adapted for cuttings; and suckers may be utilised when
procurable, which is very rare.
=A. Cannoni= (Cannon's).* _l._ alternate, petiolate; petiole and
midrib bright red; upper surface glossy, of a rich, full bronzy
crimson hue, beautifully tinted with purple; under surface bright
vinous red. The leaves vary much in form; some are simple and
cordate at the base, with the apex irregularly lobate; some have
the apex regularly three-lobed, with short, entire lobes; and
others, again, are deep three-lobed, being divided nearly to the
base, the segments, of which the centre one is largest, being
slightly sinuate-lobed. _h._ 7ft. Society Islands, 1877. This is a
most distinct and handsome ornamental-leaved plant.
=A. incisa= (incised).* True Bread Fruit. _l._ from 2ft. to 3ft.
long, deeply lobed or incised, deep green on the upper side, paler
below. _h._ 50ft. South Sea Islands, 1793. This is a noble tree
when full grown, and forms a most distinct and beautiful stove
plant. The extraordinary fruit is produced from the axils of the
leaves in large globular heads, and is highly valued as an article
of food in its native country.
=A. integrifolia= (entire-leaved). _l._ oblong, undivided,
sinuated, scabrous, downy beneath. _h._ 30ft. India, 1778.
=A. laciniata metallica= (laciniate, metallic). _l._ bronzy above,
reddish purple beneath. Polynesia.
[Illustration: FIG. 153. ARUM MACULATUM.]
=ARUM= (formerly _aron_, and probably of Egyptian extraction). ORD.
_Aroideæ_. A large genus of ornamental or curious, hardy, greenhouse
or stove perennials, with thick rhizomes and pedate or hastate leaves.
Spathe large, convolute; spadix naked and club-shaped at the top. They
are all of easy culture, and the indoor species will thrive with such
treatment as is given to _Alocasias_, _Caladiums_, &c. Rich soil is
one of the first conditions of success. Like most plants grown for the
beauty of their foliage, rapid and free growth is necessary. A compost
of good rich loam, with a third of sweet manure, thoroughly rotted, or
leaf mould, with some sharp sand, is very suitable. Plenty of moisture
is necessary during the growing season, after which the tender kinds
should be kept moderately dry, warm, and at rest during the winter. The
hardy kinds may be left in the ground. Propagated by seeds or division
of the roots--usually the latter. The best time to divide them is just
as they commence their new growth, securing as many roots as possible
to each division. Any rootless pieces should be placed in heat shortly
after removal; this hastens the formation of roots and excites top
growth. Arums are useful in sub-tropical gardening, and are otherwise
interesting plants both for indoors and outside cultivation; and the
hardy kinds are very suitable for naturalising in woodlands, &c. There
are many other species besides those here described, but the following
list comprises the best. Sub-sections of the genus will be found
treated separately, such as =Amorphophallus= (which _see_), &c.
[Illustration: FIG. 154. ARUM DRACUNCULUS.]
=A. bulbosum= (bulbous). Synonymous with _A. ternatum_.
=A. Dracontium= (Green Dragon). _fl._, spadix subulate, longer than
the oblong convolute green spathe. June. _l._ pedate, entire. _h._
2ft. North America, 1759. Hardy.
=A. Dracunculus= (Common Dragon).* _fl._, spadix lanceolate,
shorter than the ovate, flat, smooth, brown spathe. July. _l._
pedate, entire. _h._ 3ft. South Europe, 1548. Hardy. SYN.
_Dracunculus vulgaris_. See Fig. 154.
=A. indicum= (Indian). _See_ =Colocasia indica=.
=A. italicum= (Italian).* _fl._, spathe ventricose below, opening
nearly flat and very broad above; apex often falling over very
shortly after expansion, sometimes greenish yellow, at others
nearly white; spadix yellowish or creamy white, club-shaped, about
one-third as long as the spathe. Spring. _l._ appearing before
winter, radical, triangular-hastate. _h._ 9in. to 2ft. Channel
Islands and Cornwall, &c. Hardy.
=A. i. marmorata= (marbled).* _l._ marbled with yellow. A very
pretty and effective hardy border plant.
=A. maculatum= (spotted). Lords and Ladies; Cuckoo Pint. _fl._,
spathe ventricose below and above, constricted in the middle, with
inflexed edges when open, spotted with dull purple; spadix usually
purple, shorter than the spathe. Spring. _l._ vernal radical,
hastate-sagittate, with deflexed lobes. _h._ 9in. Britain, &c. This
species is admirably adapted for a corner in the wild garden. See
Fig. 153.
=A. Malyi= (Maly's). _fl._ whitish. Montenegro, 1860.
=A. Nickelli= (Nickel's). Levant, 1859. A form of _A. italicum_.
=A. orientale= (eastern). _fl._ resembling those of _A. maculatum_.
June. _l._ brownish, simple, ovate, slightly sagittate. _h._ 1ft.
Tauria, 1820. Hardy.
=A. palæstinum= (Palestine).* _fl._, spathe 7in. to 11in. long,
purplish blotched or spotted outside, rich velvety black inside and
yellowish white at the base of the tube; spadix much shorter than
the spathe; petiole usually rising 8in. or 9in. above the leaves.
May. _l._ four or five, triangular-hastate, acute, from 6in. to
14in. long, and from 3-1/2in. to 7-1/2in. broad; petioles 12in. to
18in. long. Jerusalem, 1864. Tender.
=A. pictum= (painted). _h._ 2ft. Corsica, 1801. Hardy.
=A. proboscideum= (proboscis-like).* _fl._, spathe greenish purple,
navicular, horizontal, terminated by a straight tail; scapes
arising from among the petioles. May. _l._ radical, about four,
cordate-elliptic, entire. _h._ 6in. South Europe, 1823. Hardy.
=A. spectabile= (showy). _fl._, spathe ovate-oblong, acuminate,
dark purplish inside, longer than the purplish spadix. _l._ broadly
hastate-sagittate. _h._ 1ft. Asia Minor. Half-hardy.
=A. spirale= (spiral). _fl._, spadix lanceolate, shorter than
the oblong-lanceolate spirally twisted brown spathe. May. _l._
linear-lanceolate. Plant stemless. _h._ 1ft. China, 1816. Tender.
=A. tenuifolium= (narrow-leaved).* _fl._, spadix subulate, longer
than the white lanceolate spathe. April. _l._ linear-lanceolate.
Plant stemless. _h._ 1ft. South Europe, 1570. Hardy.
=A. ternatum= (three-leafleted). A synonym of _Pinellia tuberifera_.
=A. variolatum= (variegated). Dalmatia, 1859. Hardy.
=A. venosum= (veined). A synonym of _Sauromatum guttatum_.
=A. Zelebori= (Zelebor's). A form of _A. maculatum_.
=ARUM LILY.= _See_ =Richardia æthiopica=.
=ARUNDINARIA= (altered from _arundo_, a reed). ORD. _Gramineæ_. A small
genus of hardy or nearly hardy shrubby grasses, having strong jointed
stems, and frequently included under _Bambusa_. For sub-tropical
gardening purposes more particularly it is exceedingly ornamental as
an isolated tuft. It thrives best in a deep, rich soil, and requires
plenty of water when in a growing state. Increased by division of the
roots.
[Illustration: FIG. 155. ARUNDINARIA FALCATA.]
=A. falcata= (sickle-shaped).* _l._ linear-lanceolate, very acute,
shortly stalked, very light green. Stems freely branched, deep
green, and very slender. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. India. An extremely
handsome species for greenhouse decoration; also for outdoor work,
particularly in the South of England, &c. SYN. _Bambusa gracilis_,
of gardens.
=A. Maximowiczii= (Maximowicz's). This Japanese species is believed
to be allied to, if not identical with, _Bambusa Simonii_. Quite
hardy.
=A. Metake= (Metake). _l._ lanceolate, with very sharp points,
dark green, persistent, narrowed into a short leafstalk, 6in. to
12in. long; sheath ample. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Japan. A handsome,
hardy, dwarf, much-branched species, forming grand specimens, and
producing flowers very freely. SYN. _Bambusa japonica_.
=ARUNDO= (origin of word doubtful; stated by some authorities to be
from _arundo_, a reed; and others as from the Celtic _arn_, signifying
water). Reed. ORD. _Gramineæ_. A very ornamental group of half or
quite hardy plants, of very easy culture in ordinary garden soil,
preferring damp situations. Panicle loose; calyx two-valved, unequal,
many-flowered; corolla of two very unequal valves; all, except
the lower and imperfect one, surrounded by a tuft of hairs. Fruit
free, covered by the corolla. Arundos are very valuable either for
conservatory decoration, sub*-tropical gardening, or cultivation in
clumps on the turf of the flower-garden or pleasure ground, and the
margins of lakes. Although well worth growing, all are inferior to
their ally, the Pampas Grass. Propagated by seeds or divisions, the
spring being the best time to adopt either method of increase.
=A. conspicua= (conspicuous).* _fl._ silky-white, on large drooping
racemes, and lasting in beauty for several months. _h._ 3ft. to
8ft., but in a good deep and sandy loam it sometimes attains the
height of 12ft. New Zealand, 1843. This fine species grows in dense
tufts, from which arise numerous leathery, narrow, smooth (or
slightly rough), long curving leaves, and erect, slender culms. The
plant is not sufficiently hardy to withstand a severe winter, and
should, therefore, be protected with mats, or be grown in tubs, so
that it can be removed under shelter before the approach of winter.
These precautions are unnecessary in the more southern counties of
England.
=A. Donax= (Donax).* Great Reed. _fl._ reddish, ultimately whitish,
in numerous spikelets, forming a large compact panicle 12in. to
16in. long. Autumn. _l._ alternate, lanceolate-acute, large, and
ornamental, glaucous green, arching. _h._ about 12ft. South Europe,
1648. This also requires protection during winter in the colder
counties. See Fig. 156.
=A. D. versicolor= (various-coloured).* _h._ 3ft. South Europe.
Although much smaller, this variety is far superior to the type
for gardening purposes, and has its leaves ribboned with white. It
requires a deep, well drained, sandy loam to thrive well, and a
thorough winter protection of cocoa-fibre refuse or coal ashes. For
isolated tufts or groups, few plants can equal it. It is propagated
by placing a stem in water, which induces little rooted plants to
start from the joints; these should be separated, potted off, and
kept in frames until thoroughly established.
=A. mauritanica= (Mediterranean Reed). This is a rare greenhouse
species, closely allied to _A. Donax_, but inferior to it.
[Illustration: FIG. 156. ARUNDO DONAX.]
=ARYTERA.= A synonym of =Ratonia= (which _see_).
=ASAFÅTIDA.= _See_ =Narthex AsafÅtida=.
=ASARABACCA.= _See_ =Asarum europæum=.
=ASARUM= (from _a_, not, and _saron_, feminine; derivation doubtful).
ORD. _Aristolochiaceæ_. Curious hardy herbaceous perennials, with
bell-shaped, three-cleft perianths. They should be planted at the
foot of the rockery, or in borders or woodlands, as they are not very
showy, but are, nevertheless, worth growing, and easily propagated by
divisions, in spring.
=A. canadense= (Canadian).* _fl._ brown, campanulate, on a short
peduncle, sometimes nearly buried. May and June. _l._ in pairs,
broadly reniform. _h._ 1ft. Canada, &c., 1713.
[Illustration: FIG. 157. ASARUM CAUDATUM.]
=A. caudatum= (tailed).* _fl._ brownish-red, with attenuated
or caudate calyx lobes. July. _l_. cordate-reniform, hooded,
sub-acute, or bluntish, slightly pubescent. California, 1880. A
rare and pretty species. See Fig. 157.
=A. europæum= (European). A sarabacca. _fl._ dull brown, solitary,
rather large, drooping; segments of perianth incurved. May. _l._
two on each stem, roundish-reniform, stalked, slightly waved. _h._
1ft. England.
=ASCENDING.= Directed upwards; as the stem, which is the ascending axis.
=ASCLEPIADEÃ.= A large order of, for the most part, lactescent,
climbing shrubs. Flowers sub-umbellate, fascicled or racemose,
interpetiolar; pollen collected in the form of waxy masses, coalescing
to the cells of the anthers; follicles two, one of which is abortive.
Leaves entire, usually opposite.
=ASCLEPIAS= (the Greek name of Ãsculapius of the Latins). Swallow-wort.
ORD. _Asclepiadeæ_. Erect, hardy, herbaceous or sub-shrubby perennials,
except where otherwise specified. Corolla five-parted, reflexed;
umbels interpetiolar; corona seated on the upper part of the tube of
the filaments, five-leaved. Leaves opposite, verticillate, sometimes
alternate. Most of the hardy species are very handsome border plants,
thriving in peaty, or light rich soil, and are increased by dividing
the roots in spring, and sometimes also by seeds. The doubtfully hardy
or rarer species should always be grown in a peat soil, and have a
little protection during severe frost, by mulching the roots. The most
important of the greenhouse and stove species is _A. curassavica_. In
order to obtain good bushy specimens of this, it will be necessary to
cut the plants back annually, after keeping them slightly dry, and
resting for a month or two in midwinter. When growth has sufficiently
advanced, they should be shaken out and repotted. At this stage, a
close, moist atmosphere will be needful to produce the usually very
free growth. The points of the shoots must be nipped out, in order to
promote a bushy habit. When the pots have become filled with roots,
liquid manure may be applied; but it must be quite clear and not over
strong. All the indoor species grow best in good fibry loam and leaf
mould, and require to be potted firmly. Cuttings should be secured in
spring, struck in gentle heat, under a bell glass, and as soon as they
are well rooted, potted into 60-size pots. A shift must be given as
often as the pots become filled with roots, up to the time when the
plant commences flowering. Seeds may be sown in pots in spring, pricked
out singly when large enough, and then treated similarly to cuttings.
=A. acuminata= (taper-pointed).* _fl._ red and white; umbels
lateral, solitary, erect. July. _l._ ovate, sub-cordate,
acuminated, on short petioles; superior ones sessile, glabrous, but
rough on the edges. Stems erect, glabrous, simple. _h._ 2ft. New
Jersey, 1826. Hardy, herbaceous.
=A. amÅna= (pleasing).* _fl._ beautiful purple; umbels terminal,
erect; appendages of corona exserted, red. July. _l._ opposite,
almost sessile, oblong-oval, downy beneath, with a large purple
middle nerve. Stem simple, with two rows of down. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
New England, 1732. Hardy, herbaceous.
=A. Cornuti= (Cornuti's).* Synonymous with _A. syriaca_.
=A. curassavica= (Curassavian). Redhead. _fl._ reddish
orange-scarlet; umbels erect, solitary, lateral. July to September.
_l._ opposite, oblong-lanceolate, tapering at both ends. Stem
rather downy, simple, seldom a little branched. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft.
Tropical America, 1692. The white-flowered variety is a very pretty
contrast. Stove herbaceous.
=A. Douglasii= (Douglas's).* _fl._ large, waxy, purplish-lilac,
sweet-scented, in many-flowered umbels. Summer. _l._ opposite,
ovate-cordate, acuminated, 6-1/2in. long by 5in. or more wide,
glabrous above, downy beneath. Stem thick, woolly, simple. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. West America, 1846.
=A. hybrida= (hybrid). A synonym of _A. purpurascens_.
=A. incarnata= (flesh-coloured).* _fl._ red or purplish; umbels
numerous, usually twin. July. _l._ opposite, lanceolate, rather
woolly on both surfaces. Stem erect, branched and tomentose at
the top. _h._ 2ft. Canada (on the banks of rivers), 1710. Hardy,
herbaceous.
=A. mexicana= (Mexican). _fl._ white; umbels many-flowered. July.
_l._ verticillate, linear-lanceolate, with revolute edges; lower
ones four to six in a whorl; upper ones three in a whorl, or
opposite. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1821. Greenhouse evergreen.
=A. phytolaccoides= (Phytolacca-like). _fl._ purple; corona white,
with truncate leaflets; umbels lateral and terminal, solitary, on
long peduncles, drooping. July. _l._ broad, ovate-oblong, acute,
glabrous, paler beneath. Stem erect, simple, spotted with purple.
_h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Virginia and Carolina (on the mountains), 1812.
=A. purpurascens= (purplish). _fl._ purple; umbels erect. July.
_l._ opposite, large, ovate, with a purplish middle nerve, villous
beneath. Stem simple, rather hairy at top, brownish green at
bottom. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Virginia (in shady swamps), 1732. Hardy.
SYN. _A. hybrida_.
=A. quadrifolia= (four-leaved).* _fl._ white, small, sweet-scented,
with red nectaries; umbels twin, terminal, loose-flowered; pedicels
filiform. July. _l._ ovate, acuminated, petiolate; those in the
middle of the stem larger, and four in a whorl; the rest opposite.
Stems erect, simple, glabrous. _h._ 1ft. New York, 1820. Hardy
species.
=A. rubra= (red), _fl._ red; umbels compound, July, August. _l._
alternate, ovate, acuminated. Stem erect, simple. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
Virginia, 1825.
=A. Sullivanti= (Sullivant's). Similar to _A. syriaca_, but having
larger and deeper coloured flowers.
=A. syriaca= (Syrian).* _fl._ pale purple, sweet scented, in large,
loose, drooping umbels. July. _l._ opposite, lanceolate-oblong, or
oval, gradually acute, tomentose beneath. Stems simple. _h._ 3ft.
to 5ft. North America, 1629. SYN. _A. Cornuti_.
[Illustration: FIG. 158. FLOWERING BRANCH OF ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA.]
=A. tuberosa= (tuberous).* _fl._ bright orange, very showy;
umbels disposed in a terminal sub-corymb. July to September. _l._
scattered, oblong-lanceolate, hairy. Stems erectish, divaricately
branched at top, very hairy. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. North America (in
stony, sandy fields and woods), 1690. A desirable hardy herbaceous
border plant. See Fig. 158.
=A. variegata= (variegated). _fl._, petals and foliola of corona
white, fructification red, in dense umbels, very handsome; umbels
almost sessile; pedicels hairy. July. _l._ opposite, ovate,
petiolate, wrinkled, naked. Stems simple. erect, variegated with
purple. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. New York to Carolina (on dry, sandy
hills), 1597.
=A. verticillata= (whorled). _fl._, corolla with yellowish green
petals and white nectaries; umbels many-flowered. July and
August. _l._ very narrow, linear, thick, quite glabrous, usually
verticillate, but sometimes scattered. Stems erect, often branched,
having a downy line on one side. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. New Jersey, 1759.
=ASCYRON.= _See_ =Hypericum Ascyron=.
=ASCYRUM= (from _a_, without, and _skyros_, hard; that is to say,
a plant which is soft to the touch). ORD. _Hypericinæ_. A genus of
elegant little herbs and sub-shrubs, with sessile, entire leaves,
destitute of pellucid dots, but usually furnished with black dots
beneath. Flowers resembling _Hypericum_. They require to be protected
during winter by a frame; for this purpose they should be grown in
pots, as they never exist long in the open border. A compost of peat,
pure leaf soil, and sand, in equal portions, suits them well; young
cuttings of the shrubby kinds will root in sand under a hand bell
glass. Propagated by careful divisions of the roots in spring. All may
be raised from seeds.
=A. amplexicaule= (stem-clasping). _fl._ yellow, few, axillary, and
terminal; corymbs naked. July. _l._ stem-clasping, ovate, cordate,
sinuately-curled. Stem dichotomously panicled. _h._ 2ft. North
America, 1823. The flowers and leaves are longer in this than in
any other of the species.
=A. Crux Andreæ.=* St. Andrew's Cross. _fl._, petals narrow-pale,
yellow, nearly sessile, in terminal corymbs. July. _l._
ovate-linear, obtuse, usually in bundles in the axils. Stem
shrubby, round. _h._ 1ft. North America (in sandy fields), 1759.
This proves to be quite hardy in many situations.
=A. hypericoides= (Hypericum-like). _fl._ yellow. August. _l._
linear-oblong, obtuse. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1759.
=A. stans= (standing). St. Peter's Wort. _fl._ yellow. August. _l._
oval or oblong, somewhat clasping. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1816.
=ASHES.= The earthy or mineral particles of combustible substances,
remaining after combustion. Ashes are amongst the most economical
manures.
_Vegetable Ashes_ are generally the best application for manuring
boggy, cold, and, consequently, sour and unprofitable land, in
quantities of about forty bushels per acre, thinly and evenly
distributed. The annual exhaustion of salts from large crops of grain,
roots, and grass, is from 180lb. to more than 250lb. per acre; and the
aggregate of a few years will so far impoverish the soil in one or more
of the principles necessary to sustain a luxuriant vegetation, that
it will cease to yield remunerating returns. The ashes of vegetables
consist of such elements as are always required for their perfect
maturity, and it is evident they must furnish one of the best saline
manures which can be supplied for their growth; they contain, in fact,
every element, and generally in the right proportions, for insuring a
full and rapid growth. Both gardener and farmer will therefore perceive
the great value of Ashes to their crops.
_Coal Ashes._ The bituminous and anthracite coals afford Ashes, and,
although inferior in quality to those made from wood and vegetables,
are, like them, a valuable manure, and they should be applied to the
land in a similar manner. If they contain many cinders, from not having
been thoroughly burned, they are more suited to heavy than to light
soils. Coal Ashes, if very fine, may be sprinkled half an inch deep on
the surface, over peas and beans, &c., to preserve them from mice; they
may also be used for garden and greenhouse walks, where bricks or tiles
are absent, being tidy in appearance, and an excellent substitute for
other and more expensive material.
_Peat Ashes._ Peat approaching to purity, when thrown out of its bed
and thoroughly dried, may be burned to an imperfect Ash, and when
it does not reach this point, it will become thoroughly charred,
and reduced to cinders. The process of burning should be as slow as
possible. In either form, it is a valuable dressing for the soil.
=ASH-TREE.= _See_ =Fraxinus=.
=ASIATIC POISON BULB.= _See_ =Crinum asiaticum=.
=ASIMINA= (meaning unknown). ORD. _Anonaceæ_. Hardy shrubs, with
oblong, cuneated, usually deciduous leaves. Flowers sometimes rising
before the leaves, usually solitary and axillary. They thrive freely
in a mixture of sand and peat. Propagated by layers put down in the
autumn, or by seed, procured from their native country. Seedlings
should be raised in pots, and sheltered in winter, until they have
acquired a considerable size.
[Illustration: FIG. 159. FLOWERING BRANCH OF ASIMINA TRILOBA.]
=A. triloba= (three-lobed).* _fl._ campanulate, the three outer
petals pale purplish, and the three inner ones smaller, purplish
on the outside as well as the inside at the base and apex, with
the middle yellow, about 2in. diameter, produced between the upper
leaves. May. _l._ oblong-cuneated, often acuminated, and, as well
as the branches, smoothish. _h._ 10ft. Pennsylvania, 1736. A small
tree or shrub. See Fig. 159.
=ASKALLON= (the Eschallot). _See_ =Allium ascalonicum=.
=ASPALATHUS= (from _a_, not, and _spao_, to extract; in reference
to the difficulty of extracting its thorns from a wound). Including
_Sarcophyllus_. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Shrubs or sub-shrubs, natives,
with one exception, of the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers usually yellow,
furnished with three bracteoles, or a leaf comprised of three leaflets.
Leaves of three to five leaflets, disposed palmately, rarely pinnately,
having scarcely any or very short petioles. All the species are pretty
when in flower, and thrive in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand. Young
cuttings of half-ripened wood will strike in April, in sand, under
bell glasses, which must be wiped dry occasionally. But little water
is needed. Over a hundred species are known; those introduced are very
rarely seen in cultivation.
=ASPARAGUS= (from _a_, intensive, and _sparasso_, to tear; in
reference to the strong prickles of some species). ORD. _Liliaceæ_.
Erect or climbing herbs or shrubs, with very small scale-like leaves,
and a profusion of numerous slender fascicled-needle, rather spiny
branchlets. Flowers axillary, inconspicuous. Fruit baccate. The indoor
species will all thrive well in a warm greenhouse temperature, provided
they have partial shade, a good supply of moisture at the roots, and
are not kept too close, in a moderately rich sandy compost. The hardy
species are propagated chiefly by seeds and divisions of the roots.
Rich sandy loam is necessary, and otherwise they may be treated as
ordinary perennials. Some of the species belonging to this genus are
among the most elegant of foliage plants for cutting purposes. _A.
decumbens_ and _A. scandens_ make excellent plants for Wardian cases,
and may be cut in freely if they exceed their limits.
ASPARAGUS (_A. officinalis_) AS A VEGETABLE. The value and importance
of this plant as a vegetable cannot be over-estimated; it is
extensively grown, and, when properly managed, produces a fairly
lucrative crop.
_Soil and Bed._ The first thing to be done in the preparation of
an Asparagus bed to stand for any length of time, is to secure an
efficient drainage; and on wet soils this is best effected by placing
a layer of brick rubbish over the whole of the bottom, and connecting
this with a drain. On gravelly or other soils which are drained
naturally, of course, this is not needed; but if really good crops are
a _desideratum_, water should not stand within 3ft. of the surface. In
all cases, the ground must be dug to a depth of 18in., and, if stiff,
a goodly amount of road sweepings, or other gritty materials, should
be well mixed with the staple soil. Asparagus requires a good soil,
neither too heavy nor too light.
_Manuring._ After the soil has been well trenched, and has lain long
enough to settle down, a good dressing of manure--thoroughly rotted,
and not too rank, at the rate of from twenty to thirty tons to the
acre, dug into the surface of the beds-Âwill be found very beneficial.
If possible, this should be introduced in January; and then, if the
weather permits, the beds should be forked two or three times by the
end of March, so as to render the soil as friable as possible. A very
good manure, and one that is easily obtained, is common garden salt.
This may be given annually to established beds. A moderate dressing
should be applied just before growth commences in spring, but a little
will do no harm at other times during the summer. It is best scattered
on with the hand, and a showery day should be selected, as it will
then soon disappear. Salt, besides acting as a manure, has also the
properties of keeping the beds cool and moist in hot weather, and of
preventing the growth of weeds.
_Planting._ Asparagus can be planted during March and April, the latter
month being the best time for the work. The soil having been thoroughly
prepared, the next point is to decide on the size of the beds; this
depends on the size of garden, and the class of "grass" desired. When
very large and fine stocks are the object in view, the best results
will accrue if the plants are fully a yard apart each way; but this
means a comparatively small crop. A good plan is to make the beds 3ft.
wide, planting two rows, at a distance of 1ft. from each other, and
allowing 18in. between each plant, placing them in alternate order.
An 18in. alley should be allowed between the beds. The roots used for
making the beds should be one year old, and fresh from the ground. In
planting, pull out a wide drill with a hoe, or other tool, to the depth
of about 3in. or 4in., and spread out the roots all round. Carefully
shake the soil in amongst the roots, and, if dry, apply some water
through a coarse-rosed watering pot, to settle the earth around them.
At intervals, as necessary, give other waterings till September, when
they should be discontinued. At all times, keep the beds free from
weeds, removing them by the hand to prevent injury to the crowns of
the plants. If the ground is good, no liquid manure will be needed the
first year. As soon as the foliage turns yellow, cut it off, cleanly
rake over the beds, and leave till about January, when a top-dressing
of from 1in. to 3in. of thoroughly rotted manure may be applied with
advantage. At the end of February, rake off the bed all loose straw
or other _debris_, and throw on them a little of the soil from the
alleys, raking down, and finishing off the edges squarely and neatly.
During this and succeeding years, apply liquid manure and clear water,
from time to time, as required; and, provided the manure is not of too
great strength, there is scarcely any limit to its application; but,
in many instances, beds which have only received an annual dressing
have given a good return. Each year they must be cut over and dressed
as before described, but care must be taken to keep them flat on the
surface, otherwise the plants will die out for want of moisture. When
the produce appears, the beds should be kept cut over until the 20th
of June, after which, cutting should cease, or they will be rendered
comparatively unproductive. Cutting can commence the second or third
year, or as soon as there is any "grass" worth taking. Several methods
of growing these plants could be cited, but that which we have
recommended will be found most satisfactory.
[Illustration: FIG. 160. ASPARAGUS, Crown for Lifting.]
_Seeds._ Plants are raised by sowing seeds in rows across the kitchen
garden, or selected quarter, about the month of April. The seedlings
make a growth, and form good plants during the first season. In March
or April of the following year, or the year after, they may be removed,
and planted out permanently, as already alluded to. Many cultivators
prefer growing their own plants from seed; because during the transit
of the roots from any distance to where they are to be grown, a
frequent and injurious exhaustion takes place, and particularly so when
they are carelessly packed.
_Forcing._ Asparagus can, if properly treated, be obtained from
December onwards; and at Christmas time the produce is very valuable;
but, in order to obtain it at this season, it will be necessary to
resort to forcing. Prepare some beds to secure a lasting heat, and on
these place about 3in. of ordinary garden soil, not very stiff. Then
take the roots, and place them crown upwards, and moderately close
together, shaking the soil well amongst the roots, and covering about
a couple of inches deep. Water well, to settle the whole, and put on
the lights, allowing a little ventilation, to let out any steam which
may arise. Unless the weather be very cold indeed, give a little air
at all times, and only cover the lights in actual frost. From time to
time, apply fresh linings of hot manure, and in cold rains, or wind,
cover the outsides of the frames with old sacks, or other things which
will keep in the heat. A regular and steady temperature of 60deg. will
force this plant with better results than a higher one. Houses that are
fitted with hot-water pipes to give bottom heat can be used equally as
well as manure beds, and so long as the soil is kept moist, the heat
thus obtained is as good as any for the purpose, and much less trouble
than fermenting materials. To keep up a regular supply, a succession of
beds will be necessary. Asparagus can be forced, or rather forwarded,
in pots or boxes, in a warm greenhouse or vinery, and, of course,
when the plants are done with, they can be cast away. We give an
illustration (Fig. 160) of a bearing crown fit for gentle forcing; but,
of course, it must not be left so bare of earth as appears here, which
is done for the purpose of clearness.
_Varieties._ Connover's Colossal, and Giant, are the most esteemed.
Strains are frequently largely advertised as improvements on the sorts
above-mentioned, and the charges are higher accordingly. The difference
may be generally attributed to the culture the plants receive more than
to an improved variety. When saving seed for home sowing, they should
be taken from the strongest growths, or deterioration will ensue.
=A. æthiopicus ternifolius= (ternate). _fl._ white, in
shortly-stalked racemes, very profuse. August. _l._, false ones in
threes, flattened, narrow, linear; prickles solitary, reversed;
branches angular. _h._ 30ft. South Africa, 1872. A greenhouse
evergreen.
=A. Broussoneti= (Broussonet's).* _fl._ very small, succeeded
by small red berries. May. _l._, lower ones solitary, the
others ternate, 1in. long, needle-shaped, persistent, distant,
glaucescent; stipules with reflected spines at the base. Summer.
Stem tapering, streaked, shrubby. _h._ 10ft. Canary Islands, 1822.
A very pretty hardy climber.
=A. Cooperi= (Cooper's). _fl._ axillary, one to three, from the
same nodes as the false leaves; perianth cream-coloured, one line
long. April and May. _l._ minute, deltoid, scariose, reddish-brown;
false leaves six to fifteen to a node, subulate, moderately firm,
1/4in. to 3/8in. long, spreading or ascending. _h._ 10ft. to 12ft.
Africa, 1862. A greenhouse climber, with a shrubby terete main
stem, 1-1/2in. to 2in. thick at the base, sending out crowds of
spreading branches, which bear abundant slender, firm, alternate
branchlets; nodes of branches and branchlets, furnished with
distinct red-brown, subulate prickles, those of the main stems
1/4in. long, deflexed, but not curved.
=A. decumbens= (decumbent).* Stem unarmed, decumbent, much
branched; branches wavy; leaves setaceous, in threes. Cape of Good
Hope, 1792. A greenhouse evergreen herbaceous perennial.
=A. falcatus= (hooked-leaved). _l._ fascicled, linear, falcate;
branches round; prickles solitary, recurved; peduncles
one-flowered, clustered. _h._ 3ft. India, 1792. A greenhouse
evergreen perennial.
=A. officinalis= (officinal). Common Asparagus. _fl._
greenish-white, drooping. August. _l._ setaceous, fasciculate,
flexible, unarmed. Stem herbaceous, mostly erect, rounded, very
much branched. _h._ 1ft. Said to grow on "Asparagus Island,"
Kynance Cove, Lizard, but we have never found it there, and it has
probably long since been exterminated.
=A. plumosus= (plumed).* _fl._ white, small, produced from the
tips of the branchlets. Spring. _l._, true ones in the form of
minute deltoid scales, with an acute ultimately reflexed point;
the false ones are grouped in tufts, each being 1/8in. to 1/4in.
long, bristle-shaped, and finely pointed. South Africa, 1876. An
elegant evergreen climber, with smooth stems and numerous spreading
branches. It forms an excellent plant when trained in pots, and is
invaluable for cutting.
=A. p. nanus= (dwarf).* A very elegant dwarf variety of above.
Stems tufted, slender, and gracefully arching. South Africa, 1880.
For bouquets, the cut sprays of both type and variety have the
advantage of much greater persistency than any fern, retaining
their freshness in water from three to four weeks. See Fig. 161,
for which we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons.
=A. racemosus= (racemose). _fl._ greenish-white, in many-flowered
axillary racemes. May. _l._ bundled, linear-subulate, falcate;
branches striated; prickles solitary. _h._ 3ft. India, 1808.
Greenhouse evergreen shrub.
[Illustration: FIG. 161. ASPARAGUS PLUMOSUS NANUS.]
=A. ramosissimus= (very branching). _fl._ solitary, at the tips of
the branchlets; pedicels hardly perpendicular, one and a-half to
two lines long; cream coloured. June. _l._ obscurely spurred at the
base; false leaves three to eight-nate, flattened; linear-falcate
acute, 1/4in. to 3/8in. long, spreading. South Africa, 1862. A wide
climbing, copiously branched, slender greenhouse shrub, with very
numerous spreading or ascending branches and branchlets.
=A. scandens= (climbing).* _fl._ whitish, axillary on the ultimate
branchlets, succeeded by round orange-coloured berries. The annual,
much-branched, unarmed stems bear, usually in threes, numerous
small linear-pointed leaves, which on the ultimate branches spread
nearly in one plane. Cape of Good Hope, 1795. An elegant climbing
greenhouse perennial.
=A. virgatus= (twiggy).* A remarkably elegant feathery looking
plant, of shrubby habit. The stems, which issue from the crown of
the stout fleshy roots, are of a dark green colour, and bear at
the upper end a corymbose head of erect branches, of which the
lowest is the youngest or most recently developed. These branches
are again twice branched, the ultimate branchlets being furnished
with needle-shaped false leaves, 1/2in. long, which usually grow in
threes. South Africa, 1862.
=ASPARAGUS BEETLE= (_Crioceris asparagi_), or "Cross-bearer." This
beautiful little insect is blue-black or greenish; the thorax is red
with two black spots, and the wing-cases are yellow, with a black cross
on them; the legs and antennæ are black. The short grey larva is flat
underneath, arched on the back, and covered with hairs. The sides are
of an olive hue, and the little legs and head are black. It ejects a
drop of blackish fluid from the mouth when touched. When full grown,
which takes about a fortnight, the larva measures about two lines in
length; the average length of the perfect Beetle is about three lines.
Although this insect does not actually destroy the plants, it inflicts
much damage on the foliage, and checks the growth of the stems after
they have attained some size, in consequence of which the foliage
becomes much less in the next season. The eggs are fixed to the shoots,
and are small, dark, pointed bodies. The larvæ do the harm, as they
feed on the bark and tender portions of the plants. The mature Beetles
should be picked off by hand, and, by commencing early enough in the
season, their numbers will be greatly reduced. Syringing the plants
with water, heated to a temperature that will not injure the plants, is
found a useful method for removing the grubs.
_White Hellebore._ Freshly-ground White Hellebore, sprinkled over the
foliage while it is damp, and repeating the operation at intervals of
about eight days for a season, will generally effect a riddance; but
the following will usually be found better in such cases. Neither must
be applied until after cutting ceases, as they are very poisonous.
_Paris Green._ This, mixed and used as for Cherry Fly (_see_ =Black
Fly=), will generally got rid of the Beetle, if applied about thrice
each season for two years. It should, however, only be used in severe
cases.
_Soot_, applied in the same manner as White Hellebore, and in liberal
quantities, will, in a season or two, clear the beds. If a bushel of
salt be mixed with each twenty bushels of soot, it will enhance the
effect.
=ASPARAGUS KNIFE.= The Asparagus Knife consists of a strong blade
fixed in a handle. There are, or were, three kinds employed: In one
form, the blade was blunt on both sides, straight, with a sharp tip,
and not unlike a small chisel. Another had its blade slightly hooked,
and serrated at one end. But the best is that now almost universally
employed, and which is illustrated by Fig. 162.
[Illustration: FIG. 162. ASPARAGUS KNIFE.]
=ASPASIA= (from _aspazomai_, I embrace; the column embraced by the
labellum). ORD. _Orchidaceæ_. A genus of elegant stove Epidendrum-like
epiphytal orchids, with the lip united to the column, and broad, thin
pseudo-bulbs. The name Aspasia is now and then met with attached to a
totally different genus. Salisbury gave it to a liliaceous plant which
is now referred to _Ornithogalum_. For culture and propagation, _see_
=Stanhopea=.
=A. epidendroides= (Epidendrum-like).* _fl._ whitish yellow; sepals
linear oblong, acute; petals obtuse, concave, lateral lobes of
lip roundish, entire, middle lobe crenated emarginate. February.
Pseudo-bulbs oblong, two-edged. _h._ 1ft. Panama, 1833.
=A. lunata= (crescent-marked).* _fl._ green, white, and brown,
solitary; sepals and petals linear obtuse, spreading; lip
three-lobed, lateral lobes short, middle one flat, nearly square,
wavy. February. Pseudo-bulbs oblong, two-edged. _h._ 1ft. Rio
Janeiro, 1843.
=A. papilionacea= (butterfly-like).* _fl._, sepals and petals
yellowish, mottled with brown lines on their internal inferior
halves; lip fiddle-shape, its back very great, elliptic, apiculate;
an orange-coloured area stands at its base, a wide violet disc
before and around it. _h._ 9in. Costa Rica, 1876. Distinguished
from _A. lunata_ in having thirteen keels at the base of the lip,
which is higher inserted, and in the echinulate anther. It is a
beautiful but rare novelty.
=A. psittacina= (parrot-like).* _fl._, sepals and petals light
green, with brown transverse bars, which sometimes consist
of separate stripes, at other times of confluent ones; the
fiddle-shaped lip shows two keels and a few purplish dots over its
top; the column is brown at its top, then violet, and white at the
base. Ecuador, 1878. It has a raceme of several flowers, usually
one-sided, bent over.
=A. variegata= (variegated).* _fl._ green, spotted with yellowish
red; sepals linear oblong; petals somewhat rhomboid, acute; lateral
lobes of lip recurved, middle one fleshy, serrated. February. _h._
9in. Panama, 1836. Deliciously sweet-scented in the morning.
=ASPEN.= _See_ =Populus tremula=.
=ASPERA.= Rough, with hairs or points.
=ASPERULA= (from _asper_, rough; in allusion to the leaves). Woodruff.
ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. Hardy herbs, rarely small shrubs. Flowers terminal
and axillary, in fascicles. Leaves opposite, with one, two, or three
stipulas on each side; they are therefore called four to eight in a
whorl, but between the uppermost leaves there are no stipulas. Stems
and branches usually tetragonal. Most of the species are very pretty
when in flower, and are, therefore, well adapted for borders, rockwork,
and shady places, in almost any garden soil. Propagated by divisions of
the roots during spring and early summer. Herbaceous perennials, except
where otherwise stated.
=A. azurea-setosa= (blue-bristly). A synonym of _A. orientalis_.
=A. calabrica= (Calabrian). A synonym of _Putoria calabrica_.
=A. cynanchica= (Cynanche-like). _fl._ on erect branches, forming a
fastigiate corymb, white or bluish-coloured, elegantly marked with
red lines, or sometimes pure white. Summer. _l._ four in a whorl;
floral ones lanceolate-linear, acuminately awned; lower ones small,
oblong, upper ones opposite. Plant glabrous, erectish. _h._ 9in. to
12in. England.
=A. hirta= (hairy). _fl._ white at first, changing to pink, with
oblong divisions. July and August. _l._ usually six in a whorl,
four towards the upper part, linear, hairy, deep green. _h._ 3in.
Pyrenees, 1817. A charming but rare little alpine, thriving best in
a rather damp position on the rockery.
=A. longiflora= (long-flowered).* _fl._ whitish, yellowish inside,
and reddish outside; tube of corolla elongated; fascicles terminal,
pedunculate; bracteas small, subulate. Summer. _l._ four in a
whorl, linear; lower ones small, obovate; upper ones opposite.
Stems weak, numerous, from the same neck, erectish, glabrous. _h._
6in. Hungary, 1821.
=A. montana= (mountain).* _fl._, corollas pink, four-cleft,
scabrous externally; in fascicles. June, July. _l._ linear; lower
ones six in a whorl; middle ones four; upper ones opposite; floral
leaves linear. Stem weak, glabrous. _h._ 6in. to 8in. Hungary, 1801.
=A. odorata= (sweet-scented).* Sweet Woodruff. _fl._ snowy white;
corymbs terminal, pedunculate, usually trifid, each division
bearing about four flowers. May, June. _l._ eight in a whorl,
lanceolate, smooth, with serrulately scabrous edges. Stems
tetragonal, simple, erect, or ascending. _h._ 6in. to 12in.
Britain. This very pretty little plant is scentless when fresh,
but, when dried, it diffuses an odour like that of spring grass;
and when kept among clothes, it not only imparts an agreeable
perfume to them, but preserves them from insects.
=A. orientalis= (Oriental).* _fl._ sky blue, in terminal heads;
bracts of involucre shorter than the flowers. Summer. _l._
lanceolate, bristly, about eight in a whorl. _h._ 1ft. Caucasus,
1867. A charming little, profuse blooming, hardy annual, bearing
clusters of fragrant flowers, admirably adapted for bouquet making.
SYN. _A. azurea-setosa_. See Fig. 163.
[Illustration: FIG. 163. ASPERULA ORIENTALIS, showing Habit and Portion
of Inflorescence.]
=A. taurina= (bull). _fl._, corollas white, elongated; corymbs
pedunculate, axillary, fasciculately umbellate, involucrated;
bracteas ciliated. April to June. _l._ four in a whorl,
ovate-lanceolate, three-nerved, with finely ciliated margins. Plant
smoothish, erect. _h._ 1ft. South Europe, 1739.
=A. tinctoria= (Dyers'). _fl._ white, reddish on the outside;
usually trifid. June. _l._ linear; lower ones six in a whorl;
middle ones four; and the uppermost ones opposite; floral leaves
ovate. Plant procumbent, unless supported. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. long,
purplish. Europe, 1764.
=ASPHALT.= Artificial Asphalt is now generally used in England for
footpaths, &c. The recipes are various, one of the best being the
following: Lime rubbish two parts, coal ashes one part (both must be
very dry), sifted very fine; mix them, and leave a hole in the middle
of the heap, wherein pour boiling hot coal tar; mix well together. When
as stiff as mortar, lay it down, 3in. thick, on a dry and previously
well-levelled surface. A boy should follow with dry, finely-sifted
sand, distributing just enough to prevent his boots sticking to the
tar. Two men should be employed for the tarring, whilst another should
attend to the boiling operation. Only just enough tar to last ten
minutes must be taken from the furnace at one time, as, if it be not
boiling, the walks will become soft under the action of very hot sun.
This may be repeated every three years. It is imperative that the
surface, lime, coal ashes and sand be perfectly dry, and that the days
selected for the operation be very fine, the hotter the better. Another
excellent plan is that of using gas lime and coal ashes. There must
be a firm foundation and smooth surface. Spread the gas lime to about
1-1/2in. deep, and level with the back of a spade. Over this place a
thin layer of coal dust, and well roll. The work is then complete.
=ASPHODEL.= _See_ =Asphodelus=.
=ASPHODELINE.= ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A genus of plants allied to
_Asphodelus_, but distinguished from it by having erect leafy stems.
They thrive in any ordinary garden soil. Propagated by division.
=A. brevicaulis= (short-stemmed). _fl._ in lax, often panicled
racemes, yellow, veined with green. _l._ subulate, ascending, lower
ones 4in. to 6in. long. Stem slender, often flexuose. Orient.
=A. damascena= (Damascene). _fl._ white, in dense generally simple
racemes, 6in. to 12in. long. _l._ in dense rosette, 6in. to 9in.
long, subulate. Stem simple, erect. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. Asia
Minor.
=A. liburnica= (Liburnian). _fl._ yellow, striped with green, in
generally simple lax racemes, 6in. to 9in. long. Stem simple,
erect, strict, 1ft. to 2ft. high, upper half naked. South Europe.
=A. lutea= (yellow). _fl._ yellow, fragrant, in a dense, very long,
straight, simple raceme, in the axils of buff-coloured bracts,
which are nearly as long as the flowers. Summer. _l._ numerous,
awl-shaped, triangular, furrowed, smooth, dark green, marked with
lines of a paler tint; root leaves tufted. Stem 3ft. or 4ft.
high. Sicily, 1596. The best known and handsomest species. SYN.
_Asphodelus luteus_.
=A. l. fl.-pl.= This resembles the species, but the flowers are
double, and last much longer than those of the typical form; it is
a very pretty plant.
=A. taurica= (Taurian). _fl._ white, striped with green, in
generally simple dense racemes, 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in.
wide. Stem simple, erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high, densely leafy at base
of raceme. Asia Minor, &c. SYN. _Asphodelus tauricus_.
=A. tenuior= (slenderer). _fl._ yellow, in simple lax-flowered
racemes, 3in. to 4in. long, 2in. wide. Stem simple lower half leaf,
upper naked, 1ft. Orient. SYN. _Asphodelus tenuior_.
=ASPHODELUS= (from _a_, not, and _sphallo_, to supplant; in allusion
to the beauty of the flowers). Asphodel. ORD. _Liliaceæ_. Very pretty
hardy herbaceous perennials, with fleshy fasciculated roots. Perianth
white or yellow, of six equal spreading segments; stamens six,
hypogynous, alternately long and short. Leaves usually radical, tufted,
narrow, or triquetrous. All the species enumerated thrive in good
deep sandy loam, and are very suitable for borders and shrubberies.
Propagated by division of the root, which is best done in early spring.
=A. æstivus= (summer). _fl._ white. Summer. _h._ 2ft. Spain, 1820.
=A. albus= (white).* _fl._ white; peduncles clustered the length of
the bracts. May. _l._ linear, keeled, smooth. Stem naked, simple.
_h._ 2ft. South Europe, 1596.
=A. creticus= (Cretan).* _fl._ yellow. July. _l._ filiform,
striated, toothed, ciliated. Stem leafy, naked above, branched.
_h._ 2ft. Crete, 1821.
=A. fistulosus= (pipe-stalked). _fl._ white. July, August. _l._
upright, striated, subulate, fistular. Stem naked. _h._ 18in. South
Europe, 1596.
=A. luteus= (yellow). A synonym of _Asphodeline lutea_.
=A. ramosus= (branchy). _fl._ large, white, with a reddish-brown
line in the middle of each segment, springing from the axils of
ovate-lanceolate bracts, and in very long dense racemes. Summer.
_l._ sword-shaped, stiff, sharply keeled below, channelled above.
Stem much branched. _h._ 4ft. to 5ft. South Europe, 1829.
[Illustration: FIG. 164. ASPHODELUS VILLARSII, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. Villarsii= (Villars'). _fl._ white; raceme dense, elongated;
bracts dark brown. Stem simple or rarely branched. _h._ 1ft. to
2ft. Eastern France. See Fig. 164.
=ASPIDISTRA= (from _aspidiseon_, a little round shield; in reference
to the form of the flower). SYN. _Porpax_ (of Salisbury). Including
_Plectogyne_. ORD. _Liliaceæ_. Hardy, or nearly hardy, evergreen,
foliage plants. Flowers insignificant, produced close to the ground,
remarkable for the curious mushroom-like stigma, by which this genus is
characterised. They thrive in almost any ordinary garden soil, but are
best grown in rich loam, leaf soil, and sand; plenty of moisture being
allowed. Propagated by suckers.
=A. elatior= (taller).* _l._ oblong, large, on long petioles,
leathery; plant stemless. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. Japan, 1835. This
very easily cultivated and quite hardy foliage plant is much grown
for window gardening and other decorative purposes, for which it is
well suited.
=A. e. variegata= (variegated).* A fine variety with
alternately-striped green and white leaves.
[Illustration: FIG. 165. ASPIDISTRA LURIDA.]
=A. lurida= (lurid). _fl._ purple. July. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, on
long petioles. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. China, 1822. A very graceful
species, with long evergreen leaves. It is an effective plant for
the outdoor garden during summer, and is nearly, if not quite,
hardy. See Fig. 165.
=A. punctata= (dotted). _l._ lanceolate, on long stalks. _h._ 1ft.
China. This is very closely allied to _A. elatior_, but of inferior
value.
=ASPIDIUM= (from _aspidion_, a little buckler; in allusion to the form
of the involucre). Shield Fern. ORD. _Filices_. Including _Cyclodium_,
_Cyclopeltis_, _Cyrtomium_, _Phanerophlebia_, and _Polystichum_. Stove,
greenhouse, or hardy ferns. Sori sub-globose, dorsal or terminal on the
veinlets; involucre orbicular, fixed by the centre. They thrive in a
compost of sandy peat with a little loam. Several species are admirably
adapted for the indoor fernery. The hardy species are best grown in the
shade; a little sandstone should be incorporated with the soil. For
general culture, _see_ =Ferns=.
[Illustration: FIG. 166. ASPIDIUM ACULEATUM.]
=A. acrostichoides= (Acrostichum-like).* _sti._ 6in. to 8in.
long, densely scaly below. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 2in. to
6in. broad; pinnæ of the lower half barren, 2in. to 3in. long,
1/4in. broad, spinoso-serrated throughout, auricled at the base
above; the pinnæ of the upper half fertile, much smaller. _sori_
occupying the whole under side. North America. SYN. _Polystichum
acrostichoides_. Hardy.
=A. a. grandiceps= (large-crested).* A very handsome fern, having
the apices of the fronds and pinnæ heavily crested; equally
desirable for the hardy or temperate fernery. Of garden origin.
=A. a. incisum= (incised).* A variety with the pinnules deeply cut
and acutely pointed.
=A. aculeatum= (sharp-pointed).* The Hard Shield Fern. _sti._
tufted, 6in. to 12in. long, more or less scaly. _fronds_ 1ft. to
3ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, ovate-lanceolate; lower pinnæ
close, lanceolate, 4in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad;
pinnules ovate-rhomboidal, unequal sided, auricled on the upper
base; teeth aristate. sori nearer the midrib than the edge. A
variable and hardy species, common throughout the world. SYN.
_Polystichum aculeatum_. _A. a. proliferum_ is a proliferous
Australian form. _A. a. vestitum_ has the rachis densely clothed to
the point, both with reddish-brown fibrillose and large lanceolate
dark brown scales. See Fig. 166.
=A. amabile= (lovely). _sti._ scattered, 6in. to 12in. long,
slightly scaly below. _fronds_ 1ft. or more long, 6in. to 12in.
broad, with a lanceolate terminal pinna, and three to six
lateral ones on each side, which are 3in. to 6in. long, 1in.
to 1-1/2in. broad, the lowest sometimes divided at the base;
segments sub-rhomboidal, with at least half the lower side cut
away, the upper side and part of the lower lobed and sharply
spinuloso-serrated. sori sub-marginal. Ceylon. Stove species. SYN.
_Polystichum amabile_.
=A. angulare= (angular). The Soft Shield Fern. Botanically this
is only a variety of _A. aculeatum_; but, to the cultivator, it
is abundantly distinct. The fronds are not so tapered at the
base, the pinnules are more equal in size, and the lower ones
distinctly stalked, while the texture is much less rigid than in
_A. aculeatum_, the caudex has a tendency to elongate. Almost
cosmopolitan in its distribution. SYN. _Polystichum angulare_.
There are an enormous number of varieties, many of which are
not under cultivation. Amongst the best found in gardens are
_alatum_, _Bayliæ_, _concinnum_, _corymbiferum_, _cristatum_,
_curtum_, _dissimile_, _grandiceps_, _imbricatum_, _Kitsoniæ_,
_lineare_, _parvissimum_, _plumosum_, _polydactylon_, _proliferum_,
_rotundatum_, _Wakeleyanum_, _Woollastoni_.
[Illustration: FIG. 167. ASPIDIUM ANGULARE GRANDICEPS.]
=A. a. grandiceps= (large-crested). This is a narrow fronded
variety, having the apices of the fronds branched and crested,
ultimately producing a broad tasselled head. A very handsome fern.
See Fig. 167.
=A. anomalum= (anomalous). _sti._ tufted, 1ft. to 2ft. long,
densely scaly below. _fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more
broad; lower pinnæ 6in. to 9in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad; pinnules
lanceolate, cut down in the lower part into oblong segments; teeth
blunt or slightly mucronate. _sori_ placed near the sinuses of the
pinnules. Ceylon. Stove species. SYN. _Polystichum anomalum_.
=A. aristatum= (awned).* _rhiz._ creeping. _sti._ scattered, 9in.
to 18in. long, very scaly below. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 9in.
to 12in. broad, ovate-deltoid, tri- or quadripinnatifid; lower
pinnæ largest, 4in. to 6in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad; lowest
pinnules much the largest, lanceolate-deltoid; teeth copious
aristate. _sori_ small, principally in two rows near the midrib.
Japan, Himalayas, New South Wales, &c. Greenhouse species. SYN.
_Polystichum aristatum_.
=A. a. coniifolium= (Conium-leaved).* _fronds_ more finely divided;
segments copiously toothed, with lower lobes distinct.
=A. a. variegatum= (variegated).* A handsome variety, with a broad
band of green running through the bases of the pinnules along the
course of the rachis.
=A. auriculatum= (eared).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 6in. long,
scaly below or throughout. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 2in. to
4in. broad; pinnæ numerous, sub-sessile, usually close, 1in. to
2in. long, about 1/2in. broad, ovate-rhomboidal, falcate, acute,
spinoso-serrated, the upper base auricled, the lower one truncate.
_sori_ in two rows. India, widely distributed. Stove species. SYNS.
_A. ocellatum_, _Polystichum auriculatum_.
=A. a. lentum= (pliant). Pinnæ cut into oblong mucronate lobes
about half-way down to the rachis, the auricle sometimes quite free.
=A. a. marginatum= (margined).* A variety with more coriaceous
texture; upper edge of the pinnæ slightly lobed.
=A. capense= (Cape).* _sti._ scattered, 1ft. to 2ft. long, densely
scaly below. _fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft. long, 12in. to 18in. broad,
sub-deltoid; lowest pinnæ the largest, 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to
4in. broad; pinnules and segments lanceolate, the latter bluntly
lobed. _sori_ very large and copious. South America, New Zealand,
Cape Colony, Natal, &c. Greenhouse species. SYNS. _A. coriaceum_,
_Polystichum capense_.
=A. confertum= (compressed). Synonymous with _A. meniscioides_.
=A. coriaceum= (leathery). Synonymous with _A. capense_.
=A. falcatum= (hooked).* _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 12in. long, densely
scaly below. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, simply
pinnate; pinnæ numerous, the lower stalked, ovate-acuminate,
falcate, 3in. to 5in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad; edge entire or
slightly undulated, the upper side narrowed suddenly, sometimes
auricled, the lower rounded or obliquely truncate at the base.
_sori_ small, copious, scattered. Japan, China, Himalayas, &c. SYN.
_Cyrtomium falcatum_.
=A. f. caryotideum= (Caryota-like) has pinnæ sometimes larger,
sharply toothed, slightly lobed, sometimes auricled on both sides.
SYN. _Cyrtomium caryotideum_.
=A. f. Fortunei= (Fortune's).* This differs from the type in having
pinnæ narrower and more opaque. All are most useful house ferns,
and quite hardy in many parts of the country. SYN. _Cyrtomium
Fortunei_.
=A. falcinellum= (finely-hooked).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in.
long, densely scaly. _fronds_ 9in. to 18in. long, 3in. to 6in.
broad; central pinnæ 2in. to 3in. long, 1/4in. broad; point acute;
edge finely serrated; the upper side bluntly auricled, the lower
obliquely truncate at the base. _sori_ in two long rows. Madeira.
Greenhouse species. SYN. _Polystichum falcinellum_.
=A. flexum= (bending). _rhiz._ stout, wide-creeping. _sti._
scattered, 1ft. long, scaly. _fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to
12in. broad; lower pinnæ lanceolate-deltoid, 4in. to 6in. long,
2in. to 4in. broad; pinnules lanceolate-deltoid, cut down to the
rachis below into oblong bluntly-lobed segments. _sori_ large, in
two rows, copious. Juan Fernandez. Stove species. SYN. _Polystichum
flexum_.
=A. fÅniculaceum= (Fennel-leaved).* _rhiz._ creeping. _sti._
scattered, 6in. to 12in. long, densely scaly below. _fronds_ 1ft.
to 2ft. long, and 9in. to 12in. broad, lanceolate-deltoid, four to
five pinnatifid; lower pinnæ 6in. to 8in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad;
ultimate divisions linear, awned, with a firm texture. _sori_
solitary. Greenhouse species. Sikkim, 7,000ft. to 10,000ft. SYN.
_Polystichum fÅniculaceum_.
=A. frondosum= (leafy). _sti._ scattered, 1ft. to 2ft. long,
densely scaly below. _fronds_ 18in. to 24in. long, 1ft. or more
broad, sub-deltoid; lower pinnæ much the largest, long stalked;
pinnules lanceolate; segments very unequal sided, pinnatifid,
with rounded mucronate lobes, obliquely truncate at the base
below. _sori_ large, copious. Madeira. Greenhouse species. SYN.
_Polystichum frondosum_.
=A. Hookeri= (Hooker's). _sti._ 1ft. or more long, naked. _fronds_
2ft. to 3ft. long; pinnæ 6in. to 8in. long, 1in. broad, cut down
to a broadly-winged rachis into nearly close, spreading, entire,
linear-oblong lobes 1/8in. broad. _sori_ nearer the edge than the
midrib. Malay Archipelago. Stove species. SYNS. _A. nephrodioides_
and _Cyclodium Hookeri_.
=A. laserpitiifolium= (Laserpitium-leaved).* _sti._ 4in. to 6in.
long, stramineous, scaly at base. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long,
6in. to 9in. broad, ovate-deltoid, tripinnate; lower pinnæ the
largest, with pinnules on the lower side prolonged, lanceolate,
imbricated with small, distinct, bluntly-lobed segments. _sori_
in two rows, very copious. Japan. A very desirable greenhouse
species. SYNS. _Lastrea Standishii_ (of gardens) and _Polystichum
laserpitiifolium_.
=A. lepidocaulon= (scaly-stemmed). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 9in.
long, densely clothed with large cordate scales. _fronds_ 1ft. or
more long, 4in. to 6in. broad, sometimes elongated and rooting
at the point: pinnæ 2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad,
lanceolate-falcate, the two sides unequal, the upper one auricled
at the base. _sori_ principally in two rows, near the midrib.
Japan. Greenhouse species. SYN. _Polystichum lepidocaulon_.
=A. Lonchitis= (spar-like).* The Holly Fern. _sti._ densely tufted,
1in. to 4in. long, scaly at base. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 1in.
to 3in. broad, pinnate throughout; pinnæ 1/2in. to 1-1/2in. long,
1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, ovate-rhomboidal, sub-falcate, the two
sides unequal, point mucronate, edge spinuloso-serrated, the upper
side sharply auricled at the base, the lower obliquely truncate.
Britain, &c. A very widely-spread hardy species. SYN. _Polystichum
Lonchitis_.
=A. meniscioides= (Meniscium-like). _sti._ 1ft. to 2ft. long, scaly
below. _fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, pinnate;
barren pinnæ sessile, 6in. to 9in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad,
oblong-acuminate, nearly entire; fertile pinnæ much smaller. _sori_
in two close rows between the primary veins. West Indies, &c. Stove
species. SYNS. _A. confertum_ and _Cyclodium meniscioides_.
=A. mohrioides= (Mohria-like). _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 6in. long,
more or less densely scaly. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 2in. to
3in. broad, bipinnate; pinnæ numerous, frequently imbricated,
lanceolate, cut down below into slightly toothed, oblong-rhomboidal
pinnules. _sori_ copious. Patagonia and the Cordilleras of Chili.
Greenhouse species. SYN. _Polystichum mohrioides_.
=A. mucronatum= (mucronated).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 4in.
long, densely scaly. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 1-1/2in.
to 2in. broad, pinnate throughout; pinnæ very numerous, often
imbricated, 3/4in. to 1in. long, 1/4in. to broad, sub-rhomboidal,
unequal-sided, mucronate, sub-entire, distinctly auricled at the
upper base. _sori_ in a long row on each side the midrib. West
Indies. Stove or greenhouse species. SYN. _Polystichum mucronatum_.
=A. munitum= (armed).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 9in. long, densely
scaly. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad; pinnæ close,
2in. to 4in. long, about 1/2in. broad, acuminate, finely spinulose
and serrated throughout, the upper side auricled, and the lower
obliquely truncate at the base. _sori_ in two rows near the edge.
California, &c. Hardy; very fine. SYN. _Polystichum munitum_.
=A. nephrodioides= (Nephrodium-like). Synonymous with _A. Hookeri_.
=A. ocellatum= (spotted). Synonymous with _A. auriculatum_.
=A. pungens= (stinging). _rhiz._ stout. _sti._ scattered, 1ft.
long, scaly below only. _fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 12in.
broad; lower pinnæ 4in. to 6in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad; pinnules
ovate-rhomboidal, unequal-sided, often deeply pinnatifid. _sori_
principally in two rows near the midrib. Cape Colony. Greenhouse
species. SYN. _Polystichum pungens_.
=A. repandum= (wavy-leaved). _sti._ 1ft. to 2ft. long, naked.
_fronds_ 2ft. or more long, 12in. to 18in. broad, apex deeply
pinnatifid, with linear-oblong, slightly sinuated lobes; lower
pinnæ four to eight on each side, 6in. to 8in. long, 1-1/4in.
to 1-1/2in. broad, acuminate; edge bluntly sinuated, the lowest
stalked and forked. _sori_ in two distinct rows near the main vein.
Philippines. Stove species.
=A. rhizophyllum= (frond-rooting). _sti._ tufted, 1in. to 2in.
long, slender. _fronds_ 2in. to 6in. long, 3/4in. broad, with the
long, narrow upper half of the frond lengthened out and rooting,
the lower half cut down to a flattened fibrillose rachis into
oblong-rhomboidal sub-entire lobes about 1/2in. broad, 1/4in. deep.
_sori_ scattered. Jamaica, 1820. Stove or cool house species. SYN.
_Polystichum rhizophyllum_.
=A. semicordatum= (half-cordate). _sti._ scattered, 6in. to 12in.
long. _fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad, simply
pinnate; pinnæ spreading, 4in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in.
broad, nearly entire, acuminate, cordate or truncate at the base.
_sori_ in one to three rows on each side, the inner one close to
the midrib. Tropical America, &c. SYN. _Polystichum semicordatum_.
=A. trapezioides= (Trapezium-like). Synonymous with _A. viviparum_.
=A. triangulum= (triangular).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 6in. long,
base scaly. _fronds_ 1ft. or more long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad;
pinnæ numerous, sessile, lower ones distant, central ones 3/4in. to
1in. long, about 5/8in. broad, sub-deltoid, lower side obliquely
truncate; apex mucronate, edge sub-entire or slightly lobed, with
blunt or spinose teeth, one or both sides auricled at the base.
_sori_ principally in two rows near the edge. West Indies. Stove or
greenhouse species. SYN. _Polystichum triangulum_.
=A. trifoliatum= (three-leaved). _sti._ tufted, 1ft. or more long,
base only scaly. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 12in.
broad, with a large ovate-acuminate terminal pinna, narrowed or
forked at the base, and one or two lateral ones on each side, the
lowest mostly forked. _sori_ in rows near the main veins. Tropical
America. Stove species.
=A. t. heracleifolium= (Heracleum-leaved). A form with pinnæ
pinnatifid on both sides at the base.
=A. tripteron= (three-winged). _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long, densely
scaly at base. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, with a large terminal
and two small spreading lateral pinnæ at the base of it, the former
2-1/2 in. to 3in. broad, with very numerous spreading pinnules on
each side, 1-1/2in. long, about 1/2in. broad, unequal sided, acute,
deeply inciso-pinnatifid, the lower lobes again toothed; lateral
pinnæ 3in. to 5in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad. _sori_ principally
in two rows midway between midrib and edge. Japan. Greenhouse
species. SYN. _Polystichum tripteron_.
=A. varium= (variable).* _rhiz._ sub-creeping. _sti._ 6in. to 12in.
long, densely fibrillose below. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 9in.
to 12in. broad, lanceolate-deltoid; lower pinnæ much the largest,
sub-deltoid, unequal sided, 4in. to 6in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad;
pinnules lanceolate, imbricated, with oblong, blunt, slightly
toothed segments. _sori_ principally in two rows near the midrib.
Japan. Greenhouse species. SYNS. _Lastrea varia_ and _Polystichum
varium_. It is frequently met with in gardens under the former
name.
=A. viviparum= (bud-producing). _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 6in. long,
scaly at the base. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 6in.
broad; pinnæ numerous, nearly lanceolate, the central ones 2in. to
3in. long, about 1/2in. broad, mucronate, sometimes bud-bearing,
the edge more or less deeply lobed, in the lower part sometimes
quite down to the rachis, the upper side auricled. _sori_ in two
or four rows. West Indies. Stove or greenhouse species. SYNS. _A.
trapezioides_ and _Polystichum viviparum_.
=ASPLENIUM= (from _a_, not, and _splen_, spleen; referring to the
medicinal properties formerly attributed to the genus). Spleenwort.
ORD. _Filices_. Including _Anisogonium_, _Athyrium_, _Ceterach_,
_Cænopteris_, _Darea_, _Diplazium_, _Hemidictyum_, _Neottopteris_. A
very large and widely-spread genus, including species suitable for the
stove, temperate, and hardy ferneries. Sori dorsal or submarginal,
linear or oblong. Involucre similar in shape, straight or occasionally
curved, single or double, plane or tumid, bursting along the outer
edge. The tropical species should be grown in a compost of peat, loam,
and sand; the hardy sorts in a mixture of fibrous peat and sand. Good
drainage is at all times required. For general culture, _see_ =Ferns=.
[Illustration: FIG. 163. ASPLENIUM ADIANTUM-NIGRUM, showing Rootstock
and back of Fertile Fronds.]
=A. abscissum= (clipped). _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad, sometimes
proliferous at the apex, with twelve to twenty horizontal pinnæ on
each side, which are 1-1/2in. to 2in. long, about 1/2in. broad,
bluntish; edge inciso-crenate, the upper one narrowed suddenly
at the base, the lower one obliquely truncate. _sori_ short, in
two regular rows, falling short of both midrib and edge. Tropical
America. Stove species. SYN. _A. firmum_.
=A. acuminatum= (taper-pointed).* _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 9in. to 12in. broad, with very numerous
close-placed lanceolate-oblong pinnæ on both sides, which are
4in. to 6in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad; pinnules numerous,
unequal-sided, lanceolate, acuminate; edges sharply toothed,
the lower base obliquely truncate. _sori_ in two rows in the
upper part, of the pinnules, often diplazioid. Sandwich Islands.
Greenhouse species. SYN. _A. polyphyllum_.
=A. Adiantum-nigrum= (Black Spleenwort). _sti._ tufted, 6in.
to 9in. long. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad
sub-deltoid; lower pinnæ deltoid, 2in. to 3in. long, 1-1/2in. to
2in. broad; all the pinnæ pinnate. _sori_ copious, at last often
occupying the whole under surface of the segments. Great Britain.
World-wide in its distribution. Hardy. _A. solidum_, from Cape
Colony, is supposed to be a mere form of this species. There are
several varieties the best of which are described below. See Fig.
168.
=A. A.-n. acutum= (acute). _fronds_ 9in. to 15in. long, deltoid,
tripinnate; ultimate segments linear, and very acute. Ireland. A
copiously divided and very elegant variety. Habit more graceful
than the type.
[Illustration: FIG. 169. ASPLENIUM ADIANTUM-NIGRUM GRANDICEPS.]
=A. A.-n. grandiceps= (large-crested). _fronds_ 6in. to 12in.
long; pinnæ comparatively short, and slightly crested; apex freely
divided, and expanded into a broad crest, which gives the frond a
very graceful contour. Frame or greenhouse variety. See Fig. 169.
=A. A-n. oxyphyllum= (sharp-leaved). _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long,
ovate-lanceolate; ultimate segments narrow and very acute. A very
pretty little variety.
=A. affine= (related). _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long. _fronds_ 12in
to 18in. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, bipinnate, with numerous
pinnæ on each side, the lower ones lanceolate-rhomboidal;
pinnules rhomboidal, inciso-serrate. _sori_ copious, linear.
Mascaren Islands, &c. Stove or warm greenhouse species. SYN. _A.
spathulinum_.
=A. alatum= (winged).* _sti._ 4in. to 6in, long, slender, the upper
part and the rachis, winged. _fronds_ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. long, 3in.
to 4in. broad, with twelve to twenty horizontal sessile pinnæ on
each side, which are 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, and about 1/2in. broad,
bluntish; edge uniformly inciso-crenate, the base nearly equal on
both sides. _sori_ distant, not reaching either the midrib or edge.
West Indies, &c. A very elegant stove species.
=A. alismæfolium= (Alisma-leaved). _sti._ 2in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ varying in shape, from simple oblong-lanceolate, 6in.
to 9in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad; apex acuminate; edges entire,
to ternate or pinnate, with a large terminal and three pairs of
lateral pinnæ, each like the entire frond of the simple state;
texture coriaceous. Isle of Luzon. Stove species. SYN. _Anisogonium
alismæfolium_.
=A. alternans= (alternated). _sti._ tufted, 1in. to 2in.
long. _fronds_ 6in. to 8in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad,
lanceolate-oblong, cut down into numerous bluntly-rounded lobes on
each side, which reach very nearly down to the rachis, the lower
gradually reduced. _sori_ copious. N. W. Himalayas. Greenhouse
species. SYN. _A. Dalhousiæ_.
=A. alternifolium= (alternate-leaved). Synonymous with _A.
germanicum_.
=A. angustifolium= (narrow-leaved).* _sti._ tufted, about 1ft.
long. _fronds_ 18in. to 24in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, simply
pinnate, lanceolate-oblong, flaccid, with twenty to thirty
sub-sessile pinnæ on each side, sterile ones largest, 2in. to 3in.
long, 1/2in. broad, acuminate; edge obscurely-crenate, base rounded
and equal on both sides; fertile pinnæ narrower and more distant.
_sori_ very close and regular, extending from the midrib nearly to
the edge. Canada, &c. Greenhouse species.
=A. anisophyllum= (unequal-leaved). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to
12in. long. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad,
oblong-lanceolate, simple pinnate, with ten to sixteen sub-sessile
pinnæ on each side which are 3in. to 5in. long, about 1in. broad,
acuminated, crenate, the two sides unequal, the upper one narrowed
suddenly, the lower one obliquely truncate at the base. _sori_
distant, elliptical, reaching half-way from the edge to the margin.
Cape Colony, &c. Greenhouse species.
=A. apicidens= (apex-toothed). A variety of _A. Vieillardii_.
=A. arborescens= (tree-like). _cau._ oblique. _sti._ 1ft. to 2ft.
long. _fronds_ 3ft. to 4ft. long, 2ft. to 3ft. broad, deltoid,
tripinnatifid, with numerous pinnæ, the lower ones 12in. to 18in.
long, 4in. to 6in. broad; pinnules 3in. long, about 1/2in. wide,
acuminate, edge cut two-thirds of the way down to the rachis into
nearly entire lobes, 1/4in. deep, 1/8in. broad. Lower _sori_
1/8in. long. Mauritius, &c., 1826. Stove species. SYN. _Diplazium
arborescens_.
=A. Arnottii= (Arnott's). _sti._ smooth, angular. _fronds_ ample,
tripinnatifid; lower pinnæ 9in. to 12in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad;
pinnules 3in. to 4in. long, 1in. or more broad, cut down below to a
distinctly winged rachis into deeply crenate, blunt, oblong lobes,
1/2in. deep, 1/4in. broad. _sori_ copious, nearly all diplazioid,
and filling up when mature nearly the whole surface of the lobes.
Sandwich Islands, 1877. Greenhouse species. SYNS. _A. diplazioides_
and _Diplazium Arnottii_.
=A. aspidioides= (Aspidium-like). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to
12in. long. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad,
ovate-deltoid, tripinnatifid; lower pinnæ 6in. to 8in. long,
lanceolate-deltoid; pinnules lanceolate, cut down below nearly to
the rachis into inciso-pinnatifid ovate segments, two lines broad.
_sori_ copious, oblong, the lower ones curved. Tropical America,
&c. Greenhouse species. SYN. _A. multisectum_.
=A. attenuatum= (attenuated). _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 4in. long.
_fronds_ simple, linear-lanceolate, about 1ft. long, about 1/2in.
broad, narrowed upwards very gradually, sometimes proliferous at
the point, the margin toothed; the lower third also lobed; the
lowest roundish, lobes reaching down nearly or quite to the rachis.
_sori_ reaching nearly to the edge. Queensland, &c. Greenhouse
species.
=A. aureum= (golden). A variety of _A. Ceterach_.
=A. auriculatum= (auriculated).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, simply pinnate,
lanceolate-oblong, with ten to twenty-stalked horizontal pinnæ
on each side, which are 2in. to 4in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad,
lanceolate, often sub-falcate; edge deeply crenate, the two sides
unequal, the upper one with a cordate auricle, the lower one
obliquely truncate. _sori_ distant, not reaching either the midrib
or edge. Tropical America, 1820. Stove species.
=A. auritum= (eared). _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long. _fronds_
6in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, simply pinnate, with ten to
fifteen stalked horizontal pinnæ on each side, which are 2in. to
3in. long, and about 1/2in. broad, acute or bluntish; edge sharply
toothed or often lobed, especially on the upper side towards the
base. _sori_ in two broad rather oblique rows. Tropical America.
Stove species.
=A. australasicum= (Australian). A variety of _A. Nidus_.
=A. Baptistii= (Baptist's).* _sti._ 6in. to 8in. long. _fronds_
1ft. long, bipinnate, broadly ovate; pinnæ stipitate, the lower
about 5in. long, with four narrow stipitate linear-toothed
pinnules, 2in. long, and a terminal lobe, 3-1/2in. long, 1/4in.
broad, furnished with distinct linear marginal teeth, pointing
forwards, and terminating in a long attenuated point, which is
toothed nearly to the end. _sori_ linear-oblong, straight, parallel
with, and close to, the midrib. South Sea Islands, 1879. A very
handsome stove species.
=A. Belangeri= (Belanger's).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, bipinnate; pinnæ
numerous, 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, 1/2in. broad, rounded at the
point, truncate at the base on the lower side; pinnules linear,
erecto-patent, half line broad; one vein and sorus to each segment,
the latter marginal. Malayan Peninsula. Stove species. SYNS. _A.
Veitchianum_, _Darea_, _Belangeri_, &c.
=A. bipartitum= (twice-partite). _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 8in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, bipinnate, with
about ten to fifteen stalked pinnæ on each side, which are 1in. to
1-1/2in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, bluntish, cut down at the
base on the upper side into one distinctly-stalked cuneate pinnule,
sometimes into two or three, the outer edge inciso-crenate, the
base on the lower side obliquely truncate. _sori_ in two regular
rows, reaching nearly to the edge. Mascaren Isles. Stove species.
=A. bisectum= (bisected).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, bipinnatifid,
with twenty to thirty horizontal pinnæ on each side, which are
2in. to 3in. long, 1/4in. broad, with a very long, narrow, deeply
inciso-pinnatifid upper portion, the base on the upper side
narrowed suddenly, on the lower obliquely truncate. _sori_ almost
all in two parallel rows close to the midrib. West Indies, &c.
Stove species.
=A. brachypteron= (broadly-winged). _sti._ tufted, 2in. to
4in. long. _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad,
bipinnate, with twelve to twenty-four horizontal pinnæ on each
side, of which from half to nearly the whole of the lower side
is cut away, the largest 1/2in. to 5/8in. long, cut down to the
rachis into simple or forked linear pinnules, 1in. to 1-1/2in.
long. _sori_ solitary, often quite marginal. Madagascar, &c. Stove
species. SYN. _Darea brachypteron_.
=A. brevisorum= (shortly-soriate). _sti._ 12in. to 18in. long.
_fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 18in. broad, tripinnate; lower
pinnæ 1ft. or more long; pinnules lanceolate, distant, 2in. to
3in. long, and 1-1/2in. broad; segments lanceolate, 3/4in. long,
two lines broad, deeply and sharply toothed. _sori_ small, six to
twelve to a segment, in two rows near the midrib, the lower ones
curved, often double. Jamaica, &c. Stove species. SYN. _Athyrium
brevisorum_.
=A. bulbiferum= (bulb-bearing). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 12in. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad, oblong-deltoid,
with numerous horizontal pinnæ on each side, which are often
proliferous from the upper surface, the largest 4in. to 8in. long,
1-1/2in. to 2in. broad; pinnules lanceolate-deltoid, slightly
toothed. _sori_ oblong, when mature often filling the whole breadth
of the segments. New Zealand, &c., very widely distributed.
Greenhouse species.
=A. b. Fabianum= (Fabia's). Lower segments deeply pinnatifid, with
narrow divisions and sub-marginal sori. SYN. _A. Fabianum_.
=A. b. laxum= (loose). Habit more slender; segments narrow, so that
the sori are often as if marginal.
=A. caudatum= (tailed). Probably a form of _A. falcatum_, but
having the sori more confined to the centre of the pinnæ, being
often restricted to two parallel rows close to the rachis.
Polynesia, &c. Greenhouse species.
[Illustration: FIG. 170. ASPLENIUM CETERACH.]
=A. Ceterach.=* Scale or Scaly Fern. _sti._ densely tufted, 1in. to
3in. long, scaly. _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long, 1/2in to 1in. broad,
cut down nearly or quite to the rachis into alternate, blunt,
sub-entire, broadly-oblong or roundish pinnæ, with a rounded sinus
between them; upper surface naked, lower densely clothed with deep
brown membranous scales. _sori_ linear oblique. Britain, throughout
Europe, Northern Asia, &c. This is a variable species, but the
forms do not remain constant under cultivation. It should be firmly
planted in a vertical chink of the rockery in loam, lime rubbish,
rock chippings, and sand, and be watered freely during the summer.
SYN. _Ceterach officinarum_. See Fig. 170.
=A. C. aureum= (golden).* A large variety, producing fronds from
9in. to 15in. long, 1-1/2in. to 3in. broad, and pinnæ more oblong
than the type; scales toothed. Canaries and Madeira. This is a
charming fern, requiring greenhouse treatment. SYN. _Ceterach
aureum_.
=A. cicutarium= (Cicuta-leaved).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 15in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, tripinnate, with
ten to fifteen horizontal pinnæ on each side, the lower ones 2in.
to 3in. long, 1in. broad, cut down to the rachis into numerous
ovate-rhomboidal pinnules, which are 3/8in. to 1/2in. long, 1/4in.
broad, obliquely-truncate on the lower side; segments once or
twice cleft at the apex. _sori_ principally in two rows along the
pinnules. Tropical America, &c. Stove species.
=A. Colensoi= (Colenso's). _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 4in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, tripinnatifid,
with numerous rather rigid erecto-patent pinnæ, the lower on
stalks 1/4in. to 1/2in. long; lower pinnules spreading, deeply
inciso-pinnatifid, with linear segments. _sori_ oblong, solitary.
New Zealand. A beautiful greenhouse species. SYN. _A. Hookerianum_.
=A. compressum= (compressed). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad, simply pinnate,
lanceolate-oblong, with ten to twenty sessile pinnæ on each side,
which are 4in. to 6in. long, about 1in. broad, acute or bluntish
at the point, edge slightly dentate, the upper ones decurrent at
the base upon the stout fleshy compressed rachis, the upper side
narrowed suddenly at about a right angle, the lower one obliquely
truncate. _sori_ broad, distant, not reaching either the midrib or
edge. St. Helena. Stove or greenhouse species.
=A. contiguum= (contiguous). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 9in. long.
_fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, with twenty
to thirty horizontal sub-falcate pinnæ on each side, which are
acuminated at the apex; edge more or less serrated, the base
narrowed suddenly, and sometimes auricled on the upper, obliquely
truncate in a curve on the lower side. _sori_ close, copious,
falling considerably short of the margin. Sandwich Isles.
Greenhouse species.
=A. crenatum= (crenated).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, scattered.
_fronds_ 9in. to 15in. each way, deltoid, tri- or quadripinnate,
with nine to twelve pinnæ on each side, the lowest much the
largest, 6in. to 9in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad; pinnules
lanceolate, cut down to the rachis except towards the point on
each side into four to six blunt oblong segments, two lines
long, one line broad, which are bluntly toothed. _sori_ two to
six to a segment, oblong, usually nearly straight, often double.
Scandinavia, &c. Hardy species.
=A. cultrifolium= (hook-leaved).* _sti._ 4in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, bipinnate,
deltoid-ovate, with a lobed terminal point and six to ten pinnæ on
each side, which are 3in. to 4in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad,
acute; edge broadly toothed, sometimes lobed below nearly or quite
to the rachis, the base nearly at a right angle on the upper, but
obliquely truncate on the lower side. _sori_ falling short both
of the edge and midrib. West Indies, 1820. Stove species. SYN.
_Diplazium cultrifolium_.
=A. cuneatum= (wedge-shaped). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 9in.
long. _fronds_ 6in. to 15in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad,
tripinnatifid, narrow-deltoid, with numerous spreading pinnæ on
each side, the lower 3in. to 4in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad,
lanceolate-deltoid, cut down to the rachis into several distinct
ovate-cuneate pinnules, which are dentate and cut down in the lower
part nearly or quite to the rachis. _sori_ linear, sub-flabellate.
West Indies, and widely distributed in both hemispheres, 1832. A
very handsome stove species.
=A. Dalhousiæ= (Dalhouse's). Synonymous with _A. alternans_.
=A. decussatum= (decussate). _sti._ 1ft. to 2ft. long. _fronds_
2ft. to 4ft. long, simply pinnate, with numerous pinnæ on each
side, which are 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, often
proliferous in the axils; edge nearly entire. _sori_ reaching
nearly to the edge, and copiously double. Polynesian and Malayan
Islands, &c. Stove species. SYN. _Anisogonium decussatum_.
=A. dentatum= (dentated).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 6in. long.
_fertile fronds_ 2in. to 3in. long, 1in. broad, with six to eight
pairs of stalked, sub-opposite pinnæ, which are 1/2in. broad,
3/8in. deep, oblong-rhomboidal, the lower side at the base truncate
in a curve, the outer edge irregularly crenate. _sterile fronds_
smaller, on shorter stalks. _sori_ copious, in two parallel rows.
West Indies, &c., 1820. A pretty little greenhouse species.
=A. dimidiatum= (unequal-sided).* _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 12in.
long. _fronds_ 6in. to 15in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, deltoid,
simply pinnate, with six to nine opposite pairs of pinnæ, which
are 2in. to 3in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, acuminated, sharply
serrated. _sori_ radiant, narrow, long linear. Tropical America.
Stove species.
=A. dimorphum= (two-formed).* _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 12in. long.
_fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 12in. to 15in. broad, ovate-deltoid,
sterile and fertile ones different or combined; lower pinnæ
ovate-deltoid, 6in. to 8in. long, 2in. broad, bluntly toothed, and
the base on the lower side obliquely truncate; fertile pinnæ the
same size, but with very narrow simple or forked pinnules. _sori_
linear, solitary, marginal. Norfolk Island. One of the handsomest
warm greenhouse species. SYNS. _A. diversifolium_ (of gardens), and
_Darea dimorpha_.
=A. diplazioides= (Diplazium-like). A synonym of _A. Arnottii_.
=A. diversifolium= (diverse-leaved). A garden synonym of _A.
dimorphum_.
=A. diversifolium= (diverse-leaved). Synonymous with _A. maximum_.
=A. ebeneum= (ebony-stalked).* _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 6in.
long. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad,
linear-lanceolate, with twenty to forty sessile pinnæ on each side,
which are about 1in. long, 1/8in. broad; point acute or bluntish;
edge faintly serrate; base hastately auricled, often cordate.
_sori_ ten to twelve on each side, oblong, short. Canada, &c.,
widely distributed, 1779. Greenhouse species. _A. ebenoides_ is
very like this, but the pinnæ are not cut down to the rachis, and
the frond has an elongated point, which is only sinuated with a
single row of sori on each side.
=A. erectum= (erect). Synonymous with _A. lunulatum_.
=A. erosum= (bitten). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 9in. long. _fronds_
6in. to 12in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, deltoid, with nine to
fifteen pinnæ on each side, which are 3in. to 4in. long, 1/2in.
to 3/4in. broad, the edge slightly lobed and crenato-dentate, the
point acuminate, the two sides unequal. _sori_ falling short of the
edge. West Indies. Stove species.
=A. esculentum= (edible).* _cau._ sub-arborescent. _sti._ 1ft. to
2ft. long. _fronds_ 4ft. to 6ft. long, pinnate or bipinnate; lower
pinnæ 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 8in. broad; pinnules 3in. to
6in. long, about 1in. broad, acuminate; edge more or less deeply
lobed; base narrowed suddenly, often auricled; lines of _sori_
often on all the lateral veinlets. India, &c., 1822. Stove species.
SYN. _Anisogonium esculentum_.
=A. extensum= (extended). _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ 12in. to 24in. long, about 1in. broad, with twenty to
forty sessile pinnæ on each side, which are 1/2in. long, 1/4in. to
3/8in. deep, blunt and entire, the upper side rather the broadest
and often cordate, the lower merely rounded at the base. _sori_
linear-oblong, two or three on each side of the midrib. Andes of
Columbia and Peru. A very rare greenhouse species, allied to our
native _A. Trichomanes_.
=A. Fabianum= (Fabia's). Synonymous with _A. bulbiferum Fabianum_.
=A. falcatum= (hooked).* _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 9in. long. _fronds_
6in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, lanceolate, with six to
twenty stalked, nearly horizontal pinnæ on each side, which are
2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad, acuminated, the edges
lobed often one-third of the way down, and the lobes sharply
toothed, the two sides unequal, and the lower one at the base
obliquely truncate. _sori_ in long irregular lines reaching nearly
to the edge. Polynesian Islands, &c., widely distributed. A very
elegant greenhouse species.
=A. fejeense= (Fijian).* _rhiz._ wide-climbing. _sti._ 6in. long,
scaly below. _fronds_ 18in. to 24in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in.
broad, lanceolate, caudate, or acuminate at the apex, and often
proliferous, narrowed below to a truncate base, the margin nearly
entire. _sori_ reaching from the midrib nearly to the edges. Fiji,
Samoa. &c. Stove species.
=A. Fernandesianum= (Juan Fernandez). A variety of _A. lunulatum_.
=A. Filix-fÅmina= (Lady Fern).* _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 12in. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, oblong-lanceolate,
with numerous pinnate pinnæ, the lower ones spreading, lanceolate,
3in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad; pinnules deeply
inciso-pinnatifid. _sori_ linear-oblong, the lower ones often
curved. Britain, and world-wide in its distribution. SYN. _Athyrium
Filix-fÅmina_. This handsome deciduous species has a great number
of varieties, the most important of which are described below:
=A. F.-f. acrocladon= (summit-branched).* _fronds_ 9in. to 15in.
long, slender, bi- or tripinnate, the lower part very narrow, with
the apices of the pinnæ sometimes crested; upper portion of the
frond freely branched, divisions narrow and crested, the whole
forming a broad head.
=A. F.-f. acuminatum= (taper-pointed).* _fronds_ 9in. to 12in.
long, lanceolate-acuminate in outline, with closely set pinnæ,
which are similarly characterised, and particularly tapering at the
apices.
=A. F.-f. apiculatum= (apiculate).* _fronds_ 6in. to 15in. long,
2in. to 4in. broad, lanceolate-acuminate in outline, with variously
furcate apices; pinnæ closely set with distinctly acuminated
apices, and small roundish obtuse serrated pinnules.
=A. F.-f. Applebyanum= (Appleby's).* _fronds_ narrow, 12in. to
24in. long, with short blunt pinnæ, while the extremities are
dilated into a broad furcated crest, which is very striking upon
such a narrow frond.
=A. F.-f. Barnesii= (Barnes's).* _fronds_ 9in. to 15in. long, 3in.
to 4in. wide, lanceolate in outline, abrupt at the top, bipinnate;
pinnæ alternate, closely set, lanceolate, acutely pointed, with
densely set, narrow, acutely serrate pinnules, with a very
membranous texture.
=A. F.-f. calothrix= (beautiful-hair).* _fronds_ 9in. to 15in.
long, copiously divided into exquisitely fine segments, so that the
fronds present a very light and delicate appearance.
=A. F.-f. contortum= (contorted).* _fronds_ very diversified,
the various pinnæ occasionally combining the characters of the
varieties _Applebyanum_ and _Victoriæ_.
=A. F.-f. coronatum= (coronate).* _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 2in.
wide; pinnæ distinctly forked, sometimes slightly crested at the
apices; the upper extremity of the frond copiously forked, and by
the ramification of the divisions a broad crest is formed, about
3in. to 4in. across.
=A. F.-f. corymbiferum= (corymbose).* _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long,
4in. to 7in. broad, lanceolate-acuminate in general outline; pinnæ
closely set, usually forked and crested at the apices, while the
extremities of the fronds are dilated into broad crests, nearly or
quite as wide at the broadest portion of the frond.
=A. F.-f. crispum= (crispy or curled).* _fronds_ 6in. long, densely
set with very finely divided pinnæ, which are thickly curled,
presenting a crispy appearance.
=A. F.-f. dissectum= (dissected).* _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long,
ovate or broadly lanceolate in form, with irregular and unequal
pinnæ; the pinnules also differ very much, and are deeply cut,
nearly down to the rachises.
=A. F.-f. Elworthii= (Elworth's).* _fronds_ 12in. to 20in. long,
lanceolate, tripinnate, terminated with a very dense crest, from
4in. to 6in. across; pinnæ and frequently the pinnules also more or
less forked and crested.
=A. F.-f. Fieldiæ= (Field's).* _fronds_ 12in. to 20in. long,
narrow, with regular or variously-forked divided pinnæ, sometimes
arranged crosswise, with a very graceful disposition.
=A. F.-f. Friselliæ= (Frisell's).* _fronds_ pendent, sometimes
2ft. long, rarely exceeding 1in. wide, bi- or tripinnate; pinnæ
alternate, imbricated, flabellate, with the margins of the pinnules
or ultimate divisions dentated.
=A. F.-f. grandiceps= (large-crested).* _fronds_ 9in. to 15in.
long, lanceolate in outline, copiously forked both at the
extremities of the pinnæ and frond. The latter is furnished with
a very large globose crest, which causes the frond to present a
beautifully arched appearance.
=A. F-f. Grantæ= (Grant's).* _fronds_ 9in. to 12in. long,
lanceolate, or broadly so, very thickly set with pinnæ, copiously
divided, with the apices of the latter turned up, so that the plant
has a crisp or bristly appearance.
=A. F.-f. Jonesii= (Jones's).* _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long,
oblong-lanceolate in outline, slightly acuminate, bipinnate,
furnished at the extremities with a small crest; pinnæ alternate,
copiously forked and crested at the apices, even having larger
crests than the one at the upper extremity of the frond; pinnules
narrow, dentate, slightly crested.
=A. F.-f. minimum= (smallest).* _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long, 1in.
wide, lanceolate, bipinnate; pinnules densely set, imbricated, and
crispy.
=A. F.-f. Moorei= (Moore's).* _fronds_ 4in. to 8in. long, linear,
terminated with a broad tasselled crest, 3in. or more in diameter;
pinnæ small, scattered, variously forked, crested, and slender.
=A. F.-f. multifidum= (many-fid).* A very vigorous growing variety,
producing fronds as large as those of the type, terminated with
large tasselled crests; pinnæ and pinnules narrow, the former
furnished with small crested apices. A variety known as _nanum_
much resembles the foregoing, but the crests are more dense, and
the fronds are usually not more than half the length.
=A. F.-f. pannosum= (pannose).* _fronds_ 10in. to 20in. long,
lanceolate in outline, from 4in. to 6in. in the broadest part, bi-
or (rarely) tripinnate; pinnæ thickly set, closely alternated,
lanceolate-acuminate in form, with deep cut pinnules, and
distinctly but irregularly lobed; the whole frond is frequently
tinged with reddish-purple.
=A. F.-f. plumosum= (feathery).* _fronds_ 12in. to 30in. long,
4in. to 10in. broad, broadly lanceolate in outline, tripinnate,
beautifully arched; pinnæ of the same form as the frond, copiously
divided; pinnules again divided into very fine segments. There are
several forms of this charming variety.
=A. F.-f. Pritchardii= (Pritchard's).* _fronds_ 12in. to 30in.
long, very narrow, tapering especially towards the apices; pinnæ
decussate, imbricate, rather irregular, with the margins of the
pinnules dentate. There is also a variety named _cristatum_, which
is finely crested at the apices of the pinnæ, and is particularly
striking.
=A. F.-f. ramosa= (branched).* _fronds_ 9in. to 12in. long, the
lower portion sparsely set with short irregular pinnæ, sharply cut
into finely dentate pinnules; the upper part is divided into two
main branches, which are again variously forked, and furnished with
short pinnæ, the ultimate divisions furcate and slightly crested.
=A. F.-f. scopæ= (heavily-crested).* _fronds_ 6in. to 16in. long,
with a few scattered irregular pinnæ along the main rachis; some
of the pinnæ are almost obsolete, while others are an inch long
with oblong-dentate pinnules and a heavy terminal crest; the upper
portion has several ramifications, each of which is copiously
forked and heavily crested, the whole forming a corymbose head 3in.
or 4in. in diameter, which gives the plant a pendent habit.
=A. F.-f. sub-lunatum= (half-crescent-shaped).* _fronds_ 9in. to
20in. long, less than 1in. wide, with curious alternated, nearly
crescent-shaped, much contracted pinnæ, sparingly divided, arching.
=A. F.-f. Victoriæ= (Victoria's).* _fronds_ long, lanceolate in
outline, with the apices crested, as well as those of the pinnæ;
the latter are forked at the base, the divisions being divergent,
and crossing those of the neighbouring pinnæ. A form named
_gracilis_ has narrower fronds, is more compact, and cresting
rather thicker. There is also another form named _lineare_, having
very small heavily crested fronds, and an extremely elegant
appearance. The foregoing are the most important varieties, but
a very comparative few of the total number. Although forms of an
essentially hardy species, the greater number--and particularly the
rarer sorts--should have a winter protection; or, what is far more
preferable and satisfactory, they should be grown in the frame or
temperate fernery.
=A. firmum= (firm-textured). Synonymous with _A. abscissum_.
=A. fissum= (cut).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 6in. long. _fronds_ 2in.
to 5in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, oblong-deltoid, tripinnatifid,
with a few distant pinnæ on each side; pinnules flabellato-cuneate,
deeply pinnatifid; ultimate segments under half a line broad.
_sori_ linear-oblong, when mature occupying the whole breadth of
the segments. South Europe. A pretty little frame or greenhouse
species.
=A. flabellifolium= (fan-leaved).* _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 6in.
long. _fronds_ procumbent, wide straggling, elongated, and rooting
at the apex, 6in. to 12in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, with ten to
fifteen sessile flabellate pinnæ on each side, which are 1/4in. to
1/2in. each way, broadly lobed; lobes sharply toothed, the base
cut away in a curve on the lower side. _sori_ oblique, irregular,
copious. Temperate Australia, &c. Greenhouse species.
=A. f. majus= (greater). This is a larger form, with longer fronds
and broader pinnæ.
=A. flaccidum= (relaxed). _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, often pendent,
with numerous lanceolate pinnæ, which are 4in. to 8in. long, and
about 1/2in. broad, sometimes rather rigid and recurved, sometimes
quite flaccid and drooping, like the main rachis, sometimes
deeply pinnatifid, but more often cut down to the thick rachis in
oblique or sub-falcate linear lobes. _sori_ in the divided form
quite marginal. New Zealand, &c. SYNS. _A. odontites_ and _Darea
flaccida_.
=A. fÅniculaceum= (Fennel-like). A variety of _A. fragrans_.
[Illustration: FIG. 171. ASPLENIUM FONTANUM.]
=A. fontanum= (rock).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 4in. long. _fronds_
3in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, oblong-lanceolate; lower
pinnæ short, reflexed; central ones horizontal, about 1/2in. long;
pinnules stalked, lower ones oblong, deeply inciso-pinnatifid.
_sori_ copious, covering nearly the whole under surface of the
pinnule. England, &c. Hardy. This requires to be planted in a
well-drained chink of the rockery, in rich gritty soil. SYN. _A.
Halleri_. _A. refractum_ is a well-marked variety. See Fig. 171.
=A. formosum= (beautiful). _sti._ tufted, very short. _fronds_
12in. to 18in. long, 1in. broad, with twenty to thirty sessile
horizontal pinnæ on each side, which are 1/2in. long, one
and a-half to two lines deep; upper edge deeply cut, point
rather obtuse, lower edge truncate in a straight line. _sori_
linear-oblong, short, oblique, placed one to four on each side
of the midrib. Tropical America, &c., 1822. A very elegant stove
species.
=A. fragrans= (fragrant).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long,
_fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to 6in. broad, sub-deltoid,
tripinnate, with numerous close placed deltoid pinnæ on each
side, the lowest 3in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad; pinnules
lanceolate-deltoid; segments sub-spathulate, one line broad,
dentate round the outer edge. _sori_ copious. Tropical America,
1793. _A. fÅniculaceum_ is a variety with narrowly linear ultimate
segments. Both are very handsome stove plants, the latter being
especially beautiful.
=A. Franconis= (Franconis).* _sti._ tufted, 1ft. long. _fronds_
1ft. to 2ft. long, 9in. to 15in. broad, deltoid, with numerous
pinnæ on each side, the lower ones 6in. to 8in. long, much
acuminated, cut down in the lower half into distinct pinnules,
1-1/2in. to 2in. long, 1/2in. broad, lanceolate, unequal sided, the
edge cut half-way down below into oblong sharply-toothed lobes;
the lower side obliquely truncate. _sori_ in parallel rows, not
reaching the edge. Mexico, &c. Stove species. SYN. _Diplazium
Franconis_.
=A. furcatum= (forked).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long, _fronds_
6in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, with twelve to twenty
pinnæ on each side, which are lanceolate-deltoid, 2in. to 3in.
long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, nearly or quite pinnate; pinnules
linear-cuneate, sharply serrated on the outer edge. _sori_ linear,
distant. Very widely distributed in the tropical and sub-tropical
regions of both hemispheres. A most elegant greenhouse species.
SYN. _A. præmorsum_.
=A. germanicum= (German).* _sti._ densely tufted, 2in. to 4in.
long. _fronds_ 2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad, lanceolate,
cut down to the rachis into a few narrow flabellato-cuneate pinnæ
on each side, the lowest of which are again deeply cleft. _sori_
linear, when mature covering the whole breadth, but falling short
of the point of the pinnæ. Scotland and Norway to Hungary and
Dalmatia. Hardy or frame species. SYN. _A. alternifolium_.
=A. giganteum= (gigantic). A synonym of _A. radicans_.
=A. Goringianum pictum= (painted).* A very pretty form of _A.
macrocarpum_; the fronds are from 6in. to 18in. long, pendulous,
somewhat lanceolate in form; rachis reddish, with the pinnæ next
it on each side variegated, forming a central grey band throughout
its entire length. Japan. Greenhouse species, or hardy in sheltered
positions.
=A. grandifolium= (large-leaved). _sti._ 1ft. or more
long. _fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 12in. broad,
deltoid-lanceolate, the point pinnatifid, with twelve to twenty
pinnæ on each side; the lower ones 2in. or more apart, distinctly
stalked, 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, acuminate;
edge slightly toothed, and sometimes broadly lobed below, the base
equally rounded on both sides. _sori_ irregular, falling slightly
short of both midrib and edge. Tropical America, 1793. Stove
species. SYN. _Diplazium grandifolium_.
=A. Grevillei= (Greville's). _fronds_ undivided, 12in. to 18in.
long, 2in. to 3in. broad, lanceolate-spathulate, narrowed to an
acute apex, and suddenly below to a broadly winged stipe, which
grows very gradually narrower downwards; the margin entire. _sori_
usually extending within a short distance of the edge. India. Stove
species.
=A. Halleri= (Haller's). Synonymous with _A. fontanum_.
=A. Hemionitis= (Hemionitis).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 4in. to 6in. each way, hastate, with a triangular, acute
terminal lobe, and two large, cordate, acute lateral ones, again
bluntly or acutely lobed at the base; the basal sinus rounded,
1in. or more deep, and the lobes on each side imbricated over one
another and the petiole. _sori_ narrow upon the simple veins. South
Europe, &c. A pretty greenhouse species. SYN. _A. palmatum_.
=A. H. cristatum= (crested).* Similar in frond form and size to the
species, but the apices are crested and tasselled. Where variety is
sought, this should certainly be grown.
=A. H. multifidum= (much-divided).* _fronds_ quite as broad as
long; the main divisions again freely divided or deeply cut, so as
to give them a fringed outline. Azores.
=A. heterocarpum= (various-fruited).* _sti._ scattered, 4in. to
9in. long. _fronds_ 6in. to 15in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad,
narrow-lanceolate, with very numerous close-placed dimidiate
pinnæ on each side, which are 3/4in. to 1in. broad, 1/4in. deep;
the lower edge quite entire, the upper broadest towards the
base, where it is narrowed suddenly, deeply incised throughout.
_sori_ one, or rarely two, together in the teeth. Himalayas, and
widely distributed in south-eastern Asia. A very lovely stove or
greenhouse species.
=A. heterodon= (variously-toothed). Synonymous with _A. vulcanicum_.
=A. Hookerianum= (Hooker's). Synonymous with _A. Colensoi_.
=A. incisum= (incised). _sti._ tufted, 1in. to 3in. long. _fronds_
6in. to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, lanceolate, with
numerous pinnæ on each side; lower distant and blunt, central
ones 1in. long, 1/2in. broad, lanceolate-deltoid; pinnules
ovate-rhomboidal, pinnate, much truncated at the base on the lower
side and deeply inciso-pinnatifid. _sori_ linear-oblong, one to
each vein. Japan, &c. Greenhouse species.
=A. javanicum= (Javanese). _See_ =Allantodia Brunoniana=.
=A. lanceolatum= (lanceolate).* _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 4in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad; lower pinnæ
distant, 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad; pinnules
oblong-rhomboidal, sharply toothed, and often broadly lobed below.
_sori_ copious, when mature covering nearly the whole under
surface. South-west Europe, including southern England, &c. Hardy
species.
=A. l. crispatum= (curled).* _fronds_ 4in. to 8in. long,
broadly-lanceolate, bipinnate, with the margins of the pinnules
involute and sharply toothed, giving them a curled appearance.
=A. l. microdon= (small-toothed).* _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long,
simply pinnate, with deeply lobed pinnæ, the margins of the lobes
very finely dentated and toothed. A pretty little gem, well adapted
for case culture.
=A. lanceum= (lance-shaped). _sti._ scattered, 4in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, attenuated
gradually upwards and downwards, the edge entire or slightly
undulated. _sori_ linear, irregular, reaching nearly to the edge,
but not to the midrib. Himalayas, &c. Greenhouse species. SYN. _A.
subsinuatum_ and _Diplazium lanceum_.
=A. laserpitiifolium= (Laserpitium-leaved).* _sti._ tufted, 6in.
to 12in. long, naked. _fronds_ 1ft. to 4ft. long, 4in. to 18in.
broad, deltoid-lanceolate, with numerous pinnæ on each side, 2in.
to 9in. long, and from 2in. to 6in. broad, cut down to the rachis
into numerous distinct pinnules, the lowest with rhomboidal-cuneate
segments. _sori_ short, irregular. Polynesian Islands, North
Australia, &c. A very handsome greenhouse species.
=A. laxum= (loose). A variety of _A. bulbiferum_.
=A. lineatum= (streaked). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 9in. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, oblong-lanceolate,
with twenty to thirty pinnæ on each side, which are 3in. to 4in.
long, about 1/2in. broad, acuminate, dentate, nearly or quite
sessile, the base cuneate. _sori_ very regular, reaching from
the midrib nearly to the edge. Mauritius, &c. There are several
forms of this species: those with small narrow cuneate pinnules,
_inequale_; those with deeply bifid or pinnatifid pinnules,
_bifida_. Stove species.
=A. longissimum= (longest).* _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 12in.
long. _fronds_ 2ft. to 8ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad,
lanceolate-elongate, pendulous, proliferous, and rooting at the
apex, with very numerous pinnæ on each side, which are 2in. to 4in.
long, 1/4in. broad, acuminated, the two sides nearly equal, with a
distinct central midrib; edge slightly toothed, the base on both
sides often auricled. _sori_ numerous, in two regular rows on each
side the midrib, and reaching nearly to the edge. Malacca, &c.,
1840. A very distinct stove fern for baskets.
=A. lucidum= (clear). A synonym of _A. obtusatum lucidum_.
=A. lunulatum= (crescent-shaped).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 4in.
long. _fronds_ 6in. to 18in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, simply
pinnate, narrowly lanceolate-oblong, with twelve to twenty pinnæ on
each side, which are 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad,
bluntish or acute, more or less deeply inciso-crenate throughout,
the two sides unequal; the upper one on the base narrowed suddenly,
the lower one obliquely truncate; lower pinnæ often deflexed.
_sori_ falling short of both edge and midrib. Tropics. SYN. _A.
erectum_.
=A. l. Fernandesianum= (Fernandez).* A form with a more rigid
rachis and sub-coriaceous, rather narrower pinnæ. Juan Fernandez.
=A. macrocarpum= (large-fruited). _sti._ 6in. to 9in.
long. _fronds_ 12in. to 24in. long, 6in. to 12in. broad,
ovate-lanceolate, with numerous pinnæ on each side, the lowest
3in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, lanceolate; pinnules
oblong-rhomboidal, inciso-crenate or pinnatifid. _sori_ copious,
large. Himalayas. Greenhouse species. SYN. _Athyrium macrocarpum_.
=A. macrophyllum= (long-leaved). Synonymous with _A. nitens_.
=A. marginatum= (margined). _sti._ 2ft. to 3ft. long, strong, erect
woody, about 1/2in. thick at the base. _fronds_ simply pinnate,
4ft. to 6ft. long; pinnæ in several opposite pairs, the lowest 1ft.
to 2ft. long, 3in. to 4in. broad, the edge entire, the base often
cordate. _sori_ long, linear, confined to the free veins. Tropical
America. Stove species. SYN. _Hemidictyum marginatum_.
=A. marinum= (sea).* Sea Spleenwort. _sti._ tufted, 3in. to
6in. long. _fronds_ 6in. to 18in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad,
oblong-lanceolate, apex pinnatifid; pinnæ of the lower half quite
deltoid, the point acute or obtuse, margin crenato-dentate. _sori_
broad, falling short of the edge. Europe, including Britain.
Although perfectly hardy, this requires to be grown in a frame or
cool house.
=A. m. coronans= (crowned).* _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long, simply
pinnate; pinnæ for two-thirds of the way up variable in form,
and irregularly lobed and cut; the upper third freely branched
with numerous imbricated, curled, and slightly crested divisions,
forming a dense head 2in. or more across. A dwarf and pretty form.
=A. m. crenatum= (crenated). _fronds_ 4in. to 8in. long,
broadly-lanceolate; pinnæ nearly trapeziform, obtuse, with deeply
crenated margins. A very pretty form.
=A. m. mirabile= (wonderful).* _sti._ 2in. to 4in. long. _fronds_
about the same length, the rachis divided about half way down from
the top into two nearly equal divisions, which are again freely
forked, with the pinnules and segments obtusely lobed; the whole
expanded, but not crested, into a breadth equal to the length of
the frond; the lower pinnæ are more or less abnormal and bluntly
lobed.
=A. m. plumosum= (feathery).* _sti._ 3in. to 4in. long. _fronds_
6in. to 15in. long, bi- or tripinnatifid, broadly-lanceolate;
pinnæ very variable, closely set, and imbricated, cut nearly to
the rachis into ovate or oblong divisions, which are again more or
less deeply cut and lobed, the entire frond having a very elegant
appearance.
=A. m. ramo-plumosum= (branched and feathery).* _fronds_ divided
nearly to the top of the stipes into two main branches, which are
distinctly pinnate; pinnæ distant below, imbricated upwards, cut
nearly to the rachis into ovate or oblong lobes, the margins of
which are slightly dentated. It is a very handsome form, the width
of the frond being greater than its length.
=A. m. ramosum= (branched). _fronds_ from 4in. to 8in. long,
branched at the apices; pinnæ oblong, with the margins
obtusely-dentate, and slightly undulated.
=A. m. sub-bipinnatum= (half-bipinnate). _fronds_ 6in. to 12in.
long, lanceolate; pinnæ distant, deeply lobed, or cut nearly to the
midribs. A very rare and pretty variety.
=A. m. Thompsonii= (Thompson's).* _sti._ 3in. to 4in. long, smooth.
_fronds_ 6in. to 10in. long, ovate-lanceolate, bipinnatifid; pinnæ
closely set, sub-deltoid, unequal-sided, deeply cut into oblong,
slightly undulated lobes below, gradually less divided upwards.
A very rare and handsome variety. All the forms of _A. marinum_
require a very moist atmosphere, consequently they will not thrive
in the open air, unless along the sea-coast.
=A. maximum= (largest). _cau._ erect. _sti._ 2ft. or more long.
_fronds_ several feet long, 2ft. to 3ft. broad, deltoid-lanceolate,
with numerous pinnæ on each side, the lowest 9in. to 18in. long,
4in. to 8in. broad; pinnules sub-sessile, 2in. to 4in. long, 3/4in.
broad; edge more or less lobed. _sori_ medial, the lowest two lines
long. North India. Stove species. SYNS. _A. diversifolium_ and
_Diplazium decurrens_.
=A. melanocaulon= (black-stiped).* _sti._ 1ft. to 2ft. long.
_fronds_ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 18in. broad; lower pinnæ 4in.
to 9in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad; pinnules lanceolate, 2in. to 3in.
long, 3/4in. broad, cut down two-thirds of the way to the rachis
into linear-oblong, falcate, inciso-crenate lobes. _sori_ short,
oblong, not touching either midrib or edge. Fiji. Stove species.
SYN. _Diplazium melanocaulon_.
=A. Michauxii= (Michaux's).* _cau._ stout. _sti._ 4in. to
8in. long. _fronds_ 9in. to 24in. long, 3in. to 9in. broad,
ovate-deltoid, bi- or tripinnate; pinnules oblong, deeply serrate,
or cut quite to the rachis. United States. A very handsome hardy
species, closely related to the Lady Fern, of which it may be only
a variety.
=A. monanthemum= (one-flowered).* _sti._ densely tufted, 3in. to
6in. long. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, about 1in. broad, with
twenty to forty horizontal, sessile, sub-dimidiate pinnæ on each
side, which are about 1/2in. long and 1/4in. deep, the upper side
crenate, suddenly narrowed at the base, the lower more or less
distinctly cut away in a straight, or, in the lower pinnæ, decurved
line. _sori_ linear-oblong, usually one or two, parallel with the
lower edge of the pinnæ. Temperate regions of both hemispheres.
Greenhouse species.
=A. montanum= (mountain).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 3in. long.
_fronds_ 2in. to 3in. long, 1in. broad, lanceolate-deltoid; lowest
pinnæ distinctly stalked, deltoid, sharply serrated round the
outer edge. _sori_ short, copious. United States, 1812. Frame or
greenhouse species.
=A. multisectum= (much-cut). Synonymous with _A. aspidioides_.
=A. musæfolium= (Musa-leaved). A variety of _A. Nidus_.
=A. myriophyllum= (myriad-leaved). A variety of _A. rhizophyllum_.
[Illustration: FIG. 172. ASPLENIUM NIDUS.]
=A. Nidus= (nest).* Bird's-nest Fern. _fronds_ undivided, 2ft. to
4ft. long, 3in. to 8in. broad, lanceolate, acute or acuminate at
the apex, tapering gradually below into a short stem; the edge
entire, the midrib rounded on the back; veins fine and parallel,
about 1/2in. apart. _sori_ reaching about half way towards the
margin. India, &c., 1820. SYN. _A. australasicum_. See Fig. 172.
=A. N. australasicum= (Australian). Midrib keeled on the back,
often black. Australia, &c. The two former are best treated
in the stove; the latter thrives well in the greenhouse. SYN.
_Thamnopteris australasicum_.
=A. N. musæfolium= (Musa-leaved).* _fronds_ larger, sometimes 6ft.
long, 1ft. broad. _sori_ extending nearly to the edge.
=A. nitens= (shining). _sti._ scattered, 6in. to 9in. long.
_fronds_ 1-1/2in. to 2in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, with twelve to
twenty ascending or sub-falcate pinnæ on each side, which are 4in.
to 6in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad, much acuminated; edge finely
toothed, base broadly rounded on the upper, truncate in a curve
on the lower side. _sori_ in close regular rows, not extending
more than half way from the midrib to the edge. Mauritius. Stove
species. SYN. _A. macrophyllum_, of gardens only.
=A. nitidum= (shining).* _sti._ 1ft. long, naked. _fronds_ 2ft.
to 3ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, with many lanceolate-deltoid
pinnæ on each side, which are cut down to the rachis into numerous
stalked deltoid pinnules, these are again cut into broad fan-shaped
cuneate segments, sharply serrated round the outer edge. _sori_
short. North India, Ceylon, &c. Greenhouse species.
=A. novæ-caledoniæ= (New Caledonian).* _sti._ tufted, 6in. to
12in. long. _fronds_ 9in. to 12in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad,
sub-deltoid, tripinnate; lower pinnæ and pinnules deltoid; segments
rigid, scarcely flattened, 1/2in. or more long, distant, and
erecto-patent. _sori_ long, linear, marginal. New Caledonia. A rare
greenhouse species. SYN. _Darea novæ-caledoniæ_.
=A. obtusatum= (obtuse). _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 6in. long. _fronds_
6in. to 12in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad, oblong or ovate-deltoid,
with a terminal pinna not much longer than the others, and two
to six pairs on each side, which are 1in. to 2in. long and about
1/2in. broad, obtuse, edge crenate, the base truncato-cuneate,
shortly stalked. _sori_ copious, broad, linear-oblong, falling
short of the edge. Peru. _A. difforme_ is a variety with
an ovate-deltoid frond, and the pinnæ cut quite down to a
narrow-winged rachis in the lower part into distinctly separated
roundish or oblong-sinuated pinnules. New Zealand, Australia, &c.
Greenhouse kinds.
=A. o. lucidum= (clear).* _fronds_ often 2ft. long, with fifteen
to twenty pairs of pinnæ on each side, which are more herbaceous
in texture, darker green in colour, the lowest 6in. long, 1in. to
1-1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually to a long acuminated point, edge
more deeply toothed. Greenhouse variety. SYN. _A. lucidum_.
=A. obtusifolium= (obtuse-leaved).* _sti._ almost tufted, 6in.
to 9in. long. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad,
ovate-lanceo-late, with twelve to twenty stalked horizontal
pinnæ on each side, which are 2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in.
broad, acute; edges slightly undulato-crenate, the upper side with
a distinct auricle at the base, and then narrowed suddenly, the
lower side obliquely truncate. _sori_ distant, in two regular rows,
falling short of the edge. West Indies, &c., 1838. Stove species.
=A. obtusilobum= (obtuse-lobed).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 4in.
long. _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, with
nine to twelve sub-deltoid pinnæ on each side, of which only the
inner third on the lower side is cut away, the largest nearly 1in.
long, 3/4in. broad; lowest pinnules 3/8in. deep, flabellately cut
into three to five linear blunt lobes. _sori_ sub-marginal. New
Hebrides, 1861. A very pretty little stove species. SYN. _Darea
obtusiloba_.
=A. odontites= (much-toothed). Synonymous with _A. flaccidum_.
=A. oxyphyllum= (sharp-leaved).* _sti._ firm, 6in. to 12in. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, lanceolate, with
several pinnæ on each side, which are 3in. to 6in. long, 1in.
to 2in. broad; pinnules lanceolate, in the larger forms again
pinnatifid; teeth mucronate. _sori_ in two rows on the pinnæ or
pinnules midway between the midrib and edge. Himalayas. A very
variable greenhouse species. SYNS. _Athyrium oxyphylla_ and
_Lastrea eburnea_.
=A. paleaceum= (scaly).* _sti._ densely tufted, 1in. to 3in. long,
spreading, densely scaly. _fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 1-1/2in. to
2in. broad, sometimes proliferous and rooting at the apex, with
twelve to twenty sub-sessile pinnæ on each side, which are 1in.
long, about 1/2in. broad, bluntish; edge inciso-dentate, the upper
base auricled and narrowed suddenly, the lower obliquely-truncate;
the lower ones stalked, and nearly as broad as long. _sori_ linear,
extending nearly to the edge. Tropical Australia. Stove or warm
greenhouse species.
=A. palmatum= (palmate). Synonymous with _A. Hemionitis_.
=A. parvulum= (small). Synonymous with _A. trilobum_.
=A. persicifolium= (Peach-leaved). _sti._ and _rachis_ grey, with
a few scattered minute grey scales. _fronds_ oblong-lanceolate,
2ft. to 3ft. long, often gemmiferous at the apex; pinnæ ascending,
fifteen to thirty-jugate, sub-petiolate, 4in. to 5in. long,
linear-ligulate-acuminate, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, distinctly
crenate throughout. _sori_ regular, reaching nearly to midrib and
edge. Philippine and Sandwich Isles. Stove species.
=A. Petrarchæ= (Petrarch's).* _sti._ densely tufted, 1in. to 2in.
long. _fronds_ 2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. broad, linear-lanceolate,
with six to ten horizontal sessile pinnæ on each side, which are
1/4in. long and nearly as much broad, cordate-ovate, blunt; edge
sinuated; the base unequal, slightly truncate on the lower side.
_sori_ oblong, very short, four to six on each side of the midrib.
South Europe, 1819. A very rare little gem, best treated in a cool
house.
=A. pinnatifidum= (pinnatifid). _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 4in. long.
_fronds_ 3in. to 6in. long, 1in. or more broad at the base,
lanceolate-deltoid, with a long, gradually narrowing point, which
is sinuated only; the lobes below this 1/4in. to 1/2in. deep; the
lowest ovate-oblong, 1/2in. deep by nearly as broad, sinuated and
reaching down nearly to the rachis. _sori_ copious. Pennsylvania.
Greenhouse or sheltered places outside.
=A. planicaule= (flat-stiped).* _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 6in. long,
naked. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, with
twelve to twenty stalked horizontal pinnæ on each side, which are
1in. to 1-1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, acute; edge lobed
about half-way down, and deeply serrated. _sori_ copious, reaching
nearly to the edge. Himalayas, up to 6000ft., &c., 1841. Greenhouse
species.
=A. plantagineum= (Plantain-like). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 9in.
long. _fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, simple,
acuminate, base rounded; edge slightly undulato-dentate upwards,
sometimes lobed towards the base. _sori_ slender, linear, sometimes
nearly touching both edge and midrib. West Indies, &c., 1819. Stove
species. SYN. _Diplazium plantagineum_.
=A. polyphyllum= (many-leaved). Synonymous with _A. acuminatum_.
=A. præmorsum= (bitten). Synonymous with _A. furcatum_.
=A. prolongatum= (prolonged). Synonymous with _A. rutæfolium_.
=A. pulchellum= (pretty).* _sti._ tufted. 1in. to 2in. long.
_fronds_ 3in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, with twelve to
eighteen pinnæ on each side, which are 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, two
lines to three lines broad, bluntish, almost dimidiate; the upper
edge crenate, and narrowed suddenly at the base. _sori_ linear,
oblique, falling short of the edge. Tropical America. Stove species.
=A. pumilum= (small). _sti._ tufted, 3in. to 4in. long. _fronds_
4in. to 6in. each way, deltoid, the upper part sinuated only, the
lower cut down to the rachis into distinct pinnæ, of which the
lowest pair are much the largest; the pinnules on the lower side
sometimes 2in. long, reaching down to a slightly winged rachis,
acuminate and deeply lobed. _sori_ very oblique, the lower ones
sometimes 1in. long. West Indies, &c., 1823. A very rare and pretty
stove species.
=A. rachirhizon= (rachis-rooting). A variety of _A. rhizophorum_.
[Illustration: FIG. 173. ASPLENIUM RADICANS.]
=A. radicans= (rooting). _cau._ erect, sub-arborescent. _sti._
1ft. to 2ft. long, tufted. _fronds_ 3ft. to 5ft. long, 2ft. to
3ft. broad, deltoid; lower pinnæ 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 8in.
broad; pinnules lanceolate, sessile, the upper ones entire, lower
ones 3in. to 4in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, with blunt lobes,
1/4in. broad, reaching about half way down to the rachis. Lower
_sori_ sometimes 1/4in. long. Tropical America. A very variable
species. SYNS. _A. giganteum_, _Diplazium radicans_, _D. umbrosum_,
&c. See Fig. 173.
=A. refractum= (refracted). A variety of _A. fontanum_.
=A. resectum= (cut or pared).* _sti._ scattered, 4in. to 8in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 15in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, lanceolate-oblong,
with ten to thirty sub-sessile horizontal pinnæ on each side, which
are 1in. to 3in. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, almost dimidiate,
the point bluntish, all except the truncate part crenate, the upper
half at the base narrowed nearly at a right angle. _sori_ not
reaching either the midrib or edge. India, &c., widely distributed,
1820. Greenhouse species.
=A. rhizophorum= (root-bearing).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 8in.
long. _fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 6in. broad, elongated,
and rooting at the apex; pinnæ twelve to thirty on each side,
sub-sessile, 1-1/2in. to 2in. long, about 1/2in. broad,
inciso-dentate throughout; the two sides unequal, the upper one
auricled and narrowed, the lower one obliquely cuneate. _sori_
not reaching either to the edge or midrib. Tropical America. A
very variable stove species. _A. r. rachirhizon_, has distinctly
separated oblong-rhomboidal pinnules, again deeply cut into narrow
segments.
=A. rhizophyllum= (leaf-rooting). _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 6in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to 2in. broad, cut down into
numerous close-placed horizontal pinnæ on each side; central ones
1in. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, cut down throughout nearly to
the centre into simple or forked erecto-patent pinnules, the lowest
on the under side suppressed. _sori_ solitary, sub-marginal. _A.
r. myriophyllum_ is a variety with broader fronds; central pinnæ
1-1/2in. long, with lower pinnules cut down into several simple or
forked linear segments. North America, &c., 1680. Both handsome
greenhouse kinds.
=A. rutæfolium= (Rue-leaved).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 9in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 15in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, ovate deltoid,
with twelve to twenty pinnæ on each side, the lowest sub-deltoid,
2in. or more long, cut down to the rachis into numerous
erecto-patent distant pinnules on each side, the lowest on the
upper side again cut down into erecto-patent linear segments.
_sori_ small, marginal. Cape Colony. A beautiful greenhouse
species. SYNS. _A. prolongatum_ and _Darea rutæfolia_.
=A. Ruta-muraria= (Wall-rue).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 4in. long.
_fronds_ 1in. to 2in. long, about 1in. broad, deltoid, cut down to
the rachis into a few pinnæ on each side, the lower ones again cut
down into spathulato-cuneate pinnules, which are serrated round the
outer edge. _sori_ copious. Great Britain, and almost worldwide
in its distribution. Hardy species. This requires a well-drained
position, and a soil composed mainly of old mortar rubbish.
=A. salicifolium= (Willow-leaved). _sti._ tufted, 6in. to 12in.
long. _fronds_ 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, oblong,
with a terminal pinna and four to ten distinctly stalked ones on
each side, which are 4in. to 6in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad,
acuminate; edge usually entire, the base equally truncato-cuneate
on both sides. _sori_ falling short both of the edge and midrib.
West Indies, &c. Stove species.
=A. Sandersoni= (Sanderson's).* _sti._ tufted, 1in. to 2in. long.
_fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, linear, often
gemmiferous at the apex, with twelve to twenty horizontal dimidiate
pinnæ on each side, which are deeply crenate on the upper edge, and
at the base narrowed suddenly into a winged petiole, the lower one
nearly straight and quite entire. _sori_ oblong. Natal, &c. A very
rare greenhouse species.
=A. schizodon= (cut-toothed). Synonymous with _A. Vieillardii_.
=A. Schkuhrii= (Schkuhr's). _cau._ erect. _sti._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft.
long. _fronds_ deltoid, 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. long, tripinnatifid; lower
pinnæ distant, oblong-lanceolate, 6in. to 8in. long, 1-1/2in. to
2in. broad, rachis winged to base; pinnules ligulate-oblong, 3/8in.
broad, sessile, cut into shallow, close, oblong blunt lobes. _sori_
1/8in., medial in a single row in the pinnules. Ceylon. Stove
species. SYN. _Diplazium Schkuhrii_.
=A. Selosii= (Selose's).* _sti._ densely tufted, 1in. to 2in. long,
wiry. _fronds_ 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, palmately cleft, usually into
three nearly equal forks, which are about one line broad, the edge
slightly inciso-serrate. _sori_ copious, ultimately occupying the
whole surface. Tyrol and Carinthia. A very rare and curious little
species, requiring the protection of the frame or cool house;
it should be firmly potted between pieces of sandstone in loam,
leaf-soil, rock chippings and sand, with good drainage.
=A. septentrionale= (northern).* _sti._ densely tufted, 3in. to
4in. long. _fronds_ simple, or cleft from the apex into two or
three cuneate divisions, 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, one line broad,
with a few sharp lateral and terminal teeth. _sori_ elongated,
copious, often at last hiding the whole under surface. Great
Britain, and widely distributed in both hemispheres. This rare
little species requires to be securely planted in a well-drained
elevated chink of the fernery outside, in loamy, gritty soil.
=A. Shepherdi= (Shepherd's).* _sti._ tufted, 1ft. long. _fronds_
12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to 9in. broad; lower pinnæ stalked, 4in.
to 6in. long, 1in. to 1-1/2in. broad, point acuminate, edge lobed
above, 1/4in. broad, somewhat toothed. _sori_ linear, not reaching
the edge. South America. Stove species. SYN. _Diplazium Shepherdi_.
=A. S. inæquilaterum= (unequal-sided). _fronds_, texture firm,
colour duller than that of the type; pinnæ much acuminated; the
lobes deeper, more uniform, and falcate, the two sides unequal, the
lower one unequally truncate at the base.
=A. spathulinum= (spathulate). A synonym of _A. affine_.
=A. spinulosum= (very spiny).* _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long,
scattered. _fronds_ 9in. to 12in. each way, deltoid, tri- or
quadripinnatifid, with nine to twelve pinnæ on each side, the
lowest much the largest, 6in. to 9in. long, 2-1/2in. to 3in. broad,
ovate-lanceolate; pinnules lanceolate, cut down to the rachis on
each side into six to nine oblong-rhomboidal mucronate segments,
two lines long, one line broad, which are sharply toothed. _sori_
two to ten to a segment, usually round, but occasionally oblong.
Amur-land, &c. Greenhouse species. SYN. _Athyrium spinulosum_ and
_Cystopteris spinulosa_.
=A. splendens= (splendid). _rhiz._ creeping, scaly. _sti._ 6in. to
9in. _fronds_ deltoid, 6in. to 1ft. long, two to three-pinnate;
lower pinnæ stalked, deltoid, 1in. to 2in. broad, pinnate or
bipinnate; segments cuneate-flabellate, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad,
slightly lobed, sharply toothed round outer edge. _sori_ copious,
slender, irregular, reaching from base nearly to tip of segments.
Cape Colony. A very rare greenhouse species.
=A. subsinuatum= (half-waved). Synonymous with _A. lanceum_.
=A. sundense= (Sundanese). Synonymous with _A. vittæforme_.
=A. sylvaticum= (woods). _cau._ decumbent. _sti._ 1ft. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, ovate-lanceolate,
with numerous spreading pinnæ, the largest 3in. to 4in. long,
1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, acuminated; edge broadly and briefly lobed;
base narrowed suddenly on both sides. _sori_ in long slender lines,
reaching nearly to the edge. India, &c. Stove species.
=A. thelypteroides= (Thelypteris-like). _sti._ 1ft. long. _fronds_
1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, lanceolate, with numerous
spreading pinnæ, the lower ones 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. broad,
cut down to a broadly-winged rachis into numerous nearly entire
elliptical spreading pinnules. _sori_ in close regular rows,
reaching nearly from the midrib to the edge, slightly curved, the
lower ones often double. North America, &c., 1823. Hardy or cool
house species. SYN. _Athyrium thelypteroides_.
=A. Thwaitesii= (Thwaites's).* _rhiz._ wide-creeping, stout. _sti._
6in. long, slender, densely clothed with strong white woolly hairs.
_fronds_ 1ft. or more long, 4in. to 6in. broad, with eight to
ten distinct pinnæ beneath the pinnatifid apex, the largest 3in.
long, 5/8in. broad, cut down two-thirds of the way to the rachis
in oblong crenulated lobes, 1/4in. deep, two lines across. _sori_
reaching half-way to the edge, the lowest about one line long.
Ceylon. Very fine stove species. SYN. _Diplazium Thwaitesii_.
[Illustration: FIG. 174. ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES.]
=A. Trichomanes= (maiden-hair).* Maidenhair Spleenwort. _sti._
densely tufted, 1in. to 4in. long. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long,
about 1/2in. broad, with fifteen to thirty opposite pairs of
sessile horizontal pinnæ, which are 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, one
and a-half to two lines deep, edge slightly crenate, the two sides
unequal, the upper one the broadest, and narrowed suddenly at
the base. _sori_ linear-oblong, three to six on each side of the
midrib. Great Britain, and almost cosmopolitan. Hardy species. See
Fig. 174. There are several varieties in cultivation, of which the
following are the most important:
[Illustration: FIG. 175. ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES CRISTATUM.]
=A. T. cristatum= (crested).* _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long,
simply pinnate, with roundish pinnæ, and broad crests at their
extremities, sometimes divided, each fork crested. A very pretty
little variety, requiring frame or greenhouse treatment. See Fig.
175.
=A. T. incisum= (deeply-cut).* _fronds_ 3in. to 6in. long; pinnæ
deeply pinnatifid, the lobes again deeply cut or serrated. A very
rare and pretty form.
=A. T. multifidum= (much-divided).* _fronds_ 3in. to 6in. long,
once, twice, thrice, or, rarely, quadri-furcate, each division
terminated with a little crest. A free-growing kind.
=A. T. ramosum= (branched).* _fronds_ 5in. to 8in. long, freely
branched, each division being again forked; pinnæ deeply cut or
crenated, or serrate. More hardy than any of the other forms.
=A. trilobum= (three-lobed).* _sti._ tufted, 2in. to 3in. long.
_fronds_ 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, 1in. broad, rhomboidal, apex acute,
base cuneate, entire, the margin undulato-crenate, or the lower
part deeply lobed, with broad inciso-crenate divisions. _sori_
broad and short. Chili and South Brazil. A very rare little stove
species. SYN. _A. parvulum_.
=A. umbrosum= (shady). _sti._ 1ft. or more long, scaly at the base.
_fronds_ 2ft. to 5ft. long, 12in. to 18in. broad, ovate-deltoid;
pinnæ ovate-lanceolate, 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to 6in. broad, with
lanceolate pinnules, which are again cut down to the midribs into
unequal-sided rhomboidal lobes, with the margins sharply crenated.
_sori_ copious, oblong, with large tumid membranous involucres.
Madeira, Canaries, Himalayas, &c. Very widely distributed. A very
handsome greenhouse species. SYNS. _Allantodia australe_, _Athyrium
umbrosum_.
=A. varians= (variable). _sti._ tufted, 1in. to 3in. long. _fronds_
4in. to 6in. long, 1in. broad, oblong-lanceolate, with eight to
twelve pairs of pinnæ on each side, lower ones sub-deltoid, 1/2in.
to 3/4in. long, 1/4in. broad, cut down to the rachis into a few
cuneato-flabellate pinnules, the lowest two lines across, sharply
toothed on the outer edge. _sori_ copious, when mature, covering
nearly the whole under surface of the pinnules. Himalayas, and
widely distributed. Greenhouse species.
=A. Veitchianum= (Veitch's). Synonymous with _A. Belangeri_.
=A. Vieillardii= (Vieillard's).* _sti._ tufted, 4in. to 6in.
long. _fronds_ 6in. to 9in. long, 6in. to 8in. broad, with large
linear-lanceolate terminal pinna, lengthened out at the point, and
deeply serrated, and three to four pairs of erecto-patent similar
lateral ones, which are 3in. to 4in. long, upwards of 1/2in. broad,
equally truncato-cuneate, and the lower ones slightly stalked at
the base. _sori_ distant, falling short of both edge and margin.
New Caledonia. A very graceful greenhouse species. SYN. _A.
schizodon_. _A. apicidens_ is but a variety of this, with shortened
sori and more obtuse venation.
[Illustration: FIG. 176. ASPLENIUM VIRIDE, showing Barren and Fertile
Pinnæ (_a_ and _b_), Sorus (_c_), and Sporangium (_d_).]
=A. viride= (green). Green Spleenwort.* _sti._ densely tufted,
2in. to 4in. long. _fronds_ 4in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. broad, with
twelve to twenty sub-sessile pinnæ on each side, ovate-rhomboid;
upper edge narrowed suddenly at the base, the lower one
obliquely truncate, outer part deeply crenated. _sori_ copious,
linear-oblong, oblique. Great Britain, &c., widely distributed in
both hemispheres. It requires to be planted in a well-drained but
moist situation. Hardy species. See Fig. 176.
=A. vittæforme= (narrow-fronded).* _rhiz._ creeping. _sti._ short,
erect. _fronds_ entire, lanceolate, 12in. to 18in. long, 1-1/2in.
to 3in. broad, narrowed to an acute point, and very gradually
into the stem below; margin obscurely toothed. _sori_ copious,
often reaching from the midrib nearly to the edge. Java, &c. Stove
species. SYN. _A. sundense_.
=A. viviparum= (plant-bearing).* _sti._ tufted. 6in. to 9in. long.
_fronds_ 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 8in. broad, ovate-lanceolate,
with numerous close-placed erecto-patent pinnæ on each side,
which are 3in. to 4in. long, 1-1/2. to 2in. broad, cut down to a
compressed rachis into numerous pinnatifid pinnules, the lower
segments of which are again forked; ultimate segments 1/4in.
to 3/8in. long, quarter-line broad. _sori_ solitary, marginal.
Mauritius, &c., 1820. A very handsome stove species.
=A. vulcanicum= (volcanic). _sti._ 6in. to 9in. long. _fronds_
1ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, oblong-lanceolate, with
a linear-terminal pinna, or gemmiferous at the apex, and six to
twelve lateral ones on each side; lower ones stalked, 2in. to 4in.
long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, acuminated; edge slightly dentate; the
base truncate. _sori_ very regular and parallel, falling short of
the edge. Malay Islands. Stove species. SYN. _A. heterodon_.
=A. zeylanicum= (Ceylonese).* _sti._ scattered, 4in. to 8in.
long. _fronds_ 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, the point
acuminated, apex slightly lobed, the lower two-thirds more deeply
so, and the base quite down to the rachis; lobes blunt, 1/4in. to
1/2in. across. _sori_ linear, two to three lines long. Ceylon.
Stove species. SYN. _Diplazium zeylanicum_.
=ASSONIA= (commemorative of Ignatius de Asso, a distinguished Spanish
botanist, who wrote on the plants of Arragon). ORD. _Sterculiaceæ_.
This genus is now included by best authorities under _Dombeya_.
Ornamental stove evergreen trees, with undivided leaves, and axillary,
bifid, sub-corymbose peduncles. They are of easy culture; thriving
freely in any light rich soil, or a mixture of loam and peat. Young
cuttings will root freely in sand, with a brisk bottom heat, if covered
by a bell glass.
=A. populnea= (Poplar-leaved). _fl._ white, disposed in a terminal,
bifid corymb; peduncles scarcely longer than the petioles. June.
_l._ cordate, acuminated, smooth, a little serrated. _h._ 10ft. to
20ft. Bourbon, 1820.
=A. viburnoides= (Viburnum-like). _fl._ white; peduncles three
times longer than the petioles. _l._ cordate, somewhat acuminate,
crenated, tomentose beneath, as well as younger leaves. _h._ 10ft.
to 20ft. Bourbon, 1822.
=ASTARTEA= (a mythological name: Astarte, the Syrian Venus). ORD.
_Myrtaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrub, requiring a
mixture of loam, peat, leaf soil, and sand. Young cuttings root readily
in sand under a bell glass in gentle heat.
=A. fascicularis= (bundle-flowered). _fl._ white, pedicellate,
solitary, axillary. May. _l._ opposite, linear, fleshy; when young,
disposed in axillary fascicles. _h._ 6ft. to 9ft. West Australia,
1830.
=ASTELMA= (from _a_, not, and _stelma_, a crown; in reference to the
construction of the fruit). ORD. _Compositæ_. Greenhouse evergreen
shrubs from the Cape of Good Hope. Some species of this genus, which is
now generally referred to _Helipterum_, are very handsome, and thrive
well in a mixture of fibrous peat, leaf soil, and sand, with thorough
drainage. Fill the pots one-third full of crocks; water carefully,
and only when absolutely necessary; and place in a situation near the
glass, allowing a free admission of air. Seeds should be sown in pots
of light, open soil, and placed in a gentle heat; half-ripened cuttings
will strike readily in sandy soil with a hand glass placed over them.
They are now but rarely seen under cultivation.
=A. canescens= (hoary). _fl.-heads_ purple; scales of involucre
ovate; branches one-flowered. May to June. _l._ oblong, blunt,
imbricated. _h._ 1-1/2ft. 1794.
=A. eximium= (fine).* _fl.-heads_ crimson; corymbs sessile.
July. _l._ sessile, ovate, close, erect, white with thick woolly
pubescence. Stem stout. _h._ 3ft. 1793. This is a very beautiful
species.
=A. speciosissimum= (showiest). _fl.-heads_ white, large,
solitary, terminal. July. _l._ sessile, lanceolate-obovate, acute,
three-nerved, woolly. _h._ 8ft. 1691.
=ASTEPHANUS= (from _a_, without, and _stephanos_, a corona; corona
absent). ORD. _Asclepiadeæ_. A genus of pretty evergreen greenhouse
twiners. Flowers few, small, disposed in interpetiolar umbels; corolla
campanulate. Leaves small, opposite. They thrive in a compost of
turfy peat, leaf soil, and loam, in equal parts. Very little water is
required when the plants are at rest. Cuttings root readily in sandy
soil in a moderate heat. Propagation may also be effected by division.
=A. linearis= (linear). _fl._ white; umbels dividing in
threes, lateral and terminal. July. _l._ 1in. long, opposite,
linear-lanceolate. Stem glabrous. Cape of Good Hope, 1816.
=A. triflorus= (three-flowered).* _fl._ white; umbels generally
three-flowered. July. _l._ opposite, lanceolate, villous beneath.
Stems hairy. Cape of Good Hope, 1816.
=ASTER= (from _aster_, a star; general shape of flower-heads).
Michaelmas Daisy; Star-wort. SYN. _Pinardia_ (of Necker). ORD.
_Compositæ_. Hardy herbaceous perennials, except where otherwise
stated. Heads solitary, corymbose, or panicled, heterogamous, rayed;
ray florets pistiliferous, one or two-seriate, fertile or neuter;
ligule elongated, white, blue, or purple; disk florets hermaphrodite,
fertile, tubular, yellow, five-cleft; involucre campanulate or
hemispheric; bracts few or many-seriate, outer smaller or larger;
receptacle flat or convex; pappus hairs few or copious, scabrid, outer
sometimes shorter, rigid, and paleaceous. Leaves alternate. This large
genus contains many handsome border and alpine deciduous perennials
(rarely biennials) of easy culture in ordinary soil. They may be
propagated by divisions in autumn or spring, or by seeds in spring. The
greenhouse species are mostly evergreen shrubs, requiring a compost of
peat, leaf soil, and loam. Cuttings root readily in a sandy soil, under
a hand glass, with very little heat.
=A. acris= (acrid). _fl.-heads_ blue; involucre imbricated, twice
as short as the disk. August. _l._ linear-lanceolate, not dotted,
three-nerved. _h._ 2ft. South Europe, 1731.
=A. acuminatus= (taper-pointed).* _fl.-heads_ white; panicle
corymbose. September. _l._ broad-lanceolate, narrowed at base,
entire, with a very long point. Stem simple, flexuous, angular.
_h._ 2ft. North America, 1806.
=A. adulterinus= (false). _fl.-heads_ violet; involucre squarrose,
shorter than the disk. September. _l._ amplexicaul, lanceolate;
lower ones sub-serrate, smooth; those of the branches linear
squarrose. _h._ 3ft. North America.
=A. æstivus= (summer-flowering).* _fl.-heads_ blue. July. _l._
lanceolate, somewhat amplexicaul, narrowed at the end, scabrous
at edge. Stem erect, hispid; branchlets pilose. _h._ 2ft. North
America, 1776.
=A. albescens= (whitish). _fl.-heads_ purple or whitish,
nearly 1in. across; corymbosely panicled; scales of involucre
ovate-linear, apiculate; ray twenty-flowered. August. _l._
lanceolate on short petioles, denticulate, downy. Plant beset with
rusty down. _h._ 3ft. Nepal, 1842.
=A. alpinus= (alpine).* _fl.-heads_ bright purple, 1in. to 2in.
across; scales of involucre nearly equal, lanceolate, bluntish.
July. _l._, radical ones lanceolate-spathulate; those of the stem
lanceolate. Stem one-flowered. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Europe, 1658. A
very attractive species, having a dwarf, stout habit; it forms
a useful and handsome subject for edging, and its flowers are
valuable for cutting purposes. See Fig. 177.
=A. a. albus= (white).* _fl.-heads_ white, in other respects
resembling the type; but it is much less desirable, and has not
nearly so vigorous a habit. Europe, 1827.
=A. altaicus= (Altaian).* _fl.-heads_ blue-purple, about
2in. across; stem simple, corymbose, downy. June, July. _l._
linear-lanceolate, entire, blunt mucronate, three-nerved at
base, veiny. _h._ 1ft. Siberia, 1804. This, which is frequently
considered a variety of _A. alpinus_, is one of the handsomest.
=A. alwartensis= (Alwart). _fl.-heads_ red; ray very fine;
involucre loosely squarrose. May. _l._ ovate, narrowed at base,
entire, about five-nerved. _h._ 1ft. Caucasus, 1807.
=A. Amellus= (Amellus).* _fl.-heads_ purple, solitary, numerous;
involucre imbricated squarrose; leaves blunt; inner membranous,
coloured at edge. August. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, scabrous. _h._
2ft. Italy, 1596. One of the best border kinds.
[Illustration: FIG. 177. ASTER ALPINUS.]
=A. A. bessarabicus= (Bessarabian).* A most desirable variety,
frequently seen in gardens; it is rather taller than the type, with
larger flower-heads, of a deep purple colour. One of the showiest
of all the Asters. See Fig. 178.
[Illustration: FIG. 178. ASTER AMELLUS BESSARABICUS.]
=A. amplexicaulis= (stem-clasping). _fl.-heads_ violet. July. _l._
ovate-oblong, acute, amplexicaul, cordate, serrated, smooth. Stem
panicled, smooth; branches one to two-headed. _h._ 3ft. North
America.
=A. amygdalinus= (Almond-leaved). _fl.-heads_ white; involucre
closely imbricated. August. _l._ lanceolate, narrowed at base,
acuminated, scabrous at edge. Stem simple, corymbose at end. _h._
2ft. North America, 1759.
=A. argenteus= (silvery).* _fl.-heads_ purple. August. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, silky, sessile. Stem slender, decumbent, loosely
branched; branches and branchlets one-headed. _h._ 1ft. North
America, 1801.
=A. bellidiflorus= (Daisy-flowered). _fl.-heads_ pale red;
involucre with spreading scales. September. _l._ amplexicaul,
narrow-lanceolate, scabrous above, lower sub-serrated. Stem much
branched. _h._ 3ft. North America.
=A. Bigelovii= (Bigelow's).* _fl.-heads_ corymbose, 2-1/2in.
diameter, ray-florets lilac, disk yellow. Summer. _l._ scabrous
pubescent, oblong-spathulate; cauline ones amplexicaul,
ovate-oblong, crenate, obscurely-toothed. _h._ 2-1/2ft. Colorado,
1878. A very handsome biennial species. SYN. _A. Townshendi_.
=A. blandus= (charming). _fl.-heads_ pale purple; racemes
scarcely longer than the leaves. October. _l._ sub-amplexicaul,
oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, sessile, smooth. Stem pyramidal. _h._
2ft. North America, 1800.
=A. canescens= (hoary). _fl.-heads_ pale purple; involucre
imbricated, very acute, longer than disk. September. _l._ linear.
Panicle corymbose, much branched, leafy. _h._ 2ft. North America,
1812. Biennial or perennial.
=A. cassiarabicus= (Arabian Cassia). _fl.-heads_ pink; panicles
corymbose. September. _l._ ovate, acute, serrated, tapering at the
petioles. Plant erect, pilose. _h._ 2ft. Russia, 1834.
=A. caucasicus= (Caucasian).* _fl.-heads_ purple, solitary; scales
of involucre nearly equal, linear. July. _l._ ovate, sessile,
scabrous. _h._ 1ft. Caucasus, 1804.
=A. ciliatus= (ciliated). _fl.-heads_ white. September. _l._
ciliated; cauline ones linear-lanceolate, nerved; those of the
branches very short lanceolate, three-nerved. Stem branched, downy;
branches downy. _h._ 3ft. North America.
=A. concinnus= (neat).* _fl.-heads_ purple; involucre closely
imbricated. October. _l._ sub-amplexicaul, lanceolate; lower ones
sub-serrate, smooth. Stem simple, panicled at end. _h._ 2ft. North
America, 1800.
=A. concolor= (one-coloured). _fl.-heads_ purple; raceme terminal.
October. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, hoary on each side. Stem simple,
erect, downy. _h._ 1ft. North America, 1759.
=A. conyzioides= (Conyza-like). Synonymous with _Seriocarpus
conyzioides_.
=A. cordifolius= (heart-leaved). _fl.-heads_ blue, small, disposed
in crowded racemes, which are slightly drooping. July. _l._
cordate, pilose beneath, finely serrated, stalked. Stem smoothish,
panicled; panicle spreading. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1759.
=A. coridifolius= (Coris-leaved). _fl.-heads_ pale blue. October.
_l._ very numerous, linear, blunt, reflexed, hispid at edge. Stem
branched, diffuse, smooth; branches one-headed. _h._ 1ft. North
America.
[Illustration: FIG. 179. ASTER CORYMBOSUS, showing Habit and
Flower-head.]
=A. corymbosus= (corymbose). _fl.-heads_ corymbose, about 1in.
in diameter; ray-florets few, narrow, white; disk-florets pale
yellow. Autumn. _l._ 3in. long, cordate acute, lobed at the base,
coarsely toothed. Stems brittle, blackish purple. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
SYN. _Biotia corymbosa_. See Fig. 179.
=A. diffusus= (diffuse). _fl.-heads_ white; involucres imbricated.
October. _l._ elliptic-lanceolate, equal, serrated, smooth.
Branches spreading. Stem pubescent. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1777.
=A. Douglasii= (Douglas's).* _fl.-heads_ purple; involucral scales
linear or spathulate-linear, loosely imbricated. August. _l._
lanceolate, acute, entire, or rarely serrate, mostly tapering at
the base. Stem smooth, slender, paniculately branched, leafy. _h._
3ft. to 4ft. California, &c.
=A. dracunculoides= (Tarragon-like).* _fl.-heads_ white, about 1in.
across, disposed in dense cymose clusters; involucre imbricated.
September, October. _l._ linear, acuminated, entire; lower ones
linear-lanceolate, sub-serrate. Branches corymbose. _h._ 3ft. North
America, 1811. A very handsome species.
=A. dumosus= (bushy).* _fl.-heads_ white, about 1/2in. across,
disposed in broad clusters; involucre cylindrical, closely
imbricated. October. _l._ linear, glabrous; those of the branches
very short. Branches panicled. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1734.
=A. d. albus= (white).* _fl.-heads_ quite white, and rather smaller
than those of the species. North America.
=A. d. violaceus= (violet). _fl.-heads_ violet-purple. North
America.
=A. elegans= (elegant). _fl.-heads_ blue, small; corymb contracted,
drooping; scales of involucre oblong-cuneate, blunt, squarrose.
September. _l._ scabrous; cauline ones oblong-lanceolate, acute;
radical ones oblong, stalked. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1790. A very
elegant species, having a graceful habit.
=A. eminens= (eminent). _fl.-heads_ light blue. October. _l._
linear-lanceolate, acuminate, scabrous at edge; lower ones
sub-serrated. Stem panicled; branches one-headed. _h._ 2ft. North
America.
[Illustration: FIG. 180. ASTER ERICOIDES.]
=A. ericoides= (Heath-like).* _fl.-heads_ white; involucre
squarrose, leaflets acute. September. _l._ linear, glabrous; those
of the branches subulate, close together; and those of the stem
long. _h._ 3ft. North America, 1758. A very pretty species. See
Fig. 180.
=A. floribundus= (many-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ light purple.
September. _l._ sub-amplexicaul, lanceolate; lower ones serrated.
Stem smooth; branches corymbose. _h._ 4ft. North America.
=A. foliosus= (leafy). _fl.-heads_ pale blue; involucre imbricate.
September. _l._ linear-lanceolate, acuminate, narrowed at each
end. Stem downy, panicled, erect; branches few-headed. _h._ 3ft.
North America, 1732.
=A. fragilis= (fragile). _fl.-heads_ flesh-coloured, small;
involucre imbricated. September. _l._ linear, acuminate, entire;
radical ones oblong, serrate. Branches in corymbose panicles. _h._
2ft. North America, 1800.
[Illustration: FIG. 181. ASTER GRANDIFLORUS.]
=A. grandiflorus= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ purple, large,
terminal; scales of involucre squarrose. November. _l._ linear,
rigid, acute, sub-amplexicaul; those of the branches reflexed,
hispid at edge. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1720. See Fig. 181.
=A. hyssopifolius= (Hyssop-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ white, or purple
shaded; scales of the involucre about half as long as the disk.
August to October. _l._ linear-lanceolate, acute, with the margins
scabrous. Branches fastigiate and corymbose, smooth. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
to 2ft. North America.
=A. lævigatus= (smooth-stemmed). _fl.-heads_ flesh-coloured,
about 1in. across, disposed in large panicles. September. _l._
sub-amplexicaul, broad-lanceolate, sub-serrate, smooth. Stem
glabrous. Branches many-headed. _h._ 3ft. North America, 1794.
=A. lævis= (smooth).* _fl.-heads_ blue; involucre imbricated with
cuneiform leaflets. September. _l._ sub-amplexicaul, remotely
oblong, entire, lucid; radical ones sub-serrated. _h._ 2ft. North
America, 1758. One of the best border species.
=A. laxus= (loose-flowered). _fl.-heads_ white, about 1in. across;
clusters loose. October. _l._ linear-lanceolate, scabrous at edge;
lower ones sub-serrated; stem ones reflexed. Stem loosely panicled.
_h._ 2ft. North America.
=A. linarifolius= (Toad-flax-leaved). _fl.-heads_ pale blue.
September. _l._ numerous, linear, mucronated, nerveless, not
dotted, keeled, scabrous, rigid. Branches fastigiate, one-headed.
_h._ 1ft. North America, 1699.
=A. linifolius= (Flax-leaved). _fl.-heads_ white; involucre
imbricated, short. July. _l._ linear, nerveless, dotted, scabrous,
reflexed, spreading. Branches corymbose, fastigiate, leafy. _h._
2ft. North America, 1739.
=A. longifolius= (long-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ white, 1in. across,
in dense corymbose panicles; involucre squarrose. October. _l._
linear-lanceolate, rarely toothed, very long, smooth. _h._ 3ft.
North America, 1798. There are several varieties of this handsome
species.
=A. l. formosus= (charming).* _fl.-heads_ pink, produced in dense
corymbs. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft.
=A. macrophyllus= (large-leaved). _fl.-heads_ white. August. _l._
large, ovate, stalked, serrated, scabrous; upper ones cordate,
sessile. Stem branched, diffuse. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1739.
=A. multiflorus= (many-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ white, small; corymb
large, elongated; involucre imbricated; scales oblong, squarrose,
acute. September. _l._ linear, glabrous. Stem much branched,
diffuse, downy; branchlets one-sided. _h._ 3ft. North America, 1732.
=A. myrtifolius= (Myrtle-leaved). _fl.-heads_ white; involucre
imbricated; scales length of disk. August. _l._, stem ones,
amplexicaul, scabrous; those of the branches small. _h._ 2ft. 1812.
=A. novæ-angliæ= (New England).* _fl.-heads_ purple, in terminal
clusters. September. _l._ linear-lanceolate, pilose, amplexicaul,
auricled at base. Stem simple, pilose, straight. _h._ 6ft. North
America, 1710. One of the best; having a tall and robust habit.
=A. n.-a. rubra= (red).* _fl.-heads_ deep red pink, in other
respects like the type. North America, 1812.
=A. novæ-belgii= (New York).* _fl.-heads_ pale blue. September.
_l._ sub-amplexicaul, lanceolate, glabrous, scabrous at edge; lower
ones sub-serrated. Branches divided. _h._ 4ft. North America, 1710.
There is a variety known in gardens which belongs to this species,
under the name of _amethystinus_, the flowers of which are much
larger and very showy.
=A. obliquus= (oblique). _fl.-heads_ numerous; ray white; disk
purplish. Autumn. _l._ alternate; lower ones linear-lanceolate,
oblique; upper stem ones smaller. _h._ 5ft. North America. A very
fine species, forming large tufts.
=A. paniculatus= (panicled).* _fl.-heads_ light blue; involucre
loose. September. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, sub-serrated, stalked,
smooth; petioles naked. Stem much branched, smooth. _h._ 4ft. North
America, 1640.
=A. pannonicus= (Pannonian). _fl.-heads_ violet; scales of
involucre lanceolate, blunt, equal. July. _l._ linear-lanceolate,
hispid at edge. Stem simple, corymbose. _h._ 2ft. Hungary, 1815.
=A. patens= (spreading). _fl.-heads_ light purple, about 1in.
across. October. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, ciliate, cordate,
amplexicaul, scabrous on each side, hairy. Stem branched, hairy.
_h._ 2ft. North America, 1773.
=A. pendulus= (drooping).* _fl.-heads_ pure white at first,
ultimately rosy pink, small. September. _l._ elliptic-lanceolate,
serrate, smooth, those of the branches distant. Branches much
spreading, pendulous. _h._ 2ft. North America, 1758. A very pretty
species.
=A. peregrinus= (foreign).* _fl.-heads_ bluish purple, 2in. across.
July, August. _l._ lanceolate, sub-acute, entire, smooth, those of
the stem rather narrower than the radical ones. Stem smooth, or
nearly so, two or three-flowered. _h._ 1ft. North America. A very
pretty little species for the rockery or border.
=A. pilosus= (pilose). _fl.-heads_ pale blue; involucre oblong,
loose, imbricated. September. _l._ linear-lanceolate, hoary. Stem
branched, villous; branchlets somewhat one-sided, one-headed. _h._
2ft. North America, 1812.
=A. præcox= (early). _fl.-heads_ violet; involucre imbricated;
scales nearly equal; outer scales somewhat spreading. July. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at the base. Stem hairy. _h._ 2ft.
North America, 1800.
=A. pulchellus= (beautiful).* _fl.-heads_ purple, solitary; scales
of involucre nearly equal, linear, acuminate. June. _l._, radical
ones spathulate; cauline ones linear-lanceolate. _h._ 1ft. Armenia.
=A. puniceus= (red-stalked). _fl.-heads_ blue, about 1in. across;
panicle large, pyramidal; involucre loose, longer than the disk.
September. _l._ amplexicaul, lanceolate, serrate, roughish.
Branches panicled. _h._ 6ft. North America, 1710.
=A. pyrenæus= (Pyrenean).* _fl.-heads_ lilac-blue (disk yellow),
large, three to five in a short corymb. July. _l._ scabrous on both
sides; cauline ones oblong-lanceolate, acute, sessile, sharply
serrated on the upper part. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Pyrenees.
=A. Reevesi= (Reeves's). _fl.-heads_ white, with yellow centre,
small; panicle dense, pyramidal. Autumn. _l._ linear, acute.
Branches slender. _h._ 9in. to 12in. North America. A very
desirable species, suitable for rockwork.
=A. reticulatus= (netted). _fl.-heads_ white. July. _l._
lanceolate-oblong, acute at each end, sessile, revolute at end,
netted, and three-nerved beneath. Plant hoary all over. _h._ 3ft.
North America, 1812.
=A. rubricaule= (red-stemmed). Synonymous with _A. spurius_.
=A. salicifolius= (Willow-leaved). _fl.-heads_ flesh-coloured;
involucre lanceolate, imbricate; scales acute, spreading at end.
September. _l._ linear-lanceolate, nearly entire, smooth. Stem
smooth, panicled at end. _h._ 6ft. North America, 1760.
=A. salsuginosus= (salt-plains).* _fl.-heads_ violet-purple;
involucral scales linear, loose, glandular. July. _l._ entire,
the lower spathulate, obovate, tapering into a margined petiole;
the upper ones lanceolate, acute, with broad base, usually
sub-amplexicaul. Stem minutely pubescent, leafy nearly to the
top, few-flowered. _h._ 9in. to 18in. North America, 1827. A very
handsome species.
=A. s. elatior= (tallest). This variety grows 2ft. or more high,
and has rather larger flowers than the type. North America.
=A. sericeus= (silky). _fl.-heads_ deep blue; terminal, about
1-1/2in. across. Summer and autumn. _l._ oblong-lanceolate,
sessile, entire, three-nerved, silky with down. _h._ 3ft. Missouri,
1802. This is a half-hardy evergreen shrub, and requires a warm,
well-drained soil.
=A. serotinus= (late-flowering). _fl.-heads_ blue. September. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, sessile, smooth, scabrous at edge;
lower ones serrated; branches corymbose, smooth. _h._ 3ft. North
America.
=A. Shortii= (Short's). _fl.-heads_ purplish blue, about 1in.
across; panicles long, racemose. Autumn. _l._ lanceolate,
elongated, acuminated, cordate at the base. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Stem
slender, spreading. North America.
=A. sibiricus= (Siberian). _fl.-heads_ blue; involucre loose;
leaflets lanceolate, acuminate, hispid. August. _l._ lanceolate,
sub-amplexicaul, serrate, pilose, scabrous. _h._ 2ft. Siberia, 1768.
=A. sikkimensis= (Sikkimese).* _fl.-heads_ purple; leaflets
of involucre linear, acuminate, sub-squarrose. October. _l._
lanceolate, acuminate, spinosely denticulate; radical ones on
longer petioles; cauline ones sessile; corymbs large, of many
heads, leafy, erect, glabrous, branched. _h._ 3ft. Sikkim, 1850.
=A. spectabilis= (showy).* _fl.-heads_ blue; scales of involucre
loose, leafy. August. _l._ lanceolate, roughish, somewhat
amplexicaul; lower ones serrate in the middle. _h._ 2ft. North
America, 1777. A very pretty species.
=A. spurius= (spurious). _fl.-heads_ purple, large, few; inner
scales of involucre coloured. September. _l._ linear-lanceolate,
amplexicaul, polished. Stem virgate, panicled. Branches racemose.
_h._ 4ft. North America, 1789. SYN. _A. rubricaule_.
=A. tardiflorus= (late-flowering). _fl.-heads_ blue, numerous.
Autumn. _l._ sessile, serrated, smooth, spathulate-lanceolate,
narrowed at base, and bent down towards each side. _h._ 2ft. North
America, 1775.
=A. Townshendi= (Townshend's). Synonymous with _A. Bigelovii_.
=A. Tradescanti= (Tradescant's).* _fl.-heads_ white; involucre
imbricated. August. _l._ lanceolate-sessile, serrated, smooth;
branches virgate. Stem round, smooth. _h._ 3ft. North America,
1633. _A. multiflorus_ is very much like this species, and,
perhaps, a mere form thereof, with somewhat smaller flowers and
more obovate-oblong leaves.
=A. tripolium= (Tripoli). Michaelmas Daisy. _fl.-heads_ blue;
disk yellow; scales of involucre lanceolate, membranous, obtuse,
imbricated. August. _l._ linear-lanceolate, fleshy, obscurely
three-nerved. Stem glabrous, corymbose. _h._ 2ft. Britain.
[Illustration: FIG. 182. ASTER TURBINELLUS.]
=A. turbinellus= (turbinate). _fl.-heads_ delicate mauve, disposed
in panicles; involucre top-shaped, scales imbricate. Summer and
autumn. _l._ lanceolate, smooth, entire, with fringed margins,
somewhat stem-clasping; those of the branchlets awl-shaped. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. North America. A very desirable species. See Fig. 182.
=A. undulatus= (undulated). _fl.-heads_ pale blue. August. _l._
oblong-cordate, amplexicaul, entire; petioles winged. Stem
panicled, hispid. Branchlets one-sided. _h._ 3ft. North America,
1699.
=A. versicolor= (various-coloured).* _fl.-heads_ white, changing
to purple; scales of involucre shorter than disk. August. _l._
sub-amplexicaul, broad-lanceolate, sub-serrate, smooth. Stem
glabrous. _h._ 3ft. North America, 1790.
The annuals (_Callistemma hortensis_), usually known as French, German,
or China Asters, are very extensively grown, both for beds and pots,
and their diversity and generally compact growth render them almost
universal favourites. They require a rich loamy soil, and as the roots
are produced near the surface, a mulching of rotten dung will be found
most beneficial. Seeds may be raised in a cold frame in March or April,
and, when the seedlings are large enough, they must be transplanted
into beds from 9in. to 12in. apart each way. If it is desired to have
them in pots, they may be removed thence with a good ball of earth
adhering just before they commence flowering, liberally watered, and
kept lightly shaded from the sun, until root action is resumed. Those
kinds required for exhibition purposes should have several of the side
shoots removed, so that the whole growing energy of the plant may be
centralised into from five to seven flower-heads, by which means fine
blooms may be obtained. The dwarf kinds are most valuable for bedding
and pots, as the taller kinds frequently require stakes for support.
The following are the most important sections:
=Betteridge's Prize.= Very beautifully formed and brilliantly
coloured varieties, unsurpassed for exhibition purposes. As this
class has rather a straggling habit of growth, it is less suitable
for bedding and borders than many of the others.
=Boltze's Miniature Bouquet Pyramidal.= Dwarf and elegant, in
compact bouquets of six or eight; the truss of flower-heads springs
directly from the ground, having only a few leaves at base. Colours
very varied. _h._ 6in. to 8in.
[Illustration: FIG. 183. TRUFFAUT'S PEONY-FLOWERED ASTER.]
[Illustration: FIG. 184. TRUFFAUT'S PERFECTION ASTER.]
=Crown.=* Distinct. The central portion, or disk, of the head of
flowers is pure white, surrounded by a broad margin of coloured ray
florets, such as purple, violet, crimson, rose, &c. Flower-heads
large, flat, freely produced. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft.
=Dwarf Chrysanthemum-flowered.=* In size of flower-heads and habit
of growth, this surpasses all other dwarf varieties. The flowers
are full, Chrysanthemum-shaped, produced in clusters, or bouquets,
from ten to twenty in a truss, very delicate and beautiful in
colour. _h._ 1ft.
=Dwarf Pyramidal= or =Dwarf Bouquet=. A pretty little class, and
extremely floriferous, each plant producing from twenty to fifty
heads of bloom. Some of the colours are: Exquisite carmine with
white points, white with blue or carmine points, white with salmon
centre, &c. _h._ 1ft.
=Improved Imbricate.= The best strain of pyramidal Asters with
recurved florets; fine regular form of flowers, double to the
centre, producing but few seeds. Colours very brilliant. _h._ 2ft.
=Improved Rose.= A handsome class, producing a branched head,
displaying no less than fifty large double flower-heads, the outer
florets finely imbricated, and filled up to the centre when quite
open. The colours are of great brilliancy, and of many shades. _h._
2ft.
=Pompone Goliath.=* Flower-heads globular, and florets very closely
set. Valuable for bouquets, as the flowers remain intact for a
considerable time.
=Pyramidal Hedgehog.= Singular and unique. Stems upright, and
branched; each branch terminated by a single flower-head, which is
filled up with quill-like florets. Colours various. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
=Truffaut's Pæony Perfection.=* Vigorous upright growers, having
large, hemispherical-formed heads of flowers with incurved florets,
4in. across. The colours also are very varied. _h._ about 2ft. See
Figs. 183 and 184.
[Illustration: FIG. 185. VICTORIA ASTER.]
=Victoria.=* One of the most popular classes of Asters grown;
flower-heads very double, imbricate, globular, 4in. in diameter,
from ten to twenty on a plant, of various shades. _h._ 1ft., with
a pyramidal habit. See Fig. 185.
=ASTERACANTHA= (from _aster_, a star, and _acantha_, a spine; referring
to the disposition of the spines). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. A handsome
greenhouse herbaceous perennial, of easy culture in sandy loam. It
should be grown in a sunny position, and be kept moderately dry,
otherwise little but foliaceous growth will be produced; but, if thus
treated, it flowers freely. Propagated by divisions in spring; or by
seeds, sown in August.
=A. longifolia= (long-leaved). _fl._ yellow, in dense axillary
fascicles. July. _l._ lanceolate, tapering to the base, narrow,
sessile, serrately ciliated. Stem quadrangular. Plant rather hairy.
_h._ 2ft. India, 1781.
=ASTERACEÃ.= _See_ =Compositæ=.
=ASTEROCEPHALUS.= _See_ =Scabiosa=.
=ASTILBE= (from _a_, without, and _stilbe_, brilliancy; in allusion to
the inconspicuous flowers of some of the species). ORD. _Saxifragaceæ_.
Tall branching herbs, with triternate or biternate leaves, allied to
_Spiræa_, from which they differ in having not more than three carpels,
eight or ten stamens, and numerous albuminous seeds. They are all more
or less graceful, and some indispensable, either when grown in isolated
clumps, or intermingled with other herbaceous plants. They thrive well
in almost any rich garden soil, preferring damp positions, and are
easily propagated by division, which is best done in early spring.
_A. japonica_ is grown very extensively for decorative purposes, its
elegant spikes of pure white flowers rendering it especially valuable.
The majority of the plants cultivated are imported, but they may be
grown fairly well in this country in heavily manured soil. They should
be potted as early as possible in the autumn, and plunged in ashes
or fibre outside, when they will soon commence to root, after which
they may be placed in heat, and forced as required, always giving an
abundance of water. Indeed, the pots may be stood in pans of water,
especially when the plants are well furnished with growth.
=A. barbata= (bearded). A synonym of _A. japonica_.
=A. decandra= (ten-stamened). _fl._ white, in spicate racemose
panicles. May. _l._ biternate; leaflets cordate, deeply lobed and
serrated, glandular beneath, and on the petioles. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
North America, 1812.
[Illustration: FIG. 186. ASTILBE JAPONICA.]
=A. japonica= (Japanese).* _fl._ small, pure white, in large
branching racemose panicles. May. _l._ triternate or pinnate,
serrated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Japan. This is best grown in pots, as
early frosts generally cut it down in the open air. SYNS. _Spiræa
barbata_ and _japonica_, also _Hoteia_ and _A. barbata_. See Fig
186.
=A. j. variegata= (variegated).* _l._ prettily variegated with
yellow; panicles much more dense than the type; indeed, it is far
superior in that respect.
[Illustration: FIG. 187. ASTILBE RIVULARIS.]
=A. rivularis= (brook).* _fl._ yellowish-white, or reddish, in
large panicled spikes. Late summer. _l._ biternate; leaflets ovate,
doubly serrated, villous beneath and on the petioles. _h._ 3ft.
Nepaul. A grand plant for the margins of lakes or damp woodlands.
See Fig. 187.
=A. rubra= (red).* _fl._ rose, very numerous, in dense panicles.
Late summer and autumn. _l._ biternate; leaflets oblique, cordate,
1in. to 2in. long, with elongated, serrated points. _h._ 4ft. to
6ft. India, 1851. A very pretty, but rare species; excellent for
sub-tropical gardening.
=A. Thunbergi= (Thunberg's).* _fl._ small, white, very numerous, in
erect, much branched, pyramidal panicles, with reddish and slightly
downy stalks. May. _l._ unequally pinnate or bipinnate; leaflets
broad, yellowish green, sharply toothed. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Japan, 1878.
This pretty little sub-shrub is extensively propagated on the
Continent for forcing purposes.
=ASTRAGALUS= (a name applied to a shrub by Greek writers). Milk Vetch.
ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A very large genus of hardy herbs or sub-shrubs.
Flowers in axillary clusters; standard larger than the wings. Leaves
unequally pinnate. About one hundred species have from time to
time been introduced in English gardens; many of these are lost to
cultivation; the comparative few here described are still generally
grown, and are good representative species. They are all of easy
culture. The shrubby kinds grow well in any light dry soil, and are
slowly increased by cuttings placed in a cold frame, or by seeds. The
herbaceous perennials prefer a dry light soil, and may be increased by
divisions or seeds; the latter mode is preferable, as many species are
very liable to die if transplanted or divided, which is at best but a
slow method. Seed should be sown in pots of sandy soil placed in a cold
frame as soon as ripe, or very early in the spring, as they may lie a
long time before germinating. The dwarfer species constitute admirable
rockwork plants, and can be grown in pots containing a mixture of loam,
peat, and sand. Seeds of the two annual species, _A. Cicer_ and _A.
Glaux_, merely require to be sown in the open border early in spring.
=A. adsurgens= (adsurgent).* _fl._ bluish purple; spikes oblong,
pedunculate, longer than the leaves, densely packed. June. _l._
with eleven to twelve pairs of ovate-lanceolate acute leaflets;
stipules acuminated, length of leaves. Plant ascending, smoothish.
Siberia, 1818. A very handsome and rare perennial species.
=A. aduncus= (hooked). _fl._ rose purple, in oblong spikes;
peduncles rather shorter than the leaves. June and July. _l._ with
numerous pairs of roundish-ovate, smooth leaflets, sometimes downy.
_h._ 6in. to 9in. Caucasus, 1819. Perennial.
=A. alopecuroides= (foxtail-like).* _fl._ yellow, disposed in thick
dense ovate-oblong spikes, on short axillary peduncles. June.
_l._ with numerous ovate-lanceolate, pubescent leaflets; stipules
ovate-lanceolate, acuminated. Plant erect. _h._ 2ft. to 5ft.
Siberia, 1737. One of the finest perennial species grown.
=A. alpinus= (alpine). _fl._ bluish-purple, sometimes whitish,
drooping, disposed in racemes of about 1/2in. long. Summer. _l._
impari-pinnate, with eight to twelve pairs of ovate or oblong
leaflets. Britain. A very desirable, hairy, prostrate perennial.
=A. arenarius= (sand-loving).* _fl._ blue; peduncles few-flowered,
rather shorter than the leaves. June. _l._ with linear-obtuse
leaflets; stipules connate, opposite the leaves. Plant diffuse,
tomentose from white adpressed down. _h._ 6in. Denmark, 1800.
Perennial.
=A. austriacus= (Austrian).* _fl._ few; upper petal, or vexillum,
blue, the rest purple; racemes pedunculate, longer than the leaves.
May. _l._, leaflets glabrous, linear, truncately emarginate. Plant
diffusely procumbent. South Europe, 1640. Perennial.
=A. canadensis= (Canadian). _fl._ yellow, disposed in spikes;
peduncles about as long as the leaves. July. _l._ with ten to
twelve pairs of elliptic-oblong, bluntish leaflets. Plant nearly
erect, rather hairy. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. North America, 1732.
Perennial.
=A. Cicer= (Vetch-like). _fl._ pale yellow, disposed in spike-like
heads; peduncles longer than the leaves. July. _l._ with ten
to thirteen pairs of elliptic-oblong mucronate leaflets. Plant
diffusely procumbent. Europe, 1570. Annual.
=A. dahuricus= (Dahurian). _fl._ purple, in dense racemes, which
are longer than the leaves. July. _l._, leaflets, seven to nine
pairs, oblong, mucronate. Plant erect, pilose. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
Dahuria to China, 1822. Perennial.
=A. dasyglottis= (thick-tongued).* _fl._ purple, blue, and white
mixed, in capitate spikes; peduncles a little longer than the
leaves. June. _l._, leaflets elliptic-oblong, somewhat emarginate;
stipules connate, opposite the leaves. _h._ 3in. to 4in. Plant
diffuse. Siberia, 1818. A charming little alpine perennial.
=A. falcatus= (hooked). _fl._ greenish yellow, in spikes;
peduncles rather longer than the leaves. June. _l._ with sixteen
to twenty pairs of elliptic-oblong, acute leaflets. Plant erect,
rather hairy. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Siberia (in wet, grassy places).
Perennial. SYN. _A. virescens_.
=A. galegiformis= (Galega-like).* _fl._ pale yellow, pendulous,
racemose; peduncles longer than the leaves. June. _l._ with twelve
to thirteen pairs of elliptic-oblong leaflets. Plant erect,
glabrous. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft. Siberia, 1729. A showy perennial
species.
=A. Glaux= (Milkwort). _fl._ purplish, in dense heads; peduncles
longer than the leaves. June. _l._ with eight to thirteen pairs of
small, oblong, acutish leaflets. Spain, 1596. Procumbent annual,
clothed with whitish hair.
=A. glycyphyllos= (sweet-leaved).* _fl._ sulphur coloured, in
ovate-oblong spikes; peduncles shorter than the leaves. June. _l._
with four, five, to seven pairs of oval, bluntish, smooth leaflets;
stipules ovate-lanceolate, entire. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Britain. A
perennial prostrate trailer.
=A. hypoglottis= (under-tongued).* _fl._ variegated with purplish,
blue and white, disposed in roundish heads; peduncles longer than
the leaves, ascending. June. _l._ with numerous little ovate,
obtuse, dark green leaflets, somewhat emarginate; stipules connate,
ovate. Stems prostrate, rather hairy. _h._ 3in. Britain, &c.
Perennial trailer.
=A. h. alba= (white-flowered).* This resembles the type, except in
the colour of the flowers.
=A. leucophyllus= (hoary-leaved).* _fl._ pale yellow, about 1/2in.
long, in dense racemes; peduncles much longer than the leaves.
July and August. _l._, leaflets in numerous pairs, broadly-linear,
covered with soft, silky pubescence. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. North
America. Perennial.
=A. maximus= (largest).* _fl._ yellow; spike sessile, cylindrical,
nearly terminal. June. _l._ with ovate-lanceolate, pubescent
leaflets; stipules oblong-lanceolate. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Armenia. A
very handsome, erect, perennial species.
[Illustration: FIG. 188. ASTRAGALUS MONSPESSULANUS, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=A. monspessulanus= (Montpelier).* _fl._ usually purplish, spicate;
peduncles longer than the leaves. June. _l._, leaflets twenty-one
to forty-one, ovate or lanceolate, outer ones rather the smallest.
Leaves hoary, and plant almost stemless when growing in dry exposed
situations; but in rich earth or moist places the leaves are almost
glabrous, and the stem becomes elongated. South Europe, 1710. This
species is much appreciated, and well deserves a place in all
collections. Evergreen trailer. See Fig. 188.
=A. narbonensis= (Narbonne). _fl._ yellow, disposed in somewhat
globose spikes, on short axillary peduncles. June. _l._ with
oblong-linear leaflets; stipules lanceolate. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
Narbonne and Madrid, 1789. An erect hairy perennial.
=A. odoratus= (sweet-scented). _fl._ pale yellow, sweet-scented,
disposed in spikes; peduncles same length as leaves. June. _l._
with eleven to fourteen pairs of oblong acute leaflets; stipules
connate. Plant erect, rather ascending. _h._ 6in. Levant, 1820.
Perennial.
=A. onobrychioides= (Onobrychis-like).* _fl._ beautiful purple,
in capitate spikes on long peduncles. July. _l._ with eight to
ten pairs of elliptic leaflets; stipules connate, opposite the
leaves. Plant rather diffuse, shrubby at the base, clothed with
adpressed hairs. _h._ 9in. to 12in. Iberia, Persia, &c., 1819. A
very handsome perennial species.
=A. Onobrychis= (Onobrychis). _fl._ purple; spikes oblong-ovate,
pedunculate, longer than the leaves. June. _l._ with seven to
sixteen pairs of oblong leaflets. _h._ 1-1/2ft., or procumbent.
Mountains Southern Europe, 1640. This is an elegant perennial, and
ranks among the very best. The varieties, all white flowered, are:
_alpinus_, _major_, _microphyllus_ and _moldavicus_, but only the
first-named is now in cultivation.
=A. pannosus= (woolly).* _fl._ rose-coloured, in compact globose
heads, with peduncles shorter than the leaves. July. _l._ with
four, five, to nine pairs of ovate-lanceolate leaflets, thickly
coated with long white woolly hairs. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Siberia.
Perennial.
=A. ponticus= (Pontic). _fl._ yellow; spikes sessile, almost
globose. July. _l._ oblong, smoothish; stipules lanceolate. Stem
rather hairy. _h._ 2ft. Tauria, 1820. A very showy, erect, border
perennial.
=A. purpureus= (purple). _fl._ purplish blue, disposed in capitate
spikes; peduncles longer than the leaves. June. _l._, leaflets
obovate, bidentate at the apex; stipules connate, opposite the
leaves. Plant diffuse, procumbent, rather hairy. _h._ 3in. to 6in.
Provence, 1820. Perennial.
=A. sulcatus= (furrowed).* _fl._ pale violet, but with a white
keel, tipped with brown; racemes pedunculate, longer than the
leaves. July. _l._ with linear-lanceolate leaflets. Plant erect,
glabrous; stem furrowed. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia, 1783. Perennial.
=A. Tragacantha= (great goat's thorn).* Gum Tragacanth. _fl._ pale
violet, two to five together, axillary, sessile. June. _l._ with
eight to nine pairs of linear hispid leaflets; young stipules
connate, clothed with silky hairs; adult ones glabrous; petioles
permanent, at length becoming hardened spines. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to
3ft. Levant, 1640. Evergreen shrub. Tragacanth, a partially soluble
gum, was formerly supposed to be furnished by this plant. It is,
however, now known that _A. Tragacantha_ yields none. Several
species from mountainous regions in Asia Minor, &c., furnish the
gum.
=A. vaginatus= (sheathed-stipuled). _fl._ rosy-purple, with
white-tipped wings; calyx rather inflated, covered with soft white
and black hairs; spikes dense. Summer. _l._ impari-pinnate, with
seven or eight pairs of elongated-oblong leaflets, both surfaces
covered with short silvery hairs. _h._ 1ft. Siberia. Perennial.
=A. vesicarius= (bladdery). _fl._, upper petal purple, the wings
yellow, and the keel white, tipped with yellow; calyx clothed with
black adpressed down and long white spreading hairs; peduncles
longer than the leaves. July. _l._ with five to seven pairs of
elliptic leaflets. Plant diffusely procumbent, hoary from adpressed
silky down. _h._ 6in. to 9in. France, 1737. Perennial trailer.
=A viminens= (twiggy). _fl._, upper petal purplish rose, much
longer than the pure white wings; calyx clothed with black hairs;
spikes somewhat capitate, pedunculate, longer than the leaves.
June. _l._ with four to six pairs of lanceolate acute leaflets,
beset with adpressed hairs. _h._ 6in. to 1ft. Siberia, 1816. A
handsome perennial.
=A. virescens= (greenish). Synonymous with _A. falcata_.
=A. vulpinus= (fox).* _fl._ pale yellow; spikes nearly globose, on
very short peduncles. June. _l._ with obovate, obtuse, emarginate,
rather velvety leaflets. Plant erect; stem glabrous. _h._ 2ft. to
3ft. Caucasus, 1815. A handsome border perennial.
=ASTRANTIA= (from _astron_, a star, and _anti_, in composition
signifying comparison; in reference to the appearance of the umbels of
flowers). ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. Ornamental, hardy, herbaceous perennials,
natives of Europe and Caucasus. Universal umbels irregular, of few
rays, surrounded by variable involucre; partial umbels regular, and
containing many flowers, surrounded by many-leaved involucels. Radical
leaves petiolate, palmately lobed; cauline ones few, sessile. Roots
blackish. These are suited for borders, banks, and woodlands, growing
well in any ordinary garden soil, but preferring a damp position.
Easily increased by root divisions in autumn or spring.
=A. carniolica= (Carniolan).* _fl._ white. May. _l._ of involucre
twelve to thirteen, quite entire, white, with a green line running
along the middle of each, tinged with red; radical ones palmate;
lobes five to seven, oblong, acuminated, unequally serrated. _h._
6in. to 12in. Carniola, 1812. A pretty species.
=A. helleborifolia= (Hellebore-leaved).* _fl._ (and involucre)
pink, pedicellate. June. _l._ of involucre twelve to thirteen,
ovate-lanceolate, exceeding the umbel a little, bristly; radical
ones palmate; lobes three, ovate-lanceolate, unequally serrated.
_h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Eastern Caucasus, 1804. SYN. _A. maxima_.
=A. major= (greater).* _fl._ pinkish, pedicellate. May. _l._ of
involucre fifteen to twenty, linear-lanceolate, quite entire,
hardly longer than the umbel; radical ones palmate; lobes five,
ovate-lanceolate, acute, rather trifid, toothed. _h._ 1ft to 2ft.
Europe, 1596. Very distinct and ornamental.
=A. maxima= (greatest). Synonymous with _A. helleborifolia_.
=ASTRAPÃA= (from _astrape_, lightning; alluding to the brightness of
the flowers). ORD. _Sterculiaceæ_. Elegant stove evergreen trees.
Peduncles axillary, long, bearing on their apex an umbel of large
sessile flowers, enclosed in a leafy involucre. Leaves alternate,
stalked, cordate, three to five-lobed. They thrive well in a mixture of
loam and peat, and require a plentiful supply of water; but the best
results accrue if the bottom of the pot can be stood in a saucer or tub
of water. Propagated by cuttings of young wood, made in April, placed
in a compost of loam and peat, or sand, under a bell glass, in heat.
=A. tiliæflora= (Lime-tree leaved). _fl._ pink. _h._ 20ft. Isle of
Bourbon, 1824.
=A. viscosa= (clammy). _fl._ pink. _h._ 20ft. Madagascar, 1823.
=A. Wallichii= (Wallich's).* _fl._ scarlet; umbels drooping.
July. _l._ large, cordate, angularly lobed; stipulas leafy,
ovate-acuminated; peduncles long, hairy. _h._ 30ft. Madagascar,
1820. This splendid species has often been described as being one
of the finest plants ever introduced into this country; and, when
in full flower, nothing can exceed it in beauty and grandeur.
=ASTROCARYUM= (from _astron_, a star, and _karyon_, a nut; referring to
the disposition of the fruit). SYN. _PhÅnico-phorum_. ORD. _Palmaceæ_.
Very ornamental stove palms, allied to _Cocos_, having the trunk (when
present), foliage, fruit-stalks, spathes, and sometimes the fruit,
covered with spines. The flowers develop from the axils of the old
decayed leaves. Drupes oval, one-seeded, orange or yellow, in some
species fragrant. Leaves pinnate, with linear segments, dark green
above, and often of a silvery white below. The species thrive in a
compost of two-thirds rich loam and one-third vegetable mould; water
may be given copiously. Propagation may be effected by seeds, which
should be sown in spring in a hotbed; or by suckers, if they are to be
obtained.
=A. acaule= (stemless). _l._ pinnate, 3ft. to 10ft. long, slender
and spreading; pinnæ narrow, arranged in clusters, pendent. Spines
very numerous, long, flat, black. _h._ 10ft. Brazil, 1820.
=A. aculeatum= (prickly). _h._ 40ft. Guiana, 1824.
=A. argenteum= (silvery).* _l._ arching, wedge-shaped, pinnate,
distinctly plicate, bright green on the upper surface, the under
surface, as well as the stalks, covered with a fine white scurf,
which gives them a silvered appearance. Columbia, 1875. One of the
best of silver palms.
=A. filare= (thready).* _l._ erect, narrowly cuneate, with
two divergent lobes; petioles covered with white scurf, both
on the upper and under surfaces. Distinct and elegant, with a
comparatively small and slender growth. Columbia, 1875.
=A. granatense= (New Grenadan). _l._ pinnate, with oblong-acuminate
segments; the rachis is spiny, like the petiole, both on the upper
and lower surfaces; leafstalks brownish, armed with numerous
scattered needle-shaped dark-coloured spines. Columbia, 1876.
=A. mexicanum= (Mexican). Mexico, 1864.
=A. Muru-Muru= (Murumuru). _l._ pinnate, 10ft. to 12ft. long;
leaflets lanceolate, sub-falcate, dark green above, silvery white
below. Stem 12ft. to 15ft. high, densely clothed with strong
reflexed black spines, over 6in. long. _h._ 40ft. Brazil, 1825.
=A. rostratum= (beak-sheathed). _l._ irregularly pinnate, 3ft. to
8ft. long; pinnæ 12in. to 18in. long; terminal lobe much larger
and bifid, dark green above, silvery white below; petioles broadly
sheathing at the base, densely armed with black spines, sometimes
2in. long. Stem slender, densely clothed with long black spines. A
slow grower, ultimately becoming 30ft. high. Brazil, 1854.
=A. vulgare= (common). _h._ 30ft. Brazil, 1825.
=ASTROLOBIUM.= _See_ =Ornithopus=.
=ASTROLOMA= (from _astron_, a star, and _loma_, a fringe; in reference
to the bearded limb of the corolla). ORD. _Epacridaceæ_. Very handsome,
little, diffuse, greenhouse, evergreen shrubs. Flowers solitary,
axillary; corolla tubular, distended above the middle, and with
five bundles of hairs in the inside, near its base. Leaves crowded,
alternate, linear, or obovate-lanceolate and mucronate. They thrive
best in an equal mixture of sand, loam, and peat, with thorough
drainage. Propagated by young cuttings, which root readily in sandy
soil, under a bell glass, in a cool house.
=A. denticulatum= (finely-toothed). _fl._ axillary, erect; corolla
pale red, with a ventricose tube. May to July. _l._ scattered,
lanceolate, ciliated, usually procumbent, but sometimes slightly
erect. _h._ 1ft. New Holland, 1824.
=A. humifusum= (trailing). _fl._ scarlet, similar to the foregoing.
May and June. _l._ lanceolate-linear, rather convex above, with
ciliated edges. Shrub prostrate, much branched. _h._ 1ft. New
Holland, 1807.
=ASTROPHYTUM MYRIOSTIGMA.= _See_ =Echinocactus myriostigma=.
=ASYSTASIA= (meaning not clear). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. Stove evergreen
shrubs. Flowers disposed in axillary or terminal clusters; corolla
somewhat funnel-shaped, five-lobed; calyx five-lobed, regular. Branches
slender. They require a compost of peat and loam, with a little sand,
and, to induce a vigorous growth, a little dry cow-dung may be applied.
Propagated by cuttings of young shoots, placed in sandy soil, under a
bell glass, in April, with a brisk bottom heat.
=A. chelonioides= (Chelonia-like).* _fl._ in terminal racemes,
reddish purple, the border white. _l._ opposite, ovate-acute. _h._
34ft. India, 1871. A pretty dwarf sub-shrub.
=A. coromandeliana= (Coromandel). _fl._ deep lilac; racemes
axillary, elongated, secund, strict. July. _l._ opposite,
cordate-ovate; branches diffuse. _h._ 4ft. India, 1845. SYN.
_Justicia gangetica_.
=A. macrophylla= (large-leaved).* _fl._ bilabiate, bell-shaped,
rosy purple outside, and almost pure white within; spikes terminal,
erect, 1ft. long. June. _l._ very large, obovate-lanceolate. _h._
8ft. to 20ft. Fernando Po, 1867.
=A. scandens= (climbing).* _fl._ cream-coloured; tube of corolla
widened and recurved above, lobes of limb crenately curved; racemes
terminal, compact, thyrse-formed. July. _l._ obovate or ovate
acute, glabrous. _h._ 6ft. Sierra Leone, 1845. This handsome stove
climber requires a high, moist temperature after shifting. SYN.
_Henfreya scandens_.
=A. violacea= (violet).* _fl._ violet purple, striped with white,
in terminal racemes. _l._ shortly-stalked, ovate-acuminate, deep
green, minutely hairy on both surfaces. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. India,
1870. A pretty dwarf plant.
=ATACCIA CRISTATA.= _See_ =Tacca integrifolia=.
=ATALANTIA= (mythological: Atalanta, the daughter of SchÅneus). ORD.
_Rutaceæ_. A genus of ornamental stove evergreen shrubs, having the
eight stamens united below into a tube, and with undivided leaves. It
comprises about ten species. They thrive well in a mixture of loam and
peat. Propagated by means of ripened cuttings, which will root readily
if planted in sand under a hand glass, in heat.
=A. monophylla= (one-leaved). _fl._ small, white, in axillary
racemes. _fr._ golden yellow, about the size of a nutmeg. June.
_l._ simple, ovate-oblong, emarginate at the apex. Spines small,
simple. _h._ 8ft. India, 1777. A thorny shrub.
=ATAMASCO LILY.= _See_ =Zephyranthes Atamasco=.
=ATHAMANTA= (named from Mount Athamas, in Sicily, where some species
are found). ORD. _Umbelliferæ_. A genus of greenhouse or hardy
herbaceous plants, usually velvety from villi on the stem, leaves, and
fruit. Flowers white; involucra of one or few leaves; involucel of many
leaves. The undermentioned is the only species in cultivation, and is a
very graceful perennial, with Fennel-like foliage. It thrives well in
any ordinary soil. Increased by divisions, or by seeds sown in spring.
=A. Matthioli= (Matthioli's). _fl._ white, twelve to twenty-five
to an umbel. Summer. _l._ three or four ternate; leaflets
linear-filiform, elongated, divaricate. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Alps of
Carinthia, 1802.
=ATHANASIA= (from _a_, not, and _thanatos_, death; alluding to the
length of time which the flowers last). ORD. _Compositæ_. Rather
ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrubs with yellow flowers, from the
Cape of Good Hope. They grow well in a soil consisting of three parts
loam and one part peat. Propagation is effected by cuttings, taken from
half-ripened wood in spring, and placed in sand, under a hand glass.
=A. capitata= (headed).* _fl.-heads_ yellow. March. _l._
pinnati-partite; younger hoary, older smooth. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape of
Good Hope, 1774.
=A. pubescens= (downy). _fl.-heads_ yellow. July. _l._ oblong,
entire (or tridentate), softly hairy on both sides; when old,
sub-glabrous. _h._ 6ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1768.
=ATHEROSPERMA= (from _ather_, an awn, and _sperma_, seed; seeds awned).
ORD. _Monimiaceæ_. A beautiful greenhouse evergreen tree, with the
aspect of a stately conifer. Flowers panicled, diÅcious; perianth five
to eight-fid. Leaves opposite, aromatic. A compost of loam and peat, in
about equal proportions, is necessary. It can be readily propagated by
cuttings.
=A. moschata= (Musk-scented). Plume Nutmeg. _fl._ white. June. _h._
40ft. New Holland, 1824.
=ATHEROSPERMEÃ.= _See_ =Monimiaceæ=.
=ATHRIXIA= (from _a_, not, and _thrix_, a hair; the receptacle being
destitute of hairs). ORD. _Compositæ_. A greenhouse evergreen shrub. It
succeeds best in turfy loam, peat, and sand, and requires to be potted
firmly. Propagated by cuttings of young wood, placed under a bell glass
in sandy soil, and treated like _Ericas_ (which _see_).
=A. capensis= (Cape).* _fl.-heads_ bright crimson, solitary,
terminal. April. _l._ narrow, lanceolate, alternate, entire. _h._
3ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1821.
=ATHROTAXIS= (from _athros_, crowded together, and _taxis_,
arrangement; in reference to the disposition of the scales of the
cones). ORD. _Coniferæ_. A small genus of Tasmanian evergreen diÅcious
trees or shrubs, with small scale-like leaves, and small globular cones
of many imbricated scales, with from three to six carpels under each
scale. In very sheltered situations they will probably prove hardy;
but, otherwise, they are only suitable for botanical collections.
Increased by cuttings. This genus is almost universally misspelt
_Arthrotaxis_.
=A. cupressoides= (Cypress-like). _l._ small, thick, leathery,
spirally arranged, closely imbricated, deep glossy green. _h._
30ft. A small, erect, and very slow growing tree, with numerous
slender branchlets.
=A. Doniana= (Don's). A synonym of _A. laxifolia_.
=A. imbricata= (imbricated). A garden synonym of _A. selaginoides_.
=A. laxifolia= (loose-leaved). Differing from _A. cupressoides_
in having longer, more pointed, open, and spreading leaves, which
stand out from the stem in a Juniper-like fashion. Its lateral
growths are rather pendulous. _h._ 20ft. to 25ft. SYN. _A. Doniana_.
=A. selaginoides= (Selago-like). _l._ glossy green, scale-like,
spirally disposed, closely appressed to the shoots, branches and
their ramifications very numerous. _h._ variable, up to 40ft. Very
interesting, and quite distinct. SYN. _A. imbricata_ (of gardens).
=ATHYRIUM.= _See_ =Asplenium=.
=ATRAGENE= (a name originally given to _Clematis Vitalba_ by
Theophrastus). ORD. _Ranunculaceæ_. A genus of ornamental, hardy,
climbing, deciduous shrubs, closely allied to _Clematis_, from which
they differ in having numerous petals. They are increased by cuttings,
which should be pricked in light sandy soil and placed under a hand
glass; also by layering in the autumn. Both methods are slow; the
layers should not be separated for about a year, when they will be
vigorous plants. Seeds must be sown in early spring, in gentle heat;
when the seedlings are large enough to handle, they should be pricked
off and grown on in pots till they are strong plants.
[Illustration: FIG. 189. ATRAGENE ALPINA, showing Habit, Twining
Leafstalk, and Flower.]
=A. alpina= (alpine).* _fl._ blue, varying to white; petals ten
to twelve, linear at the base, but dilated at the apex; peduncles
one-flowered, longer than the leaves. May. _l._ biternate; leaflets
ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, serrate. Mountainous parts of Europe,
1792. The white-flowered variety, named _alba_, is in cultivation.
SYNS. _A. austriaca_ and _A. sibirica_. See Fig. 189.
=A. americana= (American).* _fl._ large, purplish-blue; petals
acute; peduncles one-flowered. May. _l._ whorled, in fours,
leaflets stalked, cordate, lanceolate, acuminated, entire or
somewhat lobed, or serrated. North America, 1797. SYN. _Clematis
verticillaris_.
=A. austriaca= (Austrian). Synonymous with _A. alpina_.
=A. macropetala= (large-petaled).* _fl._ blue. Manchuria, 1870.
=A. sibirica= (Siberian). Synonymous with _A. alpina_.
=ATRIPLEX= (from _a_, not, and _traphein_, to nourish). Orach. ORD.
_Chenopodiaceæ_. A genus of, for the most part, uninteresting weeds, of
very variable form and habit, and having the calyx, which encloses the
fruit, enlarging after flowering. For culture, _see_ =Orach=.
=A. hortensis= (garden). An annual species from Tartary, of no
value as an ornamental plant, but considered a very desirable
substitute for spinach. The leaves must be gathered for use when
young. The variety _A. h. atro-sanguinea_ is a very pretty form,
having handsome crimson leaves, and growing to a height of about
4ft. It is well worth growing with such plants as _Amaranthus_, &c.
=ATROPA= (name of mythological origin). Belladonna; Dwale. ORD.
_Solanaceæ_. A small genus, having a campanulate regular corolla, and a
leafy persistent calyx. The berries of this native herbaceous perennial
are exceedingly poisonous. The plant is of no horticultural value.
[Illustration: FIG. 190. FLOWER OF ATROPA BELLADONNA.]
=A. Belladonna.= _fl._ green and purple, solitary, pedunculate,
drooping. Summer. Berries about the size of a small cherry. _l._
ovate, acuminate, 4in. to 8in. long _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Britain. See
Fig. 190.
=ATTALEA= (from _attalus_, magnificent; referring to the beauty
of the genus). ORD. _Palmaceæ_. A genus of handsome stove palm
trees, distinguished from other genera in having the pinnæ arranged
vertically, and not horizontally. The leaves spring up almost
perpendicularly at the base, but in the upper part arch over. The pinnæ
stand at right angles to the rachis--which is very narrow in proportion
to its thickness--and while those of the lower side of the arch hang
straight down, those of the upper side point straight up. They thrive
well in a mixture of peat and loam in equal quantities, and enjoy a
copious supply of water. Summer temperature, 65deg. to 80deg.; winter,
55deg. to 60deg. All the species are robust trees; but, although
several have been introduced, few appear to be generally grown.
=A. amygdalina= (Almond-fruited).* _l._ pinnate, 3ft. to 6ft. long;
pinnæ 12in. to 18in. long, and about 1in. broad; terminal lobe
broad and bifid, rich dark green. Stem slender. New Grenada. One of
the best. SYN. _A. nucifera_.
=A. Cohune= (Cohune).* _l._ erect, ultimately spreading, pinnate,
furnished with from three to four dozen dark green pinnæ, sometimes
18in. in length; petioles rounded, and dark brown below, flat and
green upon the upper side. Plant unarmed. _h._ 50ft. or more in its
native habitat. Honduras.
=A. compta= (decked). _h._ 22ft. Brazil, 1820.
=A. excelsa= (tall).* _h._ 70ft. Brazil, 1826.
=A. funifera= (rope-bearing). The Piassaba Palm. _l._ vivid deep
green, very ornamental, and of economic value in Brazil. 1824. The
sheathing bases of the leafstalks separate into a coarse black
fringe, which is collected and exported to Europe, being used in
the manufacture of brooms, brushes, &c.
=A. nucifera= (nut-bearing). A synonym of _A. amygdalina_.
=A. speciosa= (showy).* _h._ 70ft. Brazil, 1825.
=A. spectabilis= (remarkable). _h._ 70ft. Brazil, 1824.
=ATTENUATED.= Tapering gradually to a point.
[Illustration: FIG. 191. FRUITING BRANCH OF ROUND AUBERGINE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 192. FRUITING BRANCH OF LONG AUBERGINE.]
=AUBERGINE=, or =EGG PLANT= (_Solanum melongena_, variety _ovigerum_).
These plants, besides being useful for culinary purposes, are very
ornamental, and present an attractive appearance on walls or trellises,
or in the flower garden; and, as they do well in any ordinary rich
garden soil, if the position is warm, they give a good variation to the
general run of plants used for decorative effects. The Black-fruited
kind is particularly suited for this purpose. Sow the seeds in a gentle
heat, in the middle of April. As soon as the seedlings are large enough
to handle, prick off into 4in. pots, replacing in heat till they root
out freely. Gradually harden off by June, and then transfer to the
positions where they are to grow. Let the plants be at least 2ft.
apart, and place a strong stick to each one to support the fruit when
it comes. For trellises, select the more moderate-sized varieties. In
hot, dry weather, the application of liberal supplies of liquid manure
tends to increase the size of the fruit, and also to make the foliage
more vigorous and handsome. Where very large fruit are needed for show
or other purposes, it is well to remove all but the best one on the
plant, and, by careful feeding with liquid manure, specimens of from
10lb. to 12lb. weight can be had. The foliage should not be pinched,
as this would prevent the free swelling of the fruit. Aubergines are
not so much grown in England for culinary purposes as in France and
Italy, where they are largely used in stews and soups. The following
are the most desirable varieties: New York Purple, the largest kind
grown, and although not as ornamental as the next, is quite as useful;
Black-fruited, large black fruit, with blackish violet leaves; and
White-fruited, the sort most generally cultivated. See Figs. 191 and
192.
=AUBRIETIA= (named after M. Aubriet, a famous French botanical
draughtsman). ORD. _Cruciferæ_. A small genus of hardy evergreen
trailers. Racemes opposite the leaves, and terminal, lax, few-flowered.
Leaves ovate or oblong, entire or angularly toothed, hairy. They make
excellent rock plants, and will thrive in a deep rich loam anywhere,
excepting under the shelter of trees. Cuttings struck, or seeds sown,
during April or May generally make fine, dense, cushion-like growths,
if transplanted on to a somewhat cool or shaded border, and carefully
lifted in the autumn; the cuttings are best "drawn," or grown until
they are soft, in a frame before they are removed. Where a stock of old
plants exist, layer the long slender branches any time after flowering,
and cover with a mixture of sand and leaf soil; they will then root
freely and establish themselves in time for spring blooming, for which
purpose, when grown _en masse_, they are most useful. After flowering,
they may be divided and transplanted.
[Illustration: FIG. 193. AUBRIETIA DELTOIDEA.]
=A. deltoidea= (deltoid).* _fl._ purple; petals twice the length of
the calyx; pedicels short, filiform; racemes opposite the leaves
and terminal, lax, few-flowered. Early spring. _l._ with one or two
large teeth on each side (therefore they are rhomboidal, not truly
deltoid), scabrous, with short branchy stellate hairs. _h._ 2in.
to 4in. Naples, &c., 1710. There are several garden varieties, the
best of which are described below; most of them are regarded as
distinct species. See Fig. 193. (S. F. G. 628.)
[Illustration: FIG. 194. AUBRIETIA PURPUREA.]
=A. d. Bouganvillei= (Bouganville's).* _fl._ light violet purple,
with very even imbricated petals. Habit very dwarf and compact,
with short peduncles. A pretty form.
=A. d. Campbelli= (Campbell's).* Larger deep violet blue flowers,
and of far more vigorous constitution than the typical form.
_Grandiflora_ comes very near this. SYN. _A. Hendersonii_.
=A. d. Eyrei= (Eyre's).* A very fine variety, with a free branching
habit, and large flowers of a rich violet-purple colour, rather
longer than broad. _A. olympica_ is very near, if not identical
with this.
=A. d. græca= (Grecian).* _fl._ light purple. _h._ 4in. Greece,
1872. One of the best and largest flowered forms; very vigorous
grower, with neat compact habit. A variety of this, named
_superba_, has rather deeper-coloured flowers, produced over a very
extended period. (R. G. 697.)
=A. d. purpurea= (purple).* Larger flowers and more erect habit
than the type. _l._ broader, with two to five teeth. Stems more
leafy. There is a variegated form, which is very pleasing and
effective, useful for carpeting or edging small beds. See Fig. 194.
=A. d. violacea= (violet).* This is a hybrid form, even finer than
_Campbelli_, with large deep violet-purple flowers, fading to
reddish-violet, and is more effective than any of the others.
=A. Hendersonii= (Henderson's). A synonym of _A. d. Campbelli_.
=AUCUBA= (the Japanese name of the shrub). ORD. _Cornaceæ_. A genus
of hardy evergreen shrubs, thriving better than any other in the
smoky atmosphere of dense cities. They grow in ordinary well-drained
garden soil, and require no special culture. If grown in pots, they
should be planted firmly in rather sandy yellow loam, with plenty of
drainage. They should not be allowed too large pots, or an unfruitful
growth is likely to result. During the growing season, an abundance
of water is needed, which must be lessened when the plants are fully
developed. If cultivated in the greenhouse or conservatory, they should
be plunged out of doors during summer. To insure a good supply of
the very ornamental berries, which are produced on the female plant,
careful fertilising is necessary. The time for applying the pollen is
when the pistil exudes a slightly gummy substance, and otherwise shows
signs of maturity. When it happens, as is sometimes the case, that the
male blooms are open and the pollen mature before the female blooms
are ready, the pollen should be collected on a dry camel-hair pencil,
transferred to a piece of glass, and covered over by another piece,
both of which must also be dry. It may be applied afterwards when
wanted, as it retains its power for some weeks. Propagated by cuttings,
inserted in any light sandy soil, with or without a covering, in spring
or autumn; or readily increased from seeds, sown as soon as ripe.
=A. himalaica= (Himalayan).* _l._ lanceolate, or lanceolate
acuminate; branches of the panicle very pilose. Berries spherical,
not oblong. Himalaya. (F. d. S. 12, 1271.)
=A. japonica= (Japanese).* _l._ opposite, petiolate, broad,
ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, toothed, leathery, glabrous, shining,
pale green, beautifully spotted with yellow, having the midrib
rather prominent, the rest of the leaf reticulately veined. _h._
6ft. to 10ft. Japan, 1783. The numerous varieties, both of the male
and female forms, among which will be found many of great beauty,
all differ, more or less, in the variegation of their leaves.
They are in very general cultivation, and nearly every nurseryman
has an assortment. Among the best of them are the following:
_albo-variegata_, _aurea_, _bicolor_, _latimaculata_, _limbata_,
_longifolia_, _macrophylla_, _ovata_, _pygmæa_, and _pygmæa
sulphurea_.
=AUDOUINIA= (in honour of V. Audouin, a profound entomologist). ORD.
_Bruniaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrub, thriving in a
mixture of peat and sandy loam. Propagated by cuttings of half-ripened
wood, inserted in sand, under a bell glass, in gentle heat.
=A. capitata= (headed). _fl._ purple, crowded into oblong,
spike-like, terminal heads. May. _l._ spirally inserted, a little
keeled. Branches erect. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1790.
=AULACOSPERMUM.= A synonym of =Pleurospermum= (which _see_).
=AULAX= (from _aulax_, a furrow; the under surface of the leaves of
the original species being furrowed). ORD. _Proteaceæ_. Greenhouse
evergreen shrubs, from the Cape of Good Hope, thriving best in a
compost of fibrous loam, leaf soil, and sharp sand, with thorough
drainage. Ripened cuttings, taken off at a joint, and inserted in pots
of sandy soil, will root readily under a hand glass, in a cool house.
=A. pinifolia= (Pine-leaved). _fl._ yellow, racemose. July. _l._
filiform, channelled. _h._ 2ft. 1780.
=A. umbellata= (umbelled). _fl._ yellow. June. _l._ flat,
spathulate*-linear. _h._ 2ft. 1774. (B. R. 12, 1015.)
=AURANTIACEÃ.= An order of trees or shrubs, including the Orange and
Lemon trees. Flowers fragrant. Fruit fleshy, edible. Leaves alternate,
articulated above the stem, filled with transparent oil cysts, giving
them a dotted appearance. Well-known genera are _Citrus_ and _Limonia_.
=AURICULA= (_Primula Auricula_). This favourite spring flower (see Fig.
195) was, at one time, almost universally cultivated, but has of late
years fallen into much neglect; it is now, however, happily regaining
enthusiastic admirers. Although its culture is not nearly so difficult
as is generally understood, a few special items of treatment are
nevertheless necessary to grow it successfully.
[Illustration: FIG. 195. A VARIETY OF PRIMULA AURICULA.]
_Frames_ for the reception of Auriculas should be prepared, with a good
bottom drainage, and an inside staging, similar to the back stage of
a lean-to greenhouse, arranged as near the glass as possible. If the
frames are about 4ft. wide, they will be very convenient; 1ft. deep in
the front, and about 3ft. at the back. This will allow for a good stage
arrangement. Of course, it is not necessary to construct an expensive
staging, as common boards can be laid upon pots of various heights, the
same results being practically secured. These frames should face north
from May to October, and south in winter, during which latter time it
will be necessary to well cover the sides with straw or brake. When
frosty, the lights must also be mated; but, unless there is absolute
fear of frost, the glass should not be covered, as the more light the
plants receive the better. On all suitable occasions, both during
summer and winter, air must be freely admitted, and a good look-out
kept during showery weather; hence it may be necessary to tilt the
lights with blocks rather than remove them entirely. The latter plan
should be adopted whenever practicable, especially during early spring,
and after they are well established in their fresh pots in summer.
This will greatly assist to ripen the crown, and produce hard, stout
foliage, which will endure the winter much better than if grown with
less air. Many cultivators prefer small span or lean-to houses to
frames; and it must be admitted that these are better, more convenient,
and in every way more beneficial. Simple, inexpensive structures, no
higher than is absolutely necessary for convenience, with top and side
ventilation, will meet all requirements; and if a 2in. hot-water pipe
is arranged next the eaves inside, it will be a decided advantage
during very severe weather.
_Soil._ The best compost that can be prepared for Auriculas is as
follows: Four parts good fibrous loam, one part well-rotted cow manure,
one part good leaf soil, and one part coarse river or silver sand,
with a little charcoal or pounded oyster-shells added. Carefully mix
the whole together before using. The loam should be stored about
twelve months previous to being used, and it should be selected from
districts with a fine atmosphere; the turf should be cut about 3in.
thick. Cow manure that has lain for a year or so, and been subjected to
sharp frosts, is most suitable, as insect life, which it very probably
contains, is thereby destroyed, and the whole materially sweetened.
_Potting._ This operation requires to be carefully done as soon after
flowering as possible, unless it is desired to save seed, when it
must be deferred until the seed is ripened. May and June are the best
months for general potting, and whatever the size of the pots used,
they should be carefully and thoroughly drained. After a good layer
of potsherds, place some charcoal, leaf mould, or spent hops. Many
good growers use the last very advantageously. For good flowering
plants, 48-sized pots are used, many cultivators preferring glazed
pots to the unglazed; but such are not absolutely necessary to ensure
success. Before repotting, remove most of the old soil, and with a
sharp knife cut off any bruised or cankered portion of roots; the stout
tap-root may also be cut away if devoid of fresh rootlets. Do not pot
very firmly. Remove the plants to their summer quarters, withholding
water for a few days, and keep the frames close. About a week after
potting, water may be advantageously given, the plants will then soon
resume root-action, and air may be admitted afterwards on all suitable
occasions. The collar or neck of the plant must be left well above the
surface of the soil.
_Watering_ is a point that requires careful attention, as neglect
in this matter will result in failure. During the growing season,
Auriculas require an abundance of water; in fact, they must never be
allowed to get dry. In the winter, they must only be watered when
they are really dry, especially during a severe season. Care must be
taken to avoid watering the leaves, particularly in early spring, as
this tends to spoil the effect of the charming farinose foliage. Above
all, water must not be allowed to stand in the heart of the plant, as
such will inevitably cause incipient decay. Hence it is necessary to
keep a sharp lookout for drippings from the glass, and to maintain
tightly-glazed frames. On all occasions, decaying leaves must be
removed, and especially during winter.
_Top-dressing._ About the middle or end of February, when the plants
commence new growth, the surface soil should be removed about an inch
or so deep, and the pots re-filled with a rich compost made up of the
following: Two parts of turfy loam, one of rotten cow or hen manure,
and one of leaf soil; if a little Standen's Manure is added, the
compost will be improved. After this top-dressing, the plants may be
watered freely.
_Propagation by Offsets._ When top-dressing, any offsets with roots
should be removed, and as soon after as possible the remaining ones
should be taken off, as it is much more desirable to do so early than
later on, when repotting; for, when making the first growth, they are
the more likely to root better, and stand a greater chance of making
good plants before the season is over. Fill well-drained 3in. pots with
sandy soil, and arrange about four offsets round the sides; place under
a bell glass, or in a close handlight, watering very sparingly so as to
prevent them damping off. They will soon establish themselves, after
which air may be admitted, and the plants may ultimately be potted off
singly. To induce choice varieties to make offsets, the top of the old
plant should be removed and treated like the others, when, as a rule,
several shoots will be produced, which in due time may be removed. By
this means, a nice stock of the rarer kinds may be obtained; whereas,
if such a course were not adopted, the rate of increase would be
extremely slow.
_Flowering._ During the flowering period, watering, as already stated,
must be carefully attended to, for if the plants are allowed to get
dry, the flowers will quickly shrivel. They must also be kept well
shaded from sunshine, which quickly destroys the delicate blossoms.
As the trusses are developing, particular attention must be given to
night protection. It is, perhaps, better to cover every night than to
run the risk of exposing the unexpanded flowers to frost, as the effect
is very prejudicial; in fact, if subject to frost, smooth even flowers
may not be expected.
_Seed Saving and Sowing._ The only way to obtain new varieties is by
seed; hence the value of careful seed-saving will be apparent. Severe
discrimination must be exercised in the selection of parents, and
the flowers must be very carefully crossed. The anthers should be
removed from the pistillate parent, if possible, before expansion,
so as to prevent any possibility of self-fertilisation; and, when
the stigma is ready, the pollen must be conveyed by means of a small
camel's-hair brush, care being taken not to mistake the brushes used
in different classes. It has been observed in Auriculas that the
issue from crossbred seed favours the pollen more than the pistillate
parent; hence the necessity of selecting good pollen parents. It is
best to confine hybridisation to separate classes--_i.e._, cross a
Self with a Self, and a Green-edged variety with another of the same
class. The importance of selecting the best in each class scarcely
needs suggestion, having regard to constitution as well as the quality
of the flowers. The seed should be sown as soon as ripe, or early in
March, in well-drained pots, filled with sandy soil, which must be well
watered previous to sowing. When this operation is completed, the seed
must be lightly covered with coarse sand, a sheet of glass placed over
the pot, and the latter stood in the hand glass, where the offsets are
rooted. Some of the seedlings will appear in a month, but the bulk
from that sown when ripe will not be seen until the following spring;
while others will germinate even during the ensuing summer. The late
comers should be particularly cared for, as they frequently produce
the best varieties. When the seedlings are large enough, they must be
pricked off in pots of sandy soil; and, when well established, potted
off singly into small thumb pots, and afterwards encouraged as judgment
suggests. Some growers allow the seedlings to remain in the store
pots till they flower, when the best are kept, and those not required
disposed of.
_Insect Pests._ Green fly are often very troublesome, and should be
exterminated as speedily as possible, by tobacco fumigation, or by
dipping the plants in a solution of Gishurst's Compound, or carefully
prepared Fir-tree Oil, all of which are effectual. Many authorities
denounce fumigation, while others advocate it. The roots are also
attacked by a mealy louse, named _Trama auriculæ_, which clusters about
the roots and collar of the plants, sucking nutriment therefrom; and
although, provided they do not attack the collar, they have no greatly
prejudicial effect on the plant, yet it is desirable to exterminate
them. The only effectual way of accomplishing this is to remove all
soil, and thoroughly cleanse the roots and collar in a solution of soft
soap, with a little Fir-tree Oil added. Of course, this is most easily
managed when repotting; and, unless the plants are very badly infested,
it would not be advisable to run the risk of root washing later in the
year.
_Classes._ Auriculas are now arranged in five classes, four of which
constitute what are known as "show or stage Auriculas," while the
other is known by the name of "Alpines." Each class is characterised
by special points of distinction, which, in the opinion of the strict
"florists" school, it is of the utmost importance to observe; and as
there is room for systematists in this, as well as in any other branch
of floriculture, we will follow the arrangement usually adopted, and
describe the distinguishing features of, and enumerate some of the best
varieties in, each class, with their raisers' names attached:
=Green-edged.= Outer edge green, or but sparingly dusted with
powder; next, a zone of colour known as the body colour, which
varies, the darkest being most esteemed; both edges of this zone
should be even, especially the inner one, but there are few flowers
perfect in this respect. Next to the body-colour is the paste,
which occupies the space between the inner circle of the latter
and the throat, this should be pure and dense, with a distinctly
circular outline at the throat; the throat and tube should be
bright yellow. Of course, this ideal standard has not yet been
reached, as there are supposed defects in all or some sections of
the flowers at present known. _Leading Varieties_: ADMIRAL NAPIER
(Campbell), ALDERMAN WISBEY (Headley), APOLLO (Beeston), CHAMPION
(Page), COLONEL TAYLOR (Leigh), DUKE OF WELLINGTON (Dickson),
FREEDOM (Booth), GENERAL NEILL (Traill), HIGHLAND BOY (Pollitt),
IMPERATOR (Litton), LADY ANN WILBRAHAM (Oliver), LORD PALMERSTON
(Campbell), LOVELY ANN (Oliver), LYCURGUS (Smith), PRINCE OF GREENS
(Traill), PRINCE OF WALES (Ashton).
=Grey-edged.= Edge heavily dusted with powder, so as almost
to hide the normal green colour; other points same as the
Green-edged varieties. _Leading varieties_: ALEXANDER MEIKLEJOHN
(Kay), CHAS. E. BROWN (Headley), COMPLETE (Sykes), CONQUEROR OF
EUROPE (Waterhouse), DR. HORNER (Read), F. D. HORNER (Simonite),
GENERAL BOLIVAR (Smith), GEORGE LEVICK (Walker), GEORGE
LIGHTBODY (Headley), JOHN WATERSTON (Cunningham), LANCASHIRE
HERO (Lancashire), RICHARD HEADLEY (Lightbody), ROBERT TRAILL
(Lightbody).
=White-edged.= Edge so heavily dusted with farina as to completely
hide the green and give it a white appearance; the powder
frequently as dense as on the paste portion; other points like
the first. _Leading varieties_: ACME (Read), ANNE SMITH (Smith),
ARABELLA (Headley), BEAUTY (Traill), BRIGHT VENUS (Lee), CATHERINA
(Summerscales), CONSERVATIVE (Douglas), COUNTESS OF WILTON
(Cheetham), EARL GROSVENOR (Lee), FAVORITE (Taylor), FRANK SIMONITE
(Simonite), GLORY (Taylor), JOHN SIMONITE (Walker), NE PLUS
ULTRA (Smith), REGULAR (Ashworth), SMILING BEAUTY (Heap), SYLVIA
(Douglas), TRUE BRITON (Hepworth).
=Selfs.= Tube bright yellow, and circular at the top; paste
dense, pure, with an even edge; all the rest of the flower of one
colour, without shades or edging; any colour holds good. _Leading
varieties_: APOLLO (Hay), BLACKBIRD (Spalding), C. J. PERRY
(Turner), DUKE OF ARGYLE (Campbell), FORMOSA (Smith), GARIBALDI
(Pohlman), HELEN LANCASTER (Pohlman), LORD OF LORNE (Campbell),
MAZINNA (Pohlman), METEOR FLAG (Lightbody), METROPOLITAN
(Spalding), MRS. DOUGLAS (Simonite), MRS. STURROCK (Martin),
OTHELLO (Netherwood), PIZARRO (Campbell), TOPSY (Kaye).
=Alpines.= Centre golden yellow, or white, and destitute of powder;
body colour various; edge one-coloured, shading off paler towards
the margin. These are much hardier than any of the other classes,
and will do well outside in most places. _Leading varieties_: A. F.
BARRON (Turner), BEATRICE (Turner), BLACK PRINCE (Turner), BRONZE
QUEEN (Turner), COLONEL SCOTT (Turner), DIADEM (Gorton), DUCHESS
OF CONNAUGHT (Turner), EVENING STAR (Turner), GEORGE LIGHTBODY
(Turner), JOHN LEECH (Turner), MRS. BALL (Turner), MRS. DODWELL
(Turner), MRS. LLEWELLYN (Turner), MRS. MEIKLEJOHN (Meiklejohn),
MRS. THOMSON (Turner), QUEEN VICTORIA (Turner), RUBENS (Turner),
SAILOR PRINCE (Turner), SELINA (Turner), SPANGLE (Turner), SYDNEY
(Turner), TRIUMPHANT (Turner).
=AURICULATE.= Having ear-like appendages.
=AUSTRIAN ROSE.= _See_ =Rosa lutea=.
=AVENA= (derivation obscure). The Oat. ORD. _Gramineæ_. A genus of
grasses with loose panicles and compressed spikelets. Of agricultural
importance only, with the following exception, which is an annual of
easy culture in ordinary garden soil. Propagated by seeds, sown in
spring or autumn.
=A. sterilis= (barren). The Animated Oat. _fl._ in drooping
panicles of large spikelets. _h._ 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. Barbary, 1640.
An elegant plant.
=AVENS.= _See_ =Geum=.
=AVENUES.= In forming an Avenue, the plan must neither be tortuous nor
of a "tedious sameness," but a gradually winding line should, above
all, be obtained, which must in no way interfere with the view from
the house. About 12ft. is the width usually allowed for the road, but
this depends upon individual taste or idea--this remark applies to
planting in double rows, the trees forming a series of triangles, or
in single rows. The distance across the road from one row of trees
to those opposite should be at least 24ft. The Lime is extensively
used for Avenues on account of its regular growth and the shade it
affords. The Cedar of Lebanon is one of the best and most suitable
evergreens. The Dutch Elm is used because of its rapid growth, and
forms one of the best deciduous trees for this purpose. The well-known
Horse Chestnut, in sheltered spots, is very ornamental, as is also the
Spanish Chestnut; the latter spreads rapidly. Where immediate effect
is required, nothing gives more satisfaction than the White Poplar; it
grows in a wet soil better than anything else. Deodars, Araucarias,
Douglas Pine, the Mexican, Chinese, and Japanese Cypresses, and many
others, are eminently suited for Avenue planting. Shrubs and herbaceous
plants should be introduced between the trees, and so remove any
bareness that may occur. _Diervilla rosea_, and its variegated form,
_Aucubas_, _Rhododendrons_, _Hypericums_, and many others, could be
mentioned to serve this purpose. A moderately good soil will be found
to answer generally.
=AVERRHOA= (in honour of Averrhoes, of Cordova, a celebrated Arabian
physician, who resided in Spain during the domination of the Moors,
about the middle of the twelfth century; he translated Aristotle into
Arabic). ORD. _Geraniaceæ_. Ornamental stove trees, thriving in loam
and peat. Half-ripened cuttings will strike in sand, under a hand
glass, about April, with bottom heat. The leaves of the first-named
species are irritable to the touch.
[Illustration: FIG. 196 AZALEA BALSAMINÃFLORA.]
=A. Bilimbi= (Bilimbi-tree). _fl._ reddish purple, disposed in
racemes, rising from the trunk. May. _fr._ oblong, somewhat
resembling a small cucumber, with a thin, smooth, green rind,
filled with a grateful acid juice, and the substance and seeds not
unlike that of a cucumber. _l._ alternate, with from five to ten
pairs of ovate-lanceolate, entire, smooth leaflets on short stalks.
_h._ 8ft. to 15ft. Native country unknown, 1791. (B. F. S. 117.)
=A. Carambola.= Carambola-tree. _fl._ red, scattered, disposed
in short racemes, usually rising from the smaller branches, but
sometimes from the larger ones, and even the trunk. _fr._ the
size of a hen's egg, acutely five-cornered, with a thin, yellow
rind, and a clear watery pulp. _l._ alternate, with about four to
five pairs of ovate, acuminated, entire, stalked leaflets, the
outer ones largest. _h._ 14ft. to 20ft. 1793. This, as well as the
first-named species, is cultivated throughout the hotter parts of
India, but where it occurs truly wild is not known.
=AVOCADO PEAR.= _See_ =Persea gratissima=.
=AWL-SHAPED.= Narrow-pointed, resembling an awl.
=AWLWORT.= _See_ =Subularia=.
=AXIL.= Literally the armpit; in plants applied to the angle formed by
union of the leaf and stem.
=AXILLARIA.= _See_ =Polygonatum=.
=AXILLARY.= Growing in the axil of anything.
=AYRSHIRE ROSE.= _See_ =Rosa repens capreolata=.
=AZALEA= (from _azaleos_, dry, arid; in allusion to the habitat of
the plant). ORD. _Ericaceæ_. A genus of very popular and beautiful
hardy or greenhouse plants. The species enumerated were included
under _Rhododendron_ by Don, Loudon, and others, contrary to the
classification of Linnæus, but the distinctive characters are not
consistent. In this genus, the stamens are usually five, but in
_Rhododendron_ ten is the typical number.
_Ghent_ or _American Azaleas_. These are extremely popular hardy
deciduous shrubs. When plants are grown in the open, artificial
crossing will be unnecessary; but this method must be employed upon
those grown in the cool greenhouse, if well fertilised seeds are
required. The seed should be gathered and sown when ripe in a large
shallow frame containing from 2in. to 3in. of peat, over which more
peat must be laid very level by means of a fine sieve; or they may be
kept until early the following spring. No covering will be necessary,
but a thorough watering with a fine-rosed water-pot must be given.
The lights should be darkened, and the frames kept close until the
young seedlings begin to appear, when they must have air (carefully
admitted), shade, and a daily sprinkling of water. By the autumn, they
will be large enough to transplant in small clumps into boxes of peat
and coarse sand, and to place in other frames, or in the open. In each
case, they will need watering, shading, and to be kept close until
growth commences. The hardier the plants are before winter commences,
the better; but a protection of mats or similar material will prevent
the probability of their being killed by severe frosts. During the
following season, they will only require water during dry weather,
and no protection need be afforded this winter. The next spring, they
should be planted out singly in beds, sufficiently wide apart to allow
the development of two years growth. If an upright growth is being
made, the leading shoot must be shortened, in order to secure dwarf,
well-branched plants. The same methods should be employed on a smaller
scale where but a few are wanted. Grafting is largely practised to
increase the stock of named varieties or choice seedlings, the stock
employed being _A. pontica_. This process, of course, ensures the
quicker production of flowering plants. Layering in March, encasing
the part buried with moss, is also some times practised; but the layer
must be left two years before separating. Cuttings of the last year's
wood, 2in. or 3in. long, taken with a heel, root readily in sand; about
the end of August is the best time for so doing. If they are pricked
off in pots or pans of sandy soil, and kept in a cool frame until
they are calloused, and afterwards introduced into a slight bottom
heat, they root quicker, but this is not absolutely essential. When
placed outside, they should be covered with a handlight for about two
months, and, at the end of this time, air should be gradually given
and increased. Ghent Azaleas are now forced extensively for the market
as well as in private gardens; and, by judicious culture, they can be
had in full blossom by Christmas. With this end in view, they should
be grown in pots, and have the growth prematurely completed soon after
flowering with the aid of a little artificial heat; after which they
may be placed outside. During very hot and dry weather, the north side
of a wall is necessary, to prevent their flowering in the autumn. The
same plants must only be forced every alternate year. Commence to place
the plants in heat in October, and keep up a succession until the
following March. The best plants for forcing purposes are obtained from
the Continent, where they are grown in enormous quantities. When grown
permanently out of doors, the most suitable soil is peat and rough sand
mixed. Failing this, leaf mould, maiden loam, and sand, will be found
satisfactory. In many cases, we have known them to flourish in ordinary
garden soil.
The following varieties of Ghent Azaleas are distinct, and all
worth growing; ADMIRAL DE RUYTER, deep red-scarlet, very fine;
ALTACLERENSIS, bright yellow; AMÅNA, light pink; CARNEA ELEGANS,
pale pink, shaded sulphur; COCCINEA MAJOR, dark scarlet, very fine;
CUPREA SPLENDENS, rich pink, shaded yellow; DECORATA, lovely pink;
DIRECTEUR CHARLES BAUMANN, rich vermilion, spotted yellow; ELECTOR,
rich orange-scarlet; GEANT DES BATAILLES, deep crimson, very fine;
MADAME JOSEPH BAUMANN, bright pink, very free and good; MARIA
VERSCHAFFELT, shaded pink and yellow; MIRABILIS, very lovely pink;
MORTERI, rich yellow, shaded rosy-red; PONTICA MACRANTHA, rich deep
sulphur, very large and fine; PRINCESSE D'ORANGE, salmon-pink, very
fine; SANGUINEA, deep crimson; VISCOSA FLORIBUNDA, pure white, very
fragrant.
=A. arborescens= (tree-like).* _fl._ large, reddish, not clammy,
leafy; tube of corolla longer than the segments; calyx leafy, with
the segments oblong and acute. May. _l._, of the flower buds large,
yellowish-brown, surrounded with a fringed white border, obovate,
rather obtuse, smooth on both surfaces, glaucous beneath, ciliated
on the margins, and having the midrib almost smooth. _h._ 10ft. to
20ft. Pennsylvania, 1818. Deciduous species.
=A. balsaminæflora= (Balsam-flowered).* _fl._ bright salmony
red, finely double and rosette-like, the segments regularly
imbricated, much resembling in general appearance the blooms of
a Camellia-flowered Balsam. Japan. It is a distinct species,
and remains in bloom for a considerable period; the flowers are
invaluable for bouquets. See Fig. 196, for which we are indebted to
Mr. Bull.
=A. calendulacea= (Marigold-like).* _fl._ yellow, red, orange, and
copper coloured, large, not clammy, rather naked; tube of corolla
hairy, shorter than the segments. May. _l._ oblong, pubescent on
both surfaces, at length hairy. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. Pennsylvania to
Carolina, 1806. This is said to be the handsomest shrub in North
America. There are several varieties of it in cultivation. Hardy;
deciduous. (B. M. 1721, 2143.)
=A. hispida= (bristly). _fl._ white, with a red border and a
tinge of red on the tube, which is wide and scarcely longer
than the segments, very clammy, leafy; stamens ten. July. _l._
long-lanceolate, hispid above, and smooth beneath, glaucous on both
surfaces, ciliated on the margins, and having the nerve bristly
beneath. Branches straight, and very hispid. _h._ 10ft. to 15ft.
New York, &c., 1734. A hardy deciduous species. (W. D. B. 1, 6.)
[Illustration: FIG. 197. FLOWER OF AZALEA LEDIFOLIA.]
=A. ledifolia= (Ledum-leaved).* _fl._ pure white, showy; corolla
campanulate; in threes at the extremities of the branches; calyx
erect, glandular, and viscid. March. _l._ elliptic-lanceolate. _h._
2ft. to 6ft. China, 1819. The whole shrub is very hairy. Hardy;
evergreen. SYN. _A. liliiflora_. See Fig. 197. (B. M. 2901.)
=A. liliiflora= (lily-flowered). Synonymous with _A. ledifolia_.
=A. nudiflora= (naked-flowered).* _fl._ in terminal clustered
racemes, appearing before the leaves, rather naked, not
clammy; tube of corolla longer than the segments; teeth of
calyx short, rather rounded; stamens much exserted. June. _l._
lanceolate-oblong, nearly smooth and green on both surfaces,
ciliated on the margins, having the midrib bristly beneath, and
woolly above. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. North America, 1734. This species
hybridises very freely with _A. calendulacea_, _A. pontica_, _A.
viscosa_, &c., and descriptive lists of a host of hybrids of almost
every conceivable shade, both double and single, are to be found in
continental and home catalogues, to which the reader is referred.
Hardy. (W. F. A., t. 36.)
=A. pontica= (Pontic).* _fl._ leafy, clammy; corolla funnel-shaped;
stamens very long. May. _l._ shining, ovate, oblong, pilose,
ciliated. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Levant, Caucasus, &c., 1793. The
varieties of this species are also numerous, differing principally
in the colour of the flowers and the hue of the leaves. The flowers
are of all shades, and frequently striped. The name generally
adopted, as above, must not be confounded with _Rhododendron
ponticum_. If the genus _Azalea_ is merged into Rhododendron, as is
done by most systematists, this plant must be called by Don's name,
_Rhododendron flavum_. (I. H. 1864, 415.)
=A. procumbens= (procumbent). _See_ =Loiseleria procumbens=.
=A. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._ scarlet and orange coloured; corolla
silky, with obtuse, ciliated, lanceolate, undulated segments; calyx
pubescent. May. _l._ lanceolate, ciliated, acute at both ends.
Branches hairy. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. North America. The varieties
of above are several, varying in the shape of the leaves and the
colour of the flowers. (L. B. C. 1255)
=A. viscosa= (clammy).* _fl._ white, sweet-scented, in terminal
clusters, downy, clammy, leafy; tube of corolla as long as the
segments. July. _l._ oblong-ovate, acute, smooth, and green on both
surfaces, ciliated on the margins, having the midrib bristly. _h._
2ft. to 4ft. North America, 1734. Like nearly all species belonging
to this genus, the varieties are many, varying in the colour of the
flowers and otherwise. (T. S. M. 438.)
=A. v. nitida= (shining).* _fl._ white, tinged with red, clammy,
leafy; tube of corolla a little longer than the segments. April.
_l._ oblanceolate, rather mucronate, leathery, smooth on both
surfaces, shining above, having the nerve bristly beneath, with
revolute, ciliated margins. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. New York, 1812.
Hardy; deciduous. (B. R. 5, 414.)
_Indian or Chinese Azaleas._ This is a section of greenhouse
evergreen varieties obtained from _A. indica_ (which _see_), blooming
continuously from November to June, or even later, and of the greatest
value for all purposes, whether for decoration, cutting, or exhibition.
Cultivation: Thorough drainage is essential, and a compost of half
peat, the other half made up of fibrous loam, leaf soil, and sand, in
equal quantities. They cannot have too much light and air, and may be
grown to almost any size by shifting from one pot to a size larger.
In repotting, the whole of the crocks should be taken away from the
base of the ball of soil and roots, and the top should also be removed
till the fine roots are reached. The plant should then be put in the
new pot, and the additional soil rammed firm, in order to prevent the
water running through it, and thus depriving the plant of any benefit
therefrom. In all cases, the roots near the stem must be above the
soil, so that the water may not sink in next the stem, or death will
most certainly ensue. After potting, for a few days the plants should
be kept close and freely syringed, and as the growth is completed,
they may be well hardened off. The best time for potting is after
flowering, before the new growth has been made. From October to June
the plants should be in the greenhouse, and during the other months in
a cold frame, or plunged in pots in the open; or, what is preferable
in favoured localities, planted out in prepared beds; they will thus
be kept cleaner, and the growth will be much superior. In autumn they
may be lifted and repotted, placing in a shady position for a few days.
Water in abundance must be given throughout the blooming and growing
season; and the plants must, on no account, be allowed to become dry.
At the same time, a proper amount of care is most essential, as an
excessive amount of moisture is equally as fatal as drought. Cuttings
should be placed in sand under a bell glass with moderate bottom heat;
half-ripened ones are preferable. They must be cut up to a joint--the
base of a leaf--the lower leaves for an inch stripped off, and the stem
stuck into the sand, which should lay, about an inch thick, on the top
of sandy peat soil; the bottom of the cuttings should reach, but not go
quite into, the soil. The whole should be covered with a bell glass,
which must be wiped dry every morning. Soon after the cuttings have
commenced growing, place them in small pots. They are also very largely
and easily increased by grafting; indeed, this is the only satisfactory
method of securing standards. Seeds may be sown similar to the last
section, but in the greenhouse, and, when well up, pricked out into
little pots 1in. apart. Azaleas are liable to the attacks of thrips and
red spider, the latter being especially troublesome if the plants are
in a dry position; frequent syringing will materially help to eradicate
both pests. If insufficient, syringe with a solution of Gishurst's
Compound.
=A. amÅna= (pleasing). _fl._ almost campanulate, rich crimson,
about 1-1/2in. across, hose-in-hose conformation, produced in great
profusion. April. _l._ small, size of the common Box, hairy. _h._
1ft. China. This is an elegant little neat and compact growing
shrub, which has proved to be quite hardy in England. (B. M.
4728.) A very beautiful series of hybrids have been obtained by
crossing this species with _A. indica_, which are most serviceable
and free. The following are most desirable: LADY MUSGRAVE, light
carmine; MISS BUIST, pure white; MRS. CARMICHAEL, rich magenta,
shaded crimson; PRIME MINISTER, soft pink, deep shaded, very free;
PRINCESS BEATRICE, light mauve, very distinct and free; PRINCESS
MAUDE, rich magenta, rose shaded.
[Illustration: FIG. 198. FLOWER OF AZALEA INDICA.]
=A. indica= (Indian).* _fl._ campanulate, terminal, solitary or
twin; calycine teeth long-lanceolate, obtuse, ciliated, spreading.
_l._ cuneate-lanceolate, finely crenelated, covered with sharp,
close-pressed rigid hairs, attenuated at both ends. Branches
also covered with sharp, close-pressed, rigid hairs. _h._ 3ft.
to 6ft. China, 1808. See Fig. 198. There are a great number of
garden seedlings of the Indian Azalea, including every shade and
colour. A selection to any extent may be made from the nurserymen's
catalogues, but, for the guidance of the amateur, we have made a
rigid selection of the best double and single varieties.
_Double-Flowered_: A. BORSIG, pure white; ALICE, rich deep
rose, blotched with vermilion, very fine; BERNARD ANDRÃ, dark
violet-purple, large, semi-double; CHARLES LEIRENS, dark salmon,
good form and substance; COMTESSE EUGENIE DE KERCHOVE, white,
flaked with red-carmine, semi-double; DOMINIQUE VERVAENE, bright
orange, very fine; DR. MOORE, deep rose, with white and violet
shading, very fine; EMPEREUR DE BRÃSIL, rich rose, banded white,
the upper petals marked red; FRANCIS DEVOS, deep crimson;
IMBRICATA, pure white, sometimes flaked with rose; MADAME IRIS
LEFEBVRE, dark orange, shaded with bright violet, and blotched with
chocolate; PRESIDENT GHELLINCK DE WALLE, intense rose, upper petals
blotched with lake, and crimson-rayed; SOUVENIR DE PRINCE ALBERT,
rich rose peach, broadly margined with pure white, very free and
beautiful.
_Single-Flowered_: CHARMER, rich amaranth, very large; COMTESSE
DE BEAUFORT, rich rose, the upper petals blotched with crimson;
CRITERION, rich salmon pink, white-margined; DUC DE NASSAU, rich
rosy-purple, very free and large; ECLATANTE, deep crimson, rose
shaded; FANNY IVERY, deep salmon-scarlet, blotched magenta, very
fine; FLAMBEAU, rich glowing crimson, extremely showy; JOHN GOULD
VEITCH, lilac-rose, netted and bordered white, and blotched with
saffron, very showy; LA SUPERBE, rich lake, bordered orange,
and black spotted, a very fine variety; LA VICTOIRE, centre
reddish, white towards the edge, the upper petals spotted with
maroon-crimson; LOUIS VON BADEN, pure white, a grand variety;
MADAME CHARLES VAN ECKHAUTE, pure white, with beautifully crisped
edges, of excellent form and substance; MADAME VAN HOUTTE, richly
flaked with carmine and rose, very large and free; MARQUIS OF
LORNE, brilliant scarlet, of the finest form and substance; MRS.
TURNER, bright pink, white-margined, and spotted with crimson;
PRESIDENT VAN DEN HECKE, white, striped and speckled with crimson,
with a yellow centre; PRINCESS ALICE, pure white, one of the best;
REINE DES PAYS-BAS, rich violet-pink, margined with white; ROI
D'HOLLANDE, dark blood-red, spotted with black; SIGISMUND RUCKER,
rich rose, white bordered, with crimson blotches; WILSON SAUNDERS,
pure white, striped and blotched with vivid red, very fine.
=A. mollis= (soft). Synonymous with _A. sinensis_.
=A. sinensis= (Chinese). _fl._ campanulate, downy, flame coloured;
stamens equal in length to the petals. May. _l._ slowly deciduous,
elliptic, acutish, pilosely pubescent, feather-nerved, with
ciliated margins, greyish beneath. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. China and
Japan. A large number of seedlings and hybrids from this species
are in cultivation, known under the name of Japanese Azaleas, and
all are valuable for the decoration of the cool conservatory, or
for outdoor work. SYN. _A. mollis_. (L. B. C. 885.)
=AZARA= (in honour of J. N. Azara, a Spanish promoter of science, but
of botany in particular). ORD. _Bixineæ_. Showy evergreen, hardy and
half-hardy shrubs, with alternate, simple, stalked stipulate leaves,
and fragrant flowers. They thrive well in a compost of loam, leaf
soil, and sand. Ripened cuttings root readily if placed in sand, under
glass, in slight heat. It is believed that all the species enumerated
will prove hardy if a slight winter protection in midland and northern
counties be afforded. This precaution will be unnecessary in more
southern parts.
=A. dentata= (toothed). _fl._ yellow; corymbs sessile,
few-flowered. June. _l._ ovate, serrated, scabrous, tomentose
beneath; stipules leafy, unequal in size. _h._ 12ft. Chili, 1830.
(B. R. 1728.)
=A. Gillesii= (Gilles').* _fl._ bright yellow; panicles axillary,
densely packed. Spring. _l._ large, Holly-like, ovate, coarsely
toothed, smooth. _h._ 15ft. Chili, 1859. (B. M. 5178.)
[Illustration: FIG. 199. AZARA MICROPHYLLA, showing Habit, and Foliage
(half natural size).]
=A. integrifolia= (entire-leaved).* _fl._ yellow, on numerous
short axillary spikes, of an aromatic fragrance. Autumn. _l._
obovate or oblong, entire, smooth; stipules equal, permanent. _h._
18ft. Chili (about Conception), 1832. The variegated-leaved form,
although rare, is very ornamental. The variegation consists of
greenish-yellow, with a blotch of dark green, and in a young state
edged with deep pink.
=A. microphylla= (small-leaved).* _fl._ greenish, corymbose,
succeeded by numerous small orange-coloured berries. Autumn. _l._
small, distichous, obovate, obtuse, dark-shining green. _h._ 12ft.
Chiloe and Valdavia, 1873. This shrub is very ornamental as a
standard, and also excellent for covering walls. Quite hardy. See
Fig. 199, for which we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons.
=BABIANA= (from _babianer_, the Dutch for baboon; in reference to
the bulbs being eaten by baboons). ORD. _Iridaceæ_. A genus of very
ornamental bulbous plants confined to the Cape of Good Hope, with the
exception of a single species, which is found in Socotra. Flowers
occasionally fragrant, and generally characterised by their rich
self-colours, or the striking contrast of very distinct hues in the
same flower; perianth regular and symmetrical, with six ovate divisions
(tube varying in length). Stems from 6in. to 9in. high, arising from
a small bulb-like corm, and bearing tapering plaited leaves, which
are usually more or less densely covered with long hairs; the scapes
are racemose, each bearing about six or more simultaneously expanding
flowers. They may be successfully grown in pots. By this plan there
is, perhaps, less danger of loss, and their flowering season can be
prolonged considerably. A light sandy compost, with a small proportion
of well-decayed manure, is required, and thorough drainage is also most
essential. Use 48 or 60-sized pots, placing four or five corms in the
former, and two or three in the latter, and keep moderately dry until
they commence to form roots. October is the best time to pot. As soon
as the plants appear above ground, water may be carefully given, and
the supply proportionately increased as the plants develop. Very weak
liquid manure, applied twice a week, just as the spikes are pushing up,
will be beneficial. When the flowers fade, and the stems show signs of
decay, the supply of water must be gradually decreased, thus inducing
the thorough maturation of the corms, upon which the next season's
display depends. When quite down, store the pots in a dry place till
the time for repotting arrives, when the corms should be carefully
cleaned, and all offsets separated, the latter being potted up in the
same way as the parent corms in order to produce flowering specimens;
or they may be kept in a pot of sand and planted in a warm border
outside in March. Outdoor culture: A sheltered, sunny, and well-drained
situation is most essential to success. Although not absolutely
necessary, it is preferable to replant every year in early spring,
placing the bulbs about 5in. or 6in. deep, with a little sand sprinkled
about them. Planting may, of course, be done in autumn, when it will be
necessary to cover with cocoa nut fibre refuse to the depth of 5in. or
6in. In warm, sheltered situations, the corms may remain undisturbed;
but, as a rule, it is desirable to remove them late in autumn, when
the leaves are dead, and store them in dry sand through the winter in
a cool, airy position, free of frost. Mixed Babianas may be purchased
from dealers at a cheap rate, and, for general purposes, they are best
to plant. Propagation may be effected by offsets and seeds. The former
is the best and quickest method. The offsets should be grown in boxes
or planted out in light rich soil until large enough for flowering.
Seeds sown in pans, and placed in a gentle heat, will grow at almost
any time; the young plants will require to be carefully transplanted
each season until they develop into blooming corms.
[Illustration: FIG. 200. BABIANA STRICTA RUBRO-CYANEA.]
=B. cÅrulescens= (bluish). Synonymous with _B. plicata_.
=B. disticha= (two-ranked).* _fl._ with a Hyacinth-like fragrance;
perianth pale blue; divisions narrow; margins undulated or crisped.
June, July. _l._ lanceolate, acute. _h._ 6in. 1774. (B. M. 626.)
=B. plicata= (folded).* _fl._ with a very fragrant clove
carnation-like perfume; perianth pale violet-blue; anthers blue,
and stigmas yellow. May, June. _l._ lanceolate, distinctly plicate.
_h._ 6in. 1774. SYNS. _B. cÅrulescens_, _B. reflexa_. (B. M. 576.)
=B. reflexa= (reflexed). Synonymous with _B. plicata_.
=B. ringens= (gaping).* _fl._ scarlet, irregular in form, gaping,
very handsome. May, June. _l._ narrow, acute, deep green. _h._ 6in.
to 9in. 1752. (L. B. C. 1006.)
=B. sambucina= (Elder-scented). _fl._ bluish-purple, with an
Elder-like fragrance; perianth divisions spreading. April, May.
_l._ lanceolate, slightly plicate. _h._ 6in. to 9in. 1799. SYN.
_Gladiolus sambucinus_. (B. M. 1019.)
=B. stricta= (strict).* _fl._, perianth segments narrow, acute,
outer three white, inner three lilac-blue, with a dark blotch near
the base of each. May. _l._ broadly lanceolate, obtuse, ciliated.
_h._ 1ft. 1795. (B. M. 621.)
=B. s. angustifolia= (narrow-leaved). _fl._ fragrant; perianth
bright blue, slightly pink in the tube. May and June. _l._ linear,
acute, light green. _h._ 1ft. 1757. (B. M. 637.)
=B. s. rubro-cyanea= (red-and-blue).* _fl._ 2in. or more in
diameter; upper half of the perianth very brilliant blue, and
the lower part rich crimson, forming a central zone, in striking
contrast to the blue portion. May, June. _l._ broad, acuminated,
downy on the under surface. _h._ 6in. to 8in. 1796. See Fig. 200.
(B. M. 410.)
=B. a. sulphurea= (sulphur-coloured).* _fl._ cream-coloured or
pale yellow; anthers blue, and stigmas yellow; segments spreading.
April, May. _l._ narrow-obtuse. _h._ 9in. 1795. SYNS. _Gladiolus
sulphureus_, _G. plicatus_. (B. M. 1053.)
=B. s. villosa= (villous).* _fl._, perianth smaller than the last,
with the narrower segments rather more widely spreading than in
_B. s. rubro-cyanea_, brilliant crimson, with violet-blue anthers.
August. _h._ 6in. 1778. (B. M. 583.)
=BABINGTONIA= (named after C. C. Babington, Professor of Botany at
Cambridge, and a distinguished botanical author). ORD. _Myrtaceæ_.
A very pretty greenhouse evergreen shrub, allied to _Bæckea_, from
which it differs in having the stamens collected in groups opposite
the sepals. Cuttings of the young unflowering shoots may be planted
in sand under a bell glass, and kept in a moderate heat until rooted,
when they should be placed singly in small pots, in a compost of equal
parts loam and peat, with the addition of a little sand. As the small
pots fill with roots, the plants should be removed into larger ones,
and the compost have less sand in it; but this should not be done until
the next February. The established plants must have a good shift about
March or April, and should be kept in a light, airy greenhouse; the
first shoots may be topped to moderate their vigour, and to produce
a greater profusion of less luxuriant ones. In May, when most plants
are removed from the greenhouse, these should be set to grow under a
frame which, while shielding them from heavy rains, and supporting
some slight shading in the hottest parts of the sunny days, will not
prevent a free circulation of air. To this end, the frame should be
elevated from the rests or supports at its corners; the lights should
be left off at night in fine, mild weather, and on dull, cloudy days,
being only replaced during heavy rains, and when shading is necessary.
Towards autumn, the plants must be returned to the greenhouse.
=B. Camphorasmæ= (camphor-smelling).* _fl._ pinkish-white, in
little cymes, disposed in long terminal racemes. Summer. _l._
linear, opposite, nerved. _h._ 7ft. Australia, 1841. (B. R. 28, 10.)
=BACCATE.= Berried, fleshy; having a pulpy texture.
=BACCHARIS= (from Bacchus, wine; referring to the spicy odour of
the roots). Ploughman's Spikenard. ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of
hardy, stove, or greenhouse herbs, shrubs, or trees. Flower-heads
many-flowered, diÅcious, terminal. Involucre sub-hemispherical
or oblong, in many series, imbricated. Leaves simple, alternate,
exstipulate, deciduous, oblong-lanceolate, notched, serrated, or
entire. Shrubs of short duration. These plants are neither beautiful
nor ornamental, but are of easy cultivation in ordinary soil.
Propagated by cuttings.
=B. halimifolia= (Halimus-leaved). Groundsel Tree. _fl.-heads_
white. July. _l._ oblong-cuneate, obovate, coarsely toothed;
branches angular. _h._ 6ft. to 12ft. Northern United States, 1683.
Hardy.
=BACHELORS' BUTTONS.= The double-flowered forms of _Ranunculus acris_,
_Lychnis diurna_, &c.
[Illustration: HYBRID ALSTRÅMERIAS]
=BACKHOUSIA= (commemorative of the late James Backhouse, a botanical
traveller in Australia and South Africa). ORD. _Myrtaceæ_. A greenhouse
evergreen shrub, requiring a compost of fibry peat, loam, and a little
white sand. Propagated, in April, by half-ripened cuttings, inserted in
sand, under a bell glass, in a cool house.
=B. myrtifolia= (Myrtle-leaved).* _fl._ white, disposed in corymbs,
and often produced on cuttings soon after having struck root. May.
_l._ ovate, acuminate, smooth. Branches slender. _h._ 16ft. New
South Wales, 1844. (B. M. 4133.)
=BACONIA.= A synonym of =Pavetta= (which _see_).
=BACTRIS= (from _baktron_, a cane; the young stems being used for
walking sticks). ORD. _Palmaceæ_. Very ornamental, slender growing, and
prickly stove palms. Peduncle of the spadix bursting through about the
middle of the leaf sheath. Drupes small, ovate, or nearly round, and
generally of a dark blue colour. Leaves pinnatisect; segments generally
linear and entire. Instead of being confined to the apex of the trunk,
the leaves are scattered over nearly the whole surface, and the
lower ones retain their verdure long after the upper ones have fully
developed. Stems slender, varying from 2ft. to 10ft. in height. Some
of the species are of easy culture in a compost of loam, peat, loaf
mould, and sand, in equal parts; but most of them are very difficult to
manage. Propagation may be effected by suckers, which are very freely
produced. Many species are ornamental only when in a young state.
=B. baculifera= (cane-bearing). _l._ pinnate, bifid at the apex,
2ft. to 6ft. long; pinnæ arranged in clusters about 1ft. long and
2in. broad, dark green above, paler below; petioles sheathing and
densely clothed with sharp brown and black spines, 1-1/2in long.
South America.
=B. caryotæfolia= (Caryota-leaved).* _fl._, spathe ovate, prickly;
branches of spadix simple, flexuous. _l._, pinnæ wedge-shaped,
three-lobed, and erose; rachis, petioles, and caudex, prickly. _h._
30ft. Brazil, 1825.
=B. flavispina= (yellow-spined). Synonymous with _B. pallidispina_.
=B. major= (greater). _fl._ greenish-yellow, with a broadly ovate
spathe. _h._ 25ft. Carthagena, 1800.
=B. Maraja= (Maraja). Maraja Palm. _fl._ yellow, with a prickly
spathe. _h._ 30ft. to 50ft. Bahia, 1868.
=B. pallidispina= (pale-spined).* _l._ pinnate, bifid at the apex;
pinnæ clustered, 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. wide, dark; petioles
sheathing at the base and furnished with a profusion of long,
yellow spines, which are tipped with black. Brazil. SYN. _B.
flavispina_.
=BACULARIA= (from _baculum_, a walking-stick). ORD. _Palmaceæ_. A small
genus containing a couple of stove species, which are amongst the
smallest palms of the Old World. Both are confined to the east coast of
tropical Australia. _B. monostachya_--in allusion to its slender stem,
which rarely exceeds in thickness that of the thumb--is known as the
Walking-stick Palm.
=B. minor= (lesser). _l._ attaining 3-1/2ft. Stems, several from
same rhizome, 2ft. to 5ft. high, 1/2in. thick. Queensland.
=B. monostachya= (one-spiked). _l._ pinnate, pendent, 6in. to 12in.
long, bifid at the apex; pinnæ about 4in. across, broad, irregular
in shape, with ragged and irregular ends; dark green. Stem slender,
petioles sheathing. _h._ 10ft. New South Wales, 1824. SYN. _Areca
monostachya_. (B. M. 6644.)
=BADGER'S BANE.= _See_ =Aconitum meloctonum=.
=BÃA= (commemorative of Rev. Dr. Beau, of Toulon, brother-in-law to
Commerson, the discoverer of the genus). SYN. _Dorcoceras_. ORD.
_Gesneraceæ_. Curious and pretty greenhouse herbaceous perennials,
requiring a rich sandy loam. They are easily propagated by seeds.
Probably the only species in cultivation is the following:
=B. hygrometrica= (hygrometric).* _fl._ pale blue-coloured,
yellowish at the throat; segments of the limb more or less
reflexed; corolla five-lobed, somewhat resembling that of the
Violet; scapes numerous, naked, few-flowered. Summer. _l._ in a
rosette, thinly covered with coarse white hairs, ovate acute at
both ends, crenate serrate. _h._ 6in. North China, 1868. (B. M.
6468.)
=BÃCKEA= (named after Abraham Bæck, a Swedish physician, and an
esteemed friend of Linnæus). ORD. _Myrtaceæ_. Very pretty greenhouse
evergreen shrubs. Flowers white, pedicellate, small. Leaves opposite,
glabrous, dotted. They thrive in a compost of sandy peat, leaf soil,
and lumpy, fibrous loam. Cuttings, taken from young wood, root
readily, if pricked in a pot of sand, with a bell glass placed over
them, in a cool house.
=B. diosmæfolia= (Diosma-leaved).* _fl._ axillary, solitary,
approximate, sessile. August to October. _l._ oblong, rather
cuneated, keeled, acute, crowded, imbricate, and are, as well as
the calyces, ciliated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. New Holland, 1824.
=B. frutescens= (shrubby).* _fl._ solitary; pedicels axillary.
November. _l._ linear, awnless. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. China, 1806. (B.
M. 2802.)
=B. parvula= (little). _fl._, peduncles axillary, umbelliferous.
_l._ elliptic-oblong, obtuse, rather mucronate. _h._ 1ft. New
Caledonia, 1877. This is very close to _B. virgata._ (R. G. 886, 2.)
=B. virgata= (twiggy).* _fl._, peduncles axillary, umbelliferous.
August to October. _l._ linear-lanceolate. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. New
Caledonia, 1806. (B. M. 2127.)
=BÃRIA= (named in honour of Professor Baer, of the University of
Dorpat). ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus consisting of about half a dozen
species. Probably the only one in cultivation is that mentioned below;
it is a very pretty plant, of easy culture in ordinary garden soil.
Propagated by seeds, sown in spring.
=B. chrysostoma= (golden-mouthed). _fl.-heads_ bright yellow,
solitary, terminal, about 1in. across; involucre of about ten
leaflets, in two series. Early summer. _l._ linear, opposite,
entire. Stems erect, downy. _h._ 1ft. California, 1835. (S. B. F.
G. ii. 395.)
=BAGGED.= Swelled like a sac or bag.
=BAHIA= (probably from Port of Bahia, or San Salvador, in South
America). SYN. _Phialis_. ORD. _Compositæ_. An ornamental, hardy,
herbaceous perennial, much branched from the base of the stem, and
having a greyish appearance. It may be increased by seeds, or by
divisions.
=B. lanata= (woolly). _fl.-heads_ yellow, solitary, produced in
great numbers. Summer. _l._ alternate, or with the lower ones
sometimes opposite, deeply divided, and sometimes ligulate and
entire. _h._ 6in. to 15in. North America. This species thrives on
borders of light and well-drained sandy soil. (B. R. 1167.)
=BALANIUS.= _See_ =Nut Weevil=.
=BALANTIUM= (of Kaulfuss). _See_ =Dicksonia=.
=BALANTIUM= (of Desvaux). _See_ =Parinarium=.
=BALBISIA= (commemorative of Giovanni Battista Balbis, a Professor
of Botany at Turin). SYN. _Ledocarpum_. ORD. _Geraniaceæ_. A very
ornamental half-hardy evergreen shrub, requiring a cool, dry
atmosphere. As it is very liable to rot off, water must be applied with
great care. Propagated by cuttings of half-ripened wood, inserted in
sand, under a hand glass; or by seeds.
=B. verticillata= (whorled). _fl._ yellow, large, with a whorl
of narrow bracts beneath. Autumn. _l._ opposite, three-parted;
segments linear-oblong. Branches slender, glaucous. _h._ 3ft. to
6ft. Chili, 1846. (B. M. 6170.)
=BALCONY.= A projection from the external wall of a house, usually
resting on brackets, and having the sides encompassed by a balustrade.
It should at all times be prettily decorated with plants, which in the
summer is a comparatively easy matter. During winter, evergreens of
various kinds are most serviceable, the best being Arbutus, Aucubas,
Boxes, Euonymuses, Hollies, Irish and Goldon Yew, Portugal Laurel,
Retinosporas, Vincas, &c. These may be grown in pots, and when
replaced by the summer occupants, should be plunged in some reserve
quarter, where they should receive plenty of water; by this means,
they will increase in size, and keep in a healthy condition. Very
little water will be required during the winter. Climbing plants, such
as Ivy, Passion Flower, Virginian Creeper, Climbing Roses, &c., are
indispensable for covering the trellises, and draping the pillars and
arches.
=BALDINGERA.= A synonym of =Premna=.
=BALL.= This term is used in reference to the roots and mass of earth
as they are moulded into form and pressed into hardness by the pot. The
masses of roots and earth which, in the case of fibrous-rooted subjects
(such as Rhododendrons), must be taken intact when removing the plants,
are also termed Balls.
=BALM= (_Melissa officinalis_). A perennial herb, often used in the
manufacture of a drink for sick persons, and sometimes employed for
culinary purposes. It may be grown in ordinary garden soil, and is
propagated by divisions, in spring. A pretty variegated form is
sometimes met with, having the additional advantage of being equal to
the normal species for medicinal purposes.
=BALM OF GILIAD.= _See_ =Cedronella triphylla= and =Populus
balsamifera=.
[Illustration: FIG. 201. CAMELLIA-FLOWERED BALSAM.]
=BALSAM= (_Impatiens Balsamina_). A well-known ornamental and tender
annual, native of India. It is one of the showiest of summer and
autumn flowers, and well deserves a place in every garden. Although of
comparatively easy cultivation, good blooms and well-grown plants are
far too rarely seen. A good Balsam bloom should be quite as double as a
perfect Camellia, and to show to the greatest advantage should appear
like one in the arrangement of the petals. To secure this, seeds should
only be saved from the finest and most perfect flowers, although the
quantity must, of necessity, be small. They should be sown, about the
third week in March, in properly prepared pans of rich sandy soil, and
placed in a gentle bottom heat of about 65deg. As soon as the first
rough leaf appears, the plants should be potted off into 3in. pots,
care being taken to let the cotyledon, or seed leaves, be close to the
soil. When the roots touch the sides of the pots, the plants should
be moved into larger ones, and this should be repeated until they are
in 8in. or 10in. pots. Some growers place one or two seeds in small
pots, so as to avoid the first shift, and a good plan it is. During
the time the plants are under glass, they should be kept as near the
light as possible, and be frequently turned around, so that they do
not draw to one side; and careful training must be given to those that
are required in fine form. Disbudding is also necessary to such as
are wanted at their best, removing all bloom from the main stem and
base of branches until the plants are of sufficient size, and then the
buds at the tops will bloom almost simultaneously. The buds that will
be formed afterwards will cause a continuance of blossom for a long
time, in fact, for some months, if the plants are liberally supplied
with liquid manure. If it is desired for them to flower out of doors,
the plants should be transferred, about May, to a frame where the
heat is not above 50deg., and be kept in a steady growing state, air
being admitted on all suitable occasions, cold winds and heavy rains
avoided, and water supplied when needed; never allow them to get dry.
They require training and disbudding the same as those grown in the
greenhouse. About June, the plants should be fully exposed during
the day; and, when danger of frost is over, the lights may be kept
off altogether. These should bloom at the end of July. In all cases,
plenty of drainage must be allowed, as the amount of water required is
very great. Insects must be sharply looked after, as well as slugs and
snails. There are several sections, such as Camellia-flowered (see Fig.
201), Rose-flowered, &c., each containing variously striped, spotted,
and entire coloured blooms, and it is best to pay an extra figure to
secure a good strain.
=BALSAM APPLE.= _See_ =Momordica Balsaminea=.
=BALSAMINA.= _See_ =Impatiens=.
[Illustration: FIG. 202. BAMBUSA ARUNDINACEA.]
=BALSAMINEÃ.= A tribe of plants belonging to the order _Geraniaceæ_.
Sepals and petals all coloured, consisting of six segments, "two outer
ones small, flat, and oblique; the next large, hood-shaped, ending
below in a conical spur; the fourth opposite to it, small, very broad,
concave; the two innermost very oblique, and more or less divided into
two unequal lobes." The best known genus is _Impatiens_.
=BALSAMODENDRON= (from _balsamon_-Âan old Greek word used by
Theophrastus-Âbalm or balsam, and _dendron_, a tree). ORD.
_Burseraceæ_. Greenhouse or stove balsamiferous trees. Flowers small,
green, axillary, often unisexual; calyx four-toothed, permanent; petals
four, linear-oblong, induplicately valvate in æstivation; stamens
eight, inserted under the annular disk, having elevated warts between
them. Berry, or drupe, ovate, acute, one to two-celled, marked with
four sutures. Leaves with three to five sessile, dotless leaflets. They
thrive in a compost of thoroughly drained sandy loam. Propagated by
cuttings of ripe young wood, taken in April, and placed under a hand
glass, in bottom heat. The species named below doubtfully belongs to
this genus, as the characteristics above enumerated will show.
=B. zeylanicum= (Ceylon).* _fl._ white, three-petaled, glomerated,
involucrated; racemes interrupted, downy. _l._ impari-pinnate, with
five to seven-stalked, ovate, acute leaflets. _h._ 30ft. Ceylon.
=BALSAM OF CAPEVI.= _See_ =Copaifera=.
=BALSAM-TREE.= _See_ =Clusia=.
=BAMBOO CANE.= _See_ =Bambusa=.
[Illustration: FIG. 203. BAMBUSA AUREA.]
=BAMBUSA= (from _bambu_, the Malay name). Bamboo Cane. ORD. _Gramineæ_.
A genus of ornamental, shrubby, greenhouse, half-hardy or hardy shrubs,
each culm flowering but once. Flowers usually hexandrous. Leaves, as
a rule, relatively shorter than the stems, lanceolate, and narrowed
at the base. Stems jointed, flexuose, branching, usually hollow, and,
when mature, of a hard, woody nature. In well drained, sheltered
situations, in the open, with rich, loamy soil, some of the species
make extremely graceful objects, particularly so in the more southern
counties of England, and in parts of Scotland. Unless a very severe
winter is experienced, they may be left without protection. Plants of
all the species, however, should have the shelter of a cold greenhouse
till about the end of April; when they should be gradually hardened
off, and transferred to a warm, sheltered spot, such as in woodlands,
by the margins of lakes, &c., as they like plenty of moisture during
the summer. A good watering must be given after planting, to settle the
soil. Propagation is effected by careful division of well-developed
plants, which should be done in early spring, just as new growth is
commencing; and it is advisable to establish the divisions in pots.
_See also_ =Arundinaria=.
[Illustration: FIG. 204. BAMBUSA NANA.]
=B. arundinacea= (reed-like).* Stem very stout, rising like a
beautiful column to some 50ft. or 60ft. in height; the laterals
producing a profusion of light green leaves, the whole presenting
the appearance of a huge plume of feathers. India, 1730. This
species is best treated as a stove plant, but it may be placed out
of doors in summer. See Fig. 202. (B. F. S. 321.)
=B. aurea= (golden).* _l._ lanceolate, acute, light green,
distinguished from _B. nana_ by having their under surface less
glaucescent, and the sheath always devoid of the long silky hairs.
China. This very handsome species forms elegant tufts, with its
slender much-branched stems, which attain a height of from 6ft. to
10ft., and are of a light green colour in a young state, ultimately
changing into a yellowish hue. Hardy in most parts of the country.
See Fig. 203.
=B. Fortunei= (Fortune's).* _l._ linear-lanceolate, abruptly
pointed, somewhat rounded at the base, on very short hairy stalks,
serrated and often fringed with long hairs on the margin, downy
on both sides, and distinctly variegated, the transverse veins
often of a bottle-green colour. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Japan. A dwarf
tufted species, with very slender stem. Quite hardy. There are only
variegated varieties of this in cultivation, viz., _variegata_ and
_argenteovittata_. (F. d. S. 1863, t. 1535.)
=B. glauca= (milky-green). A synonym of _B. nana_.
=B. japonica= (Japanese). Synonymous with _Arundinaria Metake_.
=B. Maximowiczii= (Maximowicz's). Synonymous with _Arundinaria
Maximowiczii_.
=B. Metake= (Metake). Synonymous with _Arundinaria Metake_.
=B. mitis= (small). _l._ deep green, lanceolate, acute, striated,
clasping the stem; panicle simple, erect, close; spikes long,
imbricated. Stem tapering. _h._ 40ft. Cochin China and Japan. This
vigorous-growing species can be cultivated out of doors during
summer, and, in most localities, it may be left out all the year.
=B. nana= (dwarf).* _l._ lanceolate, acute, glaucous, stoutish,
with the footstalks slightly downy. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. India, 1826.
A rather tender species, requiring to be grown in the stove or
greenhouse. SYNS. _B. glauca_ and _B. viridi-glaucescens_. See Fig.
204.
=B. nigra= (black). _See_ =Phyllostachys nigra=.
=B. Ragamowski= (Ragamowsk's).* _l._ 9in. to 18in. long, and about
1in. to 3in. broad. China and Japan. This species "can readily
be recognised by the tomentose line on one side of the midrib,
running nearly the whole length of the leaf on the underside, this
line being always on the longer side of the leaf." Hardy. SYN. _B.
tessellata_.
=B. Simonii= (Simon's).* _l._ narrow, nearly 6in. to 10in. long,
occasionally striped with white. Stems growing with great rapidity,
mealy-glaucous at the joints; branchlets numerous, rather closely
crowded. _h._ 10ft. China and Japan, 1866.
=B. striata= (striated).* _l._ linear-oblong; culms striped yellow
and green. _h._ 6ft. to 20ft. China, 1874. A very slender and
graceful, rather tender, species. May be grown in the open air
during summer, and in very favoured spots it is probably hardy,
especially if covered with a mat in winter. It makes an excellent
pot plant. SYN. _B. viridi-striata_. (B. M. 6079.)
=B. tessellata= (tessellated).* A synonym of _B. Ragamowski_.
=B. violescens= (nearly-violet).* _l._ green above, bluish-grey
beneath, with an elongated ligule, surrounded by a bundle of
black hairs. Stems much branched, blackish-violet. China, 1869.
This handsome and vigorous species is intermediate between
_Phyllostachys nigra_ and _B. nana_. It requires protection during
winter.
=B. viridi-glaucescens= (glaucous-green). A synonym of _B. nana_.
=B. viridi-striata= (green-striped). A synonym of _B. striata_.
=BANANA=, or =PLANTAIN=. _See_ =Musa=.
=BANEBERRY.= _See_ =Actæa=.
=BANISTERIA= (named after John Baptist Banister, a traveller in
Virginia in the seventeenth century, author of a catalogue of Virginian
plants, inserted in Ray's "Historia Plantarum"). ORD. _Malpighiaceæ_.
Stove trees or shrubs, frequently climbing. Flowers yellow; calyx
five-parted; petals furnished with long stalks; stamens ten. Leaves
simple, stalked. They are for the most part very ornamental, but are
not often seen in flower in this country. They will grow in a mixture
of loam, leaf soil, and peat, with some sharp sand added. Cuttings,
made from ripened wood, will root freely in sandy soil, under a hand
glass, in stove heat, taking about three or four weeks to do so.
=B. chrysophylla= (golden-leaved).* _fl._ deep orange, axillary,
corymbose. _l._ ovate, oblong, acutish, somewhat sinuated towards
the top, clothed beneath with golden shining down. Brazil, 1793.
Climber.
=B. ciliata= (ciliated).* _fl._ large, orange-coloured, umbellate.
June. _l._ cordate, orbicular, smooth, ciliated. Brazil, 1796.
Twiner.
=B. ferruginea= (rust-coloured). _fl._ yellow; racemes panicled.
June. _l._ 2in. long, ovate, acuminated, smooth above, and shining,
rusty beneath, and are, as well as the petioles, clothed with close
pressed hairs. Brazil, 1820. Climber.
=B. fulgens= (glowing).* _fl._ yellow, in umbellate corymbs. _l._
ovate, acuminated, smooth above, and clothed with silky pubescence
beneath, as well as the petioles. Branches dichotomous. West
Indies, 1759. Climber.
=B. Humboldtiana= (Humboldt's).* _fl._ yellow; umbels lateral and
terminal, sessile. _l._ roundish-ovate, cordate, rather acuminated,
mucronate, membranaceous, smoothish above, clothed beneath with
soft hoary down as well as the branchlets. South America, 1824.
Climber.
=B. sericea= (silky). _fl._ yellow, racemose. July. _l._ ovate,
obtuse, with a mucrone; younger ones downy on both surfaces, adult
ones only on the under surface; down of a golden shining colour.
Brazil, 1810. Climber.
=B. splendens= (splendid).* _fl._ yellow; racemes axillary,
dichotomous, umbellate. Floral leaves orbicular, and nearly
sessile. _l._ cordate, kidney-shaped, orbicular, clothed with silky
down beneath. South America, 1812. Climber.
=BANKS.= These are usually formed with a view to increasing the amount
of surface ground, and for the acceleration or retarding of vegetable
crops, such as strawberries, &c. They should be from 6ft. to 12ft.
apart, according to the depth of soil, and run from east to west. In
constructing Banks of a uniform size, great care, and a constant use
of the garden line, will be found necessary. For the warmest side of
the Banks, Dwarf French Beans, Peas, Vegetable Marrows, Cucumbers,
New Zealand Spinach, Capsicums, &c., may be grown. On the opposite
side, and when a prolonged supply is desired, Cauliflower, Broccoli,
Lettuce, Turnip, Spinach, &c., may be sown thinly in drills, to be
thinned out, and remain. It needs but little discretion to produce
valuable crops by this method.
=BANKSIA= (named in honour of Sir Joseph Banks, once President of the
Royal Society, and a distinguished patron of science, particularly
of Natural History). ORD. _Proteaceæ_. Greenhouse evergreen shrubs,
natives of Australia, principally grown for the beauty of their
foliage. Leaves variable in form, usually dark green, clothed with
white or rufous down beneath; margins deeply serrated or spinous,
rarely entire. The following is the mode of culture recommended many
years ago by Sweet. The pots should be well drained, by placing a
potsherd about half way over the hole at the bottom of the pot, then
laying another piece against it that it may be hollow, afterwards
putting some smaller pieces all around them, and on the top of these
some others broken very small. All the plants belonging to the order
_Proteaceæ_ should be drained in a similar manner, as the roots are
very fond of running amongst the broken potsherds, and consequently
there is less danger of their being overwatered. Care must also be
taken not to allow them to flag, as they seldom recover if once allowed
to get very dry. The plants should be placed in an airy part of the
house when indoors. Cuttings are generally supposed to be difficult to
root, but this is not the case if properly managed. Let them be well
ripened before they are taken off; then cut them at a joint, and place
them in pots of sand, without shortening any of the leaves, except on
the part that is planted in the sand, where they should be taken off
quite close. The less depth they are planted in the pots the better, so
long as they stand firm when the sand is well closed round them. Place
them under hand glasses in the propagating house, but do not plunge
them in heat. Take the glasses off frequently to give them air, and dry
them, or they will probably damp off. When rooted, transfer to small
pots; after which, place them in a close, unheated frame, and harden by
degrees. Seeds are a very unsatisfactory means of multiplying the stock.
=B. æmula= (rivalling).* _l._ 6in. to 10in. long, 1in. broad,
linear-oblong, tapering slightly at the base; edges deeply toothed,
deep green on both sides; midrib of under surface clothed with rich
brown hairs. _h._ 20ft. 1824. SYN. _B. elatior_. (B. M. 2671.)
=B. australis= (southern). A synonym of _B. marginata_.
=B. Caleyi= (Caley's). _l._ 6in. to 12in. long, linear, deeply and
regularly toothed from base to apex, dark green above, paler below.
_h._ 5ft. to 6ft. 1830. Said to be an elegant species.
=B. collina= (hill-loving).* _l._ 2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. broad,
linear; apex præmorse, as if bitten straight off; upper surface
dark green, silvery below. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. 1822. This forms
a dense and handsome shrub, especially with its large head of
yellow flowers. SYNS. _B. Cunninghami_, _B. ledifolia_, and _B.
littoralis_. (B. M. 3060.)
=B. Cunninghami= (Cunningham's). A synonym of _B. collina_.
=B. dryandroides= (Dryandra-like).* _l._ 6in. to 10in. long,
1/4in. broad, pinnatifid, divided almost to the midrib; lobes
triangular, deep green above, and reddish-brown below. Stem clothed
with reddish-brown hairs. _h._ 6ft. 1824. This plant is extremely
graceful and elegant as a table decoration.
=B. elatior= (taller). Synonymous with _B. æmula_.
=B. integrifolia= (whole-leaved). _l._ cuneate-oblong, 6in. long,
nearly 1in. wide at the broadest part; edges entire; upper side
dark green, silvery white beneath. _h._ 10ft. to 12ft. 1788. SYNS.
_B. macrophylla_, _B. oleifolia_. (B. M. 2770.)
=B. i. compar= (well-matched). _l._ very densely set upon the
branches, oblong, tapering at the base, blunt at the apex; edges
serrulate; upper side dark olive green, silvery white beneath. _h._
6ft., finely branching. 1824.
=B. latifolia= (broad-leaved). _l._ 6in. to 10in. long, 3in. broad,
obovate-oblong; edges serrated; upper surface deep green, beneath
clothed with woolly greyish hairs, those on the midrib bright
brown. _h._ 20ft. 1802. (B. M. 2406.)
=B. ledifolia= (Ledum-leaved). Synonymous with _B. collina_.
=B. littoralis= (shore). Synonymous with _B. collina_.
=B. macrophylla= (large-leaved). Synonymous with _B. integrifolia_.
=B. marginata= (margined). _l._ 1in. to 2in. long, 1/2in. broad,
blunt at the apex, armed with several short spines, and tapering
at the base, deep green on the upper surface, snowy white beneath.
_h._ 5ft. to 6ft. 1822. SYN. _B. australis_. (B. M. 1947.)
=B. occidentalis= (western).* _fl._ yellow, rather handsome,
in spikes about 4in. long. April to August. _l._ 5in. to 6in.
long, 1/4in. broad. _h._ 5ft. 1803. West coast of New Holland. A
beautiful species. (B. M. 3535.)
=B. oleifolia= (olive-leaved). Synonymous with _B. integrifolia_.
=B. Solanderi= (Solander's).* _l._ 4in. to 6in. long, and over 2in.
wide, deeply pinnatifid, with three to six pairs of lobes on each
leaf; apex as if bitten off; upper side dark green, under silvery
white. _h._ 6ft. 1830.
=B. speciosa= (showy).* _l._ 8in. to 14in. long, about 1/2in. wide,
pinnatifid, but divided almost to the midrib; lobes semicircular,
with a spine on the end of each; upper side deep green, beneath
silvery white, with the midrib clothed with ferruginous woolly
hairs. _h._ 6ft. 1805. Both this and the preceding species are very
handsome, and highly deserving of the most extensive culture.
=B. quercifolia= (Oak-leaved). _l._ cuneate-oblong, deeply incised
at the margins, and having a short spine upon each lobe. _h._ 5ft.
1805. (B. R. 1430.)
=BANKSIA= (of Forster). A synonym of =Pimelea=.
=BAOBAB-TREE.= _See_ =Adansonia=.
=BAPHIA= (from _baphe_, a dye; the tree produces the camwood of
commerce). Camwood or Barwood. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A stove tree,
requiring a loam and peat soil. Cuttings, not deprived of any of their
leaves, will root in a pot of sand, under a hand glass, in heat.
=B. nitida= (shining). _fl._ white; corolla with a roundish
spreading vexillum, linear wings, which are about the length of
the vexillum, and an acute carina; pedicels two to three together,
one-flowered, axillary. June. _l._ entire, oval-oblong, acuminated,
shining. _h._ 30ft. Sierra Leone, 1793. (L. B. C. 367.)
=BAPTISIA.= (from _bapto_, to dye; so named from the economical use
of some of the species). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. North American hardy
herbaceous plants, with trifoliate, rarely simple leaves, and racemes
of yellowish or blue flowers. They are somewhat shy bloomers, but grow
freely in a loamy soil. Propagated by divisions, or, more easily, by
seed, which latter may be sown in sand and leaf mould in the open, or
in pots placed in a cold frame.
=B. alba= (white).* _fl._ white; racemes terminal. June. _l._
stalked, glabrous; leaflets elliptic-oblong, obtuse; stipules
deciduous, subulate, shorter than the petioles. Branches
divaricate. _h._ 2ft. 1724. (B. M. 1177.)
=B. australis= (southern).* _fl._ blue; racemes few-flowered,
elongated, shorter than the branches. June. _l._ stalked, smooth;
leaflets oblong-cuneated, obtuse, four times longer than the
petiole; stipules lanceolate, acute, twice the length of the
petiole. Stem branched, diffuse. _h._ 4ft. to 5ft. 1758. (Flora,
1856, 2; B. M. 509.)
=B. confusa= (confused). _fl._ dark blue, alternate, bracteate;
racemes elongated. June. _l._ stalked, smooth; leaflets
oblong-cuneated or obovate; stipules linear-lanceolate, twice the
length of the petioles. Stem branched. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1758.
=B. exaltata= (exalted).* _fl._ deep blue; racemes many-flowered,
elongated, twice the length of the branches. June. _l._ ternate,
stalked; leaflets lanceolate-obovate, five times longer than the
petioles; stipules lanceolate, acuminated, three times longer than
the petioles. Stem erect, branched. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. 1812. (S. B.
F. G. 97.)
=B. leucophæa= (dusky-white). _fl._ cream-coloured; racemes
many-flowered, lateral, with the flowers leaning to one side. July.
_l._ sessile, somewhat villous; leaflets rhomboid-obovate; stipules
and bracts ovate, acute, broad, leafy. _h._ 1ft. 1870. (B. M. 5900.)
=B. minor= (less). _fl._ blue; racemes axillary, bracteate. June.
_l._, leaflets rhomboid-lanceolate; stipules lanceolate, longer
than the petioles. Stem erect, solid. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1829.
=B. perfoliata= (perfoliate-leaved).* _fl._ yellow, small,
axillary, solitary. August. _l._ perfoliate, roundish, quite
entire, rather glaucous. _h._ 3ft. 1793. (B. M. 3121.)
=B. tinctoria= (dyers').* _fl._ yellow, with wings each furnished
with a callosity, or lateral tooth; racemes terminal. _l._ stalked,
upper ones nearly sessile; leaflets roundish-obovate; stipules
setaceous, almost obsolete. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. 1759. (L. B. C. 588.)
=BARBACENIA.= (named after M. Barbacena, a Governor of Minas Geraes).
Formerly placed in ORD. _Hæmodoraceæ_, but now referred by Bentham and
Hooker to _Amaryllidaceæ_. Very singular and pretty stove evergreen
herbaceous perennials, allied to _Vellozia_. Flowers purple, large,
showy; perianth funnel-shaped, resinosely hairy on the outside; limb
spreading; scapes one-flowered, usually clothed with glandular hairs.
Leaves firm, spiral, spreading, acutely keeled. Lindley says that they
are capable of existing in a dry, hot air without contact with the
earth, on which account they are favourites in South American gardens,
where, with Orchids and Bromeliads, they are suspended in the dwelling
houses, or hung to the balustrades of the balconies, in which situation
they flower abundantly, filling the air with their fragrance. They are
rarely seen in our gardens. They may be grown in baskets of fibrous
loam and peat, with some nodules of charcoal added.
[Illustration: FIG. 205. FLOWER OF BARBACENIA PURPUREA.]
=B. purpurea= (purple).* _fl._ funnel-shaped, six-cleft, terminal,
solitary; ovarium elongated, tuberculated. July. _l._ linear,
keeled, with spiny serratures. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Brazil, 1825. See Fig.
205. (B. M. 2777.)
=B. Rogieri= (Rogers').* _fl._ purple; scape and ovaria tubercled;
filaments broad, bifid. July. _l._ linear, acuminated, imbricate,
with broad stem-clasping bases, finely spinely serrated on the
margin, and keel recurved; caudex short. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Brazil,
1850. (L. J. F. 82.)
=BARBADOS CHERRY.= _See_ =Malpighia=.
=BARBADOS GOOSEBERRY.= _See_ =Pereskia aculeata=.
=BARBADOS LILY.= _See_ =Hippeastrum equestre=.
=BARBAREA= (anciently called Herb of St. Barbara). Winter Cress;
American Cress. ORD. _Cruciferæ_. Hardy glabrous perennial herbs.
Flowers yellow; racemes erect, terminal. Stems erect. They are of easy
culture, but scarcely worth growing in the pleasure garden. Propagated
by cuttings, suckers, divisions, or seeds.
=B. præcox= (early). _l._, lower ones lyrate; terminal lobe ovate;
upper ones pinnate-parted; lobes linear-oblong, quite entire. _h._
1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Commonly known as American, or Black American
Cress. Here and there on roadsides, and in dry gravelly places in
Great Britain. An escape from cultivation. (Sy. En. B. 124.)
=B. vulgaris= (common). _l._, lower ones lyrate; terminal lobe
roundish; upper ones obovate, toothed, or pinnatifid. _h._ 1-1/4ft.
The double flowering form of this native species is the only one
of this genus worth growing for beauty; it is generally known as
Double Yellow Rocket. The variegated form is also rather pretty,
and comes true from seed. (Sy. En. B. 120.)
=BARBATUS.= Having long weak hairs, in one or more tufts; bearded.
=BARBERRY.= _See_ =Berberis=.
=BARBIERIA= (in honour of J. B. G. Barbier, M.D., a French physician
and naturalist, author of "Principes Generaux de Pharmacologie ou de
Matière Medicale," Paris, 1806). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. An ornamental stove
evergreen, requiring a mixture of peat, loam, and sand. Propagated by
cuttings of half-ripened wood, which should be placed in sand, under a
glass, in stove heat.
=B. polyphylla= (many-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet, 2in. long;
racemes axillary, few-flowered, shorter than the leaves. _l._
impari-pinnate, with nine to eleven pairs of elliptic-oblong,
mucronate leaflets, pubescent in an adult state. Porto Rico, 1818.
SYNS. _Clitorea polyphylla_ and _Galactia pinnata_.
=BARBS.= Hooked hairs.
=BARK.= The outer integuments of a plant beyond the wood, and formed of
tissue parallel with it.
=BARK-BOUND.= This condition is generally the result of very rich soil,
or insufficient drainage. In most fruit trees a gummy exudation takes
place. If caused by stagnancy, thorough drainage should immediately be
effected. Scrubbing the stem is also recommended. Slitting the bark
with a knife is likely to do more harm than good, particularly so in
the hands of the inexperienced.
=BARKERIA= (name commemorative of the late G. Barker, of Birmingham,
an ardent cultivator of orchids). ORD. _Orchidaceæ_. From a scientific
point of view, this genus should be included in _Epidendrum_. Very
handsome, deciduous, epiphytal, cool-house orchids, having slender
pseudo-bulbs, from 6in. to 12in. high, from the top of which the
numerous flower-stems are produced. In a cool, airy temperature, these
plants grow vigorously, suspended in pans or small baskets close
beneath the glass, and slightly shaded with tiffany. They succeed well
also on flat blocks of wood, on the top of which they should be tied,
without any moss, as their freely-produced, thick, fleshy roots soon
cling to the blocks. During the season of growth, a good supply of
water is needed, and in hot weather it may be applied three or four
times daily; the blocks and plants are best immersed in water; but when
at rest, a slight watering twice or three times a week will suffice.
Propagated by divisions, just previous to the commencement of new
growth.
=B. elegans= (elegant).* _fl._ in loose racemes, four or five in
each; each blossom about 2in. across; sepals and petals dark rose;
lip reddish crimson, spotted and edged with a lighter colour.
Winter. _h._ 2ft. Mexico, 1836. Of this beautiful slender-growing
species, there are two or three varieties in cultivation. (B. M.
4784.)
=B. Lindleyana= (Lindley's).* _fl._, raceme 2ft. long, very
slender, bearing from five to seven blossoms near its apex; sepals
and petals rosy purple; lip white, with a deep purple blotch at its
apex. September, remaining in beauty for a considerable time. _h._
2ft. Costa Rica, 1842. (B. M. 6098.)
=B. L. Centeræ= (Center's).* _fl._ rosy lilac; lip oblong; margins
crenulated or crisped; apex blotched deep purple. Costa Rica, 1873.
=B. melanocaulon= (dark-stemmed).* _fl._ on an erect spike; sepals
and petals rosy lilac; lip broader at the base than at the top,
reddish-purple, having a blotch of green in the centre. August.
_h._ 1ft. Costa Rica, 1848. Very rare.
=B. Skinneri= (Skinner's).* _fl._ deep rose-coloured; spikes
6in. to 9in. long, from the apices of the ripened growth, often
branched, forming a dense mass of deep purple blossoms, which, if
kept dry, lasts from eight to ten weeks. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Guatemala.
(P. M. B. 15, 1.)
=B. S. superbum= (superb).* _fl._ dark rose; lip somewhat deeper
tinted, and marked towards the base with yellow streaks. Guatemala.
This far surpasses the type in size and number of flowers, as well
as in brilliancy of colour. (W. S. O. 38.)
=B. spectabilis= (showy).* _fl._ quite 2in. across, produced
eight or ten together, on a spike issuing from the top of the
pseudo-bulb; sepals and petals oblong, acuminate, rosy lilac; lip
white, margined with deep lilac or rosy purple, and dotted or
spotted with crimson. This very distinct and desirable species
lasts from eight to ten weeks in beauty, and forms a very handsome
object when placed in the drawing-room and covered over with a
large glass shade. Guatemala, 1843. (B. M. 4094.)
=BARKING-IRONS.= Instruments used in taking off the bark of trees.
=BARKLYA= (named after Sir H. Barkly, formerly Governor of South
Australia). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A large greenhouse tree, thriving in a
compost of loam and leaf mould. Propagated by seeds and cuttings; the
latter should be half ripened, and placed in sandy soil, under a bell
glass, in a cool house.
=B. syringifolia= (Syringa-leaved). _fl._ golden yellow, numerous,
disposed in axillary or terminal racemes. _l._ alternate, simple,
coriaceous. _h._ 30ft. Moreton Bay, 1858.
=BARK STOVE.= A hothouse adapted for moisture-loving exotics, and
having a pit from 2ft. to 4ft. deep, containing fermenting matter,
chiefly tanners' bark, by which means a steady heat is maintained for
a considerable time. The Bark Stove is now almost obsolete. Bark is,
however, still largely used in pine pits, and in some propagating beds;
but such beds are generally superseded by hot-water or hot-air tanks.
=BARLERIA= (named after J. Barrelier, a French botanist of the
seventeenth century). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. A genus of interesting and
ornamental stove evergreen shrubs. Flowers axillary or terminal; calyx
four-sepaled, the two outer larger than the others. They thrive best if
grown in loam and peat, with a little rotten dung added. Propagated by
cuttings made of the young wood, and placed in a similar compost, under
a bell glass, in stove temperature, with bottom heat.
=B. flava= (yellow).* _fl._ yellow, aggregate, terminal, tubular;
bracts very narrow, setose. Summer. _l._ lanceolate, hairy, entire.
Plant unarmed. _h._ 3ft. India, 1816. SYN. _B. mitis_. (B. M. 4113.)
=B. Gibsoni= (Gibson's). _fl._ pale purple, rather large,
sub-terminal. Winter. _l._ ovate or oblong-lanceolate. India, 1867.
A glabrous stove shrub, of branched habit. (B. M. 5628.)
=B. Leichtensteiniana= (Leichtenstein's).* _fl._ very curious;
spikes axillary, 2in. to 3in. long, ovoid or oblong, consisting of
a large number of closely packed overlapping bracts, all turned
to the fore or lower part of the spike; bracts ovate-acuminate,
mucronate, spine-toothed, one-ribbed, with prominent and curved
veins, and 1in. to 1-1/2. long. _l._ opposite, 1in. to 2in. long,
linear-lanceolate, entire, mucronate, tapering at the base into a
very short stalk. Branches slender, virgate, sub-angular. South
Africa, 1870. This plant is covered over its whole surface with
close, white, hoary down. (G. C. 1870, p. 73.)
=B. longifolia= (long-leaved). _fl._ white; spines of whorls six.
Summer. _l._ ensiform, very long, rough. _h._ 2ft. India, 1781.
This is a biennial.
=B. lupulina= (Hop-headed). _fl._ yellowish; spikes ovate; bracts
ovate, concave, imbricated. August. _l._ lanceolate, quite entire;
spines simple, spreading. _h._ 2ft. Mauritius, 1824.
=B. Mackenii= (MacKen's).* _fl._ purple, large, in a
terminal raceme. Spring. _l._ recurved, narrow-ovate, or
elliptic-lanceolate, sub-acute, petioled. Natal, 1870. (B. M. 5866.)
=B. mitis= (small). Synonymous with _B. flava_.
=B. prionitis= (Prionitis-like). _fl._ orange; spines axillary,
pedate, in fours. Summer. _l._ quite entire, lanceolate-ovate. _h._
3ft. India, 1759.
=BARLEY.= _See_ =Hordeum vulgare=.
=BARNADESIA= (named after Michael Barnadez, a Spanish botanist). ORD.
_Compositæ_. Pretty greenhouse deciduous shrubs, requiring a dry
atmosphere. They should be grown in peat, loam, and sand, in equal
proportions. Propagated either by seeds, sown in hotbeds in March, or
by cuttings, made of half-ripened wood in April, and placed in sand
under a bell glass.
[Illustration: FIG. 206. BARNADESIA ROSEA.]
=B. rosea= (rosy).* _fl.-heads_ rose-coloured, solitary,
ovate-cylindrical, downy, sessile; florets bilabiate, one lip
oblong-emarginate, villous, the other filiform; hairs on receptacle
twisted; pappus stiff, plumose. May. _l._ alternate, ovate, acute
at both ends. _h._ 1-1/2ft. South America, 1840. See Fig. 206. (B.
M. 4232.)
=BARNARDIA.= Included under =Scilla= (which _see_).
=BAROMETER.= An instrument for measuring the density of the atmosphere,
and hence determining the probable changes of weather, or the height of
any ascent. To the gardener the Barometer is indispensable as a warning
to take due precaution.
=BAROSMA= (from _barys_, heavy, and _osme_, smell; referring to the
powerful scent of the leaves). Name often incorrectly spelt _Baryosma_.
SYN. _Parapetalifera_. ORD. _Rutaceæ_. Very pretty small, Heath-like,
greenhouse evergreen shrubs, from the Cape of Good Hope. Calyx equally
five-parted; petals five, oblong; stamens ten. Leaves opposite or
scattered, coriaceous, flat, dotted, with their margins sometimes
glandularly serrulated, sometimes almost entire or revolute. They
thrive in a mixture of sand, peat, and a little turfy loam, with good
drainage and firm potting. Cuttings, taken from ripened wood, inserted
in a pot of sand, and placed in a shady position in a cool house, with
a bell glass over them, will root readily in a few weeks.
=B. betulina= (Birch-leaved). _fl._ white, axillary, solitary.
February to September. _l._ opposite, obovate, serrulate, sessile,
spreading. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. 1790. (B. M. Pl. 45.)
=B. dioica= (diÅcious).* _fl._ purplish; peduncles axillary,
usually in threes, shorter than the leaves. April. _l._ scattered;
upper ones ternate, lanceolate, tapering to both ends, full of
glandular dots, spreading. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1816. (B. R. 502.)
=B. latifolia= (broad-leaved). _fl._ white, usually solitary,
lateral. July. _l._ opposite, ovate-oblong, sessile, serrulated,
smoothish, without glandular dots; branches villous. _h._ 1ft. 1789.
=B. pulchella= (pretty).* _fl._ pale red or purple; peduncles
axillary, usually solitary, exceeding the leaves. February. _l._
crowded, ovate, quite smooth, with thickened, crenate-glandular
margins. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. 1787.
=B. serratifolia= (saw-edged-leaved).* _fl._ white; peduncles
axillary, sub-divided. March to June. _l._ nearly opposite,
lanceolate, stalked, glandularly serrulated, smooth. _h._ 1ft. to
3ft. 1789. (B. M. 456, and B. Z. 1853, 12.)
=BARRED.= Marked in spaces with a paler colour, resembling bars.
=BARREN FLOWERS.= The male or staminate flowers of many plants, such
as the Cucumber, Melon, &c., are popularly known as Barren Flowers,
_i.e._, they produce no fruit. This condition is, in some respects,
similar to "blind" Strawberries or "blind" Cabbages, so far as fruition
is concerned, but structurally and functionally it is widely different.
The Barren Flowers of the Cucumber, Melon, &c., are produced by what
are known as monÅcious plants, _i.e._, having male and female organs
in different flowers, but on the same plant. In the Strawberry, &c.,
Barren Flowers are generally the result of unfavourable surroundings,
or unskilful cultivation. A good example of Barren Flowers is seen in
the ray-florets of many Composite plants, which are frequently really
neuter, having neither male nor female organs.
=BARREN SOILS.= A term signifying such soils as are normally
unprofitable. The term can only be correctly applied in very few
cases; as almost any soil may be rendered capable of affording a basis
for some kind of vegetable life, arboreal or other. The question of
planting up the enormous quantity of what is now waste land, might
well engage the most practical consideration. Of course, the natural
state of any land will, to a great extent, determine what would be its
ultimate condition, after all that could be effected by mechanical
agency has been accomplished. Drainage, irrigation, enrichment,
pulverisation, are all matters which can only be considered upon a
particular basis; but we doubt not that the thousands of acres of land
now practically almost useless, might, by the adoption of proper means,
be rendered fairly remunerative.
=BARREN-WORT.= _See_ =Epimedium=.
=BARRINGTONIA= (named after the Hon. Daines Barrington, F.R.S.). ORD.
_Myrtaceæ_. A genus of stove evergreen trees and shrubs, very difficult
to cultivate. Flowers large, racemose. Leaves opposite or whorled,
generally obovate; margins toothed or entire. Fruit one-seeded, fleshy.
They require a compost of two parts loam, one peat, and one sand. Water
should be given in abundance, and a moist atmosphere at all times
maintained, the temperature ranging from 65deg. to 95deg. Propagated
by cuttings obtained from the lateral shoots; these, taken off at a
joint when the wood is ripe, planted in sand, with a hand glass over
them, root readily. The cuttings should not be stripped of any of their
leaves.
=B. racemosa= (raceme-flowered). _fl._ red; racemes pendulous,
very long. _l._ cuneate-oblong, acuminated, serrulated. _h._ 30ft.
Malabar, 1822. (B. M. 3831.)
=B. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._ purple and white, large and handsome,
disposed in an erect thyrse. _l._ shining, cuneate-oblong, obtuse,
quite entire. _h._ 20in. to 30in. in England. This beautiful
species seldom attains a height of more than 6ft. or 8ft. (G. C.
1845, p. 56.)
=BARROW.= Garden Barrows are very numerous, both with and without
wheels. The Flower-pot Barrow has a wheel and a flat surface, on which
plants, pots, or leaves are placed, either directly, or, when small,
in shallow baskets. The Haum Barrow is an open box or case, of wicker
or other work, placed on, or suspended from, a pair of handles, with
or without a wheel, and is useful for carrying litter, leaves, &c. The
Water Barrow, instead of a box, contains a barrel, tub, or cistern, in
which fluid manure, or ordinary water, is conveyed to different parts
of the garden. The Hand-barrow is a frame of wood, carried by two
levers, which form four handles; for removing large pots or tubs of
trees or shrubs it is very useful.
[Illustration: FIG. 207. FLOWER OF BARTONIA AUREA.]
=BARTLINGIA.= A synonym of =Plocama= (which _see_).
=BARTONIA= (in honour of Benjamin S. Barton, M.D., formerly Professor
of Botany at Philadelphia). ORD. _Loasaceæ_. Hardy annuals or
biennials, downy, with stiff and bearded hairs. This genus is now
placed under _Mentzelia_ in most standard botanical works. Flowers
white or yellow, large, terminal, expanding in the evening, when they
are very fragrant, and becoming reddish as they fade. Leaves alternate,
interruptedly pinnatifid. The species are very showy, and well worth
growing. Any ordinary garden soil suits them. Seeds should be raised
in a gentle heat in spring; and, when the seedlings are sufficiently
large, they should be potted singly into small, well-drained pots. In
winter, they should be placed on a dry shelf in a greenhouse or frame.
_B. aurea_ is one of the brightest of hardy annuals, and may be sown
either in a frame, or in the open border in April.
=B. albescens= (whitish).* _fl._, petals ten, pale yellow, disposed
in a leafy panicle. July. _l._ sinuately toothed. Stem with a
white shining epidermis. _h._ 1ft. to 4ft. Chili, 1831. Annual or
biennial. (S. B. F. G. ii., 182.)
=B. aurea= (golden).* _fl._ two or three together, terminal, bright
golden yellow, as large as a half-crown; petals five. June. _h._
1ft. California, 1834. Annual. See Fig. 207. (B. M. 3649.)
=B. nuda= (naked) and =B. ornata= (adorned) are two very pretty
white-flowered biennial species. _h._ 2ft. Missouri, 1811.
=BARYOSMA.= _See_ =Barosma=.
=BASAL=, or =BASILAR=. Situated at the base of anything; as the embryo,
when situated at the bottom of the seed.
=BASELLA= (its Malabar name). Malabar Nightshade. ORD. _Basellaceæ_.
Annual or biennial stove trailers, with white or pinkish flowers, of
no great horticultural value. In India, and elsewhere throughout the
tropics, some of the species are cultivated as pot herbs, and are used
as a substitute for Spinach.
=B. alba= (white).* _fl._ white. August. _l._ heart-shaped,
pointed. _h._ 8in. India, 1688. This plant, either when allowed to
fall in festoons from the roof of a warm house, or treated as a
basket plant, forms an elegant object when in flower.
=BASELLACEÃ.= A series of usually herbaceous climbers, and considered
a tribe of _Chenopodiaceæ_.
=BASIL, SWEET= (_Ocymum basilicum_). This is a tender annual from
India, and must be raised in gentle heat. The foliage is somewhat
largely used for flavouring purposes. Seeds should be sown in April,
the seedlings pricked out into boxes to strengthen, and finally planted
out about 8in. asunder, in beds of light rich soil, in June, being well
watered until fully established. As soon as they bloom, they should be
cut down to within a few inches of the ground, and the portions cut off
should be tied up in small bunches and dried in the shade for winter
use. Some of the plants can be lifted in September, potted up, and
placed in a warm greenhouse for the winter, when the fresh green leaves
will be found very useful. Bush Basil (_Ocymum minimum_) is a dwarfer
plant, but may be treated in the same way. Wild Basil is botanically
known as _Calamintha Clinopodium_.
=BASIL-THYME.= _See_ =Calamintha Acinos=.
=BASI-NERVED.= When the nerves of a leaf spring from the base.
=BASING-UP.= The raising of a small bank of earth entirely round a
plant, so as to retain water immediately about the root. The term is
sometimes used to signify =Earthing= or =Moulding=, which _see_.
=BASKETS.= Few objects contribute more to the adornment of a window,
or the decoration of the diningroom, drawing-room, or glass-house,
than Hanging Baskets, tastefully filled with handsome foliaged and
flowering plants. Baskets are made in different forms and of various
materials, such as wire, terra-cotta, wood, and cork. The Wire Baskets
have a very light and elegant appearance, and are generally used. In
filling Baskets, the inside should be lined with a thick layer of moss,
or _Selaginella Kraussiana_, next to which a layer of coarse sacking
must be placed, to prevent the soil from working through. Terra-cotta
Baskets are very pretty, and are extensively employed in domestic
rooms, but they should always have one or more holes at the bottom, to
facilitate drainage. Rustic Baskets, of cork or wood, are also very
suitable for floral arrangements; those composed of teak-wood are very
generally used for orchids. The compost should be prepared according to
the requirements of the plant or plants intended to be grown, which can
be easily ascertained on reference to such plants in this work. The
soil should not be allowed to get dry; in the event of this happening,
however, a thorough soaking by immersion must be given. As a rule,
attention should be given in the matter of watering every other day,
and light syringing every morning and evening during the spring and
summer months will be most beneficial. The Baskets should be examined
every week, all dead or decaying leaves being removed, and any insects,
which are so likely to get a foothold, destroyed. In arranging the
subjects, the centre plant should be the tallest, the next outer ones
shorter, and the marginal ones of a trailing or drooping habit, so that
the whole may present a symmetrical, and at the same time a natural,
appearance. Wickerwork Baskets are used for carrying or transferring
plants, and are generally made 18in. wide by 20in. deep; they are
extremely useful, and should be in every garden. Split wood and withes
are largely employed in making Baskets. The Planter's Basket, described
by Loudon as a flat, rectangular utensil of wickerwork or boards,
partitioned into three or more parts, for the purpose of carrying
with the gardener when about to plant or remove plants, is now,
unfortunately, almost obsolete. One division is for the plants, another
for those taken up, and a third for the tools to be made use of, and
for any decayed parts of plants, stones, weeds, or other refuse which
may be collected. By using this Basket, order, accuracy, and neatness
are secured. The Sussex "Truck" Baskets, made of willow-wood, are very
useful, being both light and durable. _See also_ =Measures=.
=BASSIA= (named after Ferdinando Bassi, Curator of the Botanic Garden
at Bologna). ORD. _Sapotaceæ_. Handsome lofty-growing lactescent stove
trees, with axillary, solitary, or aggregate flowers, and quite entire,
smooth, coriaceous leaves. They require stove heat, and a compost of
peat and loam. Cuttings, taken from ripened wood, strike readily in
sand, under a hand glass, in a strong moist heat.
=B. butyracea= (buttery). The Indian Butter Tree. _fl._, pedicels
aggregate, and are, as well as the calyces, woolly. _l._ obovate,
8in. to 9in. long, and 4in. to 5in. broad, tomentose beneath. _h._
30ft. to 70ft. Nepaul, 1823. (B. F. F. 35.)
=B. latifolia= (broad-leaved). The Mahwah Tree of Bengal. _fl._,
corolla thick and fleshy; pedicels drooping, terminal. _l._ oblong
or elliptic, smooth above, whitish beneath, 4in. to 8in. long, and
2in. to 4in. broad. _h._ 50ft. India, 1799. (B. F. S. 41.)
=B. longifolia= (long-leaved). _fl._, pedicels axillary, drooping,
crowded round the ends of the branchlets. _l._ ovate-lanceolate,
approximate at the tops of the branches, 6in. long, deciduous. _h._
50ft. Malabar, 1811. (B. F. S. 42.)
=BASS= or =BAST MATS=. These are prepared, chiefly in Russia, from
the inner bark of various Limes (_Tilia_), and are very largely used
in this country by nurserymen for packing purposes. They are also
extensively employed as coverings, being excellent preventatives of the
effects of frost. They are beneficial as a covering for beds of early
vegetables, to prevent radiation during the night. For tying purposes
they are now greatly superseded by Raffia Grass. Archangel Mats are
larger, and of better quality than the St. Petersburgh. Dunnage Mats
are heavy, and generally used for covering, as they are much cheaper.
=BASTARD ACACIA.= _See_ =Robinia Pseudo-acacia=.
=BASTARD BALM.= _See_ =Melittis=.
=BASTARD BOX.= _See_ =Polygala chamæbuxus=.
=BASTARD CABBAGE-TREE.= _See_ =Geoffroya=.
=BASTARD CHERRY.= _See_ =Cerasus Pseudo-cerasus=.
=BASTARD CINNAMON.= _See_ =Cinnamomum Cassia=.
=BASTARD CORK TREE.= _See_ =Quercus pseudo-suber=.
=BASTARD INDIGO.= _See_ =Amorpha=.
=BASTARD LUPINE.= _See_ =Trifolium Lupinaster=.
=BASTARD QUINCE.= _See_ =Pyrus Chamæmespilus=.
=BASTARD VERVAIN.= _See_ =Stachytarpheta=.
=BASTARD VETCH.= _See_ =Phaca=.
=BASTARD WIND-FLOWER.= _See_ =Gentiana Pseudo-pneumonanthe=.
=BASTARD WOOD-SAGE.= _See_ =Teucrium Pseudo-scorodonia=.
=BAST MATS.= _See_ =Bass Mats=.
=BATATAS= (its aboriginal name). ORD. _Convolvulaceæ_. This genus is
now referred to _Ipomæa_. Strong, free-growing, greenhouse or stove
deciduous twiners. Calyx of five sepals; corolla campanulate; stamens
inclosed. They are of easy culture, only requiring plenty of room to
spread, and are well adapted for trellis work, or to run up pillars.
They are all tuberous rooted, and therefore require to be kept dry when
in a dormant state. A rich, open, loamy soil is most suitable. Young
cuttings strike readily under a hand glass, in heat.
=B. bignonioides= (Bignonia-like).* _fl._, corolla dark purple,
funnel-shaped, with a curled limb; peduncles many-flowered, nutant,
shorter than the petioles. July. _l._ three-lobed; hind lobes
rounded, imbricate. Cayenne, 1824. (B. M. 2645.)
=B. Cavanillesii= (Cavanilles').* _fl._ pale whitish-red; lobes
of corolla obtuse, crenulated; peduncles one to three-flowered.
August. _l._ quinate; leaflets ovate, entire, unequal. Native
country unknown, 1815.
[Illustration: FIG. 208. BATATAS EDULIS, showing Tuber.]
=B. edulis= (edible).* Sweet Potato. _fl._, corolla 1in. long,
white outside and purple inside; peduncles equal in length to the
petioles, or exceeding them, three to four-flowered. _l._ variable,
usually angular, also lobed. Stem creeping, rarely climbing. East
Indies, 1797. See Fig. 208.
=B. glaucifolia= (milky-green-leaved). _fl._, corolla small,
purplish, with an inflated tube, and ovate, acute segments;
peduncles two-flowered, length of leaves. May. _l._ sagittate,
truncate behind, on long petioles. Mexico, 1732.
=B. heterophylla= (various-leaved). _fl._ blue; peduncles solitary,
axillary, bearing each three sessile flowers. July. _l._ quinately
palmate; lobes or leaflets ovate-spathulate, acute. Plant very
villous. Cuba, 1817.
=B. paniculata= (panicled).* _fl._ large, purple; peduncles
much exceeding the petioles, many-flowered, dichotomously and
corymbosely panicled. June _l._ palmate, five to seven-cleft;
lobes ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, bluntish, rarely
sub-acuminated. India, 1799. (G. C. n. s., x., 341.)
=B. senegalensis= (Senegalese). _fl._ white or purplish, large;
peduncles three-flowered. June. _l._ quinately palmate; lobes
ovate, obtuse, middle one the largest. Stem white, tubercular.
Guinea, 1823.
=B. venosa= (veiny). _fl._ purple; peduncles umbellate, with an
ovate-cordate, solitary leaf at the base of each pedicel. July.
_l._ digitately quinate; leaflets petiolate, acuminated, quite
entire. France, 1820.
=BATEMANNIA= (named after Mr. J. Bateman, a collector and cultivator
of orchids, and author of a "Monograph of Odontoglossum," and other
works on orchidaceous plants). ORD. _Orchidaceæ_. A small and
easily-grown genus of dwarf, compact-growing epiphytes, closely
allied to _Maxillaria_, but differing from that genus in having the
anther-bed with a membranous border. They may be grown in pots, in
a compost of peat and moss, or on blocks of wood with moss. They
require an intermediate house and plenty of water in the growing
season. Propagated by divisions and offsets. They have generally a
free-flowering habit; but some of the species are not so ornamental as
many other orchids.
=B. armillata= (braceleted). _fl._ green, white. 1875. (R. X. O.
316.)
=B. Burtii= (Burt's). _fl._ red-brown, yellow base, 3in. across;
lip white, tipped chocolate. Autumn. _l._ elliptic-oblong, or
ligulate, sub-distichous. Plant bulbless. Costa Rica, 1872. (B. M.
6003.)
=B. Colleyi= (Colley's). _fl._ on a pendulous raceme, rising from
the base of the pseudo-bulbs; sepals and petals brownish-purple
within, green without; lip white. Autumn. _h._ 6in. Demerara, 1834.
(B. R. 1714.)
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._, flower-spike coming
up with the young growth, bearing three or four flowers, of
curious structure; sepals and petals olive-green, striped with
reddish-brown; lip white, with reddish-purple streaks, orange or
yellow towards the base. Pseudo-bulbs ovate, 3in. or 4in. long, and
bearing two large, broad, leathery leaves. New Grenada, 1866. (B.
M. 5567.)
=B. Wallisii= (Wallis').* _fl._, sepals light greenish-yellow
outside, olive-green to chestnut-brown inside, with some yellow
at the base; petals with scarlet stripes at the very base, but
otherwise coloured like the sepals; lip blade greenish, with a
brownish hue at the anterior part; peduncles slender, corymbose.
_h._ 1ft. Columbia, 1876.
=BATSCHIA.= _See_ =Lithospermum=.
=BAUERA= (named after Francis and Ferdinand Bauer, German botanical
draughtsmen). ORD. _Saxifragaceæ_. Small shrubs, natives of Australia,
New Zealand, &c. Flowers axillary, solitary, pedunculate. Leaves six in
a whorl, approximating by threes, and therefore, as it were, opposite
and ternate, exstipulate. Easily cultivated in a compost of sandy loam
and peat. Propagated by cuttings, placed in sandy soil, under a glass.
These very pretty little greenhouse evergreens flower nearly the whole
year through.
=B. humilis= (low). _fl._, corolla red, one-half smaller than _B.
rubioides_, and the plant is altogether much smaller. July to
December. _l._ oblong, crenated. _h._ 1ft. New South Wales, 1804.
(L. B. C. 1197.)
=B. rubiæfolia= (madder-leaved). Synonymous with _B. rubioides_.
=B. rubioides= (madder-like).* _fl._ pale red, or pink. _l._
lanceolate, crenated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. New South Wales, 1793. SYN.
_B. rubiæfolia_. (A. B. R. 198.)
=BAUHINIA= (in honour of John and Caspar Bauhin, two famous botanists
of the sixteenth century). Mountain Ebony. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Very
showy stove evergreen shrubs. Flowers racemose; petals five, spreading,
oblong, rather unequal, upper one usually distant from the rest. Leaves
two-lobed, constantly composed of two jointed leaflets at the top of
the petiole, sometimes nearly free, but usually joined together, more
or less, and with an awn in the recess. They succeed well in a mixture
of sand, loam, and peat, requiring good drainage and moderately firm
potting. Propagated by cuttings, which should be taken when the wood is
neither very ripe nor very young; the leaves must be dressed off, and
the cuttings planted in sand, under a glass, in moist heat. Although
glorious objects in the tropics, few of the species flower under our
comparatively sunless skies; those which hitherto have succeeded well
in Britain are marked with an asterisk.
=B. acuminata= (taper-pointed-leaved). _fl._ pure white; petals
broadly ovate, hardly stipitate. June. _l._ rather cordate at the
base, smoothish; leaflets connected beyond the middle, ovate,
acuminated, parallel, four-nerved. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. Malabar, 1808.
=B. aurita= (eared). _fl._ white; petals ovate, on short stipes.
August. _l._ glabrous, cordate at the base; leaflets connected the
fourth part of their length, oblong-lanceolate, nearly parallel,
six to eight-nerved. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Jamaica, 1756.
=B. corymbosa= (corymbose).* _fl._ in loose racemes; petals
pinkish, regular, crenulated at the edge. Summer. _l._, leaflets
semi-oval, obtuse, parallel, connected nearly to the middle,
three-nerved, cordate at the base, the nerves on the under surface,
as well as the petioles, branches, and calyces, clothed with rufous
villi. Shrubby climber. India, 1818. (G. C. 1881, xvi., p. 204.)
=B. inermis= (unarmed). _fl._ white; petals linear; racemes
terminal, leafless, simple. _l._ ovate at the base, ferruginous
beneath; leaflets oblong, acute, four-nerved, parallel, connected
a little beyond the middle. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. Mexico, 1810.
=B. multinerva= (many-nerved). _fl._ snow-white; petals linear.
Legume 8in. to 12in. long. _l._ elliptic, rounded at the base,
membranous, shining above, rather pilose beneath; nerves
ferruginous; leaflets semi-ovate, obtuse, approximate, five-nerved;
free. _h._ 20ft. Caracas, 1817.
=B. natalensis= (Natal).* _fl._ white, 1-1/2in. across,
opposite the leaves. September. _l._ small, alternate, of two
obliquely-oblong rounded leaflets. Natal, 1870. (B. M. 6086.)
=B. petiolata= (long-petioled). _fl._ white, 3in. long, in terminal
clusters. Autumn. _l._ stalked, ovate-acuminate, five-nerved,
glabrous. Columbia, 1852. SYN. _Casparia speciosa_. (B. M. 6277.)
=B. pubescens= (downy). _fl._ white, large, much crowded; petals
obovate; peduncles three to four-flowered. _l._ rather cordate at
the base, pubescent beneath and on the petioles; leaflets connected
beyond the middle, oval, obtuse, four-nerved, nearly parallel. _h._
4ft. to 6ft. Jamaica, 1823.
=B. purpurea= (purple). _fl._, petals red, one of them streaked
with white on the claw, lanceolate, acute. Legume linear, 1ft.
long. _l._ cordate at the base, coriaceous, ultimately glabrous;
leaflets connected much above the middle, broadly ovate, obtuse,
four-nerved; free. _h._ 6ft. India, 1778.
=B. racemosa= (racemose). _fl._ white; petals obovate, obtuse;
raceme somewhat corymbose. _l._ cordate at the base, clothed
with silky villi beneath, as well as on the peduncles, petioles,
branches, calyces, and petals; leaflets broadly ovate, obtuse,
connected to the middle, five-nerved. India, 1790. Shrubby climber.
(B. F. S. 182.)
=B. tomentosa= (tomentose). _fl._, petals pale yellow, with a red
spot at the claw, obovate, obtuse; peduncles one to three-flowered.
_l._ ovate or roundish at the base; under surface villous, as
well as the petioles, branches, stipules, peduncles, bracts, and
calyces; leaflets connected beyond the middle, oval, obtuse, three
to four-nerved. _h._ 6ft. to 12ft. Ceylon, 1808.
=B. variegata= (variegated).* _fl._ red, marked with white, and
yellow at the base, in loose terminal racemes; petals ovate,
nearly sessile. June. _l._ cordate at the base, glabrous; leaflets
broadly-ovate, obtuse, five-nerved, connected beyond the middle;
free. _h._ 20ft. Malabar, 1690.
=B. v. chinensis= (Chinese). _fl._, petals lilac, with one purple
spot at the base of each, acute. _l._ rounded at the base. China.
=BAWD-MONEY.= _See_ =Meum=.
=BAY-TREE.= _See_ =Laurus nobilis=.
=BEAK.= Anything resembling the beak of a bird, as in _Aconitum_; the
point which ends the helmet or upper sepal; hard, sharp points.
=BEAM TREE.= _See_ =Pyrus Aria=.
=BEAN BEETLE= (_Bruchus granarius_). This insect, by depositing its
eggs in the seeds of Beans and Peas, causes a great amount of injury.
It is about an eighth of an inch long, black, with brown hairs and
white spots; tip of the tail prolonged, downy; front pair of legs
reddish. The most effectual means of prevention is to destroy, when
sowing, all seeds infested by it; and this may be detected by the skin
of the seed being unusually transparent above the tunnel for exit.
Imported seeds of Broad Beans are often much infested. "Dipping the
Beans or Peas in boiling water for one minute is stated to kill the
grub inside; but, as dipping for four minutes generally destroys the
germinating power, the experiment is much too hazardous for general
use", (Ormerod).
=BEAN CAPER.= _See_ =Zygophyllum=.
=BEAN FLY.= _See_ =Aphides= and =Black Fly=.
=BEANS.= There are three sections of these in cultivation for garden
purposes, viz.: The Dwarf or French Bean; the Climbing, or Scarlet
Runner; and the ordinary Broad Bean. _See also_ =Faba= and =Phaseolus=.
[Illustration: FIG. 209. BROAD BEAN PLANT IN FLOWER (FABA VULGARIS).]
_Soil._ All Beans like a somewhat loamy soil, which, to secure good
crops, must be deeply worked and heavily manured. The Kidney Beans,
dwarf and tall, however, do not care for so heavy a soil as the Broad
and Long-podded kinds; and this fact should be borne in mind when
selecting their respective situations. The term Kidney is generally
applied to both the Dwarf or French and the Climbing or Scarlet Runner.
[Illustration: FIG. 210. PODS OF BROAD BEAN.]
[Illustration: FIG. 211. BROAD BEAN SEED.]
BROAD AND LONG-PODDED (_Faba vulgaris_). _Cultivation_: As early as
possible in the autumn, deeply trench a piece of ground, and work in a
heavy dressing of manure, leaving the surface of the soil in ridges, to
become well aërated by winter frosts. Where desired, a piece of ground
on a warm, protected border, can also be deeply dug in November, and a
few rows of Mazagans sown to stand the winter. When up, draw a ridge
of soil on either side the rows, and in frosty weather strew a few
handfuls of bracken, or other light, dry litter, over them. Not much
is, however, gained by this winter sowing. Early in January, level the
ridges with a fork, working the whole of the surface soil over, and
towards the end of the month, make the first sowing, choosing Mazagan
and other early varieties. Mark out two rows, 9in. asunder, leave a
space of 30in., then another two rows, and so on throughout the piece
sown. If preferred, they may be sown in single rows at intervals of
1-1/2ft. The drills should be about 3in. deep, and the seed from 7in.
to 9in. apart in the rows. Where the double-row system is adopted,
arrange the seed for the plants to come alternately. In March, get
in the main sowing of the Broad and later Long-podded kinds, in the
manner already described; another sowing for late use may be made in
April. When the plants are about 6in. high, earth up as recommended
for those sown in the autumn. As soon as a good crop is set, pinch out
the tops of the plants, to assist the maturation of the Beans, and
prevent the attacks of the fly. Figs. 209, 210, and 211 are excellent
representations of the flowering plant, pods, and seed of the Broad
Bean.
_Sorts._ For early use: Early Mazagan, Long-pod, Marshall's Early
Prolific, and Seville Long-pod. For late use: Carter's Mammoth
Long-pod, and Broad Windsor (white variety). These are all distinct and
good varieties.
[Illustration: FIG. 212. FRUITING PLANT OF DWARF OR FRENCH BEAN
(PHASEOLUS VULGARIS).]
DWARF OR FRENCH KIDNEY BEANS (_Phaseolus vulgaris_). _Cultivation_:
This class (see Fig. 212) also requires a rich and deeply trenched
rather light soil. A very important point is to get the ground into a
good condition, by frequently forking it over; and, as the seeds are
not sown till the beginning of May, there is plenty of time for the
work. The finer the soil is, and the more it is aërated, the better
will it suit the crop. From the beginning of May till the end of June,
at intervals, draw out drills about 2ft. apart, and 3in. deep, and in
these place the Beans tolerably thick, as generally they are not all
certain to grow. As soon as up, carefully thin them, and slightly earth
up to prevent the wind blowing them about. They should not, however,
be earthed higher than the seed leaves, or they will probably rot off
in wet weather. Keep free from weeds, and maintain a sharp look out for
slugs. In dry weather, water occasionally, giving good drenchings, and
not mere sprinklings, which do more harm than good. A good mulching
of half-rotted manure is very beneficial, as it prevents evaporation
to a great extent, besides affording some amount of nourishment to
the plants. Great care must be taken to pick off the Beans as soon as
large enough for use, or they will exhaust the plants. Where seeds are
needed, a number of plants should be left for the purpose, and these
should be some of the best, to prevent deterioration, or loss of the
true variety.
_Forcing._ French Beans require more heat than can be obtained in
either a frame or an ordinary greenhouse; and, although easy enough to
grow in a structure suited to their requirements, yet, if such does
not exist, they are almost sure to fail. A good heat, from 60deg.
to 70deg., with abundance of moisture, is necessary for successful
results. Plenty of light is also most essential. A position such as
that of a cucumber house is generally a suitable one; but the plants
must not be placed under the cucumbers. Successional sowings in pots
or boxes must be made, from the end of August till March, to keep up
a supply. For soil, use good maiden loam, with a little well-rotted
manure added. Use 8in. pots, sowing five or six beans in each. The
first sowing should be placed in a frame and kept well watered,
bringing into heat in October; but the subsequent sowings should be
placed directly in the house. Keep the soil moist, and the plants free
from aphides and other insect pests, and give air at every favourable
opportunity. The plants should be as near the light as possible, and
kept from falling about by tying or placing small pieces of Birch wood
round them. In dull weather, it will be found that the blooms will
not set so freely as when the sun shines brightly; therefore, every
care should be taken to secure both heat and ventilation when sunshine
prevails. When the pots get full of roots, and the plants are bearing
fruit freely, a little liquid manure is of great assistance; at no
time must the plants get dry enough to flag. Allow plenty of room for
the full development of foliage, and maintain a minimum temperature of
60deg., with plenty of moisture.
_Sorts._ These are very numerous, among the best being Black Negro,
Canadian Wonder, Canterbury, Fulmer's Forcing, Golden Dun, Newington
Wonder, Osborn's Early Forcing, Sion House, and Sir Joseph Paxton.
RUNNERS OR CLIMBING KIDNEY BEANS (_Phaseolus multiflorus_).
_Cultivation_: Being tall growers, these need a greater space than the
Dwarf French varieties, and they also require support. Rich soil is
indispensable for them, and liberal supplies of water on light soils
and in dry weather. A good overhead syringing from time to time is also
advantageous. Trench and heavily manure a piece of ground in autumn,
leaving it in ridges for the winter. In March, level the ridges down,
and well work the ground, to render it friable and in good condition.
The plants being extremely tender, it is not safe to sow before the end
of April or the first week in May. It is preferable to sow in rows,
which should be from 6ft. to 12ft. apart, and crop the ground between
with other vegetables. Earth up and stake them as soon as ready, to
prevent injury from rough wind. A good plan, which may be adopted to
obtain early produce, is to raise the seeds in boxes in a cold frame,
getting them ready for planting out in the middle of May. Plant at the
same distances, and treat afterwards as recommended for those sown out
of doors.
If preferred, they can be grown on the ground without stakes. Under
this treatment, they must have their tops pinched off when about 18in.
high, continuing this pinching from time to time as necessary. If this
plan is adopted, the rows need only be 3ft. apart, the ground not
being otherwise cropped. In dry seasons and on light soils, there is
an advantage attached to this method, namely, that those on sticks are
liable to injury from drought, while the foliage of those pinched back
keeps the soil moist underneath.
[Illustration: FIG. 213. RUNNER OR CLIMBING KIDNEY BEAN (PHASEOLUS
MULTIFLORUS).]
Runner Beans may also be planted to cover arches or fences, and in
various places of a like description. See Fig. 213.
_Sorts._ Common Scarlet Runner, Champion, Painted Lady, and Giant
White. The first two are those generally grown.
=BEAN-TREE.= _See_ =Ceratonia Siliqua=.
=BEARBERRY=, and =BEAR'S GRAPE=. _See_ =Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi=.
=BEARD-TONGUE.= _See_ =Pentstemon=.
=BEARS BREECH.= _See_ =Acanthus=.
=BEAR'S FOOT.= _See_ =Helleborus fÅtidus=.
=BEATONIA.= _See_ =Tigridia=.
=BEAUCARNEA= (a commemorative name). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A small genus of
curious greenhouse plants, natives of Mexico. Leaves narrow, gracefully
depending. Stems slender, and woody, with a peculiar swollen, somewhat
napiform base. Mr. B. S. Williams recommends that these plants be
potted in rich fibrous loam and sand, with ample drainage, and,
during the growing season, liberally supplied with water. Propagated
by cuttings, when obtainable; but chiefly by seeds, which have to be
imported from their native country. Beaucarneas are principally grown
for the beauty of their foliage, and are grotesque, graceful, and
extremely curious in habit and form.
=B. glauca= (grey).* _l._ pendent, glaucous, 2ft. to 3ft. long.
Stem slender, the swollen base becoming woody with age.
=B. g. latifolia= (broad-leaved) differs from the type only in its
stouter and more robust stem and broader leaves.
=B. longifolia= (long-leaved).* _l._ 6ft. to 10ft. long, narrow,
pendent, dark green, forming a beautiful vase-like centre. _h._
10ft. Mexico, 1868. Very distinct. (G. C. 1877, vii., 493.)
=B. recurvata= (recurved-leaved).* _l._ very long, linear,
gracefully pendulous, bright green. Mexico, about 1845. This is an
excellent subject for open-air culture during the summer, as well
as for the conservatory. SYN. _Pincenictitia tuberculata_. (G. C.
1870, 1445.)
=B. r. rubra= (red). _l._ red at base.
=B. stricta= (upright). _l._ 3ft. or more long, less than 1in.
broad, very glaucous. Stem stout. Mexico, 1870.
=BEAUFORTIA= (commemorative of Mary, Duchess of Beaufort, a botanical
patroness). Including _Schizopleura_. ORD. _Myrtaceæ_. Elegant
free-flowering greenhouse Australian shrubs. Flowers scarlet; calyx
with a turbinate tube; stamens in bundles opposite the petals. Leaves
sessile, opposite or scattered. Beaufortias require a compost of peat,
leaf soil, and loam, lightened, if necessary, by the addition of sand.
Cuttings of half-ripened shoots root freely in sandy soil, under a
glass, with very little heat.
=B. decussata= (decussate). _fl._ scarlet; bundles of stamens
on very long claws; filaments radiating. May. _l._ opposite,
decussate, ovate, or oval, many-nerved. _h._ 3ft. to 10ft. New
Holland, 1803. (B. M. 1733.)
=B. purpurea= (purple).* _fl._ purplish-red, in dense globular
heads. _l._ three to five-nerved, erect or spreading,
ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate-linear. New Holland.
=B. sparsa= (few-leaved). _fl._ bright scarlet. _l._ many-nerved,
scattered, ovate-elliptical, obtuse. West Australia. SYN. _B.
splendens_. (P. F. G. xiii., 145.)
=B. splendens= (splendid). Synonymous with _B. sparsa_.
=BEAUMONTIA= (in honour of Mrs. Beaumont, formerly of Bretton Hall,
Yorkshire). ORD. _Apocynaceæ_. A very ornamental stove twiner,
remarkable for its handsome flowers. It succeeds best when planted
out in the borders of a temperate house, in rich lumpy loam and peat.
Propagated by cuttings, placed in sand, with bottom heat.
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._, corolla large, white,
greenish outside near the base, and dark throat, with a short tube,
and a large campanulate five-lobed limb; corymbs axillary and
terminal, many-flowered. June. _l._ opposite, broad, oblong-ovate,
with a little point, tapering towards the base, smooth and shining
above, but rather downy beneath; young leaves and branches rusty.
Chittagong and Sylhet, 1820. (B. M. 3213.)
=BED.= A term usually applied to pieces of ground laid out in gardens
for sowing small seeds, or for the isolation and better protection of
small collections of plants in the reserve ground. The oblong is the
best shape for this purpose, about 4ft. or 5ft. wide, somewhat raised,
and having a narrow path on each side, so that the workman may attend
to the plants or seeds without having to tread on the bed. Any one part
of a flower-garden design, cut out in grass, or otherwise formed, is
also generally termed a Bed. When required to be planted for effect,
as in this case, the Bed should be proportionate in size to the plants
that are to be put in it, always planting the highest in the centre and
gradually sloping, with other sizes, to the edges, which should be the
lowest. Circular Beds are best with one centre plant; and oblong or
other shapes should have the height of the centre plants carried nearly
the whole length, not, however, placing them in too formal a manner.
=BEDDING-IN.= A method of seed-sowing, now almost obsolete, and
chiefly employed in nurseries. "In this method, the ground being dug
and formed by alleys into Beds, 4ft. or 5ft. wide, each alley being a
spade's width or more between Bed and Bed, and the earth being drawn
off the top of the Bed with a rake or spade, 1/2in. or 1in. deep into
the alleys, the seed is then sown all over the surface of the Bed;
which being done, the earth in the alleys is immediately cast over the
Bed, again covering the seeds the same depth, and the surface is raked
smooth" (Johnson). In the case of small seeds, a very light covering is
needed, and that only of very fine soil.
=BEDDING-OUT.= The temporary placing out of doors of greenhouse and
other tender plants during the summer months. It is considered by some
to be the showiest, most expensive, and most unnatural of any style.
The geometrical arrangement of gaudy colours is not at all times
satisfactory, and under the most favourable conditions the design
is rarely retained more than two or three months, say, from July to
September. The method is, however, so extensively adopted as to demand
due notice in this work. Bedding usually commences in May. An important
consideration is the proper preparation of the soil for the reception
of the plants. It will be found to materially assist the growth if
the soil is well dug over a fortnight before the plants are put in.
By this means, it will acquire a certain amount of solidity, a point
of great importance with fibrous-rooted plants that are subject to
injury from the fine roots not taking a firm hold of the soil. Having
decided upon the arrangement of the plants, proceed to work with the
planting. With round, oval, or, indeed, almost any shaped bed, begin
in the centre and work towards the edge; in borders, commence at the
back and finish with the front row. Plant with a trowel, disturbing
the balls as little as possible, and when in the holes press the soil
moderately firm. After the Bed is finished, give a good soaking of
water to settle the soil at the roots. Manure for Flower-beds should
always be perfectly rotten, such as that from a spent hotbed. When the
plants are thoroughly established, water must only be given if they
show signs of distress; and then a good soaking should be applied. A
careful hoeing of the surface after planting will be most beneficial,
leaving it smooth and tidy. A Dutch hoe will be the best to use.
Injudicious use of manure and water will only cause a foliaceous
growth. The proper treatment of the various Bedding Plants will be
found under their respective headings. For spring decoration, the
Beds may be filled with Dutch bulbs, and spring-flowering annuals and
perennials _ad infinitum_; or, after the plants are removed in autumn,
the Beds may be filled with evergreens plunged in pots, such as Aucuba,
Arbor vitæ, Euonymus, and various little Conifers, which have a bright
appearance through the winter, and can be removed at any time. With the
relative value, or advisability of adoption, of either or any system of
gardening, it scarcely comes within the province of this work to deal.
No hard-and-fast rules can be laid down as regards "style," and each
individual may follow his own taste and inclination.
[Illustration: FIG. 214. DESIGN FOR CARPET BEDDING.]
[Illustration: FIG. 215. DESIGN FOR CARPET BEDDING.]
_Carpet Bedding._ This mode of gardening, although not so generally
employed as it was some few years ago, has many admirers, and small
plots, geometrically arranged in multi-coloured beds on lawns, are
frequently seen. In our large public parks, the system is largely
adopted, and evidently proves very gratifying to the multitudes who
visit these places; but probably no system is more unnatural or
expensive, as such a large number of plants are necessary in order
to produce a desirable effect. The illustrations (Figs. 214 and 215)
represent two designs for Carpet Beds. The numbers placed in the
various compartments indicate the way the different colours should be
arranged, repeats being marked by the same cypher. A very varied and
large selection of plants can be used for Carpet Bedding, some of which
are quite hardy, such as _Herniaria glabra_ and _Veronica repens_, two
of the best dwarf green plants; _Sempervivum californicum_, _Sedum
lydium_, _S. glaucum_, _Antennaria tomentosa_, &c. These may be
planted early in the season, with Golden Feather, and are especially
valuable, as they are generally employed to a great extent. Other
plants, not quite so hardy, are _Mentha Pulegium gibraltarica_ and
_Echeveria secunda glauca_, both of which are extensively used; while
the tenderest subjects are Alternantheras of various kinds, _Coleus
Verschaffeltii_ and _Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum_. These
latter should not be planted till the first or second week in June.
As the plants are usually small, and require to be planted thickly,
the work is best accomplished with the fingers, pressing the soil
moderately firm. First of all, work out the design, and plant the
leading lines; afterwards fill in the "panels."
[Illustration: FIG. 216. DESIGN FOR BEDDING.]
_Sub-Tropical Bedding._ This term is applied to the arrangement of
tropical plants in Beds or groups outside for the summer months, and
if discriminately adopted a very attractive and unique display may be
made, depending greatly upon position, and mainly upon the material at
command. If a sheltered and partially shady situation is enjoyed, a
grand effect may be produced by the grouping of tree and other large
ferns with palms, Cannas, Aralias, Dracænas, &c., avoiding, of course,
formal arrangement, and yet, when finished, a symmetrical appearance
should be produced. In more open positions, palms, Castor Oil Plants,
Cannas, _Humea elegans_, Aralias, Phormiums, Wigandias, Nicotianas,
&c., may be employed, the result being, if properly arranged, most
gratifying. Sub-Tropical Bedding should not be done till the middle or
end of June, and the Beds should be well dug and freely manured for
those that are to be planted out.
[Illustration: FIG 217. DESIGN FOR BEDDING.]
Fig. 216 represents a Border or long piece of ground, which may be
either marked out permanently with Box edging, dwarf-growing silver or
golden leaved plants, tiles, stones, or pebbles, and filled in with
silver sand or bright-coloured stones or gravel; or the lines may be
widened out into walks. The whole of the small circles not numbered
are intended for specimen foliage and other plants, such as Fuchsias,
Yuccas, Aloes, Cannas, Solanums, variegated or plain Reeds, Grasses,
Maize (_Zea_), &c. No. 1, tall plants of _Echeveria metallica_, edged
with _E. glauca_; 2, 2, yellow or orange Calceolaria; 3, 3, Mrs.
Leavers Pelargonium; 4, 4, Triomphe de Stella ditto; 5, 5, purple or
blue Verbena; 6, 6, white ditto. The narrow border round the side may
then be filled in with Golden-feather Pyrethrum, blue Lobelia, or
_Alternanthera amabilis_. This same plan may also be treated in quite a
different manner, according to the taste of those adopting it, or the
stock of plants at command.
[Illustration: FIG. 218. DESIGN FOR BEDDING OR CARPET BEDDING.]
Fig. 217 illustrates a design admirably adapted for a rosery or small
flower garden. Its only fault is the number of sharp angles at the
corners of some of the Beds; but this can be counteracted by the
predominance of curved lines. It is easily formed, and the effect is
good if furnished in the following manner: The circle in the centre,
1, _Centaurea ragusina compacta_, edged with a double line of _Coleus
Verschaffeltii_; the four figures 2, 2, 2, 2, scarlet Pelargoniums,
such as Vesuvius, Bonfire, Triomphe de Stella, or others; 3, 3, Mrs.
Pollock, golden-zoned Pelargoniums, edged with _Alternanthera amÅna_;
4, 4, Lady Cullum, ditto, ditto, edged with ditto; 5, 5, _Lobelia
speciosa_, Imperial Dwarf Ageratum, or Purple King Verbena; 6, 6, white
Verbena or white Ivy-leaved Pelargonium.
[Illustration: FIG. 219. ARRANGEMENT OF NURSERY FOR ROSE TREES AND
SHRUBS.]
[Illustration: FIG. 220. ARRANGEMENT OF NURSERY FOR ROSE TREES AND
SHRUBS.]
The group of Beds illustrated in Fig. 218 is effective on grass or
gravel. If on the latter, the lines should be defined with Box, Golden
Thyme, Cerastium, or Santolinas. The design is pretty on level, but is
still more effective on sloping ground; in the latter case, it should
rise from the straight walk (dotted line). Thus each Bed may be seen
to the best advantage, and the group may be extended to any length.
The circular Beds should be planted with two distinct colours, such
as good pink and scarlet Pelargoniums of similar habits of growth,
placing the colours in alternate Beds. The Beds, _a_, _a_, _a_, Flower
of Spring, or another silver-leaved Pelargonium; _b_, _b_, _b_, Purple
King Verbena, or Imperial Dwarf Ageratum; _c_, _c_, White Perfection
Verbena, and silver-leaved or white-flowered Ivy-leaved Pelargonium;
_d_, _d_, _Alternanthera magnifica_; _e_, _e_, Blue Lobelia. The
long border, _Alternanthera paronychioides_, edged with _Antennaria
tomentosa_; or _Iresine Lindenii_, edged with Pyrethrum, Golden Fleece
or Crystal Palace Gem Pelargonium. The two sides may also be planted
alike. The colours are reversed above to produce a greater variety and
a more striking effect. This design is also well adapted for Carpet
Bedding.
[Illustration: BED A.
BED B.
BED C.
BED D.
BED E.
BED F.
BED G.
BED H.
FIG. 221. BEDDING-OUT DESIGNS.]
_Nursery Bed._ This is merely a reserve ground or nursery for a large
stock of plants of various sorts, such as Roses, &c. One of the first
requirements is an easy access to the individual plants, and with the
least possible waste of space. This may be obtained by arranging the
Beds in regular geometric figures, as shown in Figs. 219 and 220, and,
by exercising a little care and taste, the whole can be so contrived as
to present an ornamental appearance.
We are indebted to Messrs. Cannell and Sons for the diagrams of
Bedding-out designs shown at Fig. 221, which may be made very effective:
Bed A. This Bed may be planted with the following: Summer-flowering: 1,
Gain's Yellow Calceolaria or Ageratum Lady Jane; 2, Geranium Vesuvius
or another scarlet; 3 and 4, Viola Blue-bell or Purple King Verbena;
5, edged with _Gnaphalium lanatum_, or _Antennaria tomentosa_, white
foliaged plants. Summer Foliage: 1, _Coleus Verschaffeltii_; 2,
_Centaurea ragusina compacta_; 3 and 4, Mrs. Pollock Geranium; 5, band
of any of the Echeverias, or _Kleinia repens_.
Bed B. Plants mentioned for A will do for this.
Bed C. This is really intended for a Carpet Bed. 1, _Alternanthera
amabilis_, with a narrow line of _amÅna_ for the edge; 2, _Mentha_,
or _Herniaria glabra_; 3, band of _Mesembryanthemum cordifolium
variegatum_. Flowering: 1, Any kind of Scarlet Geranium; 2,
Golden-leaved ditto; 3, Blue Lobelia (edge). Spring: 1, White Arabis;
2, _Myosotis dissitiflora_; 3, Golden Feather.
Bed D. Summer: 1, Pink Geranium; 2, _Iresine Lindenii_; 3,
Golden Feather. Carpet: 1, _Alternanthera versicolor grandis_;
2, _Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum_; 3, _Alternanthera
magnifica_, edged with _Sempervivum montanum_.
Bed E. 1, Scarlet Geranium; 2, Pink ditto; 3, _Lobelia speciosa_; or,
1, _Alternanthera amÅna_; 2, _Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum_;
3, _Echeveria secunda glauca_.
Bed F. 1, _Dracæna_, _Chamæpeuce_, or any other graceful foliage plant
for the centre; 2 and 4, _Alternanthera amabilis_, the divided lines,
6, being filled with Mentha or Echeverias; 3 and 5, _Alternanthera
amÅna_; and the outer edge, 7, with _Sempervivum californicum_.
This bed would look well if planted with any of the above-mentioned
spring flowers. Spring: Bed might be raised to a mound, and lined
out with hardy Sedums, or Sempervivums, placing a larger growing one
in the centre; and 2, 3, 4, and 5 divisions may be filled with any
spring-flowering dwarf-growing plants.
Bed G. 1, Small plant of Yucca; 2, _Coleus Verschaffeltii_; 3, _Alyssum
variegatum_; 4, _Lobelia pumila magnifica_.
Bed H. 1, Golden Feather; Mesembryanthemum; 3, Mentha; 4,
_Alternanthera amabilis_; or 1, _Coleus Verschaffeltii_; 2, _Centaurea
ragusina_; 3, Calceolaria Golden Gem; 4, Ageratum Lady Jane.
=BEDDING PLANTS.= This term applies to many half-hardy subjects
which are planted out in beds for summer display, such as Ageratums,
Calceolarias, Geraniums, Heliotropes, Lobelias, Verbenas, &c., all of
which will be treated under their respective headings. They are mostly
soft-wooded plants and are easily cultivated with proper means, in
spring and autumn.
=BEDFORDIA= (named in honour of a former Duke of Bedford). ORD.
_Compositæ_. Greenhouse evergreen shrubs, allied to _Cacalia_. They
thrive in a mixture of sand, peat, loam, and brick rubbish, in equal
proportions. Propagated by cuttings, which should be dried a little
before inserting them in rough, sandy soil.
=B. salicina= (willow-like). _fl.-heads_ yellow, axillary and
solitary, or few together. April. _l._ alternate, lanceolate,
linear, glossy above, covered with white tomentum underneath. _h._
3ft. Victoria and Tasmania, 1820. SYN. _Cacalia salicina_. (B. R.
923.)
=BEDSTRAW.= _See_ =Galium=.
=BEECH.= _See_ =Fagus=.
=BEES.= _See_ =Honey Bees=, =Humble Bees=, and =Wasps=.
=BEET= (_Beta_, which _see_). The present varieties of Beetroot are
the offspring of _Beta vulgaris_, a plant of biennial duration, and a
native of the sea coasts of Southern Europe. It was cultivated in this
country about 1656, but was probably long previously introduced by the
ancient Romans. Beetroot is largely used as salad, more extensively on
the Continent than with us, also pickled; medium sized, deeply coloured
roots being the chief desideratum. Some varieties are largely grown for
their highly-coloured foliage, being planted in bedding-out designs,
and generally proving extremely effective.
[Illustration: FIG. 222. LONG YELLOW BEETROOT.]
Cultivation: For obtaining the best results, an open situation should
be chosen, free from the shade of trees. The ground should be light
and sandy, and, if possible, that which has been previously manured
for some other crop, French beans, for instance. Trench the soil to a
depth of 2ft. in the autumn, and ridge it up for the winter. As soon
as dry enough to allow of working in spring, dig over the whole bed
with a steel digging fork, and break the soil tolerably fine. Sow any
time from the last week in April to the end of May. Prepare the drills
about a foot or 15in. apart, and from 1in. to 2in. deep. The seeds grow
quicker if steeped in water previous to sowing, afterwards allowing
them to get dry enough to separate from each other. Sow thinly, and
fill in the drills with a rake. As soon as the plants are up, hoe
between the rows, and keep free from weeds. In a fortnight or three
weeks after this hoeing, if the weather has been favourable, the plants
will be large enough for thinning. Thin out to about 9in. apart,
and carefully fill up, in dull weather, any blanks that may occur.
Transplanting is, however, not generally a very satisfactory method.
Carefully lift the roots in autumn, before frost comes, and wring off
the leaves about an inch from the crowns. Place the roots in a cool
shed or house, and allow the soil on them to get quite dry, when they
may be stored for winter use in dry sand, or soil, in a shed free from
frost. It is preferable to keep the crowns free from soil, to prevent
decay from the ends of the leaves left on them. If this be carefully
done, the roots will keep till the next season's early crop is ready.
In all processes connected with the growing, storing, or cooking of
this vegetable, the greatest care must be taken to avoid bruising or
otherwise injuring the roots, as deficiency of colour would be the
result, especially in the case of the red-fleshed kinds, in some cases
rendering them valueless for table use. Seed Saving: When lifting the
crop in autumn, select as many of the best formed and coloured roots as
required, and store them separately from the rest. In April, plant them
in a spot by themselves, where there is no danger of impregnation from
other varieties, and in due time good seed will ripen. If good foliaged
varieties are required, the best should be selected when growing in the
summer, and either be marked by some means, or have the inferior ones
removed from them.
_Sorts._ These are somewhat numerous--almost every seedsman having a
so-called "improved strain." Nutting's Dwarf Red, Chelsea, Pine Apple,
Dell's Crimson and Red Castelnaudary, are the best of the crimson or
red-fleshed kinds. The Egyptian Turnip-rooted is a distinct variety,
with flesh of a good colour, and fine flavour; excellent for summer
salads. Betterave de Bretagne is a Continental variety; the roots grow
to a good size, with a distinct outer skin of a dark colour; flesh
rich purple. The best of the yellow-fleshed kinds are Small Yellow and
Long Yellow (see Fig. 222); but these are not grown nearly so much as
the deep-coloured section; in fact, they are almost useless for garden
purposes.
[Illustration: FIG. 223. WHITE LEAF BEETROOT.]
_Beetroot for Bedding Purposes_: In this case, where the foliage is
the main object, the seed may be sown in a reserve bed, and the plants
transferred to their positions in the flower garden. If, however, a
line is required in a ribbon or other border, the best plan is to sow
there, and thin out the plants to equal distances. Dell's Crimson is
one of the best varieties for this purpose, being very compact and of
a good dark colour.
Varieties of the Leaf Beet (_Beta Cicla_), and Sea or Perennial
Beet (_Beta maritima_), are sometimes, but very seldom, cultivated
for the use of the leafstalks and leaves, the roots being hard and
unfit for cooking purposes. They are at the best but substitutes for
other vegetables--namely, the midrib for Sea-kale and the leaves
for Spinach. If desired, seeds may be sown in the way described for
Beetroot, in April for using in autumn and winter, and in August for
spring use, plants of the latter sowing being protected in severe
weather. The best sorts are Red-stalked, Yellow-stalked, and White (see
Fig. 223) or Silver Leaf.
=BEET CARRION BEETLE= (_Silpha opaca_). This destructive insect is
frequently found in dead animals, but often its grub almost destroys
the leaves of Beet and Mangold Wurzel crops. The grubs, which are black
and shining, when full grown are from 1/3in. to 1/2in. long; the three
segments next the head are rounded at the sides, but the other segments
are sharp, and the tail segment has a sharp spine on each side. "When
full-fed, the grubs bury themselves, and form cells at the depth of
3in. or 4in. below the surface of the earth, in which they turn to
pupæ, and from these the Beetle has been seen to come up in about
the space of a fortnight or three weeks" (Ormerod). The Beetles are
flattish, and about five lines long, brown-black, with a tawny down;
eyes large and oval; horns club-shaped; body somewhat oval; wing-cases
very flat, turned up at the outer edge, each case having three sharp
ridges running along it; tip of abdomen dull red. Any manures or
methods of cultivation that would stimulate growth in the plants, so as
to permit renovation of injuries, would be found useful. If farmyard
manure were applied to the soil intended for Beet _in the autumn_
instead of in spring, it would lessen the risk of attack to the Beets.
[Illustration: FIG. 224. COMMON GARDEN BEETLE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 225. DEVIL'S COACH HORSE.]
=BEETLES= (_Coleoptera_). Beetles form one of the most extensive
orders of insects, there being upwards of 3000 known British species.
They vary much in appearance, but a Beetle is readily recognised by
its front wings, or elytra; these form a tough horny sheath or case,
which lies over the real wings, and protects them when the insect is
not flying. Sometimes, the elytra are very short (see Fig. 225); the
mouth is fitted with jaws for cutting. The metamorphosis is complete,
_i.e._, the larva or grub is very unlike either the quiescent pupa or
the perfect insect. The period that elapses before Beetles arrive at
their perfect state varies from a few weeks to two or three years, but
is usually rather longer than in Butterflies or Bees. Various Beetles
attack growing plants and roots. Thus, _Otiorhynchus sulcatus_ and
_O. picipes_ attack Vines, Roses, and other plants, gnawing off the
bark. Some species of Beetles attack Mushrooms, while others bore into
the wood of old trees, or eat leaves (_e.g._ Turnip Fly), or burrow
in the leaves, or form galls on roots (Cabbage-gall Weevil). Of some
kinds, the beetles are hurtful; of others, the larvæ. Many kinds,
however, are beneficial, such, for instance, as the common Ground
Beetle (_Carabus_, Fig. 224), and the Devil's Coach Horse (_Ocypus
olens_, Fig. 225). These live upon other insects and snails. One kind
of Beetle--the Ladybird (see Figs. 226 and 227)--is very beneficial in
a garden, as it preys upon the aphides, or plant lice. For instructions
in dealing with the noxious kinds, _see_ =Asparagus Beetle=, =Bean
Beetle=, =Beet Carrion Beetle=, =Click Beetle=, =Cockchafer=, =Lily
Beetle=, =Rosechafer=, and =Turnip Fly=.
[Illustration: FIG. 226. SEVEN-SPOTTED LADYBIRD.]
[Illustration: FIG. 227. GRUB OF LADYBIRD. (Enlarged).]
=BEET= or =MANGOLD FLY= (_Anthomyia betæ_). The maggots of this fly
do considerable damage by feeding on the pulp of the Beet or Mangold
leaves. The eggs are small, white, and oval, and are laid in small
patches beneath the leaves; the maggots are about 1/3in. long, legless,
cylindrical, and yellowish-white. As it is of such recent appearance in
this country, specifics for its eradication are by no means numerous;
but, according to Miss Ormerod, "the best treatment appears to be to
nip it in the bud, where such treatment is possible, by destroying the
infested plants, but generally by all means of good cultivation, or by
special applications of artificial manure, to ensure a hearty growth,
which may run the plants on past the power of average attacks to weaken
the leafage to a serious extent."
=BEFARIA= (named in honour of Bejar, a Spanish botanist). ORD.
_Ericareæ_. SYN. _Bejaria_. An elegant genus of greenhouse evergreen
shrubs, closely allied to _Rhododendron_. Flowers bracteate; corolla
very deeply seven-cleft, spreading. Leaves racemose or corymbose,
crowded, quite entire, coriaceous. They thrive in a compost of peat and
loam. Propagated by cuttings, made of the young wood, and placed in
sandy soil, in gentle heat.
=B. æstuans= (glowing).* _fl._ purple; corymbs terminal, simple;
peduncles, pedicels, rachi, calyces, and branchlets clothed with
clammy glandular hairs. _l._ elliptic, rather glabrous above,
but downy and glaucous beneath, while young clothed with rusty
tomentum. Plant much branched; branchlets sub-verticillate. _h._
10ft. to 15ft. Peru, 1846. SYN. _Acunna oblonga_. (G. C. 1848, 119.)
=B. cinnamomea= (cinnamon-coloured). _fl._ purple; panicles close,
terminal; peduncles woolly, hispid. _l._ slightly downy above,
rusty tomentose beneath. Branches downy, hispid. _h._ 4ft. Peru,
1847.
=B. coarctata= (close-headed). _fl._ purple; corymbs terminal,
simple; peduncles, pedicels, rachi, and calyces clothed with rusty
tomentum. _l._ oblong, glabrous, glaucous beneath. Shrub much
branched. _h._ 4ft. to 5ft. Peru, 1847. (G. C. 1848, 175.)
=B. glauca= (glaucous).* _fl._ flesh-coloured; racemes terminal and
axillary; pedicels somewhat fastigiate. June. _l._ oblong, obtuse,
glaucous beneath. Shrub much branched; branchlets angular. _h._
3ft. to 6ft. South America, 1826.
=B. ledifolia= (Ledum-leaved).* _fl._ purple; racemes terminal;
peduncles, pedicels, rachi, branchlets, and calyces clothed with
clammy glandular hairs. _l._ oblong, somewhat mucronate, with
revolute edges, glaucous beneath, glandular. Shrub much branched;
branches purplish. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. South America, 1847. (F. d. S.
3, 195.)
=B. racemosa= (racemed). _fl._ purple, disposed in racemose
terminal panicles. July. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, glabrous;
branchlets smooth or hispid. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft. Georgia, 1810.
=BEGONIA= (named after M. Begon, a French patron of botany). ORD.
_Begoniaceæ_. A large genus of succulent herbs or undershrubs (a
few climbers), in many of which the stem is reduced to a tuberous
rhizome, whilst some are distinctly tuberous. Flowers usually showy and
large, white, rose, scarlet, or yellow, unisexual; perianth segments
petaloid, four to five divisions, rarely two. Stamens numerous,
filaments free or united at the base. Ovary inferior, styles two to
four, free, sometimes connate, stigmas brandied or twisted. Fruit
capsular, rarely succulent, often winged. Seeds numerous, minute.
Leaves alternate, more or less unequal-sided, entire, or lobed,
or toothed. Flower-stalks axillary, cymose. Distribution: Species
about 350, in all tropical moist countries, especially South America
and India; not known in Australia. Cultivated species (exclusive of
garden hybrids and varieties) about 150. A large number of genera,
or what were considered as such are now merged in Begonia--viz.,
_Barya_, _Baryandra_, _Casparya_, _Pritzelia_, &c. The rich colours
and beautiful form of the flowers of Begonias, their prettily-marked
foliage, and free-growing, free-blooming nature, have long marked
them out as favourite garden plants. Within the last twenty years a
new race, characterised by a tuberous root-stock, annual herbaceous
stem, and large handsome flowers, has been introduced from the Andes
of South America, from which, by means of careful cross-fertilisation
and selection, a large number of beautiful and almost hardy kinds have
been raised. The size, substance, and rich colours of the flowers of
the majority of the plants of this race of Begonias are witness to
what may be done by skilful cultivation and careful cross-breeding
among plants. In the same way the large-leaved, stemless section, of
which _B. Rex_ may be taken as the type and principal progenitor, have
been improved both in the size and the coloration of their foliage,
and countless forms are now in cultivation, both as garden plants and
for the decoration of rooms, &c. The propagation of Begonias may be
accomplished by means of seeds, which are freely produced by almost all
the cultivated kinds, by cuttings, by division of the rhizomes, and--in
the case of the large-leaved kinds--by leaf-cuttings. For the first of
these methods it is necessary that the seeds should be well ripened
before they are gathered, and kept dry until sown. Where it is desired
to increase any particular kind of garden origin, seeds are useless,
none of the hybrid or seedling forms perpetuating themselves through
their seeds, although equally beautiful sorts may be raised from them.
The characters of all true species are, however, reproduced in their
seedlings. For the successful raising of Begonia seeds it is necessary
to sow them on pans or pots of well-drained, light, sandy soil, which
should be well watered before the seeds are sown. The seeds should not
be covered with soil, or they will fail to germinate. Over the pans a
pane of glass should be placed, and they should then be stood in warm
house or a frame where a temperature of about 65deg. can be maintained,
and shaded from sunshine. As soon as the plantlets are large enough to
be safely manipulated, they should be pricked off into pans of light
leaf-mould soil, in which they may remain until large enough to be
placed singly in pots. Cuttings: These strike freely if planted in
small pots, in sand and leaf mould, and placed on a bottom heat of
70deg. Where large quantities are required, a bed of cocoa nut-fibre
in a stove or propagating frame may be used, and in this the cuttings
may be planted and remain until well rooted. Leaf cuttings succeed best
when laid on sand or cocoa-nut fibre, and shaded from bright sunlight.
In preparing the leaves, old, well-matured ones should be selected, and
incisions made with a sharp knife across the principal nerves on the
underside. They should then be placed on the sand or fibre and held
down by means of a few pieces of crock. Under this treatment, bulbils
will form on the lower ends of the nerves of each section of the leaf,
and these, when large enough, may be removed from the bed and potted.
With the exception of _B. Evansiana_ (_discolor_), an almost hardy
species from North China, all the shrubby species require a warm or
intermediate house for their cultivation, although during the summer
months a frame or sheltered bed answers for most of them, provided they
are removed into their warm winter quarters on the approach of cold
weather. Some of the species, such as _B. Dregei_, _B. semperflorens_,
_B. nitida_, _B. fuchsioides_, _B. Lindleyana_, _B. Richardsiana_,
along with the hybrids _Ascotensis_, _Knowsleyana_, _Weltoniensis_,
and _Ingramii_, are grown in pots out of doors all the summer, and
under liberal treatment they form large handsome specimens, which are
of great value as flowering plants for the conservatory in winter. The
tuberous-rooted herbaceous kinds should be started in heat in February,
and, when vigorous growth has commenced, be gradually hardened off,
for use either as bedding plants or as pot specimens for flowering in
the greenhouse. A mixture of loam and leaf mould with a little sand
and rotten cow-dung is suitable for the cultivation of these plants
in pots. Liberal supplies of water should be given during the growing
season. As the growth decays, water should be withheld until finally
the tubers may be shaken out of the soil and placed in dry sand or
cocoa-nut fibre, in a house or shed where a temperature above freezing
can be maintained. _B. gracilis_ and its varieties, _diversifolia_
and _Martiana_, are beautiful greenhouse plants, which thrive well
if treated as advised for the other tuberous-rooted kinds, with the
addition of a few more degrees of heat.
The _Rex_ section requires a light rich soil, plenty of moisture, and
a shaded position in a warm greenhouse. These kinds are often employed
with good effect for clothing peat-covered walls in ferneries, or as
an undergrowth in large tropical houses. Large specimens have been
grown under the stage in a warm house, the shade and moisture of such
a position being exactly what they best delight in.
_B. socotrana_, an interesting species from the island of Socotra,
is somewhat singular in its requirements. The stem is herbaceous and
annual, and about its base a cluster of bulbils are formed, from every
one of which a plant will be developed the following year. The growing
season for this species is from September to March, after which it goes
to rest for the whole summer. A tropical temperature and all the light
possible, are essential to the well-doing of this plant.
It is interesting to note the apparent impossibility to cross any of
the shrubby Begonias with the distinctly tuberous-rooted species; and
even the species of the shrubby section, whose stems are semi-tuberous,
have hitherto refused to commingle with the South American tuberous
kinds, of which _B. Veitchii_, _B. rosæflora_, and _B. boliviensis_
may be said to be typical. The infusion of the blood of these large,
handsome-flowered kinds into the tall, shrubby species, would
almost certainly result in the production of a race of splendid
winter-flowering greenhouse plants, and it is therefore in every way
desirable that no pains should be spared to break through the obstacle
to the union of the two races.
Explanation of contractions: T, tuberous-rooted; S, shrubby.
=B. acerifolia= (Acer-leaved). S. A tall-growing, thick,
succulent-stemmed species, with green, lobed, serrated foliage,
and large branching cymes of small white flowers; sepals of male
flowers hairy; styles three, two-horned. Capsule triangular, with
one of the angles prolonged into an obtuse wing. Spring. Quito,
1829.
=B. acuminata= (taper-pointed-leaved). S. A low shrubby species,
having semi-cordate, oblong, pointed leaves, with toothed margins,
and the nerves on the under side and the petiole pilose. _fl._
white, in cymes, nearly 1in. across. Capsule wings, two short, the
third 1/2in. long. Spring. Jamaica, 1798. (B. M. 4025.)
=B. acutifolia= (acute-leaved). S. A smooth-stemmed, semi-erect
species, 3ft. to 4ft. high, with cordate-oblong leaves, both sides
and petiole glabrous, the margins denticulate. _fl._ in cymes,
white and red, about 1in. in diameter. Capsule winged, one wing
twice as long as the others. Spring. Jamaica, 1816. SYN. _B.
purpurea_.
=B. acutiloba= (acute-lobed).* A species with thick fleshy
rhizomes, and palmate cordate leaves which are divided into five
to seven lobes, with toothed margins and pointed apices, under
side thinly covered with brown hairs. Flower-stalk tall, hairy,
surmounted by a branching head of rather large white flowers.
Summer. Mexico.
=B. albo-coccinea= (white and red).* Stemless, with a thick
root-stock. _l._ broadly ovate, peltate, entire, 3in. to 4in. long;
petiole 3in. to 6in., pubescent. Flower-scape 6in. to 9in. long.
_fl._ in dense cluster, bright rose on the outside, white within.
Capsule regularly triangular, with short wings. Summer. India,
1844. SYN. _B. Grahamiana_. (B. M. 4172.)
=B. alchemilloides= (Alchemilla-like). Stem fleshy, creeping.
_l._ rotundate, with toothed, undulate, ciliated margins and
short stalks. Flower-stem slender, few-flowered. _fl._ small,
rose-coloured. Summer. Brazil.
=B. amabilis= (lovely).* Stem creeping, fleshy, short. _l._ ovate,
crenulate, acuminate, about 6in. long, tomentose, dark green,
blotched with white, under side purple-red. Flower-stalk 9in.
long. _fl._ rose or white, in clustering cymes. Capsule irregular.
Summer. Assam, 1859. The foliage sometimes comes wholly green, but,
under good treatment, it is handsomely variegated.
=B. amÅna= (pleasing).* Rhizome tuberous. Stem none, or very
short. _l._ 3in. by 2in.; leafstalk 3in. Flower-stem 6in. long,
few-flowered. _fl._ medium sized, pale rose. Capsule wings small,
nearly equal. Summer. North India, 1878. SYN. _B. erosa_.
=B. ampla= (large). S. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. high, very stout, woody.
_l._ long-stalked, 8in. to 10in. in diameter, broadly ovate,
cordate, pointed, when young densely covered with rusty stellate
down. _fl._ on short petioles, rose-coloured, 2in. wide. Fruit a
succulent berry, small. Summer. Guinea.
=B. aptera= (wingless). Stem herbaceous. _l._ heart-shaped,
pointed, shining green. _fl._ in short axillary cymes, white,
small. Capsule four-angled. Spring. Celebes, 1878.
=B. arborescens= (tree-like). S. A large growing species,
sometimes forming a bush 8ft. to 10ft. in height. _l._ pale green,
ear-shaped, 6in. long. _fl._ in large cymose clusters, white,
small. Summer. Brazil.
=B. argyrostigma= (silvery-spotted). Synonymous with _B. maculata_.
=B. Arnottiana= (Arnott's). Synonymous with _B. cordifolia_.
=B. asplenifolia= (Asplenium-leaved). S. A slender-stemmed,
beautifully cut-leaved species, the foliage of which is
pinnatisect, giving the plant the appearance of a Thalictrum rather
than a Begonia. _fl._ very small, white. Guinea.
=B. assamica= (Assam). Stem short, fleshy. _fl._ pinkish
flesh-colour. _l._ oblique ovate, olive-green, marbled with silvery
blotches above, and of a pale purplish-pink beneath; petioles pale
green, softly hairy. Assam, 1883.
=B. attenuata= (attenuated). Synonymous with _B. herbacea_.
=B. aucubæfolia= (Aucuba-leaved). Synonymous with _B. incarnata_.
=B. auriformis= (ear-formed). Synonymous with _B. incana_.
=B. barbata= (bearded). S. Stem short, hairy. _l._ toothed,
oval-shaped, pointed, hispid beneath, 4in. long. _fl._
medium-sized, white or pink; flower-stalk hairy. Capsule
equal-winged. Summer. India.
=B. Berkeleyi= (Berkeley's).* T. A garden hybrid, with thick,
fleshy stems, and long ear-shaped foliage. _fl._ in erect panicles,
rose-coloured. A useful winter-flowering kind.
=B. bipetala= (two-petaled). Synonymous with _B. dipetala_.
=B. biserrata= (doubly-serrated). S. Stem erect, branched, 2ft.
to 3ft. high. _l._ 6in. long, 2in. to 3in. wide, deeply lobed,
toothed, pale green. _fl._ in loose cymes, drooping, rose-coloured,
1-1/2in. wide, serrated edges. Capsule pilose, two short and one
long wings. Summer. Guatemala, 1847. (B. M. 4746.)
=B. boliviensis= (Bolivian).* T. Stem herbaceous, succulent, 2ft.
high, branching. _l._ lanceolate, pointed, serrate, 3in. to 5in.
long. _fl._ in drooping panicles, large, scarlet, males twice as
large as females. Capsule three-winged. Summer. Bolivia, 1857. (B.
M. 5657.)
=B. Bowringiana= (Bowring's). Synonymous with _B. laciniata_. (B.
M. 5657.)
=B. braziliana= (Brazilian). S. Stem erect, tall, succulent. _l._
oblique, ovate, toothed, slightly pubescent; principal nerves
brownish; stalk hairy. _fl._ white or rose, small, in short,
few-flowered cymes. Capsule wing 1/2in. long. Summer. Brazil.
=B. Bruantii= (Bruant's).* B. A garden hybrid between _B. Schmidti_
and _B. semperflorens_. _l._ green, with a brownish tint. _fl._
white or rose, in erect panicles. Summer, 1883. Used as a bedding
plant in summer.
=B. bulbifera= (bulb-bearing). Most likely a form of _B. gracilis_.
=B. caffra= (Kaffrarian). A variety of _B. Dregei_.
=B. carolineæfolia= (Carolinea-leaved). S. Stem erect, thick,
fleshy. _l._ palmate, curiously divided into six to eight long
ovate segments, each 6in. long. _fl._ in a dichotomous cyme, on
long stalk, rose-coloured, small. Capsule small, wings one longer
than others. Winter. Mexico, 1876. A singular-leaved species. (R.
G. 1-25.)
=B. Cathcartii= (Cathcart's). S. Caulescent. _l._ heart-shaped,
acute, glabrous; stalks of flowers and leaves hairy; flowers and
fruit as in _B. barbata_. Summer. India. SYN. _B. nemophila_. (C.
H. P. 13.)
=B. Chelsoni= (Chelsea).* T. A garden hybrid between _B. Sedeni_
and _B. boliviensis_. Stem fleshy, 2ft. high. _l._ oblique,
lance-shaped, irregularly lobed. _fl._ large, orange-red, drooping.
Summer, 1874.
=B. cinnabarina= (vermilion).* S. Stem erect, short, herbaceous.
_l._ 2in. to 4in. long, oblique, toothed; peduncles 6in. long,
few-flowered. _fl._ (male), medium, red; female flowers very small.
Summer. Capsule irregularly-winged. Bolivia, 1848. (B. M. 4483.)
=B. cinnabarina= (vermilion). A variety of _B. fuchsioides_.
=B. Clarkii= (Clarke's).* T. Stem purplish, fleshy, stout. _l._
oblique-cordate, serrate. _fl._ in pendulous racemes, abundant,
large, bright red, very handsome, nearly related to _B. Veitchii_.
Summer. Peru and Bolivia, 1867. (B. M. 5675.)
=B. coccinea= (red).* S. Habit suffruticose. Stem sub-erect, 1ft.
to 2ft. high, thick at the base. _l._ ovate-oblong, pointed;
margins undulate and toothed. _fl._ in pendulous racemes,
medium-sized; flowers and peduncles red. Capsule nearly regular;
wings short. Summer. Brazil, 1842. (B. M. 3990.)
=B. conchæfolia= (shell-leaved). Stem creeping, rhizomatous, thick.
_l._ peltate, ovate, 3in. to 5in. long, edges almost entire; under
side, along with leaf and flower-stalks, covered with ferruginous
hairs; scape 9in. long, erect, surmounted by corymb of small
whitish fragrant flowers. Capsule wings, one long, two short.
Autumn and winter. South America, 1852. SYNS. _B. scutellata_, _B.
Warscewiczii_. (R. B. 246.)
=B. corallina= (coral-flowered). S. Stem woody, branching,
sub-erect, brownish when matured. _l._ ovate-oblong, pointed,
undulate, smooth, dull green, under side purple. _fl._ in long
pendent racemes, numerous, medium-sized, bright coral-red. Summer.
Brazil (?), 1875. A rare species, and one of the handsomest of the
shrubby kinds, most likely closely related to _B. maculata_.
=B. cordifolia= (heart-shaped). T. Stemless; root-stock fleshy.
_l._ cordate, orbicular, toothed, 3in. wide, pilose above,
pubescent below; flower-scape 6in. long, dichotomous. _fl._
numerous, medium-sized. Capsule with three narrow wings. Winter.
Ceylon and India. SYN. _B. Arnottiana_.
=B. coriacea= (leathery).* T. Stem 6in. high, herbaceous. _l._
reniform, 5in. wide by 3in. long, smooth above, pilose below. _fl._
rose-coloured, large, in twos or threes on the end of an erect
scape, 8in. to 10in. long. Wings of capsule short, red. Summer.
Bolivia.
=B. coriacea= (leathery). Synonymous with _B. peltata_.
=B. crassicaulis= (thick-stemmed). Stem short, thick, articulated,
succulent. _l._ palmate; segments acuminate, toothed, under side
clothed with rusty down. _fl._ in many-flowered cymes, dipetalous,
white or rose-coloured, medium-sized. Capsule wings unequal. Near
to _B. heracleifolia_. Spring. Guatemala, 1841. (B. R. 28, 44.)
=B. crinita= (hairy).* S. Stem 1ft. high, fleshy, bright red, more
or less hairy. _l._ ovate-cordate; margins toothed, dark green;
petiole red and hairy, like the stems. _fl._ in lax, branching
cymes, rose-coloured, 1-1/2in. in diameter. Fruit three-winged, one
long and acute, two short and rounded. Spring. Bolivia, 1870. (B.
M. 5897.)
=B. cucullata= (hooded). A variety of _B. semperflorens_.
=B. dædalea= (adorned).* Stem short, thick, succulent. _l._ large,
green, thickly covered with a close network of russet-brown,
scarlet when young; edges pilose. _fl._ white and rose, in loose
panicles. Mexico, 1860. A handsome foliaged plant. (I. H. 1861,
269.)
=B. Daveauana.= _See_ =Pellionia Daveauana=.
=B. Davisii= (Davis's).* T. stemless, _l._ springing directly from
root-stock, ovate-cordate, shining green, slightly hairy, underside
red; petiole short, fleshy. Flower-scapes, pedicels, and flowers
bright red; scape 4in. high, bearing half a dozen flowers in umbel.
Capsule three-winged, one long, two very short. Summer. Peru, 1876.
A handsome tuberous-rooted species, dwarf. See Fig. 228, for which
we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons. (B. M. 6252.)
=B. dichotoma= (branching). S. Stem tall, stout, fleshy. _l._ 5in.
long by 4in. wide, lobed, dull green. _fl._ white, on long axillary
scapes, numerous. Winter. 1860.
=B. Digswelliana= (Digswell's). Stem short, semi-decumbent, large,
green; margins red. _fl._ on long, erect scapes, pale pink, small,
numerous. Useful for winter flowering purposes. A garden hybrid.
(F. M. 236.)
=B. dipetala= (two-petaled). Stems springing from a fleshy
root-stock, erect, 18in. high, brown. _l._ half heart-shaped;
margins toothed, upper surface thickly spotted with white, under
side red. _fl._ in loose axillary cymes, two-petaled, large, pink.
Capsule equal-winged. Spring. India, 1828. A handsome species. (B.
M. 2849.) SYN. _B. bipetala_.
=B. discolor= (two-coloured). Synonymous with _B. Evansiana_.
=B. diversifolia= (diverse-leaved). A variety of _B. gracilis_.
=B. Dregii= (Drege's).* Rootstock fleshy. Stems succulent; annual,
1ft. high. _l._ oblique, thin, green, slightly spotted with
grey, reddish on the under side. _fl._ white, about 1in. across,
in axillary cymes. Capsule three-winged, one much longer than
the other two, and acute-pointed. Summer. Cape, 1840. SYNS. _B.
caffra_, _B. reniformis_.
=B. echinosepala= (spiny-sepaled).* Stem green, succulent, 18in.
high. _l._ small, obliquely-oblong, serrulate. _fl._ on axillary
peduncles, white, with curiously papillose sepals. Summer. Brazil,
1872. (R. G. 707.)
=B. elliptica= (elliptic). Synonymous with _B. scandens_.
=B. erecta multiflora= (erect, many-flowered). _fl._ bright
reddish-pink, produced for several months, but especially during
the winter. _l._ oblique, deep bronze coloured, very conspicuous.
A decidedly handsome and very useful garden variety.
=B. erosa= (bitten). Synonymous with _B. amÅna_.
=B. Evansiana= (Evans's).* T. Stem herbaceous, branching, smooth,
2ft. high. _l._ oblique, ovate-acute, sub-cordate, lobed; margins
denticulate, green above, under side and petioles deep red;
flower-stalks branching, axillary. _fl._ numerous, flesh-coloured,
large. Capsule wings blunt-pointed, one longer than the others.
Summer. Java, China, Japan, 1812. A handsome species, and almost
hardy. SYNS. _B. discolor_, _B. grandis_. (B. M. 1473.)
=B. eximia= (excellent).* A hybrid, raised from _B. rubro-venia_
and _B. Thwaitesii_. Stem short, succulent. _l._ bronzy-purple,
tinged with red. A handsome foliage plant. (I. H. 1860, 233.)
=B. falcifolia= (sickle-leaved).* S. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. high, erect,
branching. _l._ 6in. long, 1-1/2in. wide, curved, tapering to a
narrow point; margins toothed, upper surface green, more or less
spotted with white, under side deep red. _fl._ on short axillary
peduncles, drooping, dipetalous, bright red. Wings of capsule
equal, 1/2in. wide. Summer. Peru, 1868. A pretty flowering plant.
(B. M. 5707.)
[Illustration: FIG. 228. BEGONIA DAVISII.]
=B. ferruginea= (rust-coloured). S. Stem woody, erect, smooth
branching, covered with ferruginous hairs. _l._ oblique,
ovate-acute, acuminate, lobed; margins toothed. _fl._ in branching
cymes, large red. Capsule unequal-winged. Summer. Bogota. SYN. _B.
magnifica_.
=B. Fischeri= (Fischer's). Similar to _B. falcifolia_, except that
the foliage is unspotted, and the flowers are white and small.
Brazil, 1835. (B. M. 3532.)
=B. foliosa= (leafy).* S. Stem slender, branching, fleshy.
_l._ small, ovate-oblong, dark green, numerous, distichous on
stems. _fl._ small, numerous, white, tinged with pink. Summer.
New Grenada, 1868. Useful for growing hanging baskets. SYN. _B.
microphylla_. (Ref. B. 222.)
=B. frigida= (frigid). S. Stem 1ft. high, smooth, green, succulent.
_l._ cordate, acuminate, lobed, serrated, slightly pilose; upper
side coppery-green, beneath deep rose-red, especially upon the
veins. _fl._ small, white, in erect branching cymes. Capsule wings
two long, one short. Summer. Country unknown, 1860. (B. M. 5160.)
=B. FrÅbeli= (FrÅbel's).* T. Stemless. _l._ numerous, cordate,
acuminate, green, covered with purplish-velvety hairs. _fl._ in
tall, lax, drooping, branching cymes, brilliant scarlet, large.
Winter. Ecuador, 1872. A beautiful flowering plant, useful for
conservatory work in winter. (Garden, pl. 96.)
=B. fuchsioides= (Fuchsia-like).* S. Stem tall, drooping,
herbaceous, smooth, green, tinged with red. _l._ copious,
distichous, 1-1/2in. long, oblong-ovate, slightly falcate,
serrated, smooth; margins tinged with red. _fl._ in branching
pendulous panicles, numerous, rich, deep scarlet. Capsule wings
two very short and one long. Summer. New Grenada, 1846. A handsome
greenhouse plant, useful for covering pillars, &c. SYN. _B.
miniata_. (B. M. 4281.)
=B. f. miniata= (vermilion). _l._ smaller than in type. _fl._
cinnabar red. (F. d. S. 8, 787.)
=B. gemmipara= (bud-bearing). S. Stem 1ft. high, from a tuberous
root-stock, succulent, _l._ ovate-acuminate, cordate, lobed, smooth
above, pilose below. _fl._ medium-sized, white, or with rose
stripes, on pendulous, axillary peduncles; sometimes the peduncles
bear, instead of flowers, quadrangular cups, which are closely
packed with oblong viviparous bulbils. Summer. Himalaya. (C. H. P.
14.)
=B. geranifolia= (Geranium-leaved).* Rootstock tuberous. Stem 1ft.
high, erect, angular, succulent, green, with a purplish tinge,
branched dichotomously. _l._ cordate, cut into unequal serrated
lobes, green; margins red, whole plant perfectly smooth; peduncles
terminal, bearing two to three flowers, which are inclined,
drooping while in bud; outer petals orbicular, red, the two inner
obovate, waved white. Summer. Lima, 1833. (B. M. 3387.)
=B. geranioides= (Geranium-like).* T. Rootstock fleshy. Stemless.
_l._ radical, somewhat reniform, lobed, serrated; surface scabrid,
deep green; leafstalks red, hairy. _fl._ white, in lax, drooping
panicle. Summer. Natal, 1866. A pretty, though delicate, species.
(B. M. 5583.)
=B. glandulosa= (glandular-leaved).* Stem a stout rhizome, scaly.
Leafstalks thick, terete, erect, hairy, 9in. high. _l._ 6in. broad,
fleshy, cordate, lobed, green; veins dark. _fl._ on tall, dark,
erect scapes, numerous, greenish-white. Capsule wings, one very
large, blunt. Costa Rica, 1854. SYNS. _B. hernandiæfolia_, _B.
nigro-venia_. (B. M. 5256.)
[Illustration: FIG. 229. BEGONIA HERACLEIFOLIA.]
=B. gogoensis= (Gogoan).* _l._ peltate, ovate-orbicular, oblique,
acute when young, with a bronzy metallic hue, ultimately
changing to a deep velvety-green, intersected by the paler
midribs and veins; the under surface deep red. _fl._ pale rose,
in a lax panicle. Gogo, in Sumatra, 1881. A very handsome,
ornamental-foliaged species.
=B. gracilis= (slender).* T. Stem erect, unbranched, very
succulent, _l._ thinly scattered along stems, half heart-shaped,
slightly hairy, lobed, denticulate-ciliate. _fl._ on short axillary
peduncles; umbel of few male and female flowers, two larger petals
serrate, colour pink. Capsule winged, green. Mexico, 1829. In
axils of leaves between stipules a cluster of bulbils are borne;
these may be gathered and sown as seeds. This and its varieties,
_annulata_, _diversifolia_, _Martiana_, &c., are beautiful summer
flowering greenhouse Begonias, requiring a sandy peat soil and
shade. When well grown, they are exceedingly ornamental. (B. M.
2966.)
=B. Grahamiana= (Graham's). Synonymous with _B. albo-coccinea_.
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered). Synonymous with _B. octopetala_.
=B. grandis= (great). A variety of _B. Rex_.
=B. grandis= (great). Synonymous with _B. Evansiana_.
=B. grandis= (great). Synonymous with _B. vitifolia_.
=B. Griffithii= (Griffith's). Stemless; rhizome subterraneous.
_l._ large, obliquely-cordate; margin crenate, hairy; surface
granulated, colour a dark green; margin purple, zoned with grey,
under side green, centre and margin deep purple. _fl._ on cymes,
large, white internally, outside tinged with blush, slightly
pilose. Capsule tubercled, one wing large, projecting. Winter.
India, 1856. (B. M. 4984.)
=B. Hasskarlii= (Hasskarl's). Synonymous with _B. peltata_.
=B. heracleifolia= (cow-parsnip leaved). Rootstock thick, fleshy.
_l._ radical, on long pilose stalks, palmate, large, bronzy
green; margins toothed, hairy. Flower-stalks long, stout, erect,
hairy, many-flowered. _fl._ rose-coloured. Capsule wings nearly
equal. Spring. Mexico, 1831. This and the following varieties are
handsome both in foliage and flowers. SYNS. _B. jatrophæfolia_, _B.
punctata_, _B. radiata_. See Fig. 229. (B. M. 3444.)
=B. h. longipila= (long-haired). _l._ greyish in middle; outer
portions dark bronzy, blotched with green. Whole plant covered with
long, stiff, fleshy hairs. _fl._ as in the type.
=B. h. nigricans= (dark). This differs from the type in having
foliage of a blackish tint all round the margins of the lobes, and
the petals of the flowers nearly white. (B. M. 4983.)
=B. h. punctata= (dotted). _l._ green, reddish near margin. _fl._
rose-colour, with deep red spots on the outside.
=B. herbacea= (herbaceous).* Rhizome creeping. _l._ oblong-acute,
lanceolate, toothed, ciliated. Flower-stalks shorter than leaves;
male flowers in a cymose head, white, small; female flowers
solitary, on very short stalks. Spring. Brazil, 1873. A small
species, very succulent, with the appearance of a primrose when not
in flower. SYN. _B. attenuata_. (G. C. 1873, 679.)
=B. hernandiæfolia= (Hernandia-leaved). Synonymous with _B.
glandulosa_. (Seemann.)
=B. hernandiæfolia= (Hernandia-leaved). Synonymous with _B.
nelumbiifolia_. (Gardens.)
=B. hernandiæfolia= (Hernandia-leaved). Synonymous with _B.
peltata_. (B. M. 4676.)
=B. hirsuta= (hairy). Synonymous with _B. humilis_.
=B. Hookeri= (Hooker's). A variety of _B. semperflorens_.
=B. Hookeriana= (Hooker's). S. Stem woody, 5ft. to 6ft. high,
branching, covered with minute rusty tomentum. _l._ ovate, unequal
sided, blunt, 8in. long, tomentose, like the stem. _fl._ in
axillary cymes, small, white. Spring. Brazil, 1850.
=B. humilis= (dwarf).* Stem erect, fleshy, hairy. _l._
semicordate-oblong, acuminate, ciliate-serrate, hairy above, smooth
beneath. _fl._ few, in cymes, small, white. Capsule unequal winged.
Summer. Trinidad, 1788. Annual. SYN. _B. hirsuta_.
=B. humilis= (dwarf). Synonymous with _B. suaveolens_. (B. R. 294.)
=B. hybrida floribunda= (many-flowered).* A very beautiful summer
blooming hybrid between _B. fuchsioides_ and _B. multiflora_. _fl._
bright rose, medium sized, produced in abundance. Summer. One of
the best.
=B. hydrocotylifolia= (Penny-wort-leaved).* Stem succulent, short,
creeping. _l._ rotundate cordate, almost equal-sided; petiole
short. Whole plant hairy. Flower-stalks 1ft. high, pilose. _fl._
in cymose head, medium-sized, dipetalous, rose-coloured, as also
are pedicels and stalk. Capsule wings equal-sized, large. Summer.
Mexico, 1841. (B. M. 3968.)
=B. h. asarifolia= (Asarum-leaved). Leaves and flowers smaller than
in the type, the latter white. Mexico.
=B. imperialis= (imperial).* Stem rhizomatous, short, thick.
_l._ large, broad, ovate-acute, cordate, rugose, hairy, dark
olive-green; nerves banded with greyish-green colour. _fl._ in
cymes, white, medium-sized. _fr._ unequal winged. Mexico, 1861. A
handsome foliage species. (I. H. 1860, 262.)
=B. i. smaragdina= (emerald-like). _l._ shining emerald green.
=B. incana= (hoary). Stem erect, fleshy, tomentose. _l._ leathery,
peltate, oblong-acute, sub-angular, whitish beneath. Flower-stalks
long. _fl._ in small downy panicles, white. Winter. Mexico, 1840.
SYN. _B. auriformis_.
=B. i. auriformis= (ear-like). _l._ divided at the base, not
peltate. _fl._ glabrous.
=B. incarnata= (fleshy).* S. Stem erect, fleshy, 2ft. high, smooth;
nodes swollen, reddish, spotted. _l._ on short, smooth petioles,
unequally cordate, acuminate, sinuately-serrate, green. _fl._
large, rose-coloured, handsome; peduncles terminal, nodding.
Capsule with unequal wings, the largest acute. Winter. Mexico,
1822. SYNS. _B. aucubæfolia_, _B. insignis_, _B. Lindleyana_. (B.
M. 2900.)
=B. i. maculosa= (spotted). _l._ spotted with white.
=B. i. metallica= (metallic-leaved). _l._ with a bronzy-purple
metallic lustre.
=B. i. papillosa= (papillose). Foliage margined with bright rose;
upper surface covered with little papillæ. (B. M. 2846.)
=B. i. purpurea= (purple-leaved). Foliage deep bronzy-purple.
=B. Ingramii= (Ingram's).* A garden hybrid, raised at Frogmore
in 1849, from _B. fuchsioides_ and _B. nitida_. It combines the
characters of the two parents. A useful winter-flowering plant; may
be grown out of doors in summer. (G. M. B., p. 153.)
=B. insignis= (remarkable). Synonymous with _B. incarnata_.
=B. involucrata= (involucrate). S. Stem erect, tall, angular,
covered with a reddish tomentum. _l._ oblique, ovate-acuminate,
cordate; margins toothed and ciliate. _fl._ enclosed in a wrapper,
or involucre, when young; peduncles graceful, bearing umbel of
white, largish flowers. Capsule wings unequal, the largest falcate.
Winter. Central America.
=B. jatrophæfolia= (Jatropha-leaved). Synonymous with _B.
heracleifolia_.
=B. Josephi= (Joseph's). Stemless. _l._ radical, on petioles 6in.
to 10in. long, ovate-acuminate, three-lobed, or orbicular, with
numerous acute lobes, slightly pubescent; scape 1ft., branched.
_fl._ small, rose-coloured. Capsule wings unequal; upper margins
horizontal. Summer. Himalaya.
=B. Kunthiana= (Kunth's).* S. Stem erect, smooth, slender,
purple-brown. _l._ on short petioles, lance-shaped, acuminate,
regularly serrated, smooth, dark green above, bright crimson below.
_fl._ axillary, on short nodding peduncles, white, large, handsome.
Summer. Venezuela, 1862. A pretty species. (B. M. 5284.)
=B. laciniata= (cut-leaved).* Rhizome thick, fleshy. Stem short,
thick, jointed, reddish, woolly. _l._ large, 6in. to 10in. long,
4in. to 6in. broad, unequally cordate; margins irregularly cut,
serrated; upper side green, under dull, rufous. _fl._ on short
axillary peduncles, large, white, tinted with rose. Capsule wings,
one very long, others short. Spring. Nepaul to Birma, South China,
1858. SYN. _B. Bowringiana_. (B. M. 5182.)
=B. Leopoldi= (Leopold's). A hybrid from _B. Griffithii_ and _B.
splendida_, with large variegated foliage. 1858.
=B. Lindleyana= (Lindley's).* S. Stem erect, fleshy, covered with
ferruginous hairs. _l._ on long petioles, peltate, ovate, acute,
5in. to 6in. long, 3in. to 4in. wide, irregularly lobed, toothed,
green above, tomentose below. _fl._ on branching peduncles, medium
sized, white. Winter. Guatemala.
=B. Lindleyana= (Lindley's). A garden synonym of _B. incarnata_.
(Gardens.)
=B. longipes= (long-stalked). S. Stem 3ft. or more high,
stout, succulent, furrowed, covered with glands. _l._ large,
rotundate-cordate; margin irregular, serrated, both sides green,
pubescent when young. _fl._ numerous, small, white; peduncle 1ft.
long, branched. Winter. Colombia, 1829. (B. M. 3001.)
=B. longipila= (long-haired). A variety of _B. heracleifolia_.
=B. lucida= (shining). Synonymous with _B. scandens_.
=B. Lynchiana= (Lynch's). S. Stem erect, tall, succulent, smooth.
_l._ fleshy, 10in. long, oblique, ovate-cordate, crenulate, green,
smooth. _fl._ axillary, in drooping cymes, numerous, large, deep
reddish-crimson. Winter. Mexico, 1880. One of the finest of the
tall-growing winter-flowering species. When well managed, the
flower-heads are almost a foot in diameter. SYN. _B. Roezlii_, of
gardens. (B. M. 6758.)
[Illustration: FIG. 230. BEGONIA MACULATA, showing Habit, Section of
Capsule, and Flower.]
=B. maculata= (spotted).* S. A woody shrub. Stems branching,
smooth. _l._ oblique, ovate-oblong, leathery, slightly undulate;
margins entire, under side bright crimson, above green, with
numerous large round blotches of silvery white. _fl._ in drooping
panicles, coral-like, handsome. Capsule with one long, narrow wing.
Summer. Brazil, 1821. (B. R. 666.) There are numerous varieties
of this species, some with leaves almost green, others with the
markings more striking than in the type; in the flowers they differ
also, ranging from white to coral-red. The beautiful _B. corallina_
is probably a variety of this. SYN. _B. argyrostigma_. See Fig. 230.
=B. magnifica= (magnificent).* S. Stem erect, fleshy, smooth. _l._
ovate, unequal sided, toothed. _fl._ in terminal, cymose panicles,
rosy-carmine, 1-1/2in. long. New Grenada, 1870. (R. H. 1870, 271.)
=B. magnifica= (magnificent). Synonymous with _B. ferruginea_.
=B. malabarica= (Malabar).* Stem thick, succulent, 2ft. high,
branching. _l._ numerous, cordate, acute, unequal-sided, crenate or
serrate, hairy above and sometimes below, or altogether glabrous,
spotted white. _fl._ rose-coloured; peduncles axillary, short,
few-flowered. Capsule wings equal, joined above and below. Summer.
Malabar and Ceylon, 1828. _B. dipetala_ is made a variety of this,
by Sir Joseph Hooker, in "Flora of British India." (L. B. C. 1730.)
[Illustration: FIG. 231. BEGONIA MANICATA.]
=B. manicata= (tunicated).* Stem fleshy, twisted, short. _l._
oblique, ovate-acute, cordate, dentate-ciliate, smooth on both
sides, shining green nerves on under side, with fleshy, scale-like
hairs. _fl._ pink, dipetalous, in branching cymes; upper portion of
stalk scaly. Capsule wings nearly equal. Winter. Mexico, 1842. See
Fig. 231.
=B. Manni= (Mann's). S. Stem succulent, 2ft. to 3ft. high,
branched, green; branchlets, young parts, petioles, and leaf-nerves
clothed with rusty, furfuraceous pubescence. _l._ petioled, 5in.
long, 2in. wide, lanceolate, cordate, acuminate, toothed. _fl._
numerous, rose-red, in axillary cymes; peduncle 1in. long. Capsule
linear, densely tomentose. Winter. Fernando Po, 1862. (B. M. 5434.)
=B. marmorea= (spotted). A variety of _B. xanthina_.
=B. Martiana= (Martin's). A variety of _B. gracilis_.
=B. maxima= (large).* Rhizome thick, hairy, creeping. _l._ large,
oblique, orbicular-ovate, cordate, shortly acuminate; margins
denticulate ciliate; petiole long, pilose. _fl._ in branching
cymes; sepals orbicular, pilose on the outside, white. Summer.
Mexico, 1853.
=B. megaphylla= (large-leaved).* Stem short, thick, fleshy. _l._
large, palmate, cordate; lobes numerous, pointed; margins hairy,
under side slightly pilose; nerves with scaly hairs. _fl._ in
diffuse cymes, small, white; peduncles pilose. Capsule wings wide.
Winter. Mexico.
=B. metallica= (metallic). A variety of _B. incarnata_.
=B. Meyeri= (Meyer's). S. Stem erect, stout, woody when mature.
_l._ large, broadly and obliquely ovate, fleshy, pale green; margin
sinuate, under side tinged with rose; both petiole and blade
covered with short hairs. _fl._ on long axillary peduncles, in
large paniculate heads, white. Capsule wings equal. Summer. Brazil,
1844. (B. M. 4100.)
=B. microphylla= (small-leaved). Synonymous with _B. foliosa_.
=B. microptera= (small-winged). Stem 1ft. high, terete, green,
pubescent, as in the rest of the plant. Branches few. _l._
sub-distichous, 4in. to 6in. long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate,
serrated, dark green; petiole short; stipules as long as petiole.
_fl._ in terminal panicles, medium-sized, white, tinted rose.
Capsule long, triangular, two angles wingless, the other with a
narrow wing. Winter. Borneo, 1856. (B. M. 4974.)
=B. miniata= (vermilion). A variety of _B. fuchsioides_.
=B. monoptera= (single-winged).* Stem erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high,
rounded, swollen at the joints, dull red, papillose and downy.
Radical leaves on long red stalks, large, reniform, truncate at
the base; caulescent leaves smaller, on short petioles, angled,
crenate, dark green above, red below, and minutely papillose. _fl._
on an elongated terminal raceme, white. Capsule three-angled, two
wingless, the other with a long pointed wing. Summer. Brazil, 1826.
A distinct and pretty species. (B. M. 3564.)
=B. Moritziana= (Moritz's). Synonymous with _B. scandens_.
=B. natalensis= (Natal).* T. Rootstock thick, fleshy. Stem 1-1/2ft.
high, succulent, thick at the base, articulate, branched, smooth.
_l._ unequal, semicordate, acuminate, lobed, toothed, spotted
with white. _fl._ on axillary cymose peduncles, pale rose. _fr._
three-winged, two large, one small. Winter. Natal, 1855. (B. M.
4841.)
=B. nelumbiifolia= (Nelumbium-leaved).* Rhizome thick, fleshy,
creeping. _l._ on long hairy petioles; blade 12in. to 18in. long,
8in. to 12in. wide, peltate, hairy on under side; scape 1ft.
to 2ft. high. _fl._ in cymose head, numerous, small, white or
rose coloured. Winter. Mexico. A noble-foliaged plant. SYN. _B.
hernandiæfolia_.
=B. nemophila.= Synonymous with _B. Cathcartii_.
=B. nigro-venia= (black-veined). Synonymous with _B. glandulosa_.
=B. nitida= (shining).* S. Stem 4ft. to 5ft. high, erect, branched,
woody when aged, smooth, shining. _l._ large, glossy, green on
both sides, obliquely ovate, acute, crenated at margin. _fl._
in terminal and axillary panicles, numerous, large, deep rose,
handsome. Capsule three-winged, one much larger than others.
Jamaica, 1777. One of the best winter, and almost a perpetual,
flowering species. SYNS. _B. obliqua_, _B. pulchra_, _B. purpurea_.
(B. M. 4046.)
=B. obliqua= (oblique). Synonymous with _B. nitida_.
=B. octopetala= (eight-petaled).* T. Stemless. _l._ on long
succulent downy petioles, 1-1/2ft. or more in length, cordate,
6in. long, deeply lobed and serrated at the margin, bright green;
scape as long as petioles, rounded, downy. _fl._ in corymbs,
greenish-white, males with eight petals, females generally fewer.
Capsule three-angled, two wings almost suppressed, the other
1in. long; apex blunt, toothed. Autumn. Peru, 1835. SYN. _B.
grandiflora_. (B. M. 3559.)
=B. odorata= (sweet-scented). Synonymous with _B. suaveolens_.
=B. opuliflora= (Guelder-rose-flowered).* S. Stem 1ft. high,
branching, smooth. _l._ ovate oblong-acuminate, toothed, smooth
above, hairy below. _fl._ white, in compact umbels, on erect
scapes. Spring. New Grenada, 1854.
=B. Ottoniana= (Otton's). A hybrid from _B. conchæfolia_ and _B.
coriacea_. (R. G. 1859, p. 15.)
=B. papillosa= (papillose). A variety of _B. incarnata_.
=B. Pearcei= (Pearce's).* T. Stem 1ft. high, succulent, branching.
_l._ lance-shaped, cordate, pointed, toothed, glabrous above,
tomentose beneath, and pale red. _fl._ in loose axillary panicles,
large, bright yellow. Summer. Bolivia, 1865. Interesting because
of its being one of the progenitors of the handsome race of garden
tuberous Begonias.
=B. peltata= (shield-like). Stem short, tomentose; leaves 6in.
by 4in., peltate, ovate, densely pilose. _fl._ in branching
cyme, small, white; peduncle 6in. to 9in., pilose. Brazil, 1815.
Interesting because of its distinctly peltate foliage and silvery
appearance of whole plant. SYNS. _B. coriacea_, _B. Hasskarlii_,
_B. hernandiæfolia_, _B. peltifolia_.
=B. peltifolia= (peltate-leaved). Synonymous with _B. peltata_.
=B. phyllomaniaca= (proliferous-stemmed). S. Stem thick, fleshy,
rather twisted, green, hairy, clothed, when old, with small
viviparous buds bearing small leaves, by which means the plant may
be multiplied. _l._ ovate, acuminate, cordate, sinuately lobed,
ciliate, smooth above and below. _fl._ in axillary cymes, drooping,
pale rose. Capsule with one large wing. Winter. Guatemala, 1861.
(B. M. 5254.)
=B. picta= (ornamented).* T. Stem generally smooth, succulent,
6in. to 12in. high. _l._ ovate acuminate, nearly equally cordate,
serrated, hairy above and on the nerves below, sometimes
variegated. _fl._ pale rose, large, handsome; peduncle hairy,
erect, short, few-flowered. Autumn. Himalaya, 1870. (S. E. B. 101.)
=B. platanifolia= (plane-leaved).* S. Stem 5ft. to 6ft. high,
erect, robust, smooth, green; joints annulated. _l._ 8in. to 10in.
in diameter, reniform, lobed, hispid on both sides, dark green;
lobes acute, toothed, ciliated. _fl._ in axillary, dichotomous
cymes, large, white, tinted rose, handsome. Summer. Brazil, 1834.
(B. M. 3591.)
[Illustration: FIG. 232. BEGONIA POLYPETALA.]
=B. polypetala= (many-petaled). Stem about 1ft. high, covered with
a soft whitish tomentum. _l._ ovate-acute, toothed, pubescent
above, and densely tomentose below. _fl._, petals nine or ten,
of a fine red colour, smooth, external ones ovate-oblong,
pointed; internal ones somewhat shorter and narrower; sepals two,
ovate-elliptic. Capsule tomentose, three-winged, with one wing
larger, ascendent. Winter. Andes of Peru, 1878. See Fig. 232.
(Garden, Dec. 14, 1878.)
=B. prestoniensis= (Preston).* A garden hybrid between _B.
cinnabarina_ and _B. nitida_. _l._ green, lobed, glabrous. _fl._
brilliant orange-red, in drooping axillary cymes, very fragrant.
Autumn and winter. 1867. (G. M. B. 3, 149.)
=B. prismatocarpa= (prism-fruited).* Stems small, creeping, hairy;
branchlets ascending. _l._ long, petioled, also hairy, obliquely
cordate, ovate, three to five-lobed; lobes pointed, serrated;
peduncles axillary, longer than foliage, bearing a small umbel of
two to four dipetalous orange and yellow flowers, one female in
each umbel. Capsule four-angled, scarcely winged. Summer. Tropical
West Africa, 1861. The smallest of cultivated Begonias, and
especially interesting because of its four-angled fruit. It forms
a pretty cushion of bright shining green foliage, thickly studded
with its brightly coloured flowers. Requires a stove temperature
and a stony soil. (B. M. 5307.)
=B. pruinata= (frosted).* Stem short, thick, fleshy, smooth. _l._
large, peltate, ovate, angular-sinuate, minutely-toothed; surface
smooth, glaucous; margins pilose, on stout, fleshy petioles. _fl._
in large dense dichotomous, or small cymes, white. Winter. Central
America, 1870. (R. B. 247.)
=B. pulchra= (fair). Synonymous with _B. nitida_.
=B. punctata= (dotted). A variety of _B. heracleifolia_.
=B. purpurea= (purple). Synonymous with _B. acutifolia_.
=B. purpurea= (purple). Synonymous with _B. nitida_.
=B. Putzeysiana= (Putzeys'). S. Stem erect, branching, smooth. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, acute, toothed, glabrous, under side spotted
with white. _fl._ in copious small corymbs, white and rose, small.
Capsule small, with rather large obtuse wings. Winter. Venezuela,
1871.
=B. radiata= (rayed). Synonymous with _B. heracleifolia_.
=B. ramentacea= (scaly).* S. Stem erect, branching, brown, scaly,
as also are the leafstalks and peduncles. _l._ ovate, reniform,
oblique; margins slightly angulate, recurved, under side red,
scaly; peduncles branching. _fl._ drooping, pink and white, pretty.
Capsule, when ripe, a bright scarlet; wings large. Spring. Brazil,
1839. (P. M. B. 12-73).
=B. reniformis= (kidney-formed). Synonymous with _B. Dregei_.
(Gardens.)
=B. reniformis= (kidney-formed). Synonymous with _B. vitifolia_.
(Hook.)
[Illustration: FIG. 233. BEGONIA REX.]
=B. Rex= (Royal).* Stemless; rhizome fleshy, creeping,
subterraneous. Leafstalk round, red, setose. _l._ 8in. to 12in.
long, 6in. to 8in. broad, ovate, oblique, sides unequal, cordate,
villose; margins toothed, surface bullate, dark olive-green, with
a metallic lustre, a broad silvery zone running all round, about
1in. from the margin. _fl._ in erect branching cyme, large, pale
rose. Capsule wings, two short, one long and rounded. Assam,
1858. See Fig. 233. (B. M. 5101.) This magnificent species is
the principal progenitor of the numerous ornamental-foliaged
Begonias, a selection of which are given below. Most of them are
well worth growing, but those named have been selected from a
large number: MADAME WAGNER,* _l._ large, profound green, banded
by a broad silvery zone, especially fine; MARSHALLI, _l._ very
large, the margins and very centre dark green, while the greater
portion of the surface is covered with a silvery-grey; REGINA,*
_l._ rich olive-green, banded with a broad zone of bronze-red and
silvery-grey, rendering it very attractive; ROI LEOPOLD,* _l._ on
long stout petioles, very large, deep bronze-red in the centre,
with a broad border of a rather lighter shade, very effective;
ROLLISONI,* _l._ large, on long stalks, rich velvety-green, banded
with silvery-grey; SPLENDIDA ARGENTEA,* _l._ large, of a greyish
hue, veined with white, and tinged with bronze-red, very beautiful.
The following varieties are also very good: ADRIEN ROBINE,* BERTHE
PROUTIERE, CHARLES HOVEY, DISTINCTION,* JULIA SEROT,* LOUISE
CHRETIEN,* MADAME J. MENOREAU,* NARGA,* NAVALA,* TALISMAN, W. E.
GUMBLETON.
=B. Richardsiana= (Richards').* T. Stem 1ft. high, erect, fleshy,
with slender branches. _l._ palmately lobed, the lobes sinuate or
toothed. _fl._ white, males bipetalous, females with five petals.
Cymes axillary near ends of branches, few-flowered. Capsule
three-winged, wings equal. Summer. Natal, 1871. (G. C., 1871, p.
1065.)
=B. R. diadema= (of gardens).* This is referred to here because
of its close resemblance to the above. It is most likely a hybrid
between _B. Richardsiana_ and _B. dipetala_. _l._ palmately lobed,
rather large, spotted with white. _fl._ large, rose-coloured.
Summer. 1881.
=B. ricinifolia= (Ricinus-leaved).* A garden hybrid between _B.
heracleifolia_ and _B. peponifolia_. _l._ large, bronzy green, in
shape like those of the Castor-oil plant. _fl._ numerous, on an
erect scape. Winter. 1847.
=B. Roezlii= (Roezl's). Synonymous with _B. Lynchiana_.
=B. rosacea= (rosy). Stem succulent, short. _l._ ovate obtuse,
slightly pubescent, toothed; petioles long, pilose. _fl._ in
few-flowered cymes, medium-sized, rose-coloured. New Grenada, 1860.
(Garden, pl. 152.)
=B. rosæflora= (rose-flowered).* T. Stemless. Petioles, scapes,
bracts, and stipules bright red. _l._ green, 2in. to 4in. wide,
on stout hairy petioles, 2in. to 6in. long, orbicular-reniform,
concave; margins lobed, red, toothed. Scapes stout, villous,
three-flowered. _fl._ 2in. across, bright rose-red. Summer. Peru,
1867. One of the parents of the popular race of tuberous-rooted
large-flowered Begonias. (B. M. 5680.)
=B. rubricaulis= (red-stalked).* Stemless. Leafstalks, peduncles,
pedicels, and ovaries, a deep red colour. _l._ obliquely ovate,
4in. to 6in. long, slightly hairy, bright green, wrinkled; margins
toothed and ciliated. Scape 1ft. high, erect, stout, branching at
the top, forming a head of about a dozen flowers, which are large,
white inside, rose-tinted outside. Capsule with one large wing, the
others almost suppressed. Summer. Peru, 1834. (B. M. 4131.)
=B. rubro-venia= (red-veined).* Rootstock thick. Stems 12in. to
18in. high, red, pubescent. _l._ 4in. to 6in. long, elliptic or
lanceolate acuminate, entire or slightly angular, toothed, green
spotted with white above, purplish-brown below. Scapes axillary,
red. _fl._ in cymose head; outer segments white with rose-red
veins, inner segments pure white. Summer. Sikkim, &c., 1853. (B. M.
4689.)
=B. sanguinea= (blood-red). S. Stems woody when old, tall, stout,
red, with scattered paler spots. _l._ 4in. to 6in. long, unequally
cordate, acuminate, thick and somewhat fleshy in texture, minutely
crenate, green above, deep red below; peduncles axillary, long,
erect, red. _fl._ in a branching cyme, rather small, white. Capsule
wings sub-equal. Spring. Brazil, 1836. (B. M. 3520.)
=B. scabrida= (rough). Stem stout, erect, somewhat succulent,
covered with small tubercles. _l._ 6in. long, oblique, ovate-acute,
cordate, toothed, slightly hairy. _fl._ white, small; cyme
many-flowered. Capsule wings equal, large. Venezuela, 1857.
=B. scandens= (climbing).* Stem flexuose, fleshy, creeping or
climbing, smooth. _l._ 4in. long, ovate acuminate, sub-cordate;
margins irregularly toothed, pale shining green. _fl._ in axillary
branching cymes, white, small. South America, 1874. Useful either
as a basket plant or for training against moist walls. SYNS. _B.
elliptica_, _B. lucida_, _B. Moritziana_. (R. G. 758.)
=B. sceptrum= (princely). S. _l._ obliquely ovate in outline,
deeply lobed on one side; lobes oblong; obtuse, veins sunk, and
the raised spaces between marked with large silvery blotches, and
numerous smaller dots of silver grey. Brazil, 1883.
=B. Schmidtiana= (Schmidt's).* Stems 1ft. high, branching,
herbaceous. _l._ obliquely cordate, ovate-acute, small, dark
metallic green above, tinged with red below. _fl._ in loose
drooping axillary panicles, white, small, numerous. Winter. Brazil,
1879. (R. G. 990.)
=B. scutellata= (salver-like). Synonymous with _B. conchæfolia_.
[Illustration: FIG. 234. BEGONIA SEMPERFLORENS FRAU MARIA BRANDT,
showing Habit and Flower.]
=B. Sedeni= (Seden's). T. A garden hybrid between _B. boliviensis_
and _B. Veitchii_. Summer. 1869. A handsome plant, but much
inferior to many of the more recent hybrids. (R. H. 1872, 90.)
=B. semperflorens= (always-flowering).* Stem fleshy, erect, smooth,
reddish-green. _l._ ovate-rotundate, hardly cordate; margins
serrated, ciliated, surface smooth, shining green. _fl._ on
axillary stalks, near apex of stems, white or rose, rather large.
Capsule wings two short, one long, rounded. Autumn. Brazil, 1829.
A useful summer and autumn flowering species, of which there are
several named varieties more or less distinct from the type, either
in colour or size of flowers, or in habit of plant. The varieties
_carminea_, _gigantea_, and _rosea_ are perhaps the best. SYN. _B.
spathulata_. (B. M. 2920.)
=B. s. Frau Maria Brandt.= A dwarf compact variety, with
rose-tinted flowers. See Fig. 234.
=B. socotrana= (Socotra).* Stem annual, stout and succulent,
forming at base a cluster of bulbils, each of which produces
a plant the following year; sparsely hairy. _l._ dark green,
orbicular, peltate, 4in. to 7in. across, centre depressed; margin
recurved, crenate. _fl._ in terminal, few-flowered cymes, 1-1/2in.
to 2in. wide, bright rose. Capsule three-angled, one-winged.
Winter. Socotra, 1880. Should be rested through the summer, and
started in heat in September. A distinct and beautiful species. (B.
M. 6555.)
=B. spathulata= (spathulate). Synonymous with _B. semperflorens_.
=B. stigmosa= (branded).* Rhizome creeping, fleshy. _l._ 6in. to
8in. long, oblique, cordate-acute, irregularly toothed, smooth
above, hairy beneath, green, with brownish-purple blotches; stalks
scaly, as in _B. manicata_. _fl._ in cymose panicles, white,
medium-sized, numerous. Brazil, 1845.
=B. strigillosa= (strigillose).* Rhizome short, fleshy, creeping,
_l._ 4in. to 6in. long, oblique, ovate-acute, cordate-toothed;
margins ciliate, red; stalk and blade covered with fleshy scales;
blade smooth, blotched with brown. _fl._ in branching cymes,
dipetalous, small, rose-coloured. Summer. Central America, 1851.
=B. suaveolens= (sweet-scented). S. Stem branching, 2ft. high,
smooth. _l._ 3in. to 4in. long, oblique-ovate, cordate-acute,
crenulate, glabrous. _fl._ in axillary panicles, large, white.
Winter. Central America, 1816. Resembles _B. nitida_, but may
be distinguished by its distinctly crenulate leaves and smaller
flowers, which are white, and not pale rose, as in _B. nitida_.
SYN. _B. odorata_. (L. B. C. 69.)
=B. Sutherlandi= (Sutherland's).* T. Stems annual, 1ft. to 2ft.
high, slender, graceful, red-purple. _l._ on slender red petioles,
2in. to 3in. long; blade 4in. to 6in. long, ovate-lanceolate,
deeply lobed at base; margins serrate, bright green; nerves bright
red. _fl._ in axillary and terminal cymes, numerous, orange-red,
shaded with dark vinous-red. Capsule wings equal. Summer. Natal,
1867. (B. M. 5689.)
=B. Teuscheri= (Teuscher's). S. A strong, erect-growing,
large-leaved plant, from the Dutch Indies, not yet flowered. _l._
cordate-ovate, acute, olive-green above, with greyish blotches;
under side rich claret-coloured. Hort. Linden. (I. II. 1879, 358.)
=B. Thwaitesii= (Thwaites's).* Stemless. _l._ 2in. to 4in. in
diameter, obtuse or sub-acute, cordate at base, minutely toothed,
slightly pubescent, very shaggy when young, rich coppery-green,
red-purple and blotched with white; under side blood red. _fl._ in
an umbel, medium-sized; scape short, white. Capsule shaped like a
Beech nut; wings short. Ceylon, 1852. One of the most beautiful of
coloured-leaved Begonias, requiring a close, moist atmosphere in a
stove. (B. M. 4692.)
=B. ulmifolia= (Elm-leaved). S. Stem 2ft. to 4ft. high, branching.
_l._ 3in. to 4in. long, ovate-oblong, unequal-sided, toothed,
rugose, hairy. _fl._ on hairy peduncles, numerous, small, white.
Capsule wings two small, one large, ovate. Winter. Venezuela, 1854.
(L. C. 638.)
=B. undulata= (wavy-leaved). S. Stem 2ft. to 3ft. high, erect,
branching freely, turgid below, green, succulent until old. _l._
distichous, oblong-lanceolate, undulated, smooth, shining green.
_fl._ in nodding axillary cymes, white, small. Winter. Brazil,
1826. (B. M. 2723.)
=B. urophylla= (caudate-leaved). Stemless. Leafstalks terete,
succulent, clothed with scattered bristly hairs. _l._ large,
12in. long, broad, cordate; margin irregularly cut, toothed; apex
long-pointed, green, smooth above, hairy beneath; peduncle stout,
paniculate. _fl._ crowded, large, dipetalous, white. Spring.
Brazil. (B. M. 4855.)
=B. Veitchii= (Veitch's).* T. Stem very short, thick, fleshy,
green. _l._ orbiculate, cordate, lobed and incised; margins
ciliated, green, principal nerves radiating from bright carmine
spot near centre; under side pale green; petiole thick, terete,
with a few hairs on the upper portion; scape 10in. to 12in. high,
thick, terete, pilose, two-flowered. _fl._ 2-1/4in. in diameter,
cinnabar red. Capsule smooth, two short, one long wings. Summer.
Peru, 1867. One of the species from which the popular garden
tuberous-rooted Begonias have been obtained. (B. M. 5663.)
=B. Verschaffeltiana= (Verschaffelt's).* A hybrid between _B.
carolinæfolia_ and _B. manicata_, with large ovate acutely-lobed
leaves and flowers in large cymes, rose-coloured and pendent.
Winter. (R. G. 1855, p. 248.)
=B. vitifolia= (Vine-leaved). S. Stem 3ft. to 4ft. high, thick,
smooth, and fleshy. _l._ large as vine foliage, and similar in
shape; peduncles axillary, erect, branching into a cymose head of
small white flowers. Capsules three-angled, one-winged. Winter.
Brazil, 1833. SYNS. _B. grandis_, _B. reniformis_. (B. M. 3225.)
=B. Wagneriana= (Wagner's). S. Stem 2ft. to 3ft. high, erect,
glabrous, green, succulent, branched. _l._ cordate-ovate,
acuminate; margins obscurely lobed, slightly serrate, quite
glabrous; peduncles axillary and terminal, cymose. _fl._ numerous,
white. Capsules, which are ripened in abundance, three-angled, one
wing long, two short. Winter. Venezuela, 1856. (B. M. 4988.)
=B. Warscewiczii= (Warscewicz's). Synonymous with _B. conchæfolia_.
=B. Weltoniensis= (Welton). A garden hybrid; one of the oldest of
cultivated winter-flowering kinds, with light pink flowers, very
free.
=B. xanthina= (yellow-flowered).* Stem short, thick, fleshy,
horizontal, along with petioles thickly-clothed with brown scaly
hairs; petioles 6in. to 12in. long, stout, terete, fleshy,
reddish-brown; blade 8in. to 12in. long, cordate-ovate, acuminate,
sinuate-ciliated, dark green above, purplish beneath. Flower-stalks
erect, 1ft. high, bearing a cymose head of large golden flowers.
Capsule with one large wing. Summer. Boutan, 1850. (B. M. 4683.)
=B. x. Lazuli= (Lapis-lazuli).* Foliage metallic purple, with a
bluish tinge.
=B. x. pictifolia= (ornamented-leaved).* _l._ with large silvery
spots, and pale yellow flowers.
The following list comprises a selection of some of the best and
most distinct of the innumerable varieties now existing in gardens,
and which have been obtained by crossing and re-crossing the several
tuberous-rooted species found in the temperate regions of South America.
[Illustration: FIG. 235. FLOWERING BRANCH OF BEGONIA ADMIRATION.]
=Single-Flowered Varieties.= _Crimson and Scarlet Shaded_:
ADMIRATION, flowers vivid orange-scarlet, of dwarf, compact habit,
and free flowering (see Fig. 235); ARTHUR G. SOAMES,* brilliant
crimson scarlet, of excellent form, and very free; BALL OF FIRE,*
glowing fiery-scarlet, flowers large and compact, very free; BLACK
DOUGLAS,* dark carmine crimson, flowers large, of the finest form,
one of the best; BRILLIANT, deep orange-scarlet, very free; CHARLES
BALTET, rich velvety vermilion; COMMODORE FOOT,* brilliant velvety
crimson, very free and showy; DAVISII, flowers small, dazzling
scarlet, habit dwarf and free; DR. MASTERS,* flowers large, with
immense spikes, deep red-crimson, very attractive; DR. SEWELL,*
glowing crimson, grand form; EXONIENSIS, brilliant orange-scarlet,
immense flowers; F. E. LAING, deep velvety crimson, full and
free; HON. MRS. BRASSEY,* deep glowing crimson, very rich and
floriferous; J. H. LAING,* brilliant scarlet, one of the freest;
J. W. FERRAND,* rich vermilion, dwarf and free, one of the finest
for bedding; LOTHAIR,* dark scarlet-carmine, crimson shaded, of
grand form and size; MARQUIS OF BUTE, brilliant carmine-crimson,
of the finest form, and immense flowers; SCARLET GEM,* very
dark scarlet, flowers medium-sized, dwarf and very floriferous;
SEDENI, rich rosy-crimson, dwarf, a good bedder; VESUVIUS,* bright
orange-scarlet, compact and free, one of the finest bedders.
[Illustration: FIG. 236. BEGONIA QUEEN OF WHITES.]
_Rose-Coloured_: ALBERT CROUSSÃ,* bright salmon-rose, very free;
ANNIE LAING,* large and free, rich pink; CAPT. THOMPSON, rich
salmon-rose, very free and compact; DELICATUM, pale flesh-rose;
EXQUISITE,* rich deep rose, very free and showy; J. AUBREY CLARK,
flowers very large, rich, deep; JESSIE,* soft rosy-pink, with the
tips of the petals shaded carmine, a very fine, perfect variety;
LADY BROOKE,* dark rose, shaded magenta, very perfect in form,
and large; LADY HUME CAMPBELL,* pale pink, of good form and size,
an exquisite variety; MADAME STELLA,* flowers perfect in form,
large, bright rosy-pink, one of the best; MARCHIONESS OF BUTE,
light rosy-pink, with an immense bloom and handsome foliage;
PENELOPE,* rich salmon-rose, very free and good; PRINCESS OF WALES,
very delicate pink, and free; ROSE D'AMOUR, rich rose, delicately
shaded.
_White-Flowered_: ALBA FLORIBUNDA, flowers medium-sized, very free;
MOONLIGHT, very free, with good flowers and handsome foliage; MRS.
LAING,* flowers exquisite in form and shape, pure white, one of the
best; NYMPH,* large and round, white, tinted with rose at the base;
PRINCESS BEATRICE,* flowers large, of excellent form, and pure
in colour; PURITY, flowers round, good size and colour; QUEEN OF
WHITES,* flowers pure white, large, most freely produced (see Fig.
236, for which we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons); REINE
BLANCHE,* one of the best, very pure; SNOWFLAKE,* flowers large, in
full spikes, pure white, habit compact, and very free.
_Yellow and Orange-Flowered_: CHROMATELLA,* habit dwarf and
compact, pure yellow; EMPRESS OF INDIA, deep yellow, very showy;
GEM OF YELLOWS,* rich deep yellow, of grand form and size, one
of the best; GOLDEN GEM,* rich golden yellow, of excellent form
and size, habit free, with prettily mottled foliage; J. L.
MACFARLANE, rich orange, freest form, and large; LADY TREVOR
LAWRENCE,* orange-yellow, of good form, with handsome foliage;
MAUDE CHURCHILL,* pale yellow, deeper shaded, with elegant foliage;
MRS. PONTIFEX,* rich orange yellow, very large flowers, copiously
produced; POLLIE, pale yellow, fine round flower; SULPHUR QUEEN,*
pale sulphur-yellow, of good form and size.
=Double-Flowered Varieties.= _Crimson and Scarlet Shaded_:
ACHILLES, rich dark crimson, very large and free; DAVISII HYBRIDA
FL.-PL.,* rich coral-red, very full and free; DAVISII FL.-PL.
SUPERBA,* brilliant crimson-scarlet, of good size, and extremely
free; DR. DUKE,* brilliant scarlet, very large and double, one of
the best; FRANCIS BUCHNER,* rich cerise-red, very double, perfect
in form, and very large; FULGURANT, rich crimson, full, with dark
foliage; GLOIRE DE NANCY,* rich vermilion, very free; HERCULES,*
bright orange-scarlet, very large and extremely free, habit compact
and vigorous; LEMOINEI, deep orange-vermilion, very floriferous;
MONSIEUR BAUER, deep red, tinged with violet; NIMROD,* rich
red-scarlet, very large and full, with a free and very vigorous
habit; PRESIDENT BURELLE,* glowing red, tinted with scarlet,
very free; QUEEN OF DOUBLES,* rich rosy-crimson, very double and
floriferous, one of the best varieties; ROBERT BURNS,* brilliant
orange-scarlet, tinted vermilion, very double and free; SIR GARNET,
deep orange-scarlet, very vigorous; WM. BEALBY,* deep velvety
scarlet, immense size and perfect form, very free.
_Rose-Coloured_: ADA,* bright rosy-salmon, fringed at the edge,
very full and free; COMTESSE H. DE CHOISEUL, pale rose, at first
nearly white, very handsome; ESTHER,* rich rosy pink, with a
distinct crimson margin; FORMOSA,* rich rosy carmine, with a
white centre and crimson margin, very distinct and showy; GLORY
OF STANSTEAD,* deep rose, with a well-defined white centre, very
distinct and handsome; JOHN T. POE,* bright rose, tinted with
cerise, of excellent form and vigorous habit; MADAME COMESSE,*
rich satiny salmon-rose, immense, and most profuse; MADAME LEON
SIMON, soft pale rose, very full and free; MARIE LEMOINE, light
salmon with a rose centre; MRS. BRISSENDEN,* salmon-rose, with a
cream-white centre, of excellent form and very free; PÃONIFLORA,
flowers enormous, rich salmon-rose, very full; QUEEN OF SCOTS,*
satiny-pink, salmon-shaded, of a perfect form and very large,
habit compact and very free; ROSINA,* deep rose, violet shaded, of
exquisite form, very vigorous and free.
_White-Flowered_: ANTOINETTE QUERIN,* pure white, cream, shaded
centre, very large and full, a magnificent variety; BLANCHE
JEANPIERRE, pure white, cream tinted, of excellent form and very
free; LITTLE GEM,* pure white, of the best form and good size,
habit dwarf and extremely floriferous; MRS. LUDLAM,* white, tinted
with pink, a very handsome variety; PRINCESS OF WALES,* flowers
very full and profuse, almost pure in colour, and immense.
_Yellow-flowered_: CANARY BIRD,* flowers large, of the finest form,
deep yellow, habit dwarf and very free; GABRIEL LEGROS,* pale
sulphur, changing to yellow, very full and imbricated, extremely
showy.
=BEGONIACEÃ.= An order comprising a large number of useful garden
plants. The only genera are _Begonia_ and _Begoniella_ (which is not
yet in cultivation). Flowers apetalous; perianth single; pistillate
flowers having the perianth two to eight-cleft, staminate ones two to
four-cleft; stamens numerous, collected into a head. Leaves alternate,
stipulate. _See_ =Begonia=.
=BEJARIA.= _See_ =Befaria=.
=BELLADONNA.= _See_ =Atropa=.
=BELLADONNA LILY.= _See_ =Amaryllis Belladonna=.
=BELLEVALIA= (named in honour of P. R. Belleval, a French botanist).
ORD. _Liliaceæ_. This genus is now usually placed under _Hyacinthus_.
Hardy, bulbous-rooted plants, admirably adapted for spring bedding or
forcing, and invaluable as cut flowers. Flowers small, whitish, or
violet, tinged with green. Leaves few, radical, broadly linear. They
are of extremely easy culture in ordinary garden soil. Propagated by
offsets; also by seeds, which should be sown as soon as ripe.
=B. operculata= (lid-covered). Synonymous with _B. romana_.
=B. romana= (Roman).* Roman Hyacinth. _fl._ white, racemose;
perianth campanulate; pedicels longer than the flowers. April. _l._
from 4in. to 5in. long. _h._ 6in. Italy, 1596. A most desirable
plant, and the best of the genus for forcing purposes. SYNS. _B.
operculata_ and _Hyacinthus romanus_. (B. M. 939, under the name of
_Scilla romana_.) _See_ =Hyacinthus=.
=B. syriaca= (Syrian).* _fl._ white; peduncles spreading, racemose.
May. _l._ glaucous, 1ft. long, channelled, rather scarious on the
margins. _h._ 1ft. Syria, 1840.
=BELL-FLOWER.= _See_ =Campanula=.
[Illustration: FIG. 237. FRENCH BELL GLASS, OR CLOCHE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 238. ENGLISH BELL GLASS.]
=BELL GLASSES=, or =CLOCHES=. These are used for the purpose of
protecting or accelerating the growth of a plant or plants. The French
Cloche (see Fig. 237) is largely employed for this purpose. Ordinary
Bell Glasses (see Fig. 238) are exceedingly useful for propagating
purposes, especially for hard-wooded plants; or for placing over
subjects which require a very moist atmosphere, such as Filmy ferns,
Cephalotus, &c.; or for covering half-hardy plants or rare alpines,
and thus protecting them from excessive moisture. Large Bell Glasses,
inverted, serve as miniature aquaria, and many small aquatics are
easily grown in them.
=BELLIDIASTRUM= (from _bellis_, a daisy, and _astrum_, a star;
flower-heads being star-like). ORD. _Compositæ_. A pretty dwarf, hardy,
herbaceous perennial, allied to _Aster_. It thrives in a compost of
loam, leaf soil, and peat. Increased by divisions in early spring, or
directly after blooming.
=B. Michelii= (Michel's).* _fl.-heads_ white; scape one-headed,
naked; involucre with equal leaves; pappus simple. June. _l._ in a
rosette, shortly stalked, obovate, repand. _h._ 1ft. Austria, 1570.
=BELLIS= (from _bellus_, pretty, in reference to the flowers). Daisy.
ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, distinguished
from allied genera in having conical receptacles and an absence of
pappus. They grow well in all loamy soils. The garden varieties are
increased by division after flowering, each crown making a separate
plant. The soil must be pressed about them moderately firm. Seeds may
also be sown in March, but the plants thus obtained are seldom of
sufficient floricultural merit to perpetuate.
[Illustration: FIG. 239. BELLIS PERENNIS FLORE-PLENO.]
[Illustration: FIG. 240. HEN AND CHICKENS DAISY (BELLIS PERENNIS
PROLIFERA).]
=B. perennis= (perennial).* Common Daisy. _fl.-heads_ white. June.
_l._ numerous, lying flat on the ground, obovate, crenate, slightly
hairy, tapering at the base. _h._ 3in. England. The varieties are
very numerous, the double ones being particularly fine. See Fig.
239. The handsome variegated form, _aucubæfolia_, has its leaves
richly stained and veined with yellow. There are both red and
white-flowered forms of this variety. The Hen and Chickens Daisy is
a proliferous form, rather more quaint than pretty. See Fig. 240.
Good garden kinds are _B. p. conspicua_, red; CROWN, pink; ELIZA,
purple; RUBENS, red; SNOWFLAKE, white.
[Illustration: FIG. 241. BELLIS ROTUNDIFOLIA CÅRULESCENS.]
=B. rotundifolia cÅrulescens= (round-leaved, bluish).* _fl.-heads_
from 3/4in. to 1-1/4in. in diameter, resembling those of the common
Daisy, but with fewer, often broader, ray-flowers, which vary from
white to pale blue. _l._ more or less hairy, with slender stalks,
1in. to 3in. long; blade ovate or sub-cordate, sinuate toothed,
three-nerved. Morocco, 1872. A very beautiful perennial, requiring
the shelter of a cold frame during severe winters. See Fig. 241.
(B. M. 6015.)
=BELLIUM= (from _bellis_, a Daisy; the flowers resembling those of that
plant). ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of pretty little, free-flowering
plants, differing from the common Daisy only in having a pappus of six
to eight broad scales, torn at the apex, alternating with a like number
of long scabrous bristles. They thrive best in a mixture of sandy
loam and peat. Propagation is readily effected by means of seeds or
divisions; the latter should be made in spring.
[Illustration: FIG. 242. BELLIUM BELLIDIOIDES.]
=B. bellidioides= (Daisy-like).* _fl.-heads_ white, solitary. June
to September. _l._ spathulate, radical. Stolons creeping. _h._ 4in.
Italy, 1796. Annual. See Fig. 242.
=B. crassifolium= (thick-leaved). _fl.-heads_ whitish-yellow;
scapes much exceeding the leaves, downy. June. _l._ sub-radical,
thick, obovate, entire, attenuate at base, rather downy. Stems
many, ascending. _h._ 6in. Sardinia, 1831. Hardy perennial. (S. B.
F. G. 2, 278.)
=B. minutum= (very small).* _fl.-heads_ white and yellow, 1/2in.
across, on slender stalks, longer than the foliage. June to
September. _l._ narrow spathulate, attenuated at the base, slightly
hairy. _h._ 3in. Levant, 1772. A rare little species, requiring a
warm, well-drained position on the rockery.
=BELLOWS.= These were formerly employed for fumigating, but are now
entirely superseded by the ordinary fumigators. The Sulphur Bellows is
a very useful instrument for the uniform distribution of flowers of
sulphur on vines and other subjects infested with mildew. In form it is
very like those in common domestic use, but has a rose of small holes
at the end of its nozzle, through which the sulphur is ejected.
=BELL-PEPPER.= _See_ =Capsicum grossum=.
=BELOPERONE= (from _belos_, an arrow, and _peronne_, a band; in
reference to the arrow-shaped connectivum). SYN. _Dianthera_. ORD.
_Acanthaceæ_. Very pretty stove evergreen shrubs, allied to _Justicia_.
Flowers blue or purple, borne in secund, axillary, or terminal spikes,
frequently subtended with coloured bracts; corolla gaping, the upper
lip concave, the lower trifid. They are easily cultivated in a compost
of loam, leaf soil, peat, and sand. Propagated by young cuttings,
taken in spring. Beloperones may also be treated like _Justicias_
(which _see_), and will succeed admirably. There are a large number of
species, but few of which have been introduced.
=B. oblongata= (oblong). _fl._ rosy-purple; spikes axillary;
anthers calcarate at base; bracts bracteolate. Summer. _l._
oblong-lanceolate, opposite. _h._ 3ft. Brazil, 1832. (B. H. 9, 9.)
=B. violacea= (violet-coloured).* _fl._ violet. _l._ lanceolate,
acuminate, entire. _h._ 3ft. New Grenada, 1859. (B. M. 5244.)
=BENDING-DOWN= the branches of fruit trees, by means of weights or
string attached to pegs driven into the ground, is sometimes resorted
to for the purpose of acquiring a particular shape, or fruitfulness;
but authorities differ as to the usefulness of the plan for the latter
purpose. Young trees that are inclined to grow strong in the middle
may be more evenly balanced by adopting the plan of Bending the strong
branches, and so diverting the sap to the weaker ones.
=BENGAL QUINCE.= _See_ =Ãgle Marmelos=.
=BENJAMIN-TREE.= _See_ =Ficus Benjamina=.
=BENT GRASS.= _See_ =Agrostis=.
=BENTHAMIA= (in honour of George Bentham, a distinguished English
botanist). ORD. _Cornaceæ_. Hardy evergreen shrubs or low trees,
now referred to the genus _Cornus_. The first-named species is
rather tender in the neighbourhood of London, and can only be grown
successfully against a wall, for which purpose it is very suitable. In
Cornwall and other mild places, it attains a height of 20ft. in the
open. Loudon thinks it might be rendered hardier by grafting it on
_Cornus sanguinea_. Flowers disposed in heads, each head attended by
an involucre, which consists of four petal-like parts, and resembles a
corolla; calyx with a minute four-toothed limb; petals four, fleshy,
wedge-shaped; stamens four; style one. Leaves opposite, exstipulate,
sub-evergreen, entire. Fruit constituted of many pomes grown together.
They thrive in rather moist, loamy soil, in a sheltered spot.
Propagated by seeds, sown when ripe, in a cool-house; or by layering,
in autumn.
=B. fragifera= (Strawberry-flowered).* _fl._ large, white, sessile,
densely aggregate, forming a round head. June to October. _fr._
large, about the size of that of the common Arbutus, reddish. _l._
lanceolate, acuminated at both ends, on short petioles, rather
rough, with small, adpressed down. Branches spreading, smooth. _h._
10ft. to 15ft. Nepaul, 1825. (G. C. xiv., 728.)
=B. japonica= (Japanese). _fl._ yellowish-red. Spring. _h._ 8ft.
Japan, 1847. (S. Z. F. J. 16.)
=BERARDIA= (named after M. Berard, a Professor of Chemistry at
Montpelier). ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus containing a single species,
confined to the high mountains of Western Europe. It makes a pretty
rock plant, and grows best in thoroughly well-drained spots amongst
rocky _débris_. Propagated by seeds, sown in spring.
=B. subacaulis= (almost stemless). _fl.-heads_ whitish, solitary,
very large. _l._ rounded oval, nearly heart-shaped at base,
cottony. _h._ 3in. or 4in. (A. F. P. 3, 38.)
=BERBERIDACEÃ.= An order of shrubs or herbaceous perennials. Flowers
terminal or axillary, usually racemose; sepals three, four, or six in a
double row; petals as many or double in number; stamens four to eight,
opposite the petals. Fruit, a berry or capsule. Leaves alternate,
compound. The order contributes a great number of handsome plants
to our gardens. Well-known genera are _Berberis_, _Epimedium_, and
_Nandina_.
=BERBERIDOPSIS= (from _Berberis_, the Barberry, and _opsis_, like;
resembling the Barberry). ORD. _Berberidaceæ_. A handsome evergreen
shrub, with climbing habit. Sepals and petals nine to fifteen;
outer small, spreading; intermediate orbicular, concave; inner
obovate-cuneate, erect, inserted upon the fleshy torus. Stamens eight
to nine, free. With a slight winter protection, or planted at the foot
of a south wall, it will prove quite hardy, being of easy culture in
ordinary garden soil. It is an excellent plant for the cool greenhouse.
Increased by seeds, which should be sown in spring; by layering, in
autumn; or by young cuttings, in spring.
[Illustration: FIG. 243. FLOWERING BRANCHES OF BERBERIDOPSIS CORALLINA.]
=B. corallina= (coral-red).* _fl._ crimson, in terminal, drooping
racemes, leafy at the base. _l._ about 3in. long, alternate,
simple, petiolate, oblong-cordate, obtuse or acute, spiny-toothed.
Chili, 1862. See Fig. 243. (B. M. 5343.)
=BERBERIS= (_Berberys_ is the Arabic name of the fruit, signifying a
shell; many authors believe this to be the original derivation of the
word, because the leaves are hollow, like a shell). Barberry. ORD.
_Berberidaceæ_. Including _Mahonia_. A genus of hardy erect or trailing
shrubs. Flowers yellow or orange, racemose or fascicled; sepals and
petals similar, in two series. Leaves simple or compound, alternate or
fascicled from the non-development of the branches, often spinose, or
reduced to spines. The common sorts thrive well in any ordinary garden
soil, but the rarer kinds require a compost of loam, peat, and a little
sand. Propagation may be effected by suckers or layers, put down in
the autumn; by ripened cuttings, taken at the same time, and planted
in sandy soil, in a cold frame; or by seeds, sown in the spring, or,
preferably, in the autumn, when, if fresh from the pulp or berry, they
will germinate in the open in the following spring. The last-named is
the method generally adopted.
=B. Aquifolium= (Holly-leaved).* _fl._ yellow; racemes nearly
erect, much crowded. Spring. _l._, leaflets two to three pairs,
with an odd one, the lower part distant from the petiole; ovate,
approximate, cordate at the base, one-nerved, spiny-toothed. _h._
3ft. to 6ft. North America, 1823. This is extensively planted in
woodlands as an excellent covert plant. SYN. _Mahonia aquifolia_.
(S. E. B. 49.)
=B. aristata= (bearded). _fl._ yellow; racemes nodding,
many-flowered, longer than the leaves; pedicels trifid,
three-flowered. Spring. _l._ obovate-oblong or lanceolate,
mucronate, membranous, smooth, serrated with four or five spinulose
teeth; lower spines three-parted, upper ones simple, and hardly
bidentate at the base. _h._ 6ft. Nepaul, 1820. (B. R. 729, under
name of _B. Chitria_.)
=B. asiatica= (Asiatic). _fl._, racemes short, many-flowered,
corymbose, shorter than the leaves; pedicels elongated,
one-flowered. _l._ oval, cuneated, or elliptical, mucronate,
smooth; under surface glaucous, entire, or spinulosely-toothed;
spines trifid, or simple. _h._ 4ft. to 8ft. 1820. Half-hardy.
=B. buxifolia= (Box-leaved).* _fl._ solitary, on slender peduncles.
Spring. _l._ nearly sessile, oval or oblong, about 1/2in. long,
entire. _h._ 8ft. Straits of Magellan, 1830. _Nana_ is a charming
little variety, not exceeding 18in. in height. SYN. _B. dulcis_.
(B. M. 6505.)
=B. canadensis= (Canadian).* _fl._, racemes many-flowered, nodding.
Spring. _l._ obovate-oblong, remotely serrated; upper ones nearly
entire; spines three-parted. _h._ 4ft. Canada, 1759.
=B. cratægina= (Hawthorn-like). _fl._, racemes many-flowered,
crowded, spreading, scarcely longer than the leaves. Spring. _l._
oblong, reticulated, hardly serrated; spines simple. _h._ 4ft. to
8ft. Asia Minor, 1829.
=B. cretica= (Cretan). _fl._, racemes three to eight-flowered,
rather shorter than the leaves. Spring. _l._ oblong-oval, entire,
or somewhat serrated; spines three to five-parted. _h._ 4ft. to
5ft. Crete and Cyprus, 1759. The variety _serratifolia_ has leaves
ciliately-serrated. (S. F. G. 342.)
=B. Darwinii= (Darwin's).* _fl._ orange, racemose, very numerous.
May, and sometimes again in autumn. _l._ oval or oblong, about
1in. long, with usually five spiny teeth. _h._ 2ft. South Chili,
1849. This very fine species is, perhaps, the best; it forms
a densely-branched, spreading, evergreen bush, thus making an
excellent covert plant. (B. M. 4590.)
=B. dulcis= (sweet). Synonymous with _B. buxifolia_.
=B. emarginata= (emarginate). _fl._, racemes scarcely pendulous,
shorter than the leaves. Spring. _l._ lanceolate-obovate, ciliately
serrated; spines three-parted. _h._ 6ft. Siberia, 1790.
=B. empetrifolia= (Empetrum-leaved).* _fl._ few, terminal,
sub-umbellate, on slender pedicels. May. _l._ in fascicles of about
seven, linear, closely revolute, sharply mucronate. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
to 2ft. Straits of Magellan, 1827. (B. R. 26, 27.)
=B. fascicularis= (fascicled). _fl._, racemes erect, much crowded.
Spring. _l._, leaflets three to six pairs, with an odd one, the
lower pair distant from the base of the petiole; ovate-lanceolate,
rather distant, one-nerved, spiny toothed, with four to five teeth
on each side. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. New Spain, 1820. Half-hardy. SYN.
_Mahonia fascicularis_. (B. M. 2396.)
=B. floribunda= (many-flowered).* _fl._, racemes many-flowered,
loose, solitary, pendulous. June. _l._ obovate-lanceolate, or
obovate-oblong, tapering much towards the base, ending in a
mucrone at the apex, paler beneath, spiny-ciliated; spines
three-parted, unequal. _h._ 10ft. Nepaul. A variety of _aristata_.
=B. Fortunei= (Fortune's).* _fl._ small, in terminal clustered
racemes. _l._, leaflets about seven, linear-lanceolate, distant,
with numerous small spiny teeth, lower pair remote from the base of
the petiole. China.
=B. glumacea= (glumaceous). A synonym of _B. nervosa_.
=B. iberica= (Iberian). _fl._, racemes many-flowered, pendulous.
Spring. _l._ obovate-oblong, quite entire; spines simple and
three-parted. _h._ 8ft. to 10ft. Iberia, 1818.
=B. ilicifolia= (Holly-leaved). _fl._, peduncles short,
four-flowered; pedicels elongated, somewhat corymbose. July. _l._
ovate, tapering at the base, coarsely and spinulosely toothed;
spines three-parted. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Tierra del Fuego, 1791. (B.
M. 4308.)
=B. japonica= (Japanese).* _fl._, racemes in terminal clusters.
Spring. _l._, leaflets usually nine, about 3in. long, quite
sessile, broadly cordate, or rotundate at the base, oblique, with
about five long spiny teeth, and a terminal one, the lowest pairs
close to the base of the petiole. China and Japan. Very distinct,
with unbranched stems and leaves about 1ft. long. _B. Beali_
and _B. intermedia_ are mere forms of this species, the latter
differing from it in having narrower leaves and longer, slender
racemes. (B. M. 4852.)
=B. loxensis= (Loxanese). _fl._ unusually small, erect, in panicled
racemes on a long peduncle quite clear of the leaves. _l._ very
shining, blunt, obovate; sides often with several teeth; spines
small, palmated. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Peru. Evergreen, not hardy. (P.
F. G. 1, p. 13.)
[Illustration: FIG. 244. BERBERIS NEPALENSIS.]
=B. nepalensis= (Nepaulese).* _fl._ yellow; racemes few, elongated,
slender. _l._ 1ft. to 2ft. long; leaflets five to nine pairs,
obovate-oblong, cuspidate, rounded at the base, repand-toothed,
with five to ten spiny teeth on each side, tricuspidate at the
apex. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Nepaul. A very handsome species, thriving
best in the southern parts of England. SYN. _Mahonia nepalensis_.
See Fig. 244.
=B. nervosa= (large-nerved). _fl._, racemes elongated. October.
_l._, leaflets five to six pairs, with an odd one, the lower
pair distant from the petiole; ovate, acuminated, remotely spiny
toothed, somewhat three to five-nerved, with twelve to fourteen
teeth on each side. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. North America, 1826. SYNS.
_B. glumacea_, _Mahonia nervosa_. (B. M. 3949.)
=B. repens= (creeping).* _fl._, racemes terminal, numerous,
fascicled, diffuse, rising from the scaly buds. Spring. _l._,
leaflets, two to three pairs, with an odd one, roundish-ovate,
opaque, spiny toothed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. North America, 1822. SYN.
_Mahonia repens_. (B. R. 1176.)
=B. ruscifolia= (Ruscus-leaved). _fl._ a little larger than those
of _B. vulgaris_; peduncles short, bearing four to five flowers at
the apex. _l._ oblong, tapering at the base, mucronate, entire, or
grossly and spiny toothed. _h._ 4ft. to 8ft. South America, 1823.
Half-hardy.
=B. sinensis= (Chinese).* _fl._, racemes many-flowered, nodding.
May. _l._ oblong, obtuse, entire, or the lower ones are a little
toothed; spines three-parted. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. China, 1815. (B. M.
6573.)
[Illustration: FIG. 245. BERBERIS STENOPHYLLA, showing Habit and
Flowering Twig.]
=B. stenophylla= (naked-leaved),* with narrow mucronate leaves, is
said to be a hybrid between _B. empetrifolia_ and _B. Darwinii_.
See Fig. 245.
=B. trifoliata= (three-leafleted). _fl._, racemes small,
axillary, sessile, three to five-flowered. Spring. _l._, leaflets
three, sessile at the ends of the petioles, deeply scalloped,
bluish-green, variegated, glaucous beneath. _h._ 5ft. Mexico, 1839.
Evergreen, not quite hardy. (P. F. G. 2, 168.)
=B. trifurcata= (three-forked). _fl._, racemes compound, erect.
Spring. _l._ pinnate; leaflets broad, three-forked. _h._ 6ft.
China, 1850. Evergreen. (P. F. G. 3, 258.)
=B. umbellata= (umbellate). _fl._, peduncles solitary, erect,
bearing at the top several umbellate pedicels. _l._ obovate-oblong,
mucronate, entire, glaucous beneath; spines three-parted, long,
equal. _h._ 6ft. Nepaul, 1842. (P. F. G. 2, 181.)
=B. vulgaris= (common).* Common Barberry. _fl._, racemes
many-flowered, pendulous. Spring. _l._ somewhat obovate,
ciliately-serrated; spines three-parted. _h._ 8ft. to 20ft.
Britain, &c. There are yellow, violet, purple, black, and white
fruited, and purple-leaved forms. (Sy. En. B. 51.)
=B. Wallichiana= (Wallich's).* _fl._ on drooping, aggregated
peduncles, six to eight or more in a cluster. Spring. _l._ in
alternate fascicles, 2in. to 3in. long, spreading or recurved,
lanceolate, sinuato-serrate; spines deeply three-parted, slender
but rigid. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. Nepaul, 1820. See Fig. 246. (B. M.
4656.)
=BERCHEMIA= (in honour of M. Berchem, a French botanist). ORD.
_Rhamnaceæ_. A genus of erect, or twining, deciduous, mostly greenhouse
shrubs. Flowers sub-umbellate, in the axils of the upper leaves,
or disposed in terminal panicles. Leaves alternate, many-nerved,
entire. The species mentioned below is probably the only one yet in
cultivation. It is quite hardy, will grow in any common soil, and
is well adapted for bowers or trellis-work. Propagated by ripened
cuttings, and slips of the root, planted under a hand glass; or by
layering the young shoots.
=B. volubilis= (twining).* _fl._ greenish-white; panicles small,
axillary and terminal. Drupe oblong, violaceous. June. _l._ oval,
mucronate, a little wavy. Branches smooth. Carolina, 1714. A
deciduous twiner. (G. G. 165.)
=BERGAMOT.= _See_ =Mentha odorata=.
=BERGERA= (named after C. J. Berger, a distinguished Danish botanist).
ORD. _Rutaceæ_. Interesting stove evergreen trees, now usually referred
to _Murraya_. Leaves impari-pinnate; leaflets alternate, acuminated,
pubescent. They thrive in a mixture of turfy loam and peat. Propagated
by ripened cuttings, taken off at a joint, and placed in sand, under a
hand glass, in bottom heat; or by layers.
=B. KÅnigi= (Konig's). _fl._ whitish-yellow, small; racemes many,
forming a corymb at the top of the branches. June. _l._, leaflets
serrated. _h._ 40ft. India, 1820. (L. B. C. 1019.)
=BERKHEYA= (named after M. J. L. de Berkhey, a Dutch botanist), ORD.
_Compositæ_. A genus of ornamental greenhouse or hardy thistle-like
herbs or shrubs. Flower-heads surrounded by a spiny involucre, the
scales of which are united at the base only; pappus of many flat,
obtuse, or pointed, scales. They are of easy cultivation in a sandy
loam soil. The perennials are increased by cuttings placed under a
glass; the herbaceous perennials usually by divisions of the plant in
spring. The species most frequently seen in English gardens is _B.
purpurea_.
[Illustration: FIG. 246. BERBERIS WALLICHIANA.]
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ yellow; scales
of involucre spiny toothed. July. _l._ opposite, lanceolate,
three-nerved, spiny toothed, downy beneath. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good
Hope, 1812. Greenhouse evergreen. (B. M. 1844.)
=B. pinnata= (pinnate). _fl.-heads_ yellow; involucral scales
spine-pointed, entire or toothed. Autumn. _l._ oblong, woolly
beneath, deeply cut into lance-shaped segments. SYN. _Stobæa
pinnata_. (B. M. 1788.)
=B. purpurea= (purplish).* _fl.-heads_ numerous, pedunculate,
corymbose, circular, 3in. across, surrounded by an involucre of
spreading or reflexed linear oblong bracts. _l._, lower ones 15in.
to 18in. long, 2in. to 2-1/2in. wide, dark green, viscid above,
paler and cottony beneath. _h._ 3ft. South Africa. A very handsome,
hardy, herbaceous perennial. (G. C. 1872, p. 1261.) SYN. _Stobæa
purpurea_.
=B. uniflora= (one-flowered). _fl.-heads_ yellow; scales of
involucre spiny toothed. June. _l._ alternate, lanceolate,
three-nerved, spiny toothed, downy beneath. _h._ 3ft. Cape of Good
Hope, 1815. Greenhouse evergreen. (B. M. 2094.)
=BERMUDA CEDAR.= _See_ =Juniperus bermudiana=.
=BERRY.= A fleshy fruit, containing seeds.
=BERTHOLLETIA= (in honour of Louis Claude Berthollet, a celebrated
French chemist). Brazil Nut Tree. TRIBE Lecythideæ of ORD. _Myrtaceæ_.
_B. excelsa_ is a tall tree, having the young branches leafy at the
apex. Leaves alternate, oblong, quite entire, rather coriaceous. From
this Brazilian species are obtained the well-known Brazil or Para Nuts
of commerce. The tree is of no value for decorative purposes.
=BERTOLONIA= (named after A. Bertoloni, an Italian botanist, author of
"Rariorum Italiæ Plantarum Decades," &c.). ORD. _Melastomaceæ_. Elegant
little creeping or dwarf-growing stove plants, chiefly cultivated
for their exquisitely marked leaves. Flowers white or purple. Leaves
stalked, ovate-cordate, five to eleven-nerved, crenulated; cymes
corymbose, terminal. They thrive in a compost of equal parts peat,
leaf mould, and sand, in a warm, close, and moist atmosphere, but are
most successfully cultivated under a bell glass in the stove; in fact,
the latter is the only plan of growing them where a constantly humid
atmosphere cannot be otherwise obtained without such means. They are
easily propagated by cuttings or seeds.
=B. ænea= (coppery). _fl._ purple. _h._ 6in. Brazil.
=B. guttata= (spotted). _See_ =Gravesia=.
=B. maculata= (spotted).* _fl._ violet-purple; peduncles axillary,
bearing at the apex a short raceme of six to seven flowers. _l._
on long petioles, cordate, ovate, quite entire, pilose on both
surfaces and on the margins, five-nerved. Branches, petioles,
peduncles, and calyces hispid from long bristles. Stem rooting at
the base. Brazil, 1850. (B. M. 4551.)
=B. marmorata= (marbled).* _l._ 5in. to 8in. long, ovate-oblong,
hairy, five-nerved; upper side vivid bright green, beautifully
marked with irregular streaks of pure white; under surface of a
uniform rich purple. Stem fleshy. _h._ 6in. Brazil, 1858.
=B. pubescens= (downy).* _l._ ovate-acuminate, 3in. to 4in.
long, and 2in. to 3in. broad; bright light green, with a broad
chocolate-coloured band down the centre; upper surface clothed with
long white hairs. Ecuador.
=BERZELIA= (named in honour of Berzelius, a celebrated Swedish
chemist). ORD. _Bruniaceæ_. Very pretty little greenhouse evergreen
shrubs. Heads of flowers naked, with three bracts at the base of each;
usually crowded at the tops of the branches. Leaves short, somewhat
trigonal, imbricate or spreading. They require a mixture of peat, loam,
and sand, with thorough drainage and moderately firm potting. Young
cuttings root freely in sand, under a bell glass, in gentle heat.
=B. abrotanoides= (Abrotanum-like). _fl.-heads_ white, the size of
a filbert, terminal, crowded, sub-corymbose; bracts clavate, green,
smooth, ustulate at the apex. May to July. _l._ ovate, ustulate at
the apex, smooth, spreading, on short petioles. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape
of Good Hope, 1787. (L. B. C. 355.)
=B. lanuginosa= (woolly).* _fl.-heads_ white, about the size of
a pea, at the tops of lateral branches, disposed in a fastigiate
panicle; bracts spathulate, callose at the apex. June to August.
_l._ triquetrous, spreading, callose at the apex, rather hairy.
Branches erect, villous when young. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Cape of Good
Hope, 1774. (L. B. C. 572.)
=BESCHORNERIA= (in honour of H. Beschorner, a German botanist).
ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. Greenhouse evergreen succulents, allied to
_Littæa_ and _Fourcroya_. Perianth deeply six-parted; segments linear
spathulate, tubulose-connivent, often spreading at the point; stamens
six, about as long as the perianth. For culture, &c., _see_ =Agave= and
=Aloe=.
=B. bracteata= (bracteate). _fl._ at first green, turning
yellowish-red when mature; panicle 2ft. to 3ft. long; branches
many-flowered and corymbose, subtended by large scariose reddish
bracts. _l._ in a dense rosette, 12in. to 18in. long, thin,
glaucous green with scabrous margin. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. Mexico. See
Fig. 247. (B. M. 6641.)
=B. Decosteriana= (Decoster's). _fl._ green, tinged with red,
pendulous, bracteate; panicle 2ft. to 3ft. long, inclined, with
numerous bracts. _l._ numerous, spreading, 18in. to 24in. long, by
1in. to 1-1/2in. broad; edges minutely serrulate. _h._ 8ft. Mexico,
about 1880.
=B. Tonelii= (Tonel's).* _fl._ tubular, 2-1/2in. long, drooping,
pedicellate, dark blood-red below and down the centre, the rest
very bright verdigris green; panicle 2ft. long, slender, inclined;
bracts several to each fascicle of flowers; scape 4ft. high,
red-purple. _l._ few, spreading, 15in. to 20in. long, by 2-1/2in.
broad, acuminate and keeled beneath towards the top, minutely
serrulate. Mexico, 1872. (B. M. 6091.)
[Illustration: FIG. 247. BESCHORNERIA BRACTEATA.]
=B. tubiflora= (tube-flowered). _fl._ greenish-purple, nutant,
fascicled, bracteate; fascicles remote, secund; scapes erect, long,
simple. May. _l._ radical, linear, channelled, recurved, spinosely
denticulate. _h._ 6ft. Mexico, 1845. (B. M. 4642.)
=B. yuccoides= (Yucca-like). _fl._ bright green, pendent, racemose,
with rich rosy-red bracts; scapes slender, coral-red, simple.
May and June. _l._ radical, thickish, lanceolate, acute, 1ft. to
1-1/2ft. long. _h._ 4ft. Mexico.
=BESLERIA= (named in honour of Basil Besler, an apothecary at
Nuremberg). SYN. _Eriphia_. ORD. _Gesneraceæ_. Very pretty stove
sub-shrubs, usually erect, branched. Peduncles axillary, few-flowered.
Leaves opposite, petiolate, thickish; nerves and veins very prominent
beneath. Stems sub-tetragonal. A light rich earth, or a mixture of
sand, loam, and peat, and a moist atmosphere, are necessary for
successful cultivation. Beslerias may be increased by cuttings, which
root readily in heat.
=B. coccinea= (scarlet-berried).* _fl._ yellow; peduncles axillary
bearing three to six flowers in an umbel at top; bracts two, at
the division of the common peduncle, orbicularly cordate, toothed,
scarlet. _l._ ovate, glabrous, stiff, a little toothed. Guiana,
1819. Climbing shrub. (A. G. 255.)
=B. cristata= (crested). _fl._, corolla yellowish, hairy outside;
peduncles axillary, solitary, one-flowered; bracts cordate,
toothed, sessile, scarlet. June. _l._ ovate, serrated. Guiana,
1739. Climbing shrub.
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ large, campanulate,
spotted with red; peduncles axillary, elongated, many-flowered.
_l._ ovate-oblong, acuminated, crenated, densely pilose above,
villous beneath, as well as on the branches. _h._ 3ft. Brazil.
=B. Imrayi= (Imray's). _fl._ rather small, yellow, in axillary
whorls. _l._ large, lanceolate, serrate, glabrous. Stems
quadrangular. Dominica, 1862. Herbaceous perennial. (B. M. 6341.)
=B. incarnata= (flesh-coloured-berried).* _fl._, corollas purplish;
tube very long, ventricose; lobes of limb reflexed, roundish,
unequal, fringed; peduncles axillary, solitary, one-flowered. _l._
oblong, crenated, tomentose on both surfaces. _h._ 2ft. Guiana,
1820. Herbaceous perennial.
=B. violacea= (purple-berried). _fl._ purple, small; corolla with
a curved tube and spreading limb; peduncles racemosely panicled,
terminal. Berry purple, edible. _l._ ovate, acute, quite entire,
stiff. Guiana, 1824. Climbing shrub. (A. G. 254.)
=BESOM=, or =BROOM=. Birch-brooms are best for garden purposes, and
are generally used. The most suitable for paved yards are those made
of the common Ling (_Calluna vulgaris_). Those made of bass fibres are
frequently used on paths, for which they are very suitable, but their
expensiveness prevents them being generally employed. Whatever material
is used in its composition, a Besom will last much longer if soaked in
water for some time before using.
=BESSERA= (in honour of Dr. Besser, Professor of Botany at Brody). ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. An elegant little half-hardy, Squill-like, bulbous plant,
from Mexico. Perianth bell-shaped, six-parted. Leaves narrow, linear.
It requires a compost of loam, leaf soil, peat, and sand, with good
drainage. If cultivated in pots, a plentiful supply of water must be
given from the commencement of growth until ripening off. When at rest,
however, it should be kept dry and cool, but secure from the effects of
frost. If planted out, a well-drained sunny position must be chosen,
such as close to the wall of a greenhouse with a southern aspect.
Propagation may be effected by offsets.
=B. elegans= (elegant).* _fl._ scarlet, or scarlet and white. July
to September. _l._ 1ft. to 2ft. long, narrow, furrowed on the upper
side. _h._ 2ft. Mexico, 1850. This is the only species. The colour
of the flowers varies considerably, on which account other names
have originated. (B. R. 25, 34.)
=BETA= (from _bett_, the Celtic word for red; in reference to the
colour of the Beet). Beetroot. ORD. _Chenopodiaceæ_. Perianth single,
half-inferior, five-cleft, persistent. Seed one, reniform, imbedded
in the fleshy base of the calyx. _B. Cicla_ is largely used as a
decorative plant in sub-tropical and other styles of gardening. They
require the same culture as the ordinary Beet. The other sorts, with
dark blood-red leaves, are largely employed in flower gardens, and the
roots utilised for culinary purposes. _See also_ =Beet=.
[Illustration: FIG. 248. BETA HORTENSIS METALLICA, or VICTORIA BEET.]
=B. Cicla= (Sicilian). _fl._ greenish, disposed in threes.
August. _l._ with very thick ribs. Roots scarcely any. _h._ 6ft.
Portugal, 1570. The variety, _B. c. variegata_, usually known
as the Chilian Beet, is a very handsome plant, having its leaves
often more than a yard in length and over 1ft. in diameter, with
a remarkably handsome variegation. The midribs are usually dark
orange or scarlet. It is a most desirable and effective plant for
sub-tropical gardening.
=B. hortensis metallica= (metallic). Victoria Beet. An ornamental
variety with glistening deep blood-red leaves. Useful for
decorative purposes in summer, either as a single specimen or in a
mass. Roots may also be used for cooking. See Fig. 248.
=B. maritima= (sea). _fl._ greenish, disposed in hairs. August.
_l._, lower ones rhomboid-ovoid, acute; upper ones lanceolate. Stem
diffuse. Root scarcely any. _h._ 1ft. Britain.
=B. vulgaris= (common). The Common Beetroot. _fl._ greenish,
clustered. August. _l._, lower ones ovate. Root fleshy. _h._ 4ft.
South Europe, 1548.
=BETCKEA.= _See_ =Plectritis=.
=BETEL=, or =BETLE=. _See_ =Piper Betle=.
=BETONICA.= This genus now forms a sub-division of _Stachys_ (which
_see_). Betony (_Stachys Betonica_) is a native herb formerly much used
in medicine, but now almost entirely discarded.
=BETONY.= _See_ =Stachys Betonica=.
=BETULA.= (according to some authorities, from _Betu_, its Celtic name;
others give the derivation of the word as from _batuo_, to beat, the
fasces of the Roman lictors, which were made of Birch rods, being used
to drive back the people). Birch. ORD. _Cupuliferæ_. TRIBE _Betuleæ_.
Ornamental, hardy (except where otherwise specified), deciduous trees
or shrubs, allied to _Alnus_, having round, slender, often drooping
branches, and the bark in most species in thin membranous layers.
The flowers appear at the same time as the leaves. Male catkins
cylindrical, lax, imbricated all round with ternate concave scales,
the middle one largest, ovate; corolla none; filaments ten to twelve,
shorter than the middle scale, to which they are attached. Female
catkins similar, but more dense; scales horizontal, peltate, dilated
outwards, three-lobed, three-flowered; corolla none. Nut oblong,
deciduous, winged at each side. The Betulas are easily cultivated in
any ordinary soil; but a light sandy loam suits them best. Most of the
species are best increased by seeds, which ripen in September, and need
to be dried, in order to prevent fermentation. They should be sown in
March, in a sandy soil, the surface of which has been previously made
perfectly level. They must be spread on the surface, and not covered
with soil, but pressed down with the feet. When grown in quantities,
beds 4ft. in width are preferred, with an alley of 1ft. between them.
In early summer, if the weather be warm and dry, the beds should be
shaded with branches. The young seedlings must be transplanted when
a year old. The dwarfer kinds may be propagated by layering in the
autumn. The numerous beautiful varieties are best increased by grafting
or budding upon seedling stocks of the common kinds, the former being
done in spring, and the latter in summer when the buds are ready.
Those most useful as forest trees and for protection are quick-growing
and very ornamental. The time of maturity of the Birch depends very
much upon the soil and situation, but it seldom increases in size
after it is thirty years old. The common species (_B. alba_) is one of
the hardiest and most useful trees in cultivation, growing quickly,
and withstanding exposure better than many others; consequently it
is invaluable for skirting and nursing more tender subjects, and is
especially desirable for clothing mountainous and exposed districts.
It is also very beautiful and picturesque. It is the commonest tree
throughout Russia, from the Baltic to the Eastern Sea, frequently
monopolising gigantic forests. In Italy, it forms excellent forests up
to 6000ft. altitude, and in our own Highlands of Scotland it occurs up
to a height of 2500ft. In Greenland, although much reduced in size, it
holds its own as the only arboreal vegetation.
[Illustration: FIG. 249. LEAVES AND CATKIN OF BETULA ALBA.]
=B. alba= (white).* Silver, White, or Common Birch. _fl._ whitish.
February and March. _fr._ brown, ripe in September and October.
_l._ ovate, acute, somewhat deltoid, unequally serrated; autumnal
tints rich yellow, scarlet, or red. A diminutive shrub in the
extreme north, but a tree from 50ft. to 60ft. high in the middle
regions. Britain. A most beautiful and invaluable forest tree, with
a large number of varieties. See Fig. 249.
=B. a. alba-purpurea= (white and purple).* _l._ rich purple above,
with a lustrous metallic hue, pale beneath. Branches with a
sub-pendulous disposition. A very effective variety.
=B. a. dalecarlica= (Dalecarlian).* _l._ deeply pinnatifid, with
the lobes toothed.
=B. a. foliis-variegatis= (variegated-leaved).* _l._ blotched with
yellowish white.
=B. a. laciniata pendula= (pendulous and laciniate).* _l._ rather
larger than the typical form, deeply laciniated, deep green, and
decidedly pendulous. It appears there are two forms of this, but
that known as Young's variety is the best.
=B. a. macrocarpa= (large-fruited).* Female catkins twice as long
as those of the type.
=B. a. pendula= (pendulous).* A well-known tree, distinct from the
species in having the shoots more slender, smoother, and pendulous.
=B. a. pontica= (pontic). _l._ somewhat larger than in the species,
and the plant of more robust growth. (W. D. B. 2, 94.)
=B. a. pubescens= (downy). _l._ covered with hairs.
=B. a. urticifolia= (nettle-leaved).* _l._ deeply laciniated,
serrated, and hairy. Several others, reputed as distinct, are mere
forms of the typical _B. alba_.
=B. Bhojpattra= (Bhojpattra).* _fl._, female catkins erect,
cylindrical, oblong; bracts smooth, woody, two-parted, blunt,
much longer than the fruit, which has narrow wings. May. _l._
oblong-acute, with nearly simple serratures, somewhat cordate at
the base; their stalks, veins, and twigs hairy; the bark is of a
pale cinnamon colour. _h._ 50ft. Himalayas, 1840. This requires a
sheltered position.
=B. carpinifolia= (Hornbeam-leaved). Synonymous with _B. lenta_.
=B. daurica= (Daurian).* _fl._, catkins whitish-brown, larger than
those of the common Birch. February and March. _l._ ovate, narrow
at the base, quite entire, unequally dentate, glabrous; scales of
the strobiles ciliated on their margins; side lobes roundish. _h._
30ft. to 40ft. Siberia, 1786. The variety _parvifolia_ has smaller
leaves than the type.
=B. excelsa= (tall). Synonymous with _B. lutea_.
=B. fruticosa= (shrubby).* _fl._ whitish-brown; female catkins
oblong. February and March. _l._ roundish-ovate, nearly equally
serrated, glabrous. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. in moist situations, but much
higher on mountains. Eastern Siberia, 1818. (W. D. B. 2, 154.)
=B. glandulosa= (glandular).* _fl._ whitish; female catkins oblong.
May. _l._ obovate, serrate, quite entire at the base, glabrous,
almost sessile; branches beset with glandular dots, glabrous. _h._
2ft. Canada, 1816. A handsome little shrub. (F. D. 2583.)
=B. lenta= (pliant). _fl._ greenish-white. May to June. _l._
cordate, ovate, acutely serrated, acuminate; petioles and nerves
hairy beneath; scales of the strobiles smooth, having the side
lobes obtuse, equal, with prominent veins. _h._ 60ft. to 70ft.
Canada to Georgia, 1759. SYN. _B. carpinifolia_. (W. D. B. 2, 144.)
=B. lutea= (yellow).* _fl._ greenish-white. May. _l._ 3-1/2in.
long, and 2-1/2in. broad, ovate, acute, serrated; petioles
pubescent, shorter than the peduncles; young shoots and leaves, at
their unfolding, downy, but ultimately quite glabrous, except the
petiole, which remains covered with fine short hairs; scales of the
strobiles having the side lobes roundish. _h._ 70ft. to 80ft. Nova
Scotia, 1767. SYN. _B. excelsa_.
=B. nana= (dwarf).* _fl._ whitish-green; catkins erect, stalked,
cylindrical, obtuse; the barren ones lateral, and the fertile
ones terminal; scales of the latter three-lobed, three-flowered,
permanent. April and May. _l._ orbicular, crenate, reticulated with
veins beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Scotland, Lapland, Sweden, Russia,
&c. A shrub with numerous branches, slightly downy when young, and
beset with numerous little, round, firm, smooth, sharply crenated
leaves, beautifully reticulated with veins, especially beneath; and
furnished with short footstalks, having a pair of brown lanceolate
stipules at their base. There is also a pretty variety named
_pendula_, with drooping branches.
=B. nigra= (black).* The Black Birch. _fl._ greenish-white; female
catkins straight, and nearly cylindrical, about 2in. long. May.
_l._ rhomboid-ovate, doubly serrated, acute, pubescent beneath,
entire at the base; scales of the strobiles villose; segments
linear, equal. _h._ 60ft. to 70ft. New Jersey to Carolina, 1736.
SYN. _B. rubra_. (W. D. B. 2, 153.)
=B. papyracea= (papery).* _fl._ greenish-white; female catkins on
long footstalks, drooping; scales having the side lobes short,
somewhat orbiculate. May to June. _l._ ovate, acuminate, doubly
serrate; veins hairy beneath; petiole glabrous; the branches are
much less flexible than those of the common Birch, and are more
ascending. _h._ 60ft. to 70ft. North America, 1750. (W. D. B. 2,
152.)
=B. p. fusca= (brown). _l._ smaller than those of the type, and
less downy.
=B. p. platyphylla= (broad-leaved).* _l._ very broad.
=B. p. trichoclada= (hairy-branched).* _l._ cordate. Branches
extremely hairy, and twigs in threes.
=B. populifolia= (Poplar-leaved).* _fl._ greenish-white. April,
May. _l._ deltoid, much acuminated, unequally serrated, quite
smooth; scales of the strobiles having roundish side lobes;
petioles glabrous. _h._ 30ft. Canada, 1750. This species, although
very closely resembling _B. alba_, grows with less vigour, and does
not attain so large a size. (W. D. B. 2, 151.)
=B. p. laciniata= (laciniated).* _l._ large, shining, and deeply
cut.
=B. p. pendula= (pendulous).* Spray drooping, like that of _B. alba
pendula_.
=B. pumila= (dwarf).* _fl._ whitish; female catkins cylindrical.
May and June. _l._ roundish ovate, on long footstalks, densely
clothed with hairs on the under surface. Branches pubescent,
dotless. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Canada, 1762. A very beautiful kind,
suitable for furnishing large rockeries, or planting on hill sides,
or rocky ground. (W. D. B. 2, 97.)
=B. rubra= (red).* Synonymous with _B. nigra_.
=BETULEÃ.= A tribe of deciduous shrubs or trees. Perianth none, or
bract-like; flowers monÅcious, in catkins, in twos or threes. Fruit,
a dry, compressed, lenticular, often winged, indehiscent nut. Leaves
alternate, simple, stipulated. The genera are _Alnus_ and _Betula_.
=BI.= In compound words, this signifies twice.
=BIANCEA SCANDENS.= _See_ =Cæsalpinia sepiaria=.
=BIARUM= (an ancient name of a plant). ORD. _Aroideæ_. A genus of
small, hardy, tuberous-rooted perennials, much more curious than
pretty, allied to _Sauromatum_. This genus, according to Dr. Masters,
differs from _Arum_ in its spathe being tubular at the base, with the
limb spreading. The female flowers have a distinct style, and the
fruit contains only one ovule. They will thrive in any light, rich,
well-drained soil, and may otherwise be treated similar to the hardy
_Arums_. There are several other species besides those named, but they
are not yet in general cultivation.
=B. constrictum= (constricted). A synonym of _B. tenuifolium_.
=B. gramineum= (grassy). A synonym of _B. tenuifolium_.
=B. tenuifolium= (slender-leaved).* _fl._, spathe dark
brown-purple, reflexed in the upper part; spadix very long,
subuliform. June. _l._ linear-lanceolate. _h._ 6in. South Europe,
1570. SYNS. _B. gramineum_ and _B. constrictum_. (B. R. 512, under
name of _Arum tenuifolium_.)
=BIAURICULATE.= Having two auricles.
=BIBRACTEATE.= Furnished with two bracts.
=BIBRACTEOLATE.= Furnished with two secondary bracts.
=BICARINATE.= Two-keeled.
=BICOLOR.= Two-coloured.
=BICONJUGATE.= Having two secondary petioles, each with a pair of
leaflets.
=BICORNUTE.= With two horn-like processes.
=BIDENS= (from _bis_, twice, and _dens_ a tooth; in reference to
the seed). Bur Marigold. ORD. _Compositæ_. A rather large genus of
mostly hardy annual and perennial herbs, distinguished by the pericarp
having from two to four rigid awns, which are rough with minute
deflexed points. Involucre erect, of several oblong, nearly equal,
parallel scales. Most of the species of this genus are of no merit as
garden plants. Two are natives of Britain, viz., _B. cernua_ and _B.
tripartita_. They thrive in any ordinary garden soil. Propagated by
divisions of the plant; or by seeds.
=B. atro-sanguinea= (dark-bloody). _fl.-heads_ black-crimson, very
freely produced. Late summer and autumn. Leaves pinnate. Root
tuberous. _h._ 3ft. Mexico. (B. M. 5227.)
=B. ferulæfolia= (Ferula-leaved). _fl.-heads_ yellow. Autumn. _l._
bipinnatifid. _h._ 2ft. Mexico, 1799. SYN. _Coreopsis ferulæfolia_.
(B. M. 2059.)
=B. procera= (tall). _fl.-heads_ yellow, large. _l._ finely
divided, deep green. A handsome perennial. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft.
Mexico, 1820. (B. R. 684.)
=B. striata= (striped). _fl.-heads_ rather large, in a panicled
leafy corymb; ray florets white; disk yellow. _l._ ternately
pinnated, glabrous. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Autumn. Mexico. (B. M. 3155.)
=BIDENTATE.= With two teeth.
=BIEBERSTEINIA= (named after Frederic Marschall Bieberstein, a Russian
naturalist, author of "Flora Taurico-Caucasica," and other works). ORD.
_Rutaceæ_. A genus of half-hardy herbaceous perennials. They thrive in
a compost of loam, peat, and sand. Propagated by cuttings, placed under
a hand glass in early summer; or by seeds, sown in a slight hotbed in
March or April.
=B. odora= (sweet). _fl._ yellow; racemes terminal, simple; petals
entire. May. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets roundish, deeply
toothed. Plant beset with glandular hairs. _h._ 1ft. Altaia, 1837.
=BIENNIAL.= A term applied to plants occupying two years in the
development from seed to the maturation of seed: growing one year,
flowering, fruiting, and dying the next. Seeds of Hardy Biennials are,
as a rule, sown from June to August, to flower the succeeding season.
Tender varieties are sown in a frame or cool house, and kept there all
winter, being transferred from the frames or houses to the open border,
in June. Wallflowers, Foxgloves, Canterbury Bells, and Sweet Williams,
may be taken as fair types of Biennials, although they often assume
more than a Biennial character on light sandy soils.
=BIFARIOUS.= Two-ranked; arranged in two opposite rows.
=BIFID.= Divided about half-way down into two parts; two-cleft.
=BIFOLIATE.= Compound leaves with two leaflets.
=BIFRENARIA= (from _bis_, twice, and _frænum_, a strap; in reference
to a double strap or band, by means of which the pollen masses are
connected with their gland). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A genus of pretty stove
orchids, allied to _Maxillaria_, and distinguished from it by having
two fræna or caudicles to their pollen masses. For culture, _see_
=Maxillaria=.
=B. aurantiaca= (orange-coloured).* _fl._ orange; lateral lobes of
lip semi-cordate, middle one transverse, sub-undulated, callous at
the base; raceme erect. October. _l._ oblong, plicate. Pseudo-bulb
roundish, compressed, two-leaved. _h._ 9in. Demerara, 1834. (B. R.
1875.)
=B. aureo-fulva= (orange-tawny). _fl._ orange, on long pedicels;
lip unguiculate, three-lobed; scape radical, many-flowered.
October. _l._ oblong-lanceolate. Pseudo-bulb roundish-ovate,
wrinkled, one-leaved. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1840.
=B. Hadwenii= (Hadwen's). _fl._ each nearly 4in. across; petals and
sepals 1/2in. broad, yellow green, beautifully blotched or mottled
with a rich brown; lip large, above 1in. broad, white, with striped
spots of rose. June. _l._ long, 1/4in. broad. _h._ 1-1/2in. Brazil,
1851. SYN. _Scuticaria Hadwenii_. (B. M. 4629.)
=B. H. bella= (charming).* A new variety with sepals and petals
whitish yellow outside, brilliant shining cinnamon inside, with a
few spots, bars, and blotches of whitish sulphur colour; lip wide,
white, with one light brown spot behind, and a larger one in front
of the callus; radiating light brown lines on lateral lobes, and
mauve ones on anterior lobe.
=B. H. pardalina= (leopard-marked).* A very beautiful variety,
having sepals and petals with brown circles or polygonal figures
on a light yellow ground; lip light ochre-coloured at its basilar
part, white in front, with radiating mauve-purple streaks. This
variety is extremely rare.
=B. vitellina= (yolk-coloured).* _fl._ yellowish purple; lip
cuneate, three-lobed; lateral lobes acute, crenulated; racemes
drooping. July. _l._ lanceolate. Pseudo-bulb ovate, bluntly
angular, one-leaved. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1838.
=BIFURCATE.= Twice-forked.
=BIGELOVIA= (named after Dr. Jacob Bigelow, author of "Florula
Bostoniensis," &c.). ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of hardy shrubs,
sub-shrubs, or herbaceous plants, as now understood, comprising
several subjects formerly referred to _Chrysothamnus_, _Linosyris_,
&c. Flower-heads disposed in corymbs; involucre imbricated, oblong, or
campanulate; receptacle flat. Leaves alternate, linear or lanceolate.
They thrive in any ordinary garden soil. Propagated by cuttings.
=B. Howardii= (Howard's). _fl.-heads_ yellow; involucre narrow. A
low shrub. SYN. _Linosyris Howardii_.
=B. nudata= (naked). _fl.-heads_ yellow. September. _l._ scattered,
oblanceolate or linear. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. New Jersey. Perennial.
=B. paniculata= (panicled). _fl.-heads_ yellow, barely 1/2in. long,
loosely panicled, five-flowered. California. Shrubby.
=BIGEMINATE.= Doubly paired.
=BIGLANDULARIA.= _See_ =Sinningia=.
[Illustration: FIG. 250. BRANCH AND FLOWERS OF BIGNONIA MAGNIFICA.]
=BIGNONIA= (so named by Tournefort, in compliment to the Abbé Bignon,
librarian to Louis IV.). ORD. _Bignoniaceæ_. A large genus of usually
scandent shrubs, furnished with tendrils; rarely erect trees or shrubs.
Flowers axillary and terminal, usually panicled; corolla with a short
tube, a campanulate throat, and a five-lobed, bilabiate limb. Leaves
opposite, simple, conjugate, ternate, digitate or pinnatifid. These
handsome plants are particularly suited for large houses, where, if
well grown, they give great satisfaction. The primary point in their
culture is to obtain free and, at the same time, sturdy growth, giving
due attention to training, pruning, &c., or the plants soon exceed all
limits. Like all free-growing plants, Bignonias thrive best planted
out in the borders of the stove or greenhouse, or out of doors, as
the case may be; but the space allowed should be limited, in order to
restrict root production. They may either be trained to cover the back
wall, or be planted in a border in front, and trained up the rafters,
or on wires, arranged where most desirable. In summer, allow all the
strongest shoots to grow, training them so as to have as much sunlight
as possible-Âwhich is absolutely necessary to well ripen the wood, and
make it capable of producing flowersÂ-without entirely shutting it out
from the plants below. Soil: A compost of two part fibrous loam, one
part peat, one of leaf mould, and a due proportion of sand, will be
found most satisfactory. The loam and peat should be used in a rough
state, unsifted, as this will keep the border open for some years,
and thorough drainage should be effected. Propagation: Seed being
rarely procurable, the most satisfactory method of propagation is by
cuttings, made of good strong shoots, in early spring. Three joints
are sufficient to make a cutting, if short-jointed; if long-jointed,
two are sufficient. Place them in a well-drained pot of sandy soil,
under a bell glass, in bottom heat. As these cuttings are young and
fleshy, they are liable to damp off; hence it is necessary, for the
first two or three weeks, to wipe the moisture from the glasses every
morning, and water sparingly. If well managed, they will root in about
two months, and should then have the glasses left off every night for
a week; they should then be transferred to small pots in the compost
above described, passing it through a coarse sieve, to extract the
stones and rough pieces of soil. After potting, the plants should be
kept close for a short time, till they are able to bear full exposure
to the light. In a year's time, they will be large enough to plant
out in their permanent quarters. Bignonias may also be increased by
layering.
=B. æquinoxialis= (equinoxial). _fl._ yellow; peduncles
two-flowered, terminal ones racemose. June to October. _l._
glabrous, conjugate; leaflets oblong-lanceolate. Tendrils simple,
axillary. Cayenne, 1768.
=B. æ. Chamberlaynii= (Chamberlayn's).* _fl._, corolla yellow,
funnel-shaped; segments obtuse; racemes axillary, six to
eight-flowered. April to October, _l._, leaflets ovate, acuminated,
glabrous, shining above. Tendrils strong, simple. Brazil, 1820. (B.
R. 741.)
=B. æsculifolia= (Chestnut-leaved). A synonym of _Tabebiua
æsculifolia_.
=B. apurensis= (Apuran). _fl._ pedicellate, 2in. long; corolla
yellow, funnel-shaped, with roundish, spreading, nearly equal
lobes; spikes terminal, sessile. _l._ ternate; leaflets
elliptic-oblong, short-acuminated, acutish at the base. Shady banks
of the river Apures, near El Diamante, 1824.
=B. argyreo-violascens= (silvery-violet). _l._ white-veined, in a
young state violet. South America, 1865. (F. M. 1865, 26.)
=B. aurantiaca= (orange). _fl._ orange-coloured. South America,
1874.
=B. capreolata= (tendrilled).* _fl._, corolla orange; peduncles
axillary, one-flowered, crowded. April to August. _l._ conjugate;
leaflets cordate oblong; lower ones simple. Tendrils small, trifid.
North America, 1710. Hardy in south of England. (B. M. 864.)
=B. c. atro-sanguinea= (dark blood-red). _fl._ red-purple. Summer.
United States. (B. M. 6501.)
=B. Cherere= (Chirere).* _fl._, corollas orange, 2in. long; cymes
axillary. June to November. _l._, lower ones ternate, upper
ones conjugate, cirrhose; leaflets ovate, acuminated, sometimes
sub-cordate, glabrous. Guiana (in woods and on the banks of
rivers), 1824. (B. R. 1301.)
=B. Chica= (Chica). _fl._, corolla funnel-shaped, violaceous; limb
with nearly equal, rounded segments; panicles axillary, pendulous.
_l._ 8in. to 10in. long, abruptly bipinnate; leaflets conjugate,
elliptic-ovate, acuminated, deeply cordate, glabrous. Tendrils
simple. Banks of the Orinoco, 1819.
=B. chrysantha= (yellow-flowered). _fl._ terminal, crowded; corolla
yellow, 2in. long. May. _l._, leaflets five, ovate, acuminated,
tomentose, on pedicels 5in. long. _h._ 12ft. to 26ft. Caraccas,
1823. Tree.
=B. chrysoleuca= (yellowish-white). _fl._, corolla yellow,
with a white limb, glabrous, 1-1/2in. long; peduncles three to
five-flowered. June, July. _l._ conjugate; leaflets 5in. to 6in.
long, 2in. broad, oblong acuminated, glabrous, rounded at the base,
shining. Tendrils undivided. Banks of the River Magdalena, 1824.
=B. Clematis= (Clematis-like).* _fl._, corolla white, yellowish
inside; lobes nearly equal, roundish, red; panicles axillary,
downy. _l._ 7in. to 8in. long, conjugately pinnate, with an odd
one; leaflets 2in. long, 1in. broad, ovate, narrowed at top, acute,
cordate at the base, glabrous. Branches quadrangular, glabrous.
Caraccas, 1820.
=B. diversifolia= (diverse-leaved). _fl._, corolla yellow,
campanulately funnel-shaped; panicles terminal. _l._ conjugate and
simple; leaflets roundish-ovate, acuminated, sub-cordate, glabrous,
shining. Tendrils undivided. Branches quadrangular, striated.
Mexico, 1825.
=B. floribunda= (many-flowered).* _fl._, corolla purplish,
funnel-shaped, eight lines long; panicles axillary, powdery, with
opposite branches and dichotomous branchlets. _l._ conjugate;
leaflets 2-1/2in. long, oblong-elliptic, acuminated, acute at the
base, glabrous, shining. Tendrils undivided. Branches beset with
white warts and fine powder. Mexico, 1824.
=B. lactiflora= (milk-flowered). _fl._, corolla milk white,
1-1/2in. long, villously tomentose on the outside; racemes twin,
with a petiolate bract at the base of each pedicel. April and July.
_l._ conjugate; leaflets 2in. long, cordate, ovate, glabrous.
Branches striated. Tendrils trifid. Santa Cruz, 1823.
=B. leucoxyla= (white-wooded). A synonym of _Tabebiua leucoxyla_.
=B. litoralis= (shore). _fl._, corolla funnel-shaped, red, downy
outside; panicles axillary, dichotomously branched. May to July.
_l._ ternate; leaflets roundish-ovate, acuminated, clothed with
soft hair on both surfaces. Branches terete, glabrous; branchlets
hairy. Mexico, 1824.
=B. magnifica= (magnificent).* _fl._ varying from delicate mauve to
rich purplish-crimson; throat light primrose colour, very large,
3-1/2in. across; panicles large, branching. Summer. _l._ opposite,
on rather long petioles, broadly ovate. Columbia, 1879. A very
handsome species. See Fig. 250, for which we are indebted to Mr.
Bull.
=B. mollis= (soft). _fl._ small, downy; panicle terminal,
many-flowered. _l._ trifoliate; leaflets 5in. long, ovate,
sub-cordate, downy on both surfaces. Cayenne, 1818.
=B. molissima= (very soft). _fl._, corollas somewhat funnel-shaped,
downy inside; panicles axillary, dichotomously branched, downy.
_l._ conjugate and simple; leaflets 2-1/2in. long, 1-1/2in. broad,
ovate, acute, cordate, clothed with soft hairs above. Caraccas,
1820.
=B. pallida= (pale).* _fl._ axillary, usually solitary; corolla
2in. long, funnel-shaped, with a yellow tube, and a pale lilac
limb; lobes crenately ciliated. July. _l._ simple, opposite,
oblong, obtuse, rather cordate at the base. Branches terete. St.
Vincent, 1823. (B. R. 965.)
=B. picta= (painted). A synonym of _B. speciosa_.
=B. radicans= (rooting). _See_ =Tecoma radicans=.
=B. reticulata= (netted). Columbia, 1873.
=B. Roezlii= (Roezl's). Columbia, 1870.
B. SALICIFOLIA (Willow-leaved). _fl._, corolla funnel-shaped,
1-1/2in. long, copper-coloured, with a white limb; peduncles
axillary, three to six-flowered, downy. Summer. _l._ conjugate;
leaflets lanceolate, 3in. long, acute at both ends, quite glabrous,
shining. Branches terete, sulcate. Trinidad, 1824.
=B. speciosa= (beautiful).* _fl._ pink, stained with purple; calyx
spathaceous, split on one side; panicles terminal. May. _l._
pinnate, ternate and verticillate; leaflets oblong-lanceolate,
acuminate, shining, serrate. _h._ 4ft. Uruguay, 1840. A glabrous
evergreen shrub. SYN. _B. picta_. (B. M. 3888.)
=B. spectabilis= (showy). _fl._, corolla 3in. long, rather
coriaceous, glabrous, purple; racemes terminal, short, having the
two lower pedicels three-flowered, and the rest one-flowered. _l._
conjugate; leaflets ovate-oblong, acuminated, obtuse. Santa Cruz,
&c., 1820.
=B. Tweediana= (Tweedie's). _fl._ yellow; corolla glabrous, limb
deeply five-parted, ciliated; segments emarginate; peduncles
one-flowered. Summer. _l._ conjugate; leaflets lanceolate,
acuminate; petioles downy. Buenos Ayres, 1838. (B. R. 26, 45.)
=B. variabilis= (variable).* _fl._, corolla 3in. long, with a
greenish-yellow tube; limb ultimately white; racemes simple,
short, many-flowered, terminal. June to August. _l._, lower ones
biternate; superior ones conjugate; divisions ternate. Branches
tetragonal. Tendrils trifid. Caraccas, 1819.
=B. venusta= (lovely). _fl._, corolla crimson, clavately
funnel-shaped, with a spreading border, villous inside; corymbs
terminal, many-flowered. August to December. _l._, lower ones
ternate; superior ones conjugate; leaflets oblong-ovate, acuminated
oblique at the base. Brazil, 1816. (B. R. 249.)
=BIGNONIACEÃ.= A large order of trees, or twining or climbing shrubby
plants. Flowers usually trumpet-shaped; corolla usually irregular, four
or five-lobed, and with a swollen portion below its mouth; stamens
five, unequal. Fruit, a two-valved, often pod-like capsule. Leaves
usually opposite, compound. The best-known genera are _Bignonia_,
_Catalpa_, _Eccremocarpus_, _Jacaranda_, and _Tecoma_.
=BIJUGATE.= A compound leaf, with two pairs of leaflets.
=BILABIATE.= Having two lips.
=BILBERRY.= _See_ =Vaccinium Myrtillus=.
=BILIMBI TREE.= _See_ =Averrhoa Bilimbi=.
=BILL.= A cutting instrument, curved forward, or hook-shaped toward
the point, and fitted with a handle, like a hatchet. It is used for
pruning, &c. When short, it is called a Hand-bill; when long, a
Hedge-bill, or Hedge-hook.
=BILLARDIERA= (in honour of Jacques Julien Labillardiere, a celebrated
French botanist and traveller). Apple Berry. ORD. _Pittosporaceæ_. Very
desirable greenhouse evergreen climbers. Peduncles solitary from the
apex of the branches, one-flowered, pendulous; calyx of five subulate
sepals; petals five, combined into a tube below, generally yellow;
stamens five. Fruit edible. Leaves alternate. They thrive either in
pots or planted out in a compost of fibrous loam, leaf soil, and
peat, in equal proportions, with thorough drainage. Cuttings, dibbled
in a pot of sandy soil, placed under a bell glass, in gentle heat,
root readily. They may also be raised from seed, which several of the
species produce in abundance.
=B. angustifolia= (narrow-leaved). A synonym of _B. scandens_.
=B. longiflora= (long-flowered).* _fl._ greenish-yellow, often
changing to purple, solitary; pedicels glabrous. Berries blue. May
to August. _l._ lanceolate, entire. Van Diemen's Land, 1810. A
very free-growing and profuse-flowering species. SYN. _B. ovalis_.
See Fig. 251. (B. M. 1507.)
[Illustration: FIG. 251. FRUITING PORTION OF BILLARDIERA LONGIFLORA.]
=B. mutabilis= (changeable). A synonym of _B. scandens_.
=B. ovalis= (oval-leaved). A synonym of _B. longiflora_.
=B. scandens= (climbing).* _fl._ cream-coloured, at length
purplish, solitary; pedicels same length as the flower. June
to September. _l._ lanceolate-linear, entire. Branches, when
young, villous. New Holland, 1795. SYNS. _B. mutabilis_, _B.
angustifolia_. (B. M. 1313.)
=BILLBERGIA= (named after J. G. Billberg, a Swedish botanist). ORD.
_Bromeliaceæ_. A genus of handsome stove plants. Flowers borne on light
panicles; calyx three-parted; corolla of three convolute petals, scaly
at the base; stamens inserted into the base of the perianth. Leaves
harsh, rigid. These require much the same treatment as recommended
for _Ãchmea_. The most suitable soil is a mixture of peat, leaf soil,
and loam in about equal parts, to which is added some sharp sand,
to keep it open and porous. Free and perfect drainage is absolutely
necessary for the successful culture of this class of plants, and a
layer of moss should be placed over the crocks previous to filling
the pots with soil. Although fond of heat, Billbergias will, when in
flower, bear removal to a cooler house than a stove; and, if they are
kept a little dry at the same time, the change will greatly prolong
their blooming period. The stronger growing kinds thrive well in rich,
well-drained loam and leaf mould. Propagation is effected by carefully
taking off the suckers which form at the base, after the plants have
done flowering; but, before doing this, they should be allowed to
attain a good size. The suckers grow quickly when attached to the
parent stem, from which they derive their strength, and feel the check
less when severed; besides which, they become more mature, and are in
better condition for rooting. The best method to adopt is as follows:
Take the sucker in the hand and gently twist it off the stem; next
trim the base by the removal of a few of the lower leaves, and then
insert each sucker separately in a small pot, in sharp soil. A bottom
heat of about 80deg. will greatly facilitate new root-growth; failing
this, they will root freely in the temperature of a stove if placed in
a shaded position for two or three weeks, after which they will bear
increased light and sunshine during the later part of the day. _See
also_ =Ãchmea= and =Androlepis=.
=B. amÅna= (pleasing). _fl._ greenish-white, tipped with blue,
loosely panicled; bracts rose-coloured. July to winter. _l._
ligulate, abruptly acuminate, slightly spiny. _h._ 2ft. Brazil,
1817. (B. R. 344.)
=B. Baraquiniana= (Baraquin's).* _fl._ green; spikes long,
the upper portion pendulous, bearing four or five large,
oblong-lanceolate, bright scarlet bracts at the base of the
flowers; the stem above the bracts is hoary white. Early spring.
_l._ ligulate, tapering to a point, where, as well as at the edges,
they are armed with sharp reddish spines, arched, transversely
variegated with white scurfy bars. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Brazil, 1865. (I.
H. 1864, 421.)
=B. chlorosticta= (green-spotted). Synonymous with _B. Saundersii_.
=B. iridifolia= (Iris-leaved).* _fl._ red and yellow, tipped with
blue, in drooping spikes; rachis and bracts crimson. March. _l._
lanceolate, ensiform, 1-1/2ft., grey beneath. _h._ 1ft. Rio de
Janeiro, 1825. (B. R. 1068.)
=B. Liboniana= (Libon's).* _fl._, outer perianth segments beautiful
coral red, about half as long as the inner ones, which are whitish
at the base, and a splendid purple upwards. Winter. _l._ in a dense
rosette. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1858. (B. M. 5090.)
=B. Lietzei= (Lietz's).* _fl._ in loose terminal racemes, each
subtended by lanceolate pink bracts; sepals rosy pink, half as
long as the greenish corolla. _l._ tufted, ligulate, acute; margin
spiny. Brazil, 1881. A double-flowered variety, with petaloid
stamens, is mentioned by M. Morren, which is interesting in being
the first double-flowered Bromeliad yet recorded. (B. H. 1881, 97.)
=B. marmorata= (marbled).* _fl._ deep blue; calyces green, tipped
with blue; bracts very large, leafy, oblong, bright scarlet;
panicles erect, branched, much longer than the leaves. _l._ broadly
ligulate, sheathing at the base, truncate-mucronate at the apex;
edges very regularly toothed, deep green, freely blotched and
barred with dull reddish-brown. (I. H. 2, 48.)
=B. Moreli= (Morel's).* _fl._, sepals red, densely woolly, less
than half as long as the purplish-violet petals; spike dense,
drooping; bracts large, deep rosy red, much longer than the
solitary sessile flowers. February. _l._ arching, lanceolate,
shining green on both surfaces; marginal spines few and weak, _h._
1ft. Brazil, 1848. An excellent basket plant. SYN. _B. Moreliana_.
(B. H. 1873, 1, 2.)
=B. Moreliana= (Morel's). Synonymous with _B. Moreli_.
[Illustration: FIG. 252. FLOWERS OF BILLBERGIA NUTANS.]
=B. nutans= (nodding). _fl._, sepals reddish; petals
yellowish-green, both with a blue margin; scapes slender, nodding,
with a few large rosy bracts, terminating in a short drooping
spike. Winter. _l._ numerous, long, narrow, ensiform, remotely
spiny. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Brazil, 1868. See Fig. 252. (B. M. 6423.)
=B. pallescens= (pallid). _fl._ greenish-white; ovary deeply
grooved; spike pendulous; bracts lanceolate, of a beautiful
rose-pink. Winter. _l._ dark green, and spotted on the upper
surface, paler beneath, with transverse bars. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
Brazil, 1856. SYNS. _B. pallida_ and _B. Wioti_.
=B. pallida= (pale). Synonymous with _B. pallescens_.
=B. pyramidalis= (pyramidal). _fl._ red, with purple margin, in
erect spikes; bracts lanceolate, rosy. February. _l._ curved,
ligulate-lanceolate, with white bands beneath. _h._ 1ft. Peru,
1822. (B. H. 1873, 16.)
=B. Quesneliana= (Quesnel's).* _fl._ deep purple; bracts
flesh-coloured; upper ones variegated with white. _h._ 6ft. Guiana,
1874. An erect growing species, possessing the same habit as _B.
rosea-marginata_, but having the leaves more acuminate, and deep
green in colour. SYN. _Quesnelia rufa_. (F. d. S. 10, 1026.)
=B. rosea-marginata= (rose-margined).* _fl._, inflorescence a
dense oblong spike of light blue, subtended by large, broad,
deep, rose-coloured bracts, with scarious margins. January. _l._
sheathing at the base, about 2ft. long, channelled, spiny on the
margin, and marked with transverse mealy bands. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
Tropical America, 1880. SYNS. _B. rubro-marginata_ and _Quesnelia
roseo-marginata_.
=B. rubro-marginata= (red-margined). Synonymous with _B.
rosea-marginata_.
=B. Saundersii= (Saunders').* _fl._ about 2in. long, disposed in
a loose pendulous inflorescence; sepals crimson, half the length
of the petals, which are yellow outside and blue within. _l._
tufted, ligulate, rounded at the apex, terminated by a short
mucro, saw-toothed, green above, purple beneath, and spotted white
on both surfaces. Brazil, 1868. SYN. (according to Morren) _B.
chlorosticta_. (F. M. n. s. 106.)
=B. thyrsoidea= (thyrsoid). _fl._ dense, in thyrsoid spikes, almost
without bracts. June. _l._ green, ligulate, shortly acuminate, the
margin toothed. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1850. (B. M. 4756.)
=B. vittata= (striped). _fl._ indigo blue, with crimson calyces and
bracts; racemes nodding. _l._ banded, ligulate, elongate, shining.
_h._ 1-1/2ft. Brazil, 1843. (B. H. 1871, 14, 15.)
=B. Wioti= (Wiot's). Synonymous with _B. pallescens_
=B. zebrina= (zebra-streaked).* _fl._ greenish; scape clothed with
large, pale, salmon-coloured bracts; inflorescence gracefully
curved downwards. Early spring. _l._ sheathing for about half their
length, forming thus a sort of tube, deep green, with zones of
grey, the whole deepening with age. _h._ 1-1/2ft. South America,
1826. SYN. _Helicodea zebrina_. (L. B. C. 1912.)
=BILOBATE.= Two-lobed.
=BINATE.= In pairs.
=BINDING.= The process of securing a graft or bud in its place by means
of Raffia or Bast. The same term is applied to hard clay or other soil
impervious to water, in summer.
=BINDWEED.= _See_ =Convolvulus=.
=BIOPHYTUM= (from _bios_, life, and _phyton_, a plant; the leaves of
one species being sensitive to the touch). TRIBE _Oxalideæ_ of order
_Geraniaceæ_. A genus of pretty and interesting perennials, differing
from _Oxalis_, in which genus it has been included, in the valves of
the capsule being patent and separate to the base. They will thrive in
a mixture of loam and peat. Propagated by seeds, which should be sown
in spring, on a hotbed. Probably the only species in cultivation is the
following:
=B. sensitivum= (sensitive). _fl._ yellow, small. July. _l._,
leaflets oblong, obtuse, mucronate. _h._ 6in. India and China,
1823. The leaves of this plant contract on the slightest touch.
SYN. _Oxalis sensitiva_. (B. R. 31, 68.)
=BIOTA.= _See_ =Thuja=.
=BIOTIA.= _See_ =Aster corymbosus=.
=BIPARTITE.= Divided into two nearly to the base.
=BIPINNATE.= Twice pinnate.
=BIPINNATIFID=, or =BIPINNATIPARTED=. Having both primary and secondary
segments of a leaf divided, but not to the base.
=BIPLICATE.= Having two folds or plaits.
=BIRCH.= _See_ =Betula=.
=BIRD-CHERRY.= _See_ =Cerasus Padus=.
=BIRDLIME.= A preparation made from Mistletoe berries and Holly bark.
It is used for catching birds.
=BIRD-PEPPER.= _See_ =Capsicum baccatum=.
=BIRDS.= As a class, Birds are very much more useful than hurtful in
gardens. Owls are of great use in catching mice, and Night-jars in
catching night-flying insects. Rooks are very useful in lessening the
numbers of wire-worms, and of hurtful insects in general; but, if very
numerous, they may be driven to eat potatoes and other vegetable food,
and may then do harm. The same may be said of Starlings. Blackbirds
and Thrushes feed much on snails and worms, but they also feed on the
ripe fruits in gardens. As a rule, slender-billed birds feed almost
wholly on insects or other animals, and are to be encouraged in gardens
at all seasons. Among these may be enumerated the Tree-creeper,
Wryneck, Warblers, and Wrens of various kinds, Chats, Hedge-sparrow,
Larks, Redstart, Robin, Titmice, and Wagtails. Swifts, Swallows, and
Martins, are also great destroyers of insects. The Finches feed, in
part, on insects, but also eat large quantities of seeds, and often do
considerable damage among plants grown for seed, _e.g._, Cabbages, and
in the seed-beds. Sparrows are about the most troublesome, though they
are often assisted by Buntings, Chaffinches, Linnets, and others. When
seed-beds or fruits have to be protected, this may be done by nets; or,
more simply, by threads tied to sticks a few inches above the surface
of the ground, or in front of the trees.
=BIRD'S-EYE PRIMROSE.= _See_ =Primula farinosa=.
=BIRD'S-FOOT.= _See_ =Ornithopus=.
=BIRD'S-FOOT FERN.= _See_ =Pellæa ornithopus=.
=BIRD'S-NEST FERN.= _See_ =Asplenium Nidus=.
=BIRTHWORT.= _See_ =Aristolochia=.
=BISCUTELLA= (from _bis_, double, and _scutella_, a saucer; in allusion
to the form of the silicles). Buckler Mustard. ORD. _Cruciferæ_.
Perennial or annual herbaceous plants, usually hispid, but sometimes
downy or smoothish. Flowers yellow, scentless; pedicels filiform,
bractless. Leaves oblong, entire, toothed or pinnatifid, somewhat
radical or cauline. Stems round, erect, usually corymbosely branched at
the top by racemes, which, when in flower, are short, but elongated at
the time of fruiting. All the species produce seeds freely. The annuals
should be sown in the open borders. Some of the perennial kinds are
well adapted for ornamenting rockwork, in a dry, sunny situation. Of
the annuals, _columnæ_, _lyrata_, _maritima_, and _obovata_, are best.
Of the perennials, _coronopifolia_, _lævigata_, and _sempervirens_ are
the most desirable, but none are worth cultivation outside botanical
collections.
=BISERIAL=, or =BISERIATE=. Arranged in two parallel rows.
=BISERRATE.= Toothed in a saw-like manner, but with the primary teeth
again serrated.
=BISULCATE.= Doubly furrowed.
=BITERNATE.= Twice ternate.
=BITTER ALMOND.= _See_ =Amygdalus communis amara=.
=BITTER APPLE.= _See_ =Cucumis Colocynthis=.
=BITTER-SWEET.= _See_ =Solanum Dulcamara=.
=BITTER VETCH.= _See_ =Orobus=.
=BITUMINOUS.= Clammy, adhesive.
=BIVONÃA= (named after Antonio Bivona-Bernardi, a Sicilian botanist,
author of "Sicularum Plantarum Centuria I. et II.," Palermo, 1806).
ORD. _Cruciferæ_. A pretty little monotypic genus, well adapted for
ornamenting rockwork or the front of flower borders. A dry sandy soil
is most suitable for its culture. Propagated by seeds, sown in spring
where the plants are intended to remain, thinning-out being necessary
to ensure full growth.
=B. lutea= (yellow).* _fl._ yellow, small; racemes terminal,
elongated as they grow; pedicels filiform, bractless. April.
_l._ alternate, lower ones stalked, the rest sessile, cordate,
stem-clasping at the base, ovate, toothed, bluntish. Stem filiform,
sparingly branched. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Sicily, 1823. An annual.
=BIXA= (its South American name). Arnatto. ORD. _Bixineæ_. Stove
evergreen trees, with dichotomous panicles of large reddish flowers,
broad cordate leaves, and prickly capsules. A compost of loam and peat
is well adapted to their culture. Propagated by seed, sown when ripe in
bottom heat; or by cuttings, which root freely in sand, under a hand
glass, in heat; the latter is the better method. If grown from seed,
the trees attain a large size before they flower; whereas cuttings,
taken from a flowering plant and struck, may be brought to flower when
small plants.
=B. Orellana= (Orellana). _fl._ pale peach-coloured; corymbs
terminal, panicled; peduncles two, three, and four-flowered. May to
August. _l._ cordate, ovate, acuminated, entire or angular, smooth
on both surfaces. The drug called Arnatto is prepared from the
red pulp which covers the seed of this species. It is used in the
preparation of chocolate, and by farmers for colouring cheese, and
also as an orange or yellow dye for silks. _h._ 30ft. West Indian
Islands, 1690. See Fig. 253. (B. M. 1456.)
=BIXINEÃ.= An order of smoothish tropical trees or shrubs, not
remarkable for any particular beauty. Flowers with or without petals,
when present five and sepal-like; stamens indefinite in number,
inserted in the receptacle or at the bottom of the calyx; peduncle
axillary or terminal, bracteate, one or many-flowered, usually forming
terminal panicles. Fruit fleshy or dry. Leaves alternate, simple,
entire, or slightly lobed, generally full of pellucid dots. The genera
best known are _Azara_, _Bixa_, and _Flacourtia_.
[Illustration: FIG. 253. FLOWERING BRANCH OF BIXA ORELLANA.]
=BLACK BEARBERRY.= _See_ =Arctostaphylos alpina=.
=BLACK BEETLES.= _See_ =Cockroaches=.
=BLACK BRYONY.= _See_ =Tamus communis=.
=BLACK BULLACE.= _See_ =Prunus insititia=.
=BLACKBURNIA.= _See_ =Xanthoxylum=.
=BLACK FLY or BEAN FLY= (_Aphis rumicis_), also called Collier and
Black Dolphin. This Fly (see Fig. 254) is found on many herbaceous
plants. It is very injurious to Beans; hence, immediate means of
destruction must be employed directly the insect appears. Its
extermination is an extremely difficult matter; but the following
remedies are very effectual:
_Tobacco Water._ This, made and applied as recommended for Aphides
(which _see_) is a good remedy; but it is rendered more certain by the
employment of soapsuds, instead of clear water, in its manufacture.
[Illustration: FIG. 254. THE BEAN FLY. _a_, Female, magnified; _b_,
Male, natural size, and magnified.]
_Paris Green_ (Arseniate of Copper). Owing to its poisonous nature,
this should not be used where there is fruit on the trees or vegetables
under them; but there is no better destroyer of hard-dying insects.
Its application is very simple. Mix 1lb. of the green with 30gals. of
water, and well wet the infested parts of the trees, using a fine-rosed
watercan or garden engine for the purpose. The operator's hands should
be free from sores and scratches, or dangerous ulcerations may ensue.
_Gas Liquor._ If this can be obtained from a gas-house, it should be
diluted with twice its bulk of water, and applied in the same manner
as Paris Green, being washed off with clean water in a few hours. If
the process be repeated on two or three consecutive nights, it will
be found certain in its effects; moreover, it is not very poisonous.
The finger or thumb, or the Aphis brush, applied early, will often
exterminate these obnoxious insects at once. The first of the methods
above described is perhaps the most accessible and the safest to
use. Poisonous insecticides are more or less dangerous, especially
in the hands of the inexperienced. Black Fly is, however, one of
the most difficult insects to eradicate, especially if allowed to
multiply. A syringing of clean water should follow either of the above
applications. _See also_ =Aphides=.
=BLACK JACK OAK.= _See_ =Quercus nigra=.
=BLACK MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT.= _See_ =Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum=.
=BLACK PINE.= _See_ =Pinus austriaca=.
=BLACKTHORN.= _See_ =Prunus spinosa=.
=BLACK VARNISH TREE.= _See_ =MelanorrhÅa=.
=BLACK WATTLE.= _See_ =Callicoma serratifolia=.
=BLADDER CATCHFLY.= _See_ =Silene inflata=.
=BLADDER KETMIA.= _See_ =Hibiscus Trionum=.
=BLADDER NUT.= _See_ =Staphylea=.
=BLADDER SENNA.= _See_ =Colutea=.
=BLADDER WORT.= _See_ =Utricularia=.
=BLADE.= The lamina or expanded part of a leaf.
=BLÃRIA= (named after Patrick Blair, M.D., F.R.S., who practised
medicine at Boston, in Lincolnshire, and was author of "Miscellaneous
Observations," 1718; "Botanic Essays," 1820, &c.). ORD. _Ericaceæ_.
Pretty little greenhouse evergreen shrubs, natives of Southern and
Tropical Africa. Flowers terminal, glomerate; corolla short-tubular,
with a four-cleft limb, very freely branched. Leaves verticillate, with
revolute margins. For culture, _see_ =Erica=.
=B. articulata= (jointed).* _fl._ reddish; heads drooping. May.
_l._ four in a whorl, ovate or linear, glabrous, and shining;
bracts solitary. _h._ 1ft. 1795.
=B. ericoides= (Heath-like). _fl._ purplish-red. August. _l._ four
in a whorl, oblong, obtuse, ringed; bracts three, length of the
calyx. _h._ 2ft. 1774. SYN. _Erica orbicularis_. (L. B. C. 153.)
=B. purpurea= (purple). _fl._ purple; heads drooping. June. _l._
four in a whorl, ovate, sub-ciliated. Stem flexuous, erect. _h._
2ft. 1791.
=BLAKEA= (named after Martin Blake, of Antigua, a great promoter of
useful knowledge). ORD. _Melastomaceæ_. Handsome stove evergreen shrubs
or trees. Flowers red, large, showy; peduncles axillary, terete,
one-flowered, naked, opposite or solitary, shorter than the leaves,
usually with brown tomentum. Leaves petiolate, three to five-nerved,
coriaceous, glabrous above and shining, but usually densely clothed
with rusty tomentum beneath. They thrive well in peat, or a mixture
of loam and peat, and require to be liberally supplied with water,
particularly in spring and summer. Cuttings root freely if taken from
shoots that are quite ripe (otherwise they are apt to rot), planted in
a pot of sand, and plunged in a moist heat, under a hand glass.
=B. quinquenervia= (five-nerved). _fl._ flesh-coloured, large,
with white disks; peduncles twin, shorter than the petioles. June.
_l._ elliptic, acuminated, naked, and shining on both surfaces,
five-nerved. _h._ 10ft. to 16ft. Guiana, 1820. (A. G. 210.)
=B. trinervia= (three-nerved). _fl._ rose colour, large; peduncles
solitary, longer than the petioles. June. _l._ oval-oblong,
three-nerved, glabrous and shining on both surfaces in the adult
state, and when young serrulated; petioles and branchlets clothed
with rusty tomentum. Roots issuing from the branches and stems.
_h._ 4ft. to 8ft. Jamaica, 1789. (B. M. 451.)
=BLANCHING.= This process is effected for the purpose of obtaining
crispness, and for converting what would, under ordinary circumstances,
be a dangerous plant--in the case of Celery especially so--into a
highly popular delicacy. Blanching can only be accomplished by entirely
excluding the light from the plants, thus depriving the colouring
matters of their power to decompose water and carbonic acid gas. It is
also termed Etiolation.
=BLANDFORDIA= (named after George, Marquis of Blandford). ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. A very beautiful genus of greenhouse bulbous plants,
natives of Australia. Flowers solitary, on recurved pedicels; perianth
funnel-shaped, six-cleft; stamens six. Leaves linear, elongate,
striate; radical ones dilated, and somewhat sheathing at the base;
others shorter and more distant, appearing on the flower-stem. The best
soil in which to grow them is loam and peat in equal proportions, with
a little rough silver sand added. They should be repotted moderately
firm in the autumn, allowing good drainage, and should then be placed
under the greenhouse stage, or in any other position where they will
be free from water drippings. Water must only be given when dry, until
they commence to grow, when it may be gradually increased, and they
may be introduced into a higher temperature, if necessary, there to
remain till after flowering. When the foliage is ripened off, they may
be stored away until the time for repotting. Propagated by seeds and
offsets, or by division of the old plants, which must be done when
repotting.
=B. aurea= (golden).* _fl._ 1-1/2in. to 2in. long; scape bearing
an umbellate cluster of three to five pure golden-yellow drooping
bell-shaped flowers. Summer. _l._ narrow, linear, keeled or
channelled, from the base of which the flower-scape arises. _h._
1ft. to 2ft. New South Wales, 1870. (B. M. 5809.)
=B. Cunninghamii= (Cunningham's).* _fl._ rich coppery red, the
upper part yellow; about 2in. long, bell-shaped, pendulous; from
twelve to twenty, terminating in a stout scape 3ft. high. June.
_l._ linear, slightly keeled at the back, about 1/3in. broad. New
South Wales. This magnificent species should have a little charcoal
mixed with the soil already mentioned. (B. M. 5734.)
=B. C. hybrida= (hybrid). _fl._ red, margined with clear yellow,
bell-shaped, in a dense drooping umbel.
=B. flammea= (fiery).* _fl._ dullish yellow, in dense umbel-like
clusters; bracts ovate-lanceolate, stiff; perianth inversely
conical. June. _l._ linear, bluntly keeled. _h._ 2ft. Australia,
1849.
=B. f. elegans= (elegant).* _fl._ crimson, tipped with yellow,
large, funnel-shaped. Summer. _l._ long, linear-ensiform. This very
handsome form is often taken for the type.
=B. f. princeps= (magnificent).* _fl._ rich orange-red externally,
and bright yellow within, about 3in. long, tubular, borne on a
scape about 1ft. high, slightly pendulous, and arranged near the
summit. Summer. _l._ stiff, sub-erect, long, bright green, disposed
in a distichous manner. This is a very splendid greenhouse plant,
and should be in every collection. Australia, 1873. SYN. _B.
princeps_. See Fig. 255. (B. M. 6209.)
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ crimson, very large;
bracts as long as the pedicels, the inner much the shortest. July.
_h._ 2ft. New South Wales, 1812. (B. R. 924.)
=B. intermedia= (intermediate). _fl._ yellow, pendulous,
funnel-shaped, in sixteen to twenty-flowered racemes; bracts
leaf-formed. September. _l._ channelled, acutely keeled, scabrous
on the margins. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Australia.
=B. marginata= (margined). _fl._ orange-red, conical, in long
pendulous racemes; bracts narrow, foliaceous, about equalling in
length the pedicels. July. _l._ stiff, sub-erect, with scabrous
margins. _h._ 2ft. Tasmania, 1842. (B. R. 31, 18.)
=B. nobilis= (noble).* _fl._ orange with yellow margins, on long
pedicels, drooping, disposed in a terminal raceme; bracts twice as
short as the pedicels. July. _l._ very narrow. _h._ 2ft. New South
Wales, 1803. (B. M. 2003.)
=B. princeps= (magnificent). Synonymous with _B. flammea princeps_.
=BLATTA.= _See_ =Cockroaches=.
=BLEABERRY.= _See_ =Vaccinium Myrtillus=.
=BLEACHING POWDER.= _See_ =Chloride of Lime=.
=BLECHNUM= (from _Blechnon_, the Greek name of a fern). ORD. _Filices_.
A very attractive genus of stove and greenhouse ferns, thriving in
a compost of peat, leaf soil, and loam. Sori linear, continuous, or
nearly so, parallel with, and usually contiguous to, the midrib.
Involucre distinct from the edge of the frond. Fronds uniform,
generally pinnate or pinnatifid. Veins usually free. For general
culture, _see_ =Ferns=.
=B. australe= (southern).* _cau._ stout, creeping, scaly; _sti._
erect, 4in. to 6in. long. _fronds_ 9in. to 18in. long, and from
2in. to 3in. broad, lanceolate, narrowed towards both ends; pinnæ
numerous, the barren ones 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in.
broad, linear, hastate-cordate, or auricled at the base, especially
on the upper side, with a very coriaceous texture; fertile pinnæ
narrower. _sori_ in a continuous or slightly broken line, close,
but not contiguous, to the midrib. South Africa, &c., 1691.
Greenhouse species.
=B. boreale.= _See_ =Lomaria Spicant=.
=B. braziliense= (Brazilian).* _cau._ erect, stout,
sub-arborescent, 1ft. or more long, densely clothed at the crown
with dark brown scales. _sti._ short, stout, densely scaly.
_fronds_ oblong-lanceolate, 2ft. to 4ft. long, 6in. to 16in.
broad, narrowing downwards very gradually; pinnæ close, linear,
4in. to 8in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, narrowed gradually
towards the point, finely toothed or undulated, connected at the
base. Brazil and Peru, 1820. See Fig. 256. (H. S. F. 3, 157.) There
is a very pretty variety met with in gardens under the name of
_Corcovadense crispum_, which is not quite so strong-growing as the
type, with wavy, crispy edges. They will all thrive in the cool of
a stove fernery.
[Illustration: FIG. 255. BLANDFORDIA FLAMMEA PRINCEPS.]
=B. cartilagineum= (cartilaginous). _cau._ oblique, densely scaly
at top. _sti._ strong, erect, 4in. to 6in. long, scaly, muricated
in the lower part. _fronds_ ovate-oblong, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 6in.
to 12in. broad; pinnæ numerous, linear, 4in. to 6in. long, about
1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, margin finely
toothed, dilated, and connected at the base. _sori_ in a broad line
close to the midrib. Temperate Australia, 1820. Greenhouse species.
=B. hastatum= (halbert-shaped).* _rhiz._ short, stout, scaly.
_sti._ 4in. to 6in. long, nearly naked. _fronds_ from 9in. to
18in. long, and 2in. to 4in. broad, lanceolate, with twenty to
forty pinnæ on each side; the barren ones 1in. to 1-1/2in. long,
lanceolate, falcate, narrowed gradually to a point, the lower side
slightly truncate, and slightly lobed, the upper cordate, with
a large hastate auricle; fertile pinnæ narrower. _sori_ midway
between the midrib and margin; rachis and surfaces naked or
slightly pubescent; texture coriaceous. Temperate South America,
1841. Greenhouse species.
[Illustration: FIG. 256. BLECHNUM BRAZILIENSE.]
=B. Lanceola= (lance-leaved). _rhiz._ slender, creeping,
stoloniferous. _sti._ slender, erect, 2in. to 4in. long. _fronds_
lanceolate, undivided, 4in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. broad, or less,
narrowed gradually from the centre towards each end. Tropical
America, 1820. Stove species.
=B. L. trifoliatum= (three-leaved). _fronds_ furnished with one or
two pairs of small oblong-obtuse lateral pinnæ at the base of the
large terminal one. Stove variety. (H. S. F. 3, 94.)
=B. longifolium= (long-leaved).* _rhiz._ slender, creeping. _sti._
firm, erect, nearly naked, 6in. to 12in. long. _fronds_ 6in. to
9in. long, with a terminal pinna, and three to six lateral ones
on each side, which are 3in. to 5in. long, and 1/2in. broad,
narrowed gradually towards the point. _sori_ in broad lines close
to the midrib; texture coriaceous. Tropical America, 1820. _B. l.
fraxineum_ is a variety found in gardens under the name of _B.
fraxiniifolium_, with a habit more close than the type; pinnæ
six to eight on a side, sometimes 1in. broad. _B. intermedium_
(Link.) and _B. gracile_ (Kaulf.), often seen in gardens, are
slender-growing varieties of this rather variable stove species.
=B. nitidum= (shining).* _sti._ stout, erect, naked, 3in. to 4in.
long. _fronds_ oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. or more long, 4in. to 6in.
broad; pinnæ numerous, sub-falcate, linear, 3in. to 4in. long,
1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point,
dilated and connected at the base; edge undulate-dentate; texture
coriaceous; both surfaces smooth. Stove species. The variety
_contractum_, often seen in gardens, has its pinnæ contracted, and
the edge much undulated. Brazil. (H. S. F. 3, 55.)
=B. occidentale= (western).* _cau._ stout, erect, scaly at the
top. _sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, erect, scaly below. _fronds_
ovate-acuminate, 9in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, with
twelve to twenty-four linear pinnæ on each side, which are 2in. to
4in. long, and about 3/4in. broad, narrowed gradually to a point,
truncate or cordate; texture coriaceous. West Indies, southwards to
Chili and South Brazil, 1823. A very handsome stove or greenhouse
fern.
=B. o. multifidum= (much-cut).* A pretty variety, said to have been
introduced from Dominica; the apices of the pinnæ are copiously
crested and tasselled, rendering it very desirable. Stove variety.
=B. orientale= (oriental).* _cau._ stout, erect, clothed at the
crown with dark brown scales. _sti._ 4in. to 8in. long, strong,
erect, scaly below. _fronds_ 1ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 12in.
broad, ovate, with very numerous nearly contiguous pinnæ on each
side, which are 4in. to 8in. long, and about 3/4in. broad, narrowed
to a long point. Australia, northwards to South China and the
Himalayas. Greenhouse.
=B. polypodioides= (Polypodium-like). A synonym of _B. unilaterale_.
=B. serrulatum= (saw-edged).* _cau._ elongated, stout, ascending.
_sti._ 6in. to 12in. long, strong, erect, smooth, nearly naked.
_fronds_ oblong-acuminate, 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad,
with twelve to twenty-four pairs of quite distinct articulated
linear oblong pinnæ on each side, which are about 4in. to 5in.
long, 1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, and
downwards to a narrow base, the margins finely incised. Florida,
&c., 1819. Stove or greenhouse. SYN. _B. striatum_. (H. S. F. 3,
159.)
=B. striatum= (striped). A synonym of _B. serrulatum_.
=B. unilaterale= (one-sided).* _cau._ elongated, densely scaly
at the crown. _sti._ slender, erect, 1in. to 4in. long, slightly
scaly below. _fronds_ lanceolate, 6in. to 12in. long, 1-1/2in. to
2in. broad; pinnæ numerous, spreading horizontally, linear, 3/4in.
to 1in. long, central ones 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, point usually
mucronate; edge entire, or nearly so, the lower part dilated to a
broad base. _sori_ in a line close to the midrib. Tropical America,
1829. Widely distributed. Stove or greenhouse species. SYN. _B.
polypodioides_, under which name it is usually found in gardens.
=BLECHUM= (a Greek name for an unknown plant, supposed to resemble
Marjoram). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. Stove herbaceous perennials. For culture,
&c., _see_ =Justicia=.
=B. Brownei= (Browne's). _fl._ white, in a dense bracteated spike,
which is four-cornered; bracts ovate, downy. Summer. _l._ ovate
elliptical, somewhat toothed. _h._ 2ft. West Indies, 1780. The
other species introduced are: _angustifolium_, blue; _braziliense_,
blue; and _laxiflorum_, white.
=BLEPHARIS= (from _blepharis_, the eyelash; in reference to the fringed
bracts of the calyx). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. Dwarf shrubs or herbs,
often spiny and woody, allied to _Acanthus_. Flowers in bracteate
spikes; calyx cruciately four-parted, bracteate; upper segment
entire, three-nerved; lower, two-nerved; corolla-tube very short; lip
five-lobed, three lobes often much larger than the others; stamens
four, sub-didynamous. For culture, &c., _see_ =Acanthus=.
=B. boerhaaviæfolia= (Boerhaavia-leaved). _fl._ blue. July. _l._
usually four in a whorl, elliptic, toothed. _h._ 1ft. India, 1829.
Stove annual.
=B. capensis= (Cape Colony).* _fl._ blue. July. _l._ narrow,
lanceolate, spinose. _h._ 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1816. Greenhouse
biennial.
=B. furcata= (forked-spined). _fl._ blue. July. _l._ lanceolate,
entire or spiny; bracts large, strongly spinose. _h._ 2ft. Cape of
Good Hope, 1846. Greenhouse evergreen shrub.
=B. linearifolia= (narrow-leaved). _fl._ blue. July. _l._ long,
entire, linear, glabrous or hairy, not spiny. _h._ 2ft. Guinea,
1823. Stove annual.
=B. procumbens= (trailing).* _fl._ blue. July. _l._ linear
lanceolate, spiny. _h._ 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1825. Greenhouse
evergreen trailer.
=BLEPHILIA= (from _blepharis_, the eyelash; in allusion to the ciliated
bracts). ORD. _Labiatæ_. Ornamental hardy perennials, closely allied
to _Monarda_, but differing from it in the calyx tube having thirteen
instead of fifteen nerves, and being naked in the throat, while the
corollas are much smaller and more dilated. They are of easy culture in
ordinary soil. Increased readily by dividing the roots in early spring.
=B. ciliata= (ciliated). _fl._ blue; whorls all distinct; bracts
ciliated, reddish at top. July. _l._ almost sessile, ovate-oblong,
narrowed at the base, canescent beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. North
America, 1798.
=B. hirsuta= (hairy). _fl._ purple or blue; whorls more numerous
than in the preceding; upper ones approximate. July. _l._
petiolate, ovate, roundly cordate at the base, hairy on both
surfaces. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Virginia, 1798. Habit more branched and
loose than in _B. ciliata_.
=BLESSED THISTLE.= _See_ =Cnicus benedictus=, properly =Carbenia
benedicta=.
=BLETIA= (in honour of Don Louis Blet, a Spanish botanist). ORD.
_Orchideæ_. A large genus of, for the most part, stove terrestrial
orchids. Flowers purple or whitish, in terminal racemes. Leaves narrow,
grass-like. Pseudo-bulbs round, flattened. The flowers are freely
produced when the plants are thoroughly established, and are valuable
for bouquets, as well for their pleasing colour as for the time they
last in perfection. Bletias thrive best in a compost of loam and leaf
mould. About 2in. of crocks, covered with a layer of moss, should be
placed in the bottom of the pot, which should be filled to within
1in. of the top with soil. The bulbs should then be inserted, and just
covered. A good supply of water during the growing season is necessary,
and only a moderate amount of heat. After growth has ceased, a period
of rest is required, during which time very little water should be
given. Propagation is effected by divisions, which should be made after
the plants have finished flowering, or previous to their starting into
growth.
=B. campanulata= (bell-shaped). _fl._ deep purple, with a white
centre, lasting a considerable time in perfection. Mexico.
=B. florida= (florid).* _fl._ pale rose-coloured; lip not spurred.
July and August. _h._ 2ft. West Indies, 1786. A very pretty
species. (B. R. 1401.)
=B. gracilis= (slender). _fl._ pale greenish-white; sepals and
petals nearly equal, lanceolate, acuminate; lip red and yellow;
scape simple. _l._ oblong, lanceolate, plicate. _h._ 1-1/2in.
Mexico, 1830. (B. R. 1681.)
=B. hyacinthina= (Hyacinth-like).* _fl._ purple, racemose; lip not
spurred, beardless; scape about as long as the leaves. March to
June. _l._ lanceolate. _h._ 1ft. China, 1802. This pretty species
has proved to be quite hardy. (Garden, Nov., 1879.)
=B. patula= (spreading-flowered). _fl._ purple, spreading; scape
tall, branched. March. _l._ lanceolate. _h._ 2ft. Hayti, 1830. (B.
M., 3518.)
=B. Shepherdii= (Shepherd's).* _fl._ on branching spikes, purple,
marked down the centre of the lip with yellow. Winter. _l._ long,
lanceolate, dark green. Jamaica, 1825. (B. M. 3319.)
=B. Sherrattiana= (Sherratt's).* _fl._ about a dozen on a spike,
rich rosy purple; petals very broad, twice the breadth of the
sepals; lip deep purple in front, marked with white and yellow down
the centre. _l._ three to four-plicate. Pseudo-bulbs depressed. New
Grenada, 1867. (B. M. 5646.)
=B. verecunda= (modest). _fl._ purple; lip not spurred. January.
_h._ 3ft. West Indies, Mexico, &c., 1733. (B. M. 930.)
=BLIGHIA SAPIDA.= The Akee Tree. This is now included under the genus
=Cupania= (which _see_).
=BLIGHT=, or =BLAST=. Applied to various diseases of plants which are
caused or accelerated either by the presence of parasitic fungi or
insects, or by atmospheric influence. Blight generally proves fatal to
the whole or part of the subject attacked.
=BLIND.= A term applied to plants which fail to produce central buds.
The defect is frequently noticeable in the Cabbage, and other plants
of the _Brassica_ tribe; and is, perhaps, mainly due to the attacks of
insects in a very early stage. Great care should therefore be exercised
in keeping the seed beds clear of insect pests, by the application of
ashes, lime, and soot, or spent hops.
=BLOOD FLOWER.= _See_ =Hæmanthus=.
=BLOODROOT.= _See_ =Sanguinaria canadensis=.
=BLOOM.= A fine powder-like substance found on Grapes, Cucumbers,
Plums, &c., and varying in colour in the different subjects. It should
be carefully protected, as it improves the appearance of the fruit. The
term is also generally used-Âalthough incorrectly-Âas the plural of
blossom.
=BLOSSOM.= The flower of a plant, or the essential organs of
reproduction, with their appendages.
=BLUE-BELLS.= _See_ =Campanula rotundifolia= and =Scilla nutans=.
=BLUE-BOTTLE.= _See_ =Centaurea Cyanus=.
=BLUE GUM TREE.= _See_ =Eucalyptus globulus=.
=BLUETS.= The French name for _Centaurea Cyanus_. _See also_ =Houstonia
cÅrulea= and =Vaccinium angustifolium=.
=BLUMENBACHIA= (in honour of John Frederick Blumenbach, M.D.,
Professor of Medicine at Göttingen, and distinguished as a comparative
anatomist). ORD. _Loasaceæ_. Elegant branched, climbing or trailing,
annual, biennial, or perennial herbs, generally covered with stinging
hairs, which are very objectionable. Flowers axillary, solitary,
bracteate, very pretty and interesting. Leaves opposite, lobed. They
are of easy culture in ordinary garden soil. Propagated by seeds, which
should be sown in pots, in spring, and placed in a gentle heat, where
they will germinate in about a fortnight. When the seedlings are large
enough, and after having been previously hardened off, they may be
planted out in their blooming quarters, or potted on and trained to a
trellis.
[Illustration: FIG. 257. BLUMENBACHIA CHUQUITENSIS.]
=B. chuquitensis= (Chuquitan).* _fl._ solitary, axillary, with five
to ten boat-shaped red petals, which are yellow within. September.
_l._ oblong-lanceolate, pinnate; segments pinnatifidly lobed. Peru,
1863. Half-hardy climbing perennial. See Fig. 257. (B. M. 6143.)
=B. contorta= (twisted).* _fl._ orange-red, with cup-shaped green
scales within. July. _l._ oblong-ovate, pinnatifid; lobes incisely
toothed. Peru. Greenhouse climber, but may be grown against a wall,
out of doors, during the summer. (B. M. 6134.)
[Illustration: FIG. 258. FLOWER OF BLUMENBACHIA CORONATA.]
=B. coronata= (crowned).* _fl._ of pure glossy whiteness,
quadrangular, crown-shaped, 2in. in diameter each way. June. _l._
narrow, bipinnatifid, cut into small segments. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Chili,
1872. This is an elegant dwarf, tufted, erect biennial, with the
pure white blooms imbedded in the metallic lustrous foliage. SYN.
_Caiophora coronata_. See Fig. 258.
=B. insignis= (remarkable).* _fl._ with whitish petals and
reddish-yellow scales, axillary, on long peduncles, about 1in. in
diameter. July. _l._, lower ones five to seven-lobed; upper ones
deeply bipinnatifid. _h._ 1ft. Chili, 1826. Hardy annual trailer.
SYN. _Loasa palmata_. (B. M. 2865.)
=BOBARTIA= (named after Jacob Bobart, Professor of Botany at Oxford in
the seventeenth century). ORD. _Irideæ_. A small genus of greenhouse or
hardy bulbous plants, closely allied to _Sisyrinchium_. The species in
cultivation are very pretty hardy plants, but require protection from
severe frosts and excessive rains. They thrive best in a warm, light
soil, and make pretty plants for rockwork. Propagated by separating
the offsets during autumn. This genus has been much misunderstood.
Among the plants which have been referred to it are some which now find
places in the genera _Aristea_, _Sisyrinchium_, _Homeria_, _Marica_,
_Moræa_, &c., &c.
=B. aurantiaca.= _See_ =Homeria aurantiaca=.
=B. gladiata= (sword-shaped). _fl._ yellow, thinly sprinkled with
purple dots near the centre, handsome, nearly 2in. across. _l._
linear, ensiform, narrow, slightly glaucous, 1ft. or more in
length. 1817. SYN. _Marica gladiata_. (B. R. 229.)
=B. spathacea= (rush-like). _l._ rush-like, several feet in length;
flower-stem as long as leaves, bearing near extremity a cluster of
pale yellow flowers, with narrow segments. Each flower lasts but
one day; as a good many, however, are developed in each spathe,
there is a succession which lasts some time. 1832. SYN. _Xyris
altissima_. (L. B. C. 1900.)
[Illustration: FIG. 259. BOCCONIA CORDATA, showing Habit and Flower.]
=BOCCONIA= (named after Paolo Bocconi, M.D., a Sicilian botanist,
author of the "Museum des Plantes," and "Histoire Naturelle de l'Ile
de Corse," &c.). ORD. _Papaveraceæ_. Two of the species are greenhouse
or half-hardy shrubs. Flowers inconspicuous, in terminal panicles,
with the branches and branchlets each furnished with one bract. Leaves
stalked, glaucous, large, lobed. This genus does not well agree with
the rest of _Papaveraceæ_, from its having one-seeded capsules and
apetalous flowers. _B. cordata_ is a handsome, hardy, herbaceous plant,
with a stately habit and finely-cut foliage, and, where bold subjects
are desired, few will be found superior to it. As an isolated specimen
on the lawn, or by frequented walks, where it will not be too closely
surrounded by tall plants, it may be grown with marked effect. It
also forms a good subject for pot culture, and is largely used for
sub-tropical bedding. The soil most suitable for its culture is a good
fat loam, of considerable depth. Propagated by cuttings, taken from the
axils of the larger leaves, during early summer; or by young suckers,
taken from established plants, during summer, as they will then flower
the following season. If the former method is employed, the cuttings
should be pushed on, so that there are plenty of roots before the
winter sets in. The other two species require greenhouse culture; but
both are eminently suited for sub-tropical gardening, in any light rich
soil, or well-drained and airy situation. They are best propagated by
seeds, sown in a hotbed in spring, the seedlings being placed out from
June to September.
=B. cordata= (cordate).* _fl._ buff-coloured, very numerous,
borne in very large terminal panicles; individually they are not
showy, but the fully grown inflorescence has a very distinct and
pleasing appearance. Summer. _l._ large, reflexed, deeply-veined,
roundish-cordate; margins lobed or sinuated. Stems growing rather
close together, thickly set with leaves. _h._ 5ft. to 8ft. China,
1795, and 1866. Mr. Robinson recommends its being grown in the
angle of two walls which shelter it from the north and east. It
runs quickly at the roots, and the suckers may be cut off to the
benefit of the parent plant; each sucker will form a strong plant
in a year's time. SYNS. _B. japonica_ and _Macleaya yedoënsis_. See
Fig. 259. (B. M. 1905.)
=B. frutescens= (shrubby).* _fl._ greenish. October. _l._ large,
sea-green, oval-oblong, cuneated at the base, pinnatifid. _h._ 3ft.
to 6ft. Mexico, 1739. (L. B. C. 83.)
=B. integrifolia= (entire-leaved). _fl._ greenish; panicle crowded.
_l._ flat, oblong, tapering towards each end, entire, or scarcely
crenated. _h._ 9ft. Peru, 1822.
=B. japonica= (Japanese). Synonymous with _B. cordata_.
=BÅBERA= (named after BÅber, a Russian botanist). ORD. _Compositæ_.
A genus of evergreen greenhouse shrubs, now generally referred to
_Dysodia_. They are of easy culture, thriving in ordinary garden soil.
Propagated by cuttings, made of young, rather firm, shoots, and placed
in sand, under a glass. There are several other species besides the one
given below, but they are not of much horticultural value.
=B. incana= (hoary).* _fl.-heads_ golden; peduncles one-headed.
November. _l._ pinnate, rather hairy; leaflets linear acute,
channelled, some entire, and some trifid. Stem hairy. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
Mexico, 1828. (B. R. 1602.)
=BÅHMERIA= (named after George Rudolph BÅhmer, a German botanist).
ORD. _Urticaceæ_. A genus of shrubs or herbaceous plants, allied to
_Urtica_, from which it is distinguished in not having stinging hairs.
_B. nivea_ is the only species having any horticultural value. This
thrives best in a warm, sandy soil; and is increased by divisions.
=B. nivea= (snowy). _fl._ greenish, disposed in spikes. _l._
broadly cordate, about 6in. long by 4in. broad, terminating in a
long slender point; edges serrate, covered on the under side with a
dense coating of white down. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. China. A shrub-like
perennial, rather more curious than beautiful.
=BOG BEAN.= _See_ =Menyanthes trifoliata=.
=BOG-EARTH.= _See_ =Peat=.
[Illustration: FIG. 260. VERTICAL SECTION OF CYLINDER BOILER.
A A, Wrought-iron Boiler, the shaded space showing the Waterway; B,
Ashpit inside the cast base of Boiler; C, Fire-bars; D, Flue; E,
Domed Top; F, Feeding Lid; G, Flow, and H, Return Pipe Sockets.
]
=BOILERS.= These are very important articles in all gardens where there
are glass houses, and the best should always be selected. They are made
in cast and wrought iron, both of which have their special advantages
and disadvantages. The former are less liable to burn through when
encrusted with any deposit from the water, but will crack with sudden
changes of temperature, by reason of the granular form of the metal
not allowing gradual contraction; the latter may burn through where
there is any deposit of mud or other matter, but they will not crack,
and will stand a greater pressure than those made of cast metal. It
is, however, the better plan to use Boilers of wrought iron, as, with
careful usage, they are less liable to break down in hard frosts than
are the others. As the value of the plants, as well as that of the
Boiler, has to be considered, should such a contingency occur, it
is certainly advisable to reduce all risks to a minimum; and as the
average life of a Boiler is from ten to fifteen years, a slightly
larger first cost is not of very serious moment. The forms of Boilers
are very diverse, and, in some of the patented forms, complicated. But,
whatever the shape, the following points are essential: A clear and
unrestricted waterway of not less than 2in. in thickness; the greatest
exposure of surface to the direct action of the fire; a sufficient
fire space; and a fire-bar area calculated to supply enough fresh air
to the fire to support thorough combustion. The forms generally used
for horticultural work are the following, or some modifications of
them; and, however grand the name, their chief value consists in the
attested heating capacity at a given cost: The Saddle Boiler, which
is made of various sizes, with or without check ends, cross tubes,
and other devices for increasing the heating surface, and also of
a tubular form; the Upright Cylinder (a vertical section of which
is shown in Fig. 260); the Upright Tubular Cylinder; the Horizontal
Tubular; and the Cornish or Horizontal Cylinder. Combinations of the
various forms, and complicated patterns of different kinds, are made
for particular purposes; but in no case should large Boilers be used,
unless they are recommended, by one competent to judge, as suitable for
the purpose they are needed to fulfil. In every case, it is necessary
that the Boiler should be fixed in a proper manner. It is also good
policy to have Boilers about 30, or even 50 per cent., more powerful
than is actually required, when they are new, as, from various causes,
their heating power falls off in a year or two in many places; and,
under ordinary work, it is not desirable to stimulate the action in
order to command sufficient heat. There is no doubt that, for general
purposes, some modification of the Saddle or Cylinder Boiler is by far
the best, all things duly considered; but it is impossible to give any
practical advice without a thorough knowledge of the requirements of
any particular place. Gas Boilers are also useful for small places.
These are made in many forms, and are, as a rule, in the shape of a
cylinder, with a coned inside, against which the flames play. Some Gas
Boilers have also a superheater attached; this exhausts the heat from
the air which has passed through the Boiler. Another good form is made
of horizontal tubes, which contain the water, the flames playing over
and amongst them. An atmospheric burner of approved construction should
be used where gas is the heating power. A sufficient supply of gas
should be assured by using supply pipes of a good size. Care should be
taken to keep these pipes free from water, and protected from frost by
silicate cotton lagging, or some other good non-conductor. Except for
very small places, however, gas apparatus is almost useless, and will
never supersede fuel Boilers. For other particulars regarding Boilers,
_see_ =Heating= and =Stoking=.
=BOIS-PERDRIX.= _See_ =Heisteria=.
=BOLBOPHYLLUM.= _See_ =Bulbophyllum=.
=BOLETUS= (from _bolos_, a mass; in reference to its massy or globular
form). ORD. _Fungi_. The only species of this rather large genus
demanding mention is _B. edulis_ (see Fig. 261), which is considered
an excellent article of food. It is easily distinguished, and is often
of large size and somewhat unshapely; the pileus is usually of a dusky
yellow or brownish hue, but sometimes brighter and more of a chestnut
colour; the flesh is white, and does not change to a blue colour when
cut (this is a very important characteristic, and should always be
noticed). It is a species common in most districts, usually growing in
woods, and appearing chiefly in the autumn.
[Illustration: FIG. 261. COMMON BOLETUS (BOLETUS EDULIS).]
=BOLEUM= (from _bolos_, a ball; in reference to the shape of the
seed-pods). ORD. _Cruciferæ_. An ornamental, hardy, evergreen shrub,
well adapted for rockwork, in ordinary soil. It requires slight
protection in winter if planted in very exposed situations. Propagated
by seed, sown in a pot, in spring, and placed in a frame, or in the
open border during summer.
=B. asperum= (rough).* _fl._ cream-coloured; racemes erect,
elongated; pedicels very short, the lower ones bracteate. April.
_l._ alternate, oblong, linear; lower ones somewhat divided. A
suffruticose, erect, branched plant, hispid from stiff hairs. _h._
6in. to 1ft. France. 1818.
=BOLLEA.= _See_ =Zygopetalum=.
=BOLTED.= A term used in reference to plants that have prematurely run
to seed.
=BOLTONIA= (named after J. B. Bolton, an English professor of botany).
ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of rather pretty hardy herbaceous perennials.
Flower-heads with white or purplish rays. Leaves pale green,
lanceolate, sessile. They thrive in common garden soil. Propagated by
divisions of the roots, in March.
=B. asteroides= (Aster-like).* _fl.-heads_ flesh-coloured,
stellate, disposed in a rather large terminal panicle. August. _l._
all entire, somewhat broadly lanceolate, narrowed at both ends.
_h._ 2ft. North America, 1758. (B. M. 2554.)
=B. glastifolia= (woad-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ pink. September. _l._,
lower ones serrated. _h._ 1-1/2ft. North America, 1758. (B. M.
2381.)
[Illustration: FIG. 262. FLOWERS OF BOMAREA CARDERI.]
=BOMAREA= (derivation of name doubtful). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. A genus
of handsome half-hardy twiners, closely allied to _Alströmeria_,
from which it is chiefly distinguished by its twining habit and some
difference in the capsule. They are of comparatively easy culture,
thriving in a compost of peat, leaf mould, loam, and sand, with good
drainage. Manure water should be given during the season of growth.
Although they make fine pot plants, their full beauty is only developed
when planted out in the conservatory or greenhouse border. Propagated
by seeds, or by careful divisions of the underground stem. In making
a division, it is necessary to observe that the part taken has some
roots by which to live till new ones are formed. It should be potted at
first, and may, when established, be planted out or shifted on. Seeds
may be raised in a warm house without difficulty. They germinate in a
few weeks; and when the young plants are 2in. or 3in. high, they should
be placed separately in small pots, shifting them on as necessary,
or planting them out. In favoured southern localities, several
species have proved hardy, but they are much the best when grown in a
greenhouse.
=B. acutifolia Ehrenbergiana= (Ehrenberg's acute-leaved). _fl._
undulate, outer segments deep orange, the inner ones paler and
spotted. Spring. _l._ lanceolate acute, smooth. Mexico, 1878. (B.
M. 6444).
=B. Caldasiana= (Caldas's).* _fl._ orange yellow, spotted crimson.
_l._ ovate-lanceolate, acute. Peruvian Andes, 1863.
=B. Carderi= (Carder's).* _fl._ 2-1/2in. long by 1-1/8in. in
breadth at the widest part, regularly bell-shaped, with six
segments, the three outer rose-coloured, the three inner nearly
equal in length, crenulate, and spotted with purplish-brown;
inflorescence pendulous, and consisting of a large terminal
umbellate cyme, surrounded at the base by a series of crowded
leaves. _l._ oblong lanceolate, acuminate, about 7in. by 2-3/4in.
Columbia, 1876. See Fig. 262, for which we are indebted to Mr. Bull.
=B. chontalensis= (Chontalese). _fl._ 1-1/2in. long,
sub-campanulate, obtusely trigonous; outer segments thick, fleshy,
wavy, rose-red, with a few brown spots round the margin at the tip,
very convex; inner segments a little shorter, pale yellow blotched
with brown; umbels surrounded by a whorl of leaves, and composed
of several peduncles, each bearing four to six nodding flowers.
August. _l._ lanceolate or ovate oblong, acuminate. Nicaragua,
1871. (B. M. 5927).
=B. conferta= (dense-flowered).* A synonym of _B. patococensis_.
=B. edulis= (edible). _fl._, outer segments rose, green tipped;
inner spotted with rose. St. Domingo, &c. One of the oldest species
in cultivation. The tubers are said by Tussac to be eaten in St.
Domingo, like those of the Jerusalem Artichoke. See Fig. 263.
=B. frondea= (leafy). _fl._ 2in. long, tubulate-campanulate; outer
segments narrow, oblong, yellow; inner segments 1/2in. longer than
the outer ones, canary yellow, spotted with red; cymes umbellate,
many-flowered, about 8in. across, base leafy. _l._ lanceolate,
acuminate. Bogota, 1881. (G. C. n. s. 17, p. 669.)
=B. oligantha= (few-flowered).* _fl._ regularly funnel-shaped,
about 1in. long; outer segments slightly shorter than the inner,
oblanceolate, under 1/4in. abroad, obtuse, unspotted, reddish on
the outside, yellow within; one or two to an umbel, on simple,
flexuous, glabrous pedicels, about 1in. long. _l._ long, acute,
about 2in. long, bright green on the upper surface, ciliated on the
ribs beneath. Peru, 1877. See Fig. 264.
[Illustration: FIG. 263. FLOWERING BRANCH OF BOMAREA EDULIS.]
=B. patococensis= (Patococha). _fl._ 2in. to 2-1/2in. long,
elongate-funnel-shaped; the three outer segments ovate lanceolate,
about one-fourth shorter than the inner segments, both of a rich
crimson colour; numerously borne in drooping, contracted tufts at
the ends of the shoots; peduncles about 2in. to 2-1/2in. long,
intermixed at the base with broadly ovate-acute, leafy bracts.
August and September. _l._ scattered, shortly stalked, broadly
lanceolate, tail pointed. Bogota, 1881. (G. C. n. s. 17, p. 187.)
[Illustration: FIG. 264. FLOWERING BRANCH OF BOMAREA OLIGANTHA.]
=B. salsilla= (Salsilla). _fl._ purple, about 1/2in. long, the two
inner segments having a darker spot at the base, and all of them
tinged with green towards the points; collected into a terminal
umbel. June. _l._ few, lanceolate. South America, 1806. This has
proved quite hardy under various conditions.
=B. Shuttleworthii= (Shuttleworth's).* _fl._, perianth about 2in.
long, funnel-shaped or elongate bell-shaped; segments nearly equal,
oblong acute, outer ones orange vermilion, slightly tinged with
green and dotted with small dark spots at the tips; inner ones more
acutely pointed, canary yellow, with a red midrib, and green with
dark spots at the tips; cymes umbellate, pendulous. _l._ ovate
lanceolate, 5in. to 6in. by 2in., glabrous. Bogota, 1881. (G. C. n.
s. 17, p. 77.)
=B. Williamsii= (Williams's).* _fl._ rose-coloured, about 2in.
long, elongate funnel shape; disposed in a compound umbellate cyme.
_l._ lanceolate, very acute, and tapering to a very short twisted
petiole. New Grenada, 1882.
=BOMBACEÃ.= A division of _Sterculiaceæ_.
=BOMBAX= (from _bombax_, one of the Greek names for cotton; the pods
are filled with a fine silky substance like cotton, but which it is
impossible to spin into thread, in consequence of the edges being
perfectly smooth). Silk Cotton Tree. ORD. _Malvaceæ_. A genus of large
soft-wooded stove trees. Flowers scarlet or white, large, usually
rising laterally from the trunk or branches, either singly or in
clusters. They grow best in a rich loamy soil. Cuttings, not too ripe,
taken off at a joint, placed in sand under a bell glass, in moist heat,
will root readily; but plants raised from seeds brought from their
natural habitats make finer trees.
=B. Ceiba= (Ceiba). _fl._ pale red, large. _l._ palmate, with five
leaflets. _fr._ turbinate, concave at the apex. _h._ 100ft. South
America, 1692.
=BOMBYX NEUSTRIA.= _See_ =Lackey Moth=.
=BONA-NOX.= _See_ =Ipomæa Bona-Nox=.
=BONAPARTEA.= _See_ =Tillandsia=.
=BONAPARTEA JUNCEA.= A synonym of _Agave geminiflora_.
=BONATEA.= (in honour of M. Bonato, a distinguished Italian botanist,
and a Professor of Botany at Padua). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A handsome
terrestrial stove orchid, allied to _Habenaria_, and requiring similar
culture.
=B. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._ white, galeate; petals bipartite;
raceme many-flowered, compact; bracts cucullate, acuminate. August.
_l._ oblong, sub-undulate. Stem leafy. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good Hope,
1820. (B. M. 2926; L. B. C. 284.)
=BONGARDIA.= (named after Heinrich Gustav Bongard, a German botanist).
ORD. _Berberideæ_. A very pretty hardy tuberous-rooted perennial,
requiring a sandy soil, and good drainage, with protection at all
seasons from excessive wet, otherwise it will rot. It should be
carefully planted in a compost of loam, peat, leaf soil, and sand, in
equal proportions, and covered with a handlight.
=B. Rauwolfii= (Rauwolf's). _fl._ golden yellow, on pyramidal
branched panicles; stamens and petals nearly equal in length.
May. _l._ radical, pinnate; leaflets sessile, oval-oblong, three
to five-cleft at the apex, glaucous, each with a dark purple
blotch at the base. _h._ 6in. Syria, Persia, 1740. SYN. _Leontice
Chrysogonum_. (B. M. 6244.)
=BONNAYA= (named after Bonnay, a German botanist). ORD.
_Scrophulariaceæ_. A small genus of usually glabrous, rarely pilose,
slender, creeping or erect, annual, biennial, or perennial stove
plants, almost unknown in cultivation. Flowers axillary, opposite, or
alternate from abortion, usually pedicellate, the upper ones sometimes
racemose, pinkish, or blue. Leaves opposite, quite entire, or toothed.
They thrive in a rich sandy loam. The annual species are propagated by
seeds, the others by divisions and cuttings.
=BONNETIA= (commemorative of Charles Bonnet, a French naturalist,
who wrote some botanical papers in 1754). ORD. _TernstrÅmiaceæ_.
A genus of elegant middle-sized stove trees or shrubs. Flowers
large, terminal; peduncles one or many-flowered. Leaves scattered,
exstipulate, coriaceous, entire, one-nerved, marked with transverse
veins, sub-sessile, narrowed to the base. They thrive well in a mixture
of loam and peat. Cuttings of firm young shoots will root if placed in
sand under a hand glass, in a moderate heat.
=B. sessilis= (stalkless). _fl._ purplish, terminal. _l._ oblong,
coriaceous, entire. _h._ 15ft. Guiana, 1819.
=BORAGE.= _See_ =Borago officinalis=.
=BORAGINACEÃ.= A large order of herbs or shrubs, having spirally-coiled
inflorescence; corolla usually regular and five-lobed, with an
imbricated æstivation; throat generally hairy; stamens five, inserted
in the corolla. Leaves alternate, rough. Among other genera belonging
to this order may be named _Anchusa_, _Borago_, _Cynoglossum_,
_Echium_, _Lithospermum_, and _Myosotis_.
=BORAGO= (derivation very uncertain; probably a corruption of some
eastern name). Borage. ORD. _Boraginaceæ_. A genus of hardy herbaceous
perennials or annuals, excellently adapted for naturalising in dry
stony places. Flowers blue, panicled, drooping; corolla rotate; throat
furnished with emarginate vaulted processes; anthers distinct, oblong
or lanceolate, awned, fixed by the inner side, conniving into a cone.
Nuts four, one-celled, turbinate, fixed to the bottom of the calyx.
Leaves oblong or lanceolate. All the species are easily cultivated,
thriving in any common soil. Propagated by divisions, in spring, or by
striking the young cuttings in a cold frame. They may also be raised
from seed, which should be sown from March to May, in any good garden
soil, and the plants, when large enough, thinned out to 1ft. or more
apart. In hot weather, Borage is generally in demand for claret cup and
other drinks.
=B. laxiflora= (loose-flowered).* _fl._ on long pedicels,
racemose, drooping; corolla pale blue; segments ovate, bluntish,
erectly spreading. May to August. _l._ oblong, and rough from
strigæ; radical ones rosulate; cauline ones half stem-clasping.
Stem decumbent, many from the same root, hispid from retrograde
bristles. Corsica, 1813. (B. M. 1789.)
=B. longifolia= (long-leaved).* _fl._ disposed in a terminal
bracteate panicle; corolla blue; segments ovate, acute, spreading.
July and August. _l._ linear-lanceolate, scabrous and downy
beneath; cauline ones half stem-clasping. _h._ 1ft. Numidia, 1825.
[Illustration: FIG. 265. FLOWER OF BORAGO OFFICINALIS.]
=B. officinalis= (officinal).* Common Borage. _fl._ blue, purple,
or white; segments of the corolla limb ovate, acute, spreading.
June to September. _l._, lower ones obovate, attenuated at the
base; cauline ones oblong, sessile, sub-cordate at the base. _h._
1ft. to 2ft. Britain. This is the kind most cultivated in gardens
for flavouring. See Fig. 265. (Sy. En. B. 36.)
=BORASSUS= (a name applied by Linnæus to the spathe of the Date Palm).
ORD. _Palmaceæ_. A very small genus of stove trees, containing two
noble species, which are distinguished by unisexual flowers, produced
upon distinct plants, the males being borne in dense branching catkins,
and the females on simple, or, more rarely, slightly branched spikes.
Fruit very large, brown, three-seeded. Leaves fan-shaped, with spiny
petioles. Trunks unarmed, often 70ft. high. They may be grown in good
fibrous loam, leaf mould, and sand, mainly the former. Increased by
seeds only, which require to be sown in strong bottom heat. Rarely seen
in cultivation.
=B. æthiopicum= (African). _l._ nearly circular, and plaited,
supported upon stout petioles, 6ft. to 7ft. long. Western Tropical
Africa. This handsome, but rare, species is remarkable for the
bulging out or swelling in its stem, near the middle, or about
two-thirds of its height from the ground.
=B. flabelliformis= (fan-shaped).* _l._ nearly circular, and
plaited like a partially-open fan, with about seventy ribs, which
radiate from a common centre. _h._ 30ft. India, 1771.
=BORBONIA= (named after Gaston de Bourbon, Duke of Orleans, son
of Henry IV. of France, a great lover and patron of botany). ORD.
_Leguminosæ_. A genus of very ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrubs,
natives of the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers yellow, disposed in terminal
heads, axillary. Leaves simple, amplexicaul, alternate, exstipulate,
pungent. They thrive well in a mixture of peat, loam, and sand, with
good drainage. Cuttings, half-ripened, obtained in April, will root
freely in sandy soil if placed under a bell glass, in a cool house.
=B. barbata= (bearded).* _fl._ sessile, villous on the outside.
July. _l._ narrow, lanceolate, many-nerved, complicated,
ciliately-bearded, and very much acuminated; branches diverging.
_h._ 3ft. to 4ft. 1823.
=B. cordata= (heart-shaped). _fl._, corolla densely villous, with
the vexillum obcordate. July. _l._ cordate, many-nerved, quite
entire, glabrous. Branches villous. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. 1759.
=B. crenata= (crenated).* _fl._ less villous than in the rest of
the species. July. _l._ cordate, roundish, acute, denticulated,
many nerved and reticulated between the nerves, and are, as well as
the branches, glabrous. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. 1774. (B. M. 274.)
=B. lanceolata= (lance-shaped). _fl._ densely villous. July. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, pungent, many nerved, quite entire, sessile,
glabrous, as well as the stem. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. 1752. (L. B. C.
81.)
=B. ruscifolia= (Ruscus-leaved). _fl._ sparingly villous. July.
_l._ cordate, many-nerved, minutely ciliated, but are otherwise
glabrous as well as the branches. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. 1790. (B. M.
2128.)
=BORDERS, FLOWER.= Small beds, or a continuous bed, of greater length
than width, skirting a wall or shrubbery, and containing plants of
a heterogeneous character. They should be slightly raised above the
surrounding level, and thoroughly drained. In the first preparation of
the Border, it is most essential to deeply dig or trench the ground,
thoroughly incorporating a large amount of well-bodied manure; and if
the soil is very stiff, wood ashes or coarse sand should be well worked
in with the manure. The best time to plant such Borders is in early
autumn or in March.
Where, as is frequently the case, the Borders are only 2ft. or 3ft.
wide, not more than two rows of plants, either in groups or singly,
will be allowable. The tall plants or shrubs should constitute the
background, with dwarfer subjects in front; but formal arrangements
must be avoided. The object should be to secure a continuous succession
of flowers. This would entail some little trouble at first, which,
however, would be amply repaid by results.
No hard-and-fast rules can be laid down as to the arrangement of
the plants, which depends on individual taste and means; but the
best results are obtained when the border is mainly made up of hardy
herbaceous perennials, as permanent occupants, assisted by liberal
quantities of summer bedding plants, such as Dahlias, Fuchsias,
Geraniums, Heliotrope, Tropæolums, &c., as well as many hardy annuals
and biennials. By this means, a very varied and beautiful display may
be maintained, especially if bulbs are used for early spring effect,
such as Narcissi, Scillas, Snowdrops, Tulips, &c. Of course, the
herbaceous perennials should be selected with much care, all weedy
subjects being avoided, and variety in colour and time of flowering
secured. Anything like a full list of these would occupy too much
space for repetition here, but the following will be found very showy
and useful: Achilleas, Aconitums, Anemones, Aquilegias, Armerias,
Asters, Campanulas, Carnations and Picotees, Delphiniums, Dodecatheons,
Doronicums, Fritillarias, Funkias, Gaillardias, Geraniums, Geums,
Hollyhocks, Iberises, Irises, Liliums, Pæonies, Papavers, Pyrethrums,
double and single, Ranunculus, Trolliuses, &c.
=BORDERS, FRUIT.= These should be well drained, and if not naturally
so, the soil should be excavated from 3ft. to 5ft. deep, in order
to form a bottom of stones, pieces of brick, clinkers, &c. Where it
is convenient, draining pipes should be added, if an outfall in the
vicinity can be secured. The base of the Border should be sloped to
the front, where the pipes should be laid, and the bottom covered with
draining material, thereby effectually preventing the fruit trees
rooting deep, which is detrimental to healthy growth. Gross-feeding
vegetables or flowers should not be grown on the surface, but
shallow-rooting crops will generally do no harm. Many advocate the
surface being kept free from crops of any sort, simply letting it be
freely exposed; whilst others equally as strenuously condemn this plan.
Where necessary, chalk or some other mineral constituent of good soil
which is naturally absent, may be added; but much animal manure is
rarely required. The depth and width of Border may vary for different
fruit trees, but efficient drainage is in all cases important.
=BORECOLE= (_Brassica oleracea fimbriata_). An important division of
the Brassica tribe, often cultivated in gardens under the name of
Kale. It comes in very useful when hard weather has rendered cabbages,
&c., unfit for use, as it endures cold better than most other green
vegetables. Some are also grown as ornamental foliaged plants. Like all
other plants of a similar description, they require rich soil, and they
should be put out in June or early in July, as it is almost useless
to plant this kind of vegetable after the middle of the latter month.
To obtain the best results, the ground should be deeply dug and well
manured; but it must not be full of crude manure at planting time, or
it will make the plants too tender and succulent in wet seasons, with
the result that the first sharp frost would cause them to rot. Good
hard-stemmed plants are the kinds most needed, especially for crops
required in spring, when green vegetables are scarce. Cultivation:
Early in April, and again a month later for succession, the seeds
should be sown thinly in nursery beds, not covering them too deeply.
The soil should be in a friable condition, and it is an advantage if
the first beds be made under a south wall. As soon as the seedlings
appear, if they are too thick, they should be thinned, as those
which are drawn up weak and spindly are useless. When large enough,
they should be carefully planted out, choosing showery weather, if
possible, for the operation. If it is necessary to plant them in dry
weather, they must be well watered-in. The rows should be from 2ft.
to 3ft. apart, according to the variety, and the plants 2ft. apart in
the rows; or, if potatoes are planted wide apart, the Borecole may be
arranged between them. Dead leaves must be cleared away from time to
time, but no green ones should be broken off. When the tops are cut
for use, the stems should not be denuded of foliage, as they will soon
break again and form successional crops. The plants must be kept free
from weeds. After April, the Kales are of little use; the stems may
therefore be pulled up, and the ground planted with some other crop.
They all require the same treatment, and at their various seasons come
in equally useful.
_Sorts._ The distinct forms are somewhat limited, but being largely
cultivated on the Continent as well as all parts of Britain on account
of its hardy nature, the varieties of Borecole receive a large number
of names that are either synonymous with, or indistinct from, a few
well-known types. Dwarf Green Curled or Scotch is probably the best and
most grown; other good hardy sorts are Asparagus Kale (this name is
applied to several different kinds, the best one being in use very late
in spring), Buda, Cottagers', Dwarf Purple, Imperial Hearting, Ragged
Jack, and Tall Green Curled. Melville's Variegated and Variegated
Borecole, amongst others, have fine ornamental foliage.
=BORONIA= (named after Francis Boroni, an Italian servant of Dr.
Sibthorp, who perished from an accident at Athens; he collected
specimens of many of those plants which are figured in the "Flora
Græca"). ORD. _Rutaceæ_. Very elegant and useful shrubs, requiring
similar treatment to ordinary greenhouse hard-wooded subjects, and
much aided with a little extra heat in spring, when breaking into
growth. Flowers pretty, pink-purplish, or white; peduncles terminal,
but usually axillary on the extreme branches, one to many-flowered;
pedicels furnished at the base and middle with two opposite, short
bracts, jointed, commonly dilated under the calyx. Leaves opposite,
simple, or impari-pinnate, entire, or a little serrulated, full of
pellucid dots. They should be placed out of doors from July to the
middle of September; the most convenient place for them is in pits,
as there are then greater facilities for protecting them from heavy
rains and thunderstorms. When first put out, Boronias should not be
fully exposed, but in the course of a week they may remain open to the
full influence of both sun and air. Potting should be performed once
a year, as soon as the top growth ceases, as the roots then extend
themselves in preparation for their next year's functions. The best
compost for them is one of peat and maiden loam in equal parts, and
about one-sixth sharp silver sand. Many cultivators, however, prefer a
compost consisting of good fibry peat and silver sand, together with
some pieces of charcoal, smaller or larger, according to the size of
the pots used. The soil should be rammed firmly in the pots, which
must be well drained. The leading shoots should be pinched, to ensure
good bushy specimens. Propagation may be effected by young cuttings,
or those made from the half-ripened wood; these should be put into a
thoroughly drained pot of sandy soil, with 1in. of sand on the surface,
and covered with a bell glass, which must be frequently taken off and
wiped dry. When in the cutting state, water must be very carefully
given around the rim of the pot, without taking off the glass. If
placed in a temperature of about 50deg., and shaded from bright noonday
sun, they soon root, when they may be potted off singly into small
pots, and plunged in sawdust, or cocoa-nut fibre refuse, in which
situation but little water is needed. Pinching repeatedly, when young,
is the only means to secure good ultimate growth. Air must be given on
all possible opportunities.
=B. alata= (winged). _fl._ pale rose-colour, small; peduncles
dichotomous, usually three-flowered; bracts fringed. May. _l._,
leaflets three to five pairs, or more, crenate, revolute, pilose on
the nerves beneath, as well as the rachis. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. New
Holland, 1823. (L. B. C. 1833.)
=B. anemonifolia= (Anemone-leaved). _fl._ pink; peduncles axillary,
solitary, one-flowered. May. _l._ stalked, trifid; segments narrow,
wedge-shaped, furnished with two or three teeth at the apex, or
quite entire. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. New Holland, 1824. (P. M. B. 9,
123.)
=B. crenulata= (crenulate).* _fl._ red, small, with a fringed
calyx; pedicels axillary and terminal, one-flowered. July. _l._
obovate, mucronulate, crenulated. _h._ 1ft. to 4ft. King George's
Sound. (B. M. 3915.)
=B. denticulata= (finely-toothed). _fl._ rose-coloured; bracts
deciduous; peduncles corymbose. March to August. _l._ linear,
retuse, toothleted, terminated by a small point. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft.
King George's Sound, 1823. (B. R. 1000.)
=B. Drummondi= (Drummond's).* _fl._ pretty rosy pink, freely
produced during spring and summer. _l._ pinnatifid. _h._ 2ft. New
Holland. A very pretty species, with a slender but compact habit of
growth. There is a white-flowered variety of this species (F. d. S.
9, 881.)
=B. elatior= (tallest).* _fl._ pendulous, rosy carmine, very
fragrant, disposed in long dense clusters along the ends of the
branches. May. _l._ very prettily pinnately cut into linear
segments. _h._ 4ft. Western Australia, 1874. (B. M. 6285.)
=B. ledifolia= (Ledum-leaved). _fl._ red; peduncles axillary,
one-flowered, each bearing two bracts in the middle. March. _l._
linear-lanceolate, quite entire, downy beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
New Holland, 1814. (P. M. B. 8, 123.)
[Illustration: FIG. 266. FLOWERING BRANCHES OF BORONIA MEGASTIGMA.]
=B. megastigma= (large-stigma).* _fl._ numerous, axillary,
fragrant, drooping, 1/2in. in diameter, sub-globose, campanulate;
petals nearly orbicular, concave, maroon purple outside, and
yellow within. _l._ sessile, pinnate, with three to five narrow
linear rigid leaflets. _h._ 1ft. Of slender habit, with twiggy
branches. South-western Australia, 1873. See Fig. 266.
=B. pinnata= (pinnate).* _fl._ pink, with a scent like that of
Hawthorn; peduncles dichotomous. February to May. _l._, leaflets
two, three or four pairs, linear, acute, quite smooth. _h._ 1ft. to
3ft. New Holland, 1794. (B. M. 1763.)
=B. polygalæfolia= (Polygala-leaved). _fl._ red; peduncles
axillary, solitary, one-flowered. March to July. _l._
linear-lanceolate, quite entire, opposite, alternate, and three in
a whorl. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Port Jackson, 1824.
=B. serrulata= (serrulate).* _fl._ of a deep rose colour, very
fragrant; peduncles aggregate, terminal. July. _l._ trapeziform,
acute, serrulated in front, smooth, full of glandular dots. _h._
1ft. to 6ft. Port Jackson, 1816. (B. R. 842.)
=B. tetrandra= (four-stamened). _fl._ pale purple; pedicels short,
one-flowered. May. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets four to five
pairs, linear, obtuse, smooth; branches pilose. _h._ 1ft. to 4ft.
New Holland, 1824. (P. M. B. 16, 227.)
=BORRERIA= (named after William Borrer, F.L.S., a profound botanist
and cryptogamist). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. A large genus of stove herbs or
sub-shrubs, now referred to _Spermacoce_. Flowers small, white, rarely
blue, disposed in verticillate heads, in the axils of the leaves, or on
the tops of the branches, rarely cymose or corymbose. Leaves opposite,
or the young ones disposed in fascicles in the axils of the old ones,
and therefore appearing verticillate; stipules joining with the
petioles, more or less sheathing, fringed by many bristles. Stems and
branches usually tetragonal. The species are of easy culture, thriving
in a light soil. Cuttings of the perennial kinds strike root readily
in the same kind of soil, in heat. The annual kinds require a similar
treatment to other tender annuals.
=B. stricta= (straight). A dwarf shrub, but closely allied to the
next species. Porto Rico.
=B. verticillata= (whorled-flowered). _fl._ white. July. _l._
linear lanceolate, acuminated, opposite, but appearing verticillate
from the fascicles of young leaves in the axils. _h._ 2ft. West
Indies, 1732.
=BOSCIA= (named after Louis Bosc, a French professor of agriculture).
SYN. _Podoria_. ORD. _Capparidaceæ_. A small genus of stove plants,
requiring a soil of lumpy, fibry loam and peat. Propagated by cuttings
of firm wood, placed in sand, under a glass, in heat.
=B. senegalensis= (Senegal). _fl._ white, small, apetalous,
corymbose. _h._ 3ft. Senegal, 1824. An unarmed evergreen shrub. (L.
E. M. 395.)
=BOSSIÃA= (named after M. Bossier Lamartinière, a French botanist,
who accompanied the unfortunate La Peyrouse round the world). ORD.
_Leguminosæ_. A genus of elegant Australian greenhouse shrubs. Flowers
yellow, axillary and solitary, the base of the vexillum or the keel
generally blotched or veined with purple. Leaves simple, of various
forms. A mixture of turfy loam, leaf mould, peat, and sand, with very
free drainage, suits these plants best. Half-ripened cuttings will root
freely if placed in a pot of sand with a bell glass over them, in a
cool house. Seeds should be sown, in March, on a slight hotbed.
=B. cinerea= (ashy-grey). _fl._ yellow, the vexillum furnished with
a purple circle at the base, and the keel dark purple. May. _l._
nearly sessile, cordate acute, ending in a spiny mucrone, scabrous
above, but pilose on the nerves beneath, with recurved margins.
Branches terete, crowded with leaves, vinous. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft.
1824. SYNS. _B. cordifolia_, _B. tenuicaulis_. (B. M. 3895.)
=B. cordifolia= (heart-leaved). A synonym of _B. cinerea_.
=B. disticha= (two-ranked).* _fl._ yellowish-red; peduncles
solitary, axillary, one-flowered, longer than the leaves. March to
May. _l._ distichous, ovate, obtuse. Young branches terete. _h._
1-1/2ft. Swan River, 1840. (B. R. 1841, 55.)
=B. ensata= (sword-shaped). _fl._ yellowish, with the back and
base of the vexillum of a brownish orange-purple colour; keel
brownish-purple. April. Branches flat, linear, leafless, toothed,
the teeth bearing the flowers; upper bracts distant from the lower
ones, shorter than the pedicel. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1825. (S. F. A.
51.)
=B. foliosa= (leafy). _fl._ yellow and orange. May to June. _l._
alternate, small, orbicular, retuse, scabrous, with revolute
margins, silky beneath; stipules permanent, hooked, longer than the
petioles. Branches straight, terete, villous. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft.
1824.
=B. lenticularis= (lentil-leaved). A synonym of _B. rhombifolia_.
=B. linnæoides= (Linnæa-like).* _fl._ yellow; keel dark brown;
corolla about twice the length of the calyx; pedicels solitary
one-flowered, elongated. May. _l._ elliptic, mucronate. Branches
terete, prostrate, puberulous. 1824. A procumbent shrub.
=B. linophylla= (Flax-leaved).* _fl._ orange and purple. July to
August. _l._ linear, with recurved margins. Branches compressed,
leafy. _h._ 1ft. to 4ft. 1803. (B. M. 2491.)
=B. microphylla= (small-leaved). _l._ cuneiformly obcordate,
glabrous. Branches terete, leafy, spinescent; young branches rather
compressed and pubescent. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1803. (L. B. C. 656.)
=B. rhombifolia= (diamond-leaved).* _fl._ yellow, the vexillum
having a dark red zonate mark at the base; wings red at the base;
keel brownish-purple. April. _l._ rhomboidal-orbicular, somewhat
emarginate and mucronate. Branches terete; branchlets compressed,
leafy. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. 1820. SYN. _B. lenticularis_. (L. B. C.
1238.)
=B. rotundifolia= (round-leaved). _l._ roundish, or broadly
obovate, somewhat mucronate, flat, four to five lines long and five
to six broad. Branches and branchlets leafy, compressed. _h._ 1ft.
to 2ft. 1824.
=B. scolopendrium= (plank-plant). _fl._ yellow, with the back of
the vexillum and keel brownish-red. May. _l._ (when present) ovate
and smooth. Branches flat, linear, leafless, toothed, with the
teeth bearing the flowers; keel naked; superior bracts permanent,
imbricate, equal in length to the peduncles. _h._ 3ft. to 10ft.
1792. (B. M. 1235.)
=B. tenuicaulis= (slender-stemmed). Synonymous with _B. cinerea_.
=BOSWELLIA= (named after Dr. Boswell, formerly of Edinburgh). Olibanum
Tree. ORD. _Burseraceæ_. Ornamental and economic evergreen stove trees.
Flowers hermaphrodite; calyx five-toothed, permanent; petals five,
obovate-oblong, spreading, with the margins incumbent in æstivation;
disk cup-shaped, crenate; stamens ten; capsule trigonal. They are
of easy culture, thriving well in loam and peat soil. Cuttings root
readily if placed in sand under a glass.
=B. glabra= (glabrous). _fl._ white, small, with a red nectary and
yellow anthers; racemes aggregate, simple, terminal, shorter than
the leaves. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets broad, lanceolate, blunt,
serrated, smooth. _h._ 30ft. Coromandel, 1823. (B. F. S. 124.)
=B. serrata= (saw-edged-leaved).* _fl._ whitish-yellow; racemes
axillary, simple. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets ovate-oblong,
taper-pointed, serrated, pubescent. _h._ 20ft. India, 1820. (T. L.
S. xv., 4.)
=BOTANY BAY GUM.= _See_ =Xanthorrhæa arborea=.
=BOTANY BAY TEA= (and =TREE=). _See_ =Smilax glycyphylla=.
=BOTHY.= A residence for under-gardeners, usually built behind the
hothouses, or some high wall, in what is called a back shed. The
place is too frequently a cramped, ill-ventilated hovel. A Bothy
proper should be an independent structure, and fitted with modern
conveniences; for, of all people, gardeners are the most susceptible
to colds, &c. A library of standard horticultural and botanical works,
as well as a few on other scientific subjects, and a moderate number
of high-class books of fiction, one or more weekly gardening and other
papers, should be supplied by the employer. During the winter months,
for mutual improvement, lectures should be delivered, or papers read,
by each gardener, on various subjects, after which a free discussion
should take place upon the paper or lecture, by which means a great
amount of good would be accomplished.
=BOTRYCHIUM= (from _botrys_, a bunch; in reference to the bunch-like
disposition of the indusia). Moonwort. ORD. _Filices_. A genus of very
interesting and pretty little hardy ferns. Capsules sessile, arranged
in two rows on the face of spikes which form a compound panicle. They
require a compost of sandy loam; perfect drainage is most essential.
For general culture, _see_ =Ferns=.
=B. australe= (southern). A variety of _B. ternatum_.
=B. daucifolium= (Daucus-leaved). _sti._ stout, 6in. to 12in. long;
petiole of sterile segments 1in. to 6in. long, the latter 6in. to
12in. each way, deltoid, tripinnatifid or tripinnate, the lower
pinnæ largest; segments lanceolate-oblong, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad,
finely toothed. _fertile peduncle_ equalling the sterile segments
when mature; panicle 2in. to 4in. long; tripinnate, not very close.
Himalayas, &c. Greenhouse species. SYN. _B. subcarnosum_.
=B. Lunaria.= Common Moonwort.* _sti._ 1in. to 4in. long. _sterile
segments_ sessile, or nearly so, 1in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. to
1in. broad, base much broader than the middle, cut down to a
flattened rachis into several distinct, close, entire, or notched
cuneate-flabellate pinnæ on both sides. _fertile peduncle_
equalling or exceeding the sterile portion; panicle close, 1in. to
2in. long. England, &c. Hardy. See Fig. 267.
[Illustration: FIG. 267. BOTRYCHIUM LUNARIA, showing Habit, Capsule,
and Spores.]
=B. lunarioides= (Lunaria-like). A variety of _B. ternatum_.
=B. obliquum= (oblique). A variety of _B. ternatum_.
=B. subcarnosum= (sub-fleshy). A synonym of _B. daucifolium_.
=B. ternatum= (ternate).* _sti._ 1in. to 2in. long. _petiole_ of
the sterile segments 2in. to 4in. long, the latter 3in. to 6in.
each way, deltoid, tri- or quadripinnatifid; lower pinnæ much
the largest. _fertile peduncle_ 6in. to 9in. long; panicle 1in.
to 6in. long; deltoid, very compound. Nootka and Hudson's Bay
territory. Several so-called species come very close to this,
including _australe_, _lunarioides_, and _obliquum_, which are only
geographical varieties. Greenhouse species.
=B. virginianum= (Virginian).* _sti._ 3in. to 18in. long.
_sterile segments_ sessile, 4in. to 12in. each way, deltoid,
quadripinnatifid; lower pinnæ much the largest; pinnules
oval-oblong, close, cut down to the rachis into finely cut
linear-oblong segments. _fertile peduncle_ equalling or exceeding
the sterile part of the plant when mature; panicle 1in. to 4in.
long, loose, oblong. Oregon, and North United States, 1790. A hardy
species in sheltered places. (H. G. F. 29.)
=BOTTLE-GOURD.= _See_ =Lagenaria=.
=BOTTLE-TREE.= _See_ =Sterculia rupestris=.
=BOTTOM HEAT.= This is usually secured by passing hot-water pipes
through an air chamber, or a water tank, beneath a bed of plunging
material. The covering of the tank or chamber is best made of slate.
The heat must be regulated according to the requirements of the
subjects grown; this is easily accomplished by using the valve.
A thermometer should be placed in the tank or bed. Bottom-heat
is indispensable for propagating plants from seeds and cuttings,
especially in spring. _See_ =Heating= and =Hotbeds=.
=BOUCEROSIA= (from _boukeros_, furnished with buffaloes' horns; in
reference to the curved lobes of the corona) ORD. _Asclepiadaceæ_. A
genus of greenhouse succulent perennials, allied to _Stapelia_, and
requiring the same culture. Flowers numerous, terminal, umbellate;
corolla sub-campanulate, five-cleft; segments broadly triangular, with
acute recesses; stramineous corona fifteen-lobed; lobes disposed in a
double series; the five inner ones opposite the stamens and lying upon
the anthers; the rest exterior, erect, or a little incurved at apex,
adhering to the back of the inner ones. Branches and stems tetragonal,
with toothed angles.
[Illustration: FIG. 268 BOUCEROSIA EUROPÃA.]
=B. europæa= (European). _fl._ purple-brown, yellow. Summer. _h._
4in. Sicily, 1833. SYNS. _Apteranthes_ and _Stapelia Gussoniana_.
See Fig. 268. (B. R. 1731.)
=B. maroccana= (Morocco).* _fl._ dark red purple, with yellow
concentric lines. Summer. _l._ minute, trowel-shaped, deflexed at
tip of stem angles. _h._ 4in. Morocco, 1875. (B. M. 6137.)
=BOUCHEA= (named after C. and P. Bouche, German naturalists). ORD.
_Verbenaceæ_. A small genus of stove or greenhouse evergreen herbs or
sub-shrubs. Flowers sub-sessile, in spicate racemes, which are either
terminal or in the forking of two branches; corolla funnel-shaped.
Leaves opposite, toothed. They thrive in a well-drained compost of loam
and sandy peat. Propagated by cuttings, placed in sand, under a glass,
and in a gentle heat, during spring.
=B. cuneifolia= (wedge-shaped-leaved). _fl._ white. April. _h._
4ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1821. A greenhouse evergreen shrub. SYN.
_Chascanum cuneifolium_.
=B. pseudogervao= (false-gervaô). _fl._ purplish, with white
throat; spike terminal, 6in. to 10in. long, slender. September.
_l._ opposite, ovate, or elliptic-ovate, acuminate, serrated. Stems
tetragonous. _h._ 2ft. to 5ft. Brazil, 1874. A stove perennial. (B.
M. 6221).
=BOUGAINVILLEA= (named after De Bougainville, a French navigator).
ORD. _Nyctagineæ_. Gorgeous warm greenhouse or conservatory plants,
comprising some of the most showy climbers in cultivation. Their
beauty lies in the bracts, which envelop the small greenish flowers.
_B. glabra_ may be grown in pots, or planted out in the greenhouse
borders; the others are best planted out, as they root very freely, and
plenty of space would be occupied if allowed, but it is best to limit
it, as they bloom much better. Strict training and pinching are not
desirable, being prejudicial to the free production of bloom; indeed,
the best plan is to allow the plants to ramble freely over the roof of
a moderately high house, or along the upper portion of a back wall;
they will then bloom profusely for several months in the year, provided
proper attention be paid to watering, and that the plants are in a
well-drained situation. In preparing a border for their reception, the
first point to be considered is the drainage, which must be perfect.
This is best effected by placing a layer of brick rubbish, 6in. to 9in.
in thickness, communicating with the drain, by which means all sourness
and stagnancy of the soil will be obviated. The bed should be excavated
to a depth of 18in. or 2ft. Three parts turfy loam, and one part
leaf soil, with the admixture of a liberal quantity of sharp gritty
sand, will form a suitable compost for the culture of Bougainvilleas.
The amount of sand incorporated must depend upon the quality of the
other components, heavy loam requiring more than that which is more
friable. The occasional incorporation of manure in the compost is not
to be recommended; but a liberal application of liquid manure will be
of material advantage, especially if the root space is limited. When
the plants cease blooming each yearÂ-about November or DecemberÂ-they
should be dried off and rested; and in February they should be closely
spurred in, the same as with vines, and all weak leaders removed, so
that strong wood only is left. When grown in pots, they must be started
in brisk heat. They are easily increased by cuttings prepared from the
half-ripened wood; these should be placed in sandy soil, in a brisk
bottom heat, when they will soon root. Scale, red spider, and mealy bug
are the only insects likely to infest the plants, and recipes for their
destruction will be found under each individual name.
[Illustration: FIG. 269. FLOWERING BRANCH OF BOUGAINVILLEA SPECTABILIS.]
=B. glabra= (smooth).* _fl._, inflorescence panicled, smaller than
that of _B. speciosa_, each branchlet producing cordate-ovate acute
rosy bracts, in threes. Summer. _l._ bright green, smooth. Brazil,
1861. This is by far the best species for pot culture, and forms a
very showy plant when well grown.
=B. speciosa= (beautiful).* _fl._, bracts large, cordate, delicate
lilac rose, produced in immense panicles, which, in well grown
specimens, are so freely produced as to entirely shroud the whole
plant. March to June. _l._ ovate, very dark green, covered on
the upper surface with small hairs. Stems branched, abundantly
furnished with large recurved spines. Brazil, 1861. (F. M. i., 62.)
=B. spectabilis= (showy). _fl._, bracts of a dull brick-red, shaded
with scarlet. South America, 1829. It is very difficult to obtain
bloom on this plant; and when flowers are produced, they are
extremely ephemeral. The species is, for all practical purposes,
much inferior to either of the foregoing. SYN. _Josepha augusta_.
See Fig. 269.
=BOURBON PALM.= _See_ =Latania=.
=BOUSSINGAULTIA= (named after Boussingault, a celebrated chemist).
ORD. _Chenopodiaceæ_. Very pretty half-hardy, tuberous-rooted plants,
requiring a rich vegetable sandy soil, and a well-drained sunny aspect,
under which conditions the first-mentioned species develops into a
very luxuriant trailing plant, attaining a length of 20in. or more.
Propagated freely by means of the tubercles of the stem; these are,
however, extremely brittle.
=B. baselloides= (Basella-like).* _fl._ white, ultimately becoming
black, fragrant, small, disposed in clusters, 2in. to 4in. long,
which are axillary at the ends of the branches. Late autumn. _l._
alternate, cordate, smooth, shining, fleshy, slightly wavy. Stems
very twining, tinged red, very quick-growing, producing tubercles.
South America, 1835. (B. M. 3620.)
=B. Lachaumei= (Lachaume's). _fl._ rose, constantly in perfection.
Cuba, 1872. A stove species.
[Illustration: FIG. 270. FLOWERING BRANCH OF BOUVARDIA.]
=BOUVARDIA= (named after Dr. Charles Bouvard, formerly superintendent
of the Jardin du Roi, at Paris). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. Handsome greenhouse
evergreen shrubs. Peduncles terminal, three-flowered, or trichotomous
and corymbose; corolla funnel-shaped, tubular, elongated, beset with
velvety papillæ outside, and a four-parted, spreading, short limb.
Leaves opposite, or in whorls; stipules narrow, acute, adnate to the
petioles on both sides. These extensively cultivated plants are among
the most useful for conservatory or greenhouse decoration (see Fig.
270. for which we are indebted to Messrs. Cannell and Sons), and
the flowers are largely employed in a cut state. Perhaps only two
are fragrant, viz., _jasminiflora_ and _Humboldtii_. Cultivation:
Presuming the grower to be commencing with young rooted cuttings, these
should be potted off into a mixture of good fibrous loam, leaf soil,
and sand, in equal proportions, to which may be added a small quantity
of peat; they should then be placed in a temperature of from 70deg.
to 80deg. until fully established in the small pots. It is necessary
at this stage to stop the young plants back to the first joint, and
as they continue to make fresh breaks, to keep on pinching them back
during the whole period of cultivation, or until sufficiently bushy
plants are produced. Many growers neglect stopping far too much, the
result being ill-shaped and almost flowerless plants. The pinching, of
course, can be regulated by the time the plants are required to flower;
and it is unwise, in most cases, to stop them after the end of August.
When the small pots are well filled with roots, the plants should be
shifted into the flowering pots, viz., large 48-sized, which are quite
commodious enough to grow very fine plants, a similar compost as in the
first potting, with a little Standen's manure added, being used, and
good drainage provided. A cool greenhouse, with a damp bottom for the
pots to rest upon, and with a moist atmosphere, is the most suitable
place in which to grow them during late spring and early summer, the
moist air being very desirable as an effectual check to red spider,
a pest very fond of the foliage, which it permanently disfigures.
A cold pit or close frame is better during the summer months, as a
moist atmosphere and cool bottom are then certain. Ventilation may
be effected during the greater part of the day by tilting the lights
below, and on fine nights they may be removed altogether. During
bright sunshine, shading will be beneficial. All through the period
of active growth, it is absolutely necessary that the plants should
receive plenty of water, or they will surely suffer; and when the
pots are filled with roots, occasional doses of manure water will be
beneficial. Many cultivators plant them out about the end of June, in
favoured situations, or in spent hotbeds, when they make very vigorous
growth; and, if carefully pinched and watered, fine specimens are
obtained. These are lifted in early autumn, with a good ball, potted,
and kept shaded for a few days until the roots are again active, when
they are taken to the house in which they are intended to bloom, and
an enormous supply of flowers is secured. We have also seen Bouvardias
planted out permanently in beds, in prepared pits, in which the winter
temperature was not less than 55deg., with very satisfactory results;
the quantity of bloom being very great. Of course, with the last-named
treatment, it is essential to give the plants a rest and hardening-off
after flowering, and when they are started into fresh growth to keep
them well pinched and watered. Bouvardias are liable to the attacks of
red spider and green fly. The former stands little chance of existence
if the plants are kept well supplied with moisture; the latter may be
destroyed by fumigating with tobacco. Mealy bug are also troublesome,
and should be sponged off with a solution of Gishurst's Compound.
Propagation: After flowering, and a slight rest and hardening-off, the
old plants should be cut back, placed in heat, in a stove or cucumber
pit, and freely syringed, which will cause them to break freely, and
produce a good supply of cuttings. When the young shoots are from
1-1/2in. to 2in. long., they are in the best condition for striking. It
is not necessary that they should be cut off at a joint, as they will
root from any surface of the stem; and, working economically, it is
wiser to cut them off just above the first joint, as other shoots will
speedily break out, which may, in their turn, be taken. Pots about 5in.
across should have previously been prepared for the cuttings, by being
well drained and filled with a mixture of good fibrous loam, leaf soil,
and coarse sand, in equal parts, with a copious supply of sand upon
the surface, into which the cuttings should be dibbled pretty thickly.
A good watering must be given without wetting, and thereby injuring,
the foliage. The pots should be plunged in the cutting case, or in any
bottom heat of about 70deg. or 80deg., and covered with a bell glass.
All that is then necessary is to keep them moist and shady during
sunshine, until they are rooted, which, as a rule, is effected in three
weeks' time. When well established, they may be removed from the case,
gradually hardened off, and finally potted singly into small thumb pots.
=B. angustifolia= (narrow-leaved).* _fl._ pale red; corymbs
somewhat trichotomous. September. _l._ three in a whorl,
lanceolate, with revolute edges, glabrous above, but beset with
fine hairs beneath. Branches terete, smoothish. _h._ 2ft. Mexico,
1838. (P. M. B. 7, 99.)
=B. Cavanillesii= (Cavanilles's). _fl._ red; peduncles terminal,
trifid, three-flowered. May. _l._ opposite, ovate-lanceolate,
acuminated, rather villous beneath. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Mexico, 1846.
SYN. _B. multiflora_. (J. H. S. 3, 246.)
=B. flava= (yellow).* _fl._ yellow, drooping; racemes three to
five-flowered; pedicels downy, slender. March. _l._ opposite,
ovate-lanceolate, ciliated; stipules setaceous. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
Mexico, 1845. (B. R. 32, 32.)
=B. hirtella= (hairy). _fl._ pale red or flesh-coloured, corymbose.
_l._ whorled, lanceolate, with revoluted edges, hairy on both
surfaces. Branches terete. Mexico.
=B. Humboldtii corymbiflora= (Humboldt's corymb-flowered).* _fl._
white, large, fragrant, disposed in terminal racemes; tubes long.
Autumn and winter. _l._ ovate, oblong-acuminate, dark green. 1874.
One of the finest kinds in cultivation. (G. C. 1873, 717.)
=B. Jacquini= (Jacquin's). A synonym of _B. triphylla_.
=B. jasminiflora= (Jasmine-flowered).* _fl._ white, fragrant,
in compound cymes; very floriferous. Winter. _l._ opposite,
elliptic-acuminate. South America, 1869. A very charming and
largely grown species. (G. C. 1872, 215.)
[Illustration: FIG. 271. BOUVARDIA LEIANTHA.]
=B. leiantha= (smooth-flowered).* _fl._ scarlet; corymbs
sub-trichotomous. July to November. _l._ ternate, ovate-acuminate,
slightly hairy above, downy-villous beneath. _h._ 2ft. Mexico,
1850. See Fig. 271. (B. H. 2, 6.)
=B. longiflora= (long-flowered).* _fl._ white, terminal, solitary,
sessile, with the tube 2in. or 3in. long. _l._ opposite, oblong,
acute, cuneated at the base, glabrous. Branches compressedly
tetragonal, glabrous. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1827. (B. M. 4223.)
=B. multiflora= (many-flowered). A synonym of _B. Cavanillesii_.
=B. triphylla= (three-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet, nearly 1in. long;
corymbs somewhat trichotomous. July. _l._ smoothish above, hairy
beneath, three in a whorl, oblong. Branchlets trigonal, hairy. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1794. There are numerous varieties of this
species. SYN. _B. Jacquini_. (B. M. 1854.)
=B. versicolor= (various-coloured). _fl._, corolla with a scarlet
tube, which is 3/4in. long, but having the limb yellowish inside;
corymbs three-flowered, trichotomous, drooping. July to September.
_l._ opposite, lanceolate, ciliated. Branches terete, glabrous,
velvety while young. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. South America, 1814. (B. R.
245.)
The garden hybrids are very handsome. A selection is given below:
ALFRED NEUNER, flowers double, white, or slightly tinged with rose
(see Fig. 272); BRILLIANT, flowers bright crimson, numerous, freely
branching habit, and strong constitution; DAZZLER,* habit very
bushy and compact, extremely floriferous, flowers rich scarlet, in
dense clusters; HOGARTH, brilliant scarlet, very fine; LONGIFLORA
FLAMMEA,* flowers long-tubed, blush-rose; MAIDEN'S BLUSH,* very
free and floriferous, blush-rose; PRESIDENT GARFIELD, rich double,
red-pink, very fine; QUEEN OF ROSES, rosy-pink, the tubes tinted
with crimson, habit dwarf and very free; VREELANDI (=DAVIDSONI),
flowers pure white, produced in great abundance; one of the most
useful of them all, and grown very extensively.
[Illustration: FIG. 272. BOUVARDIA ALFRED NEUNER.]
=BOWENIA= (commemorative of Sir G. Bowen, Governor of Queensland). ORD.
_Cycadaceæ_. A remarkable and handsome greenhouse fern-like plant,
closely allied to _Zamia_, from which it is distinguished by having the
leaflets decurrent to the petiole, instead of articulated, as in that
genus. For culture, _see_ =Cycas=.
=B. spectabilis= (showy).* _fl._, male cones small, ovoid,
1/2in. to 3/4in. long; female oblong-globose, 3-3/4in. long.
_l._ bipinnatisect, on tall, slender petioles; leaflets
falcate-lanceolate, decurrent; stem short, thick, cylindrical.
Queensland, Australia, 1863. (B. M. 5398 and 6008.)
=B. s. serrulata= (finely-toothed).* This differs from the type in
having the margins distinctly toothed or serrated. Rockingham Bay,
1863.
=BOWIEA= (named after J. Bowie, a botanical collector for the Royal
Gardens, Kew). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A very interesting greenhouse or
half-hardy twining bulbous perennial, thriving in a sunny border,
under the wall of a greenhouse, where it will require protection
during winter. It does well in any light well drained soil, and may be
propagated by seeds or offsets.
[Illustration: FIG. 273. BOWIEA VOLUBILIS, showing Habit, Flower, and
Fruit.]
=B. volubilis= (twining). _fl._ few, remote, pedicellate; perianth
six-partite, persistent; segments equal, green, lanceolate, 1/4in.
long, at length reflexed. October. True leaves are frequently
not developed for years; but the green, fleshy, mostly abortive
inflorescence performs their functions. South Africa, 1866. See
Fig. 273.
=BOX.= _See_ =Buxus=.
=BOX ELDER.= _See_ =Negundo=.
=BOX THORN.= _See_ =Lycium=.
=BRABEIUM= (from _brabeion_, a sceptre; in reference to the racemosed
flowers). African Almond. ORD. _Proteaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse
evergreen tree. For culture, &c., _see_ =Banksia=.
=B. stellatifolium= (star-leaved). _fl._ white, sweet-scented,
disposed in elegant, axillary, spiked racemes. August. _l._
whorled, simple, serrate. _h._ 15ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1731.
=BRACHYCHITON= (from _brachys_, short, and _chiton_, a coat of mail;
plants covered with imbricated hairs and scales). ORD. _Sterculiaceæ_.
A genus of tropical or sub-tropical Australian trees or shrubs, allied
to _Sterculia_, from which it differs in very minor points. They are of
easy culture in a loamy soil. Propagated by young cuttings, planted in
sandy soil, in gentle heat.
=B. acerifolium= (Acer-leaved). _fl._ bright red. _l._
long-stalked, deeply five to seven-lobed. _h._ from 60ft. to 120ft.
=B. Bidwillii= (Bidwill's).* _fl._ bright red, arranged in axillary
bunches. _l._ stalked, heart-shaped, entire, or three-lobed, and
covered with a soft pubescence. 1851. (B. M. 5133.)
=B. diversifolium= (various-leaved). _l._ coriaceous, obtuse,
lanceolate, entire, or three-lobed, glabrous; lobes acuminate. _h._
20ft. to 60ft. 1824.
=BRACHYCOME= (from _brachys_, short, and _kome_, hair). Swan River
Daisy. ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of beautiful little half-hardy
perennials or annuals, closely resembling _Bellis_ in structure.
Involucral bracts membranous at the margin; receptacle pitted, naked.
Fruit compressed, surmounted by a very short bristly pappus. _B.
iberidifolia_ is one of the prettiest of summer annuals, and in the
open border it flowers profusely, if in a dry, sunny spot. Towards
the autumn, it may be removed to the greenhouse, where it will still
continue flowering for several weeks. Seeds may be sown in a gentle
hotbed, early in the spring, and, when large enough, planted out in
borders or beds, 6in. apart; or they may be sown thinly out of doors,
late in April, and thinned out, when they will flower a month later
than those sown in the hotbed.
=B. iberidifolia= (Iberis-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ blue or white, with
a dark centre, about 1in. in diameter. Summer and autumn. _l._
pinnate; segments linear. Plant erect, glabrous. _h._ 1ft. Swan
River, 1843. See Fig. 274.
[Illustration: FIG. 274. BRACHYCOME IBERIDIFOLIA, showing Habit and
Flowering Branch.]
=BRACHYLÃNA= (from _brachys_, short, and _læna_, a cloak or covering;
referring to the shortness of the involucre). ORD. _Compositæ_. A
genus of South African evergreen greenhouse shrubs, nearly allied to
_Baccharis_. They thrive in a compost of peat and loam. Propagated by
cuttings, made of half-ripened shoots, placed in a well-drained pot of
sandy soil, under a bell glass.
=B. dentata= (toothed). _fl.-heads_ yellow. _l._ lanceolate, acute,
entire, rusty beneath when young, when adult quite glabrous.
=B. nerifolia= (Nerium-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, in branching
racemes or panicles. August to November. _l._ lanceolate, serrated
with one or two teeth forward. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1752.
=BRACHYOTUM= (from _brachys_, short, and _otos_, the ear; in
reference to the short appendages at the base of the anthers). ORD.
_Melastomaceæ_. A handsome greenhouse evergreen shrub, with a bushy
habit. Allied, and requiring similar culture, to _Pleroma_ (which
_see_).
=B. confertum= (crowded).* _fl._ purple, terminal, nodding, with
cream-coloured bracts. November. _l._ oblong or ovate, small,
three-nerved, with adpressed hairs. Andes, Peru, 1873. (B. M. 6018.)
=BRACHYSEMA= (from _brachys_, short, and _sema_, a standard; the
standard of the flower is very short). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Elegant
procumbent or climbing greenhouse, evergreen shrubs. Racemes axillary
and terminal, few-flowered. Leaves alternate, oval or ovate, entire,
mucronate, silky on the under surface. They thrive in a compost of
peat, leaf soil, and loam, in equal proportions, made porous, if
necessary, by the addition of sand. Increased by cuttings, made of
half-ripened shoots in summer, placed in sandy soil, under a bell
glass, in a gentle bottom heat; or by layers. Seeds may be sown in
March, in heat. Brachysemas require thorough drainage, whether grown
in pots or planted out. _B. latifolium_ does best under the latter
treatment, when it forms a magnificent climber for pillars or the roof.
[Illustration: THE GIANT WATER LILY (VICTORIA REGIA).]
=B. lanceolatum= (lanceolate-leaved). _fl._ rich scarlet, with the
margin of the vexillum white, red at the disk, with a large yellow
spot in the centre, each about 1in. long, disposed in axillary,
sub-compound racemes. _l._ opposite, rarely alternate, ovate
or ovate-lanceolate, entire, silky white beneath. _h._ 3ft. Swan
River, 1848. (B. M. 4652.)
=B. latifolium= (broad-leaved).* _fl._ crimson-scarlet, large;
vexillum oblong-ovate. April. _l._ ovate, flat, silky beneath. New
Holland, 1803. A handsome climber. (B. R. 118.)
=B. melanopetalum= (black-petaled). Synonymous with _B. undulatum_.
=B. undulatum= (undulated).* _fl._ deep violet-maroon, solitary
or twin; vexillum oblong, cordate, convolute, and bluntish above.
March. _l._ oblong-ovate, mucronate, undulated. New South Wales,
1820. A tall subscandent plant. SYN. _B. melanopetalum_. (B. R.
642.)
=BRACHYSPATHA= (from _brachys_, short, and _spatha_, a spathe; the
spathe is much shorter than the spadix). ORD. _Aroideæ_. Stove
tuberous perennial, allied to, and requiring the same cultivation as,
_Amorphophallus_ (which _see_).
=B. variabilis= (variable).* _fl._ exhaling an abominable fÅtor,
which is, however, of very short duration; spathe much shorter than
the spadix, greenish-purple, sharply acuminate, and many-nerved;
spadix whitish, with female flower at the base, and above
contiguous to them are the males without any intermediate neutral
flowers; anthers orange red; the naked apex of the spadix is very
long, wrinkled, and pitted on the surface. _l._ solitary, 18in.
across; the spotted petiole divides at the top into three main
divisions, each of which is again forked and deeply pinnately cut;
the segments alternate, sessile, or decurrent, very unequal in
size, ovate or oval-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, shining. _h._
3ft. India, 1876. (G. C. 1876, 129.)
=BRACHYSTELMA= (from _brachys_, short, and _stelma_, a crown; in
reference to the short coronal processes of the flowers). ORD.
_Asclepiadaceæ_. Extremely curious little suffruticose, tuberous,
twining, greenhouse perennials. Corolla campanulate, having angular
sinuses; corona simple, five-cleft, lobes opposite the anthers, simple
on the back. Leaves opposite, membranous. They thrive best in fibry
loam. Propagated by cuttings, which will root in sandy soil, in heat;
also by divisions of the root.
=B. Arnotti= (Arnott's). _fl._ brown, green. _l._ in opposite
pairs, nearly sessile, crisped, ovate, dull green above, densely
grey, pubescent beneath. _h._ 4in. South Africa, 1868. (Ref. B. i.,
9.)
=B. Barberæ= (Mrs. Barber's). _fl._ dingy purple, speckled with
yellow. August. _l._ large, linear-oblong, acute. _h._ 6in. South
Africa, 1866. (B. M. 5607.)
=B. ovata= (ovate-leaved). _fl._ yellowish-green. _l._ ovate,
shortly-stalked, pubescent. _h._ 1ft. South Africa, 1872. (Ref. B.
226.)
=B. spathulatum= (spathulate-leaved). _fl._ green. June. _l._
spathulate, oblong, hairy. _h._ 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1826. (B.
R. 1113.)
=B. tuborosum= (tuberous). _fl._ purple. June. _l._
linear-lanceolate, ciliate. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1821.
(B. M. 2343.)
=BRACKEN=, or =BRAKE FERN=. See =Pteris aquilina=.
=BRACTEATE.= Having bracts.
=BRACTEOLATE.= Having secondary bracts between the true bracts and the
flowers.
=BRACTS.= Modified leaves placed near the calyx on the peduncle or
pedicel.
=BRAHEA= (named after Tycho Brahe, the celebrated astronomer). ORD.
_Palmeæ_. A small genus of dwarf palms, with fan-shaped leaves, and
hermaphrodite, greenish flowers. They require rich light loam and
fibrous peat, in equal parts, to which may be added a good portion of
washed sand; thorough drainage and liberal supplies of water are also
absolutely necessary. Propagated by seeds. During summer, they may be
removed to the greenhouse, and can be employed with much success for
sub-tropical gardening.
=B. dulcis= (sweet).* _l._ nearly circular, bright shining green;
petioles clothed with woolly tomentum, armed at the edges with
small close-set spines, and enveloped at the base in a network of
brown fibre. Stem stout. Mexico, 1865. A rare and slow developing
species.
=B. filamentosa= (filamentose). A synonym of _Washingtonia
filifera_.
=BRAINEA= (commemorative of C. J. Braine, Esq., of Hong Kong, China).
ORD. _Filices_. Sori continuous along transverse veins, near the
midrib, and also produced along the veins in the direction of the edge
of the frond.
=B. insignis= (remarkable), which is the only species, has a
_trunk_ 3in. to 4in. thick; scales linear, nearly 1in. long. _sti._
firm, 3in. to 4in. long, scaly only at the base. _fronds_ 2ft
to 3ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad, simply pinnate; pinnæ close,
numerous, linear, finely serrated. Hong Kong, 1856. A very handsome
and interesting greenhouse tree fern, requiring a soil of loam and
peat, in equal parts, with the addition of some sharp sand, and
thorough drainage.
=BRAMBLE.= _See_ =Rubus=.
=BRASSAVOLA= (named in honour of A. M. Brassavola, a Venetian
botanist). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A genus of epiphytal orchids, requiring
the heat of an intermediate house. Flowers large, usually with narrow
acuminate greenish petals and sepals, and a white lip, which is
sometimes broad; column having a pair of great falcate ears on each
side of the front, and eight pollen masses. Leaves solitary, succulent.
They are of easy culture on blocks of wood, with a little moss,
suspended from the roof. Water should be plentifully given during the
growing season; at other times, a very small quantity will suffice.
About seventeen or eighteen species have been introduced, of which the
following only are worth growing:
=B. acaulis= (stemless). _fl._ large; sepals and petals long,
narrow, greenish and creamy-white; lip large, heart-shaped, and
pure white; base of tube spotted with dull rose. September. _l._
very narrow, rush-like. _h._ 4in. Central America, 1852. (P. F. G.
ii., 152.)
=B. Digbyana= (Digby's).* _fl._ solitary, 4in. across, produced
from the top of the bulb; sepals and petals creamy-white; lip same
colour, streaked with purple down the centre, and beautifully
fringed. Winter. _h._ 9in. Honduras, 1844. A compact-growing
evergreen. (B. M. 4474.)
=B. Gibbsiana= (Gibbs's).* _fl._ white, spotted with chocolate,
large, three on each spike. _l._ rather broad and very thick. This
rare, erect-growing species must be potted in peat and sphagnum.
=B. glauca= (glaucous).* _fl._ solitary, produced from a sheath at
the top of the bulb; sepals and petals yellow; lip orange, with a
white throat. Early spring. _l._ of a milky-green. _h._ 1ft. Vera
Cruz, 1837. A very handsome fragrant species, somewhat difficult
to flower, but this obstacle may be overcome by liberally growing
during the proper season, and giving it a severe dry rest. (B. M.
4033.)
=B. lineata= (lined).* _fl._ large, very fragrant; sepals and
petals creamy-white; lip large, pure white. _l._ long, terete,
channelled above, tapering to a point, very deep green. South
America, 1850. (B. M. 4734.)
=B. venosa= (veined).* _fl._ small and compact; sepals and petals
cream-coloured; lip white, strongly veined. A pretty free flowering
species. Honduras, 1839. (B. R. 26, 39.)
=BRASSIA= (named after Mr. William Brass, who was sent by Sir Joseph
Banks to Cape Coast and the neighbouring districts as a botanical
collector, at the end of the last century). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A genus
of tropical American orchids, very nearly allied to _Oncidium_, with
which, indeed, Reichenbach unites it. From this genus, however,
_Brassia_ may be distinguished by its simple inflorescence, elongated
tail-like sepals, and short column, which is quite destitute of the
side lobes or ears that form a marked feature in the species of
_Oncidium_. There are about seventeen species, of which many are not
sufficiently attractive to deserve the cultivator's attention. They
will succeed either in pots or in baskets, the drainage of which must
be perfect. They require to be potted in good fibrous peat, broken in
pieces not less in size than a walnut, placed in the warm end of a
Cattleya or Brazilian house, and supplied liberally with water during
summer. In winter, they must still be kept in a tolerably warm place,
and given sufficient water to keep the pseudo-bulbs from shrivelling.
It is useless to dry off until shrivelling takes place, for experience
assures us that when a plant shrivels it is generally safe to assume
that it has been tried beyond its powers of endurance, and that its
constitution has given way. Propagated by dividing the plants, when
growth has commenced.
=B. antherotes= (brilliant).* _fl._ 7in. in diameter from tip to
tip of the sepals; sepals and petals yellow, brownish-black at the
base, narrow, 1/8in. broad, tapering; petals 1-1/2in. long; lip
triangular, yellow, barred with brown; spike strong, about 2ft. in
length. Tropical America, 1879.
=B. caudata= (tailed).* _fl._, sepals and petals yellow, barred
with brown, from 4in. to 6in. long; lip broad and yellow, spotted
with greenish-brown. When the plant is large and healthy, it
produces numerous drooping spikes, 18in. long, and many-flowered.
_h._ 1ft. West Indies, 1823 (B. R. 832.)
=B. Gireoudiana= (Gireoud's). _fl._, sepals and petals bright
yellow, spotted and blotched with deep red, produced in
many-flowered scapes of singular and beautiful flowers during
spring and early summer. This species much resembles _B. Lanceana_,
but has larger flowers. Costa Rica. (R. X. O. 1, 32.)
[Illustration: FIG. 275. SINGLE FLOWER OF BRASSIA LANCEANA.]
=B. Lanceana= (Lance's).* _fl._, sepals and petals lanceolate and
tapering, bright yellow, blotched with brown, or sometimes with
deep red; lip wholly yellow, slightly spotted at the base, and much
waved, deliciously fragrant; scapes radical, many-flowered. In the
typical species, the lip is rather more than half as long as the
sepals. _l._ rich dark green. _h._ 9in. Surinam, 1843. See Fig.
275. (B. R. 1754.)
=B. L. macrostachya= (large-spiked).* _fl._, sepals and petals
bright rich yellow, sparingly spotted with brown, as in the
type; sepals lengthened out into tail-like appendages, which are
sometimes nearly 5in. in length; lip wholly of a clear pale yellow.
Demerara.
=B. L. pumila= (dwarf). _fl._, sepals pale yellow, without spots or
markings; petals of the same colour, tinged with purple near the
base; lip about half the length of the sepals, slightly contracted
in the middle, yellow, with a brownish-yellow base. Caracas.
=B. Lawrenceana= (Lawrence's).* _fl._ large, sweet-scented; sepals
and petals bright yellow, spotted with cinnamon and green; lip
yellow, tinged with green. June to August. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1839.
(B. R. 27, 18.)
=B. L. longissima= (long-sepaled).* _fl._, sepals deep
orange-yellow, blotched and spotted, especially towards the base,
with reddish-purple, and lengthened out into tail-like appendages,
which, in well-grown examples, measure 7in. in length; petals about
2-1/2in. long and 1/4in. broad at the base, marked in the same
manner as the sepals; lip about 3in. long, pale yellow, dotted and
spotted towards the base with purple. August and September. Costa
Rica, 1868. A magnificent variety.
=B. maculata= (spotted).* _fl._ large; sepals and petals pale
yellow, irregularly spotted with brown; the former being short
compared with those of the other species; lip white, spotted about
and below the centre with brown and purple. Spring and early
summer. Jamaica, 1806. See Fig. 276. (B. M. 1691.)
=B. m. guttata= (spotted).* _fl._ on spikes 2ft. or 3ft. long;
sepals and petals yellowish-green, blotched with brown; lip broad,
yellow, spotted with brown. May to August. Guatemala, 1842. SYN.
_B. Wrayæ_. (B. M. 4003.)
=B. verrucosa= (warty-lipped).* _fl._ large; sepals and petals
greenish, blotched with blackish-purple; lip white, ornamented with
numerous little green protuberances or warts, hence the specific
name; scape many-flowered. May and June. Guatemala.
=B. v. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ twice the size of, and
a lighter colour than, the type. This variety is very rare, and is
said to be the best of the genus.
=B. Wrayæ= (Wray's).* A synonym of _B. maculata guttata_.
=BRASSICA= (old Latin name used by Pliny; from _Bresic_, the Celtic
name for Cabbage). Cabbage. ORD. _Cruciferæ_. Herbaceous, usually
biennial, rarely annual or perennial, or suffrutescent plants, usually
with a short caudex. Flowers yellow, rarely white, but never purple nor
veined. Radical leaves usually stalked, lyrate, or pinnatifid; cauline
ones sessile or stem-clasping, entire; racemes elongated; pedicels
bractless, filiform. Full cultural details will be found under the
popular garden name of each variety.
=B. oleracea= (herb-like). _fl._ pale yellow, large. May and June.
_l._ glaucous, waved, lobed, smooth. Root-stem cylindrical, fleshy.
_h._ 1ft. to 3ft. England. Biennial.
=B. o. acephala= (headless). Borecole or Kale. Stem round,
elongated. _l._ expanded, racemes panicled.
=B. o. botrytis asparagoides= (Asparagus-like). The Broccoli.
_fl._ abortive. Stem taller than that of the Cauliflower. _l._
greyish-glaucous, elongated. Branchlets fleshy, bearing small
flower-buds at the top.
=B. o. b. cauliflora= (Cauliflower). Heads of flower-buds thick,
terminal. Stem short. _l._ oblong, of a greyish-glaucous colour.
=B. o. bullata gemmifera= (bud-bearing). Brussels Sprouts. Heads
small, numerous, rising from the axils of the leaves along an
elongated stem.
=B. o. b. major= (larger). Savoy Cabbage. Heads of leaves loose,
thick, terminal, roundish. _l._ blistered.
=B. o. capitata= (headed). The Cabbage. Stem round, short. _l._
concave, not blistered, crowded into a head before flowering;
racemes panicled.
=B. o. Caulo-rapa= (Kohl-Rabi). Stem tumid and somewhat globose at
the origin of the leaves.
=B. Rapa= (Rape). The Turnip. Radical leaves lyrate, destitute of
glaucous bloom, green, covered with bristly hairs; middle cauline
ones cut; upper ones quite entire, smooth.
[Illustration: FIG. 276. SINGLE FLOWER OF BRASSIA MACULATA.]
=BRASSICACEÃ.= _See_ =Cruciferæ=.
=BRAVOA= (named after Bravo, a Mexican botanist). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_.
A pretty little graceful bulbous plant, hardy in very sheltered
positions, but in exposed situations requiring a slight protection in
winter. It is an admirable plant for cool-house culture, and delights
in a compost of light rich loam, leaf mould, and sand. Propagated by
offsets, which are obtainable in autumn; or by seeds, which should be
sown as soon as ripe.
=B. geminiflora= (twin-flowered).* Twin Flower. _fl._ rich
orange-red, tubular, drooping, disposed in the upper part of the
flower-stems, which are sometimes 2ft. long. July. _l._ linear,
ensiform, pale green. Mexico, 1841. (B. M. 4741.)
=BRAZILIAN TEA.= _See_ =Ilex paraguariensis= and =Stachytarpheta
jamaicensis=.
=BRAZIL NUT.= _See_ =Bertholletia=.
=BRAZIL WOOD.= _See_ =Cæsalpinia brasiliensis=.
=BREAD FRUIT.= _See_ =Artocarpus=.
=BREAD NUT.= _See_ =Brosimum=.
=BREDIA= (named in honour of Professor J. G. S. van Bred). ORD.
_Melastomaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse shrub, thriving in rich light
loam, leaf soil, and peat. Propagated by cuttings of the ripened
shoots, inserted in sandy loam, under a hand glass, in heat; or by
seeds.
=B. hirsuta= (hairy).* _fl._ rose-pink, about 1/2in. across,
disposed in loose, terminal, many-flowered cymes. Autumn. _l._
ovate acuminate, hairy. Japan, 1870. (B. M. 6647.)
=BREEZE.= The small particles or refuse of gas coke. It constitutes a
very cheap fuel, but, unless mixed with good coke, is only suitable for
boilers of the saddle type, having a good draught. Breeze must not,
however, be confounded with coke-dust.
=BREVOORTIA COCCINEA.= _See_ =Brodiæa coccinea=.
[Illustration: FIG. 277. FLOWERING BRANCH OF BREXIA MADAGASCARIENSIS.]
=BREXIA= (from _brexis_, rain; the large leaves afford protection
against rain). ORD. _Saxifrageæ_. Excellent stove trees. Flowers
green, in axillary umbels, surrounded by bracts on the outside. Leaves
alternate, simple, dotless, and furnished with minute stipules. Stems
nearly simple. They require a compost of two parts loam and one of
peat, with the addition of a little sand, to keep the whole open.
A liberal supply of water must be given at all seasons. Cuttings,
with their leaves not shortened, strike readily in sand under a hand
glass, in heat; or a leaf taken off with a bud attached will grow.
Leaves as in accompanying illustration (Fig. 277), and long, narrow,
spiny-toothed ones, are often produced on the same plant. Probably the
two species enumerated below are simply forms of one. Well hardened
off, strong growing plants of _B. madagascariensis_ are very suitable
for sub-tropical gardening.
=B. madagascariensis= (Madagascar).* _l._ obovate or oblong,
entire, while young minutely gland-toothed. _h._ 20ft. Madagascar,
1812. See Fig. 277.
=B. spinosa= (spiny). _l._ lanceolate, 20in. long, 2in. broad,
spiny-toothed. _h._ 20ft. Madagascar, 1820.
=BREXIACEÃ.= A section of _Saxifrageæ_.
=BRIAR.= _See_ =Rosa=.
=BRICKS.= In England, the standard thickness of brick walls is a
Brick and a-half, that is, the length of one brick and the breadth of
another. Thirty-two paving bricks, laid flat, will form one square yard
of flooring; if set on edge, eighty-four will be required for the same
space. The best Bricks for walls are those termed Stocks, which are
well burnt. Grizzells and Place Bricks, being only partially burnt,
are soft and not durable. In various parts of the kingdom, different
clays and methods of manufacture cause a disparity in the weight and
appearance of the finished article. Several forms are made to suit
various purposes, but the standard size is 9in. long by 4-1/2in. wide,
by 2-1/2in. thick, although, since the remission of the duty, some
slight variations occur, owing to shrinkage and other causes. Fire
Bricks are made of a particular kind of clay, which will stand intense
heat when once burnt, and are used in furnaces and other places where
durability under great heat is a desideratum. Fire-clay should always
be used in place of mortar in building with these.
=BRILLANTAISIA= (named after M. Brillant). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. A very
small genus of erect, branching, stove evergreen shrubs. Flowers
large, in terminal panicles; corolla ringent; upper lip falcate and
overarching, with a trifid apex, the lower one large, spreading,
shortly trifid. Leaves ovate-cordate, on long petioles. For culture,
_see_ =Barleria=.
=B. owariensis= (Owarian).* _fl._ violet-blue; cymes sub-sessile,
loose; panicles terminal. March. _l._ large, opposite, petiolate.
_h._ 3ft. Western Africa, 1853. This plant, in its habit of growth,
resembles some of the largest species of _Salvia_. (B. M. 4717.)
=BRISTLES.= Stiff hairs.
=BRISTLY.= Covered with stiff hairs.
=BRISTLY-TOOTHED.= Furnished with teeth like bristles, or with the
teeth ending each in a bristle.
=BRIZA= (from _briza_, to nod). Quaking Grass. ORD. _Gramineæ_. A genus
of ornamental hardy grasses. Panicle loose; calyx two-valved; corolla
two-valved, awnless; exterior one ventricose, interior small and flat.
Fruit adnate with the corolla. These extremely graceful plants delight
in a soil composed of loam, leaf soil, and peat. Seeds may be sown
in spring or autumn. For decorative purposes, the branches should be
gathered as soon as full grown, and loosely placed in flower-stands,
to dry. Tufts of these plants look extremely pretty on the rockery, or
amongst hardy ferns.
=B. gracilis= (graceful). Synonymous with _B. minor_.
=B. maxima= (greatest).* _fl._, spikelets oblong-cordate, thirteen
to seventeen-flowered; panicle nodding at the end. June and July.
_l._ long, linear-acuminate. _h._ 1-1/2ft. South Europe, 1633. See
Fig. 278.
[Illustration: FIG. 278. BRIZA MAXIMA, showing Habit and single Flower.]
=B. media= (middle).* Common Quaking Grass. _fl._, spikelets
broadly ovate, of about seven florets (calyx shorter than the
florets), tremulous with the slightest breeze, very smooth, shining
purple. Branches of the panicle thread-shaped, divaricating,
purple. June. _l._ short, linear acuminate. _h._ 1ft. Britain. (S.
E. B. 1774.)
=B. minima= (least). Synonymous with _B. minor_.
[Illustration: FIG. 279. BRIZA MINOR, showing Habit and small Panicle
of Flowers.]
=B. minor= (small).* Little Quaking Grass. _fl._, spikelets
triangular, seven-flowered; glumes longer than the flowers; panicle
with hair-like branches. June and July. _l._ pale green, short,
narrow. _h._ 8in. England (but very rare). An exceedingly pretty
little annual or perennial grass. SYNS. _B. gracilis_ and _B.
minima_. See FIG. 279. (S. E. B. 1775.)
=B. spicata= (spiked). A recent introduction from Brazil, described
as being very graceful and quite distinct, having erect spikes
about 8in. in height.
=BROADCAST.= A method of sowing seeds by means of the hand, scattering
them over the surface of the ground as equally as possible. It is now
superseded, for the majority of garden and field crops, by drilling,
which not only economises the quantity of seed used, but greatly
facilitates subsequent weeding and thinning out.
=BROCCOLI= (_Brassica oleracea botrytis asparagoides_). A cultivated
variety of the Cabbage, having the young inflorescence condensed into
a fleshy, edible head (see Fig. 280). To grow this popular vegetable
successfully, it is necessary to have rich soil of a good depth, in an
open situation, where the plants can have plenty of sun and air to keep
them sturdy. They succeed the autumn Cauliflower, and are in season
from November till May.
_Soil._ In preparing ground for Broccoli, trench, in the autumn, to
the depth of from 1-1/2ft. to 2ft., and during the process work in a
liberal dressing of rotten farmyard manure. Ground which has carried a
crop of Celery is very suitable for the strong-growing kinds, as, by
planting where the Celery rows have been, the necessity of trenching
is, to a great extent, obviated. Smaller kinds, however, need to be
planted closer in order to obtain a profitable crop.
_Cultivation._ At the beginning of May, prepare seed beds on a south
border, and sow the earlier and sprouting kinds. The later varieties
would, perhaps, be best sown in April, but they must not be put in
early and allowed to remain too long in the seed bed. Sow thinly, to
get the plants as sturdy as possible; and, to prevent clubbing, work
in a little soot or wood ashes on the surface of the beds. Care must
also be taken to pick off the club excrescences at planting time,
should there be any, and to destroy the grub inside. Clubbing is not
so frequent in ground which has been well trenched, and where the
plants are not allowed to suffer from drought. Showery weather should
be selected for transferring them to their permanent quarters. If it
is desired that they should succeed potatoes, they may be planted
between every two alternate rows, and the latter crop can be removed
when ready. Broccoli succeed best where the ground is firm, and not
recently dug or manured. Planting with a crowbar is preferable to
digging the ground afresh. If grown by themselves, a distance of from
2ft. to 3ft. should be allowed between the rows, and an equal distance
from plant to plant. Some of the early varieties will, in favourable
seasons, follow the later Cauliflowers, while the latest will not be
fit for use until the following spring. The heads should be cut as soon
as they are large enough; they will keep good for a week in a cold
place, while a day or two might open them too much if allowed to remain
on the plants. Broccoli which have to stand the winter are liable to
injury from severe frosts, and some method of protection is necessary.
Two plans are recommended for both large and small gardens, and either
or both may be adopted, as found convenient. The first is to apply a
covering of fern or other dry protective material, not using too much,
but giving sufficient to break the rays of the sun, which, perhaps,
do as much harm as the actual frost. The other plan is to take up the
plants as soon as the flowers can be seen, and lay them in under a
hedge or wall until required for use. In sheltered positions, or where
there are trees to break the force of the wind, the covering with dry
litter during severe weather will generally be found sufficient; still,
a little precaution in lifting will frequently save a valuable crop.
Broccoli should never follow a crop of any other kind of cruciferous
plants, particularly Cabbage.
[Illustration: FIG. 280. BROCCOLI.]
_Sorts._ Veitch's Self-protecting Autumn, Purple and White Cape,
Grange's Early White, and Snow's Winter White. These are the best for
autumn and mid-winter supplies. A good selection for spring and late
purposes is Mitchinson's Penzance, Knight's Protecting, Cooling's
Matchless, Purple Sprouting, Model, Willcove, Leamington, and
Cattell's Eclipse.
=BRODIÃA= (named after J. J. Brodie, a Scotch cryptogamist). SYN.
_Hookera_. ORD. _Liliaceæ_. Pretty, slender, hardy, or in some
positions only half-hardy, bulbs. The flowers are usually borne in
large clusters or umbels; the prevailing colour is blue; _coccinea_ is,
however, an exception, the flowers being scarlet. The scape is usually
straight and slender, but strong. Leaves from two to four in number,
enveloping the part of the scape beneath the surface, and procumbent
thereon. Most of them are of easy culture in rich sandy loam; if grown
in pots, a mixture of loam, leaf soil, and sand, suits them well.
Increased freely by offsets, which should be left undisturbed with
the parent bulbs till they reach a flowering state, when they may be
divided and replanted in autumn.
=B. capitata= (headed).* _fl._ deep violet-blue, funnel-shaped,
disposed in a compact, many-flowered umbel; valves of the spathe
also deep violet. May. _l._ narrow, linear. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
California, 1871.
[Illustration: FIG. 281. BRODIÃA COCCINEA, showing Flower and Habit.]
=B. coccinea= (scarlet).* _fl._ 1-1/2in. long, tubular,
rich blood-red below, the apex of the tube and the segments
yellowish-green; umbels composed of five to fifteen drooping
flowers. June. _l._ linear, loose, shorter than the scape. _h._
1-1/2ft. California, 1870. Very handsome, distinct from all other
species, requiring a warm, well-drained, and sunny position, and to
remain undisturbed. SYN. _Brevoortia coccinea_. See Fig. 281. (B.
M. 5857.)
=B. congesta= (close-headed).* _fl._ blue, with the crown paler;
segments cleft at the top; umbel bearing six to eight blooms. The
stamens in this species are metamorphosed into fleshy scales,
which adhere to the mouth of the perianth. Summer. _l._ few, long,
slender, channelled on the inside. Bulb small, roundish, and much
wrinkled. _h._ 1ft. Georgia, &c., 1806. A very free-growing and
rapidly increasing species.
=B. c. alba= (white).* _fl._ white; in other respects like the
type, but not so vigorous.
=B. gracilis= (graceful).* _fl._ deep yellow, with brown nerves,
1/2in. or rather more long, in few-flowered umbels. July. _l._
solitary, about 1/4in. broad, longer than the scape. _h._ 3in. to
4in. California, 1876. A scarce and rather tender little species,
but very pretty.
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ bluish-purple, with
entire pointed segments; umbels bearing two to seven somewhat
scattered blooms. Summer. _l._ two to three or more, linear,
pointed, slender, grooved on the inside, furnished with a few
membranous scales. Bulb small, roundish, dry and wrinkled. _h._
1-1/2ft. North America, 1806. SYN. _Hookera coronaria_. (B. R.
1183.)
=B. Howellii= (Howell's).* _fl._ purplish-blue, about 3/4in.
across, sub-bell-shaped, in many-flowered umbels. July and August.
_l._ narrow acute, grooved, shorter than the scape. _h._ 18in. to
24in. California, 1880.
=B. ixioides= (Ixia-like). _See_ =Calliprora lutea=.
=B. lactea= (milky-white).* _fl._ white, usually with green
midribs, 1/2in. to 3/4in. across, saucer-shaped, in many-flowered
umbels. June and July. _l._ linear, acute, nearly as long as the
scape. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. California, 1833. SYNS. _Hesperoscordum
lacteum_, _Milla hyacinthina_.
=B. multiflora= (many-flowered).* _fl._ blue-purple, very numerous,
in sub-globose heads. May. _l._ linear, elongate, 1ft. to 2ft.
long, rather fleshy. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. California, 1872. (B. M.
5989.)
=B. volubilis= (twining). _fl._ rose-coloured, in dense umbels,
each containing fifteen to thirty blooms; scape twining, sometimes
12ft. long. July. _l._ narrow, linear-lanceolate, 1ft. long,
synanthous. California, 1874. Half-hardy bulb. (B. M. 6123.)
=BROMELIA= (named after Bromel, a Swedish botanist). ORD.
_Bromeliaceæ_. A genus of stove herbaceous perennials, allied to
the Pineapple. Flowers, corolla three-petaled, convolute, erect,
or spreading at the top. Leaves densely packed, rigid, lanceolate,
with spiny margins. Stems short. These plants require much the same
treatment as _Billbergia_. Allied genera are _Ãchmea_, _Ananassa_,
_Billbergia_, _Disteganthus_, _Greigia_, _Karatas_, _Ruckia_ (which
_see_).
=B. antiacantha= (opposite-spined). _fl._ purple, scarlet. Brazil,
1864. SYN. _B. sceptrum_.
=B. bicolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._ scarlet, in a close central
sessile head. March. _l._ numerous, narrow, ensiform, outer
green, central crimson; elegantly radiate. Chili, 1872. SYNS. _B.
Joinvillei_, _B. pitcairniæfolia_. (B. H. 14.)
=B. bracteata= (red-bracted).* _fl._ pink; scape elongated; raceme
compound; bracts red, ovate-lanceolate. September. _l._ serrate,
spiny. _h._ 2ft. Jamaica, 1785.
=B. Fernandæ= (Fernanda's).* _fl._ yellowish, in ovoid heads;
bracts orange-red. July. _l._ linear-ligulate, 24in. to 30in. long,
recurved, spiny-edged. Para, 1872.
=B. Joinvillei= (Joinville's). A synonym of _B. bicolor_.
=B. Karatas.= _See_ =Karatas Plumieri=.
=B. pitcairniæfolia= (Pitcairnia-leaved). A synonym of _B. bicolor_.
=B. sceptrum= (sceptre-like). A synonym of _B. antiacantha_ and
_Karatas Plumieri_.
=BROMELIACEÃ.= An extensive order of stemless or short-stemmed plants,
having rigid, channelled, and usually spiny leaves. Flowers very showy;
outer perianth three-cleft, persistent, inner one of three withering
segments; stamens six, inserted in the tube of the perianth. To this
order belongs the Pineapple. The genera best known in gardens are
_Ananassa_, _Ãchmea_, _Billbergia_, _Bromelia_, and _Tillandsia_.
=BROMHEADIA= (in honour of Sir Edward Finch Bromhead). ORD. _Orchideæ_.
A small genus of stove orchids, comprising a couple of species, with
erect stems, large flowers, and cucullate lip, which is parallel with
the column. For culture, _see_ =Ansellia=.
=B. palustris= (marsh).* _fl._, sepals and calyx white; lip white
externally, within streaked with purple, and having a yellow blotch
in centre; spike terminal, distichous, flexuous, many-flowered,
on a long peduncle; bracts short, stiff, tooth-like. June. _l._
distichous, oblong-linear, emarginate. _h._ 2ft. Singapore, 1840.
(B. R. 30, 18.)
[Illustration: FIG. 282. BROMUS BRIZÃFORMIS.]
=BROMUS= (from _bromos_, the Greek name for a wild oat). _Ord._
_Gramineæ_. _B. brizæformis_ (see Fig. 282) is an elegant biennial
grass, with drooping panicles of spikelets, about as large as those of
_Briza maxima_. It grows about 2ft. high, and is of very easy culture
in common garden soil. Sow seeds outside in patches, in July, thinning
out the plants when necessary. There are numerous other species
belonging to this genus, but the above-mentioned is the only one worth
growing in gardens. It forms a beautiful object in the mixed border, or
among ferns.
=BRONGNIARTIA= (in honour of Adolphe Brongniart, a distinguished
botanist, and one of the editors of "Annales des Sciences Naturelles").
ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Handsome greenhouse evergreen sub-shrubs, clothed
with silky villi. Flowers large, purple; pedicels twin, axillary,
one-flowered. Leaves impari-pinnate, with many pairs of leaflets, the
terminal one not remote from the rest. They require a compost of sandy
loam, leaf soil, and fibry peat, with perfect drainage. Cuttings of the
young shoots, if firm at the base, will root if dibbled in sand, under
a bell glass, in a cool house.
=B. podalyrioides= (Podalyria-like).* _fl._ purple, large.
September. _l._ with two to five pairs of leaflets; leaflets
elliptic-oblong, rounded, and mucronate at the apex, clothed with
adpressed hairs on both surfaces, but silky when young. _h._ 1ft.
New Spain, 1827.
=B. sericea= (silky).* _fl._ purple. September. _h._ 1ft. _l._,
leaflets ovate-oblong, acute, very silky on both surfaces. Mexico,
1843.
=BROOK-LIME.= _See_ =Veronica Beccabunga=.
=BROOM.= _See_ =Besom=.
=BROOM.= _See_ =Cytisus scoparius=.
=BROOM RAPE.= _See_ =Orobanche=.
=BROOM, SPANISH.= _See_ =Spartium junceum=.
=BROSIMUM= (from _brosimos_, edible; fruit edible). Bread Nut. ORD.
_Urticaceæ_. A genus of stove evergreen shrubs or trees, principally
of economic value in their native countries. Male and female flowers
generally in a globular head, but sometimes borne on separate trees;
calyx and corolla wanting. Leaves entire. They generally thrive in a
rich fibry loam. Cuttings of ripe wood, with their leaves on, root if
placed in sand, in moist heat.
=B. Alicastrum.= _fl._, catkins globose, stalked, twin, axillary.
_fr._ coated. _l._ ovate-lanceolate. _h._ 6ft. Jamaica, 1776.
=BROUGHTONIA= (named after Mr. Arthur Broughton, an English botanist).
ORD. _Orchideæ_. A very compact-growing stove evergreen, allied to
_Lælia_, succeeding best if suspended from the roof on a block of wood,
with a little moss; it requires a free supply of heat and water when in
a growing state. Propagated by dividing the plant. The colour of the
flowers is very distinct.
=B. sanguinea= (blood-coloured).* _fl._ blood-coloured, rather
large, disposed in a terminal panicle; scape divided; column
distinct, or at the very base united with the unguiculate lip,
which is lengthened at the base into a tube, connate with the
ovarium. Summer. _l._ twin, oblong, seated on a pseudo-bulb. _h._
1-1/2ft. Jamaica, 1793. (B. M. 3076.)
=BROUSSONETIA= (named after P. N. V. Broussonet, a French naturalist,
who wrote numerous works on Natural History). ORD. _Urticaceæ_.
Ornamental fast-growing, deciduous, Mulberry-like trees. They require
rather good open garden soil, and prove hardy in situations which are
not very exposed. Propagated by suckers and cuttings of ripened wood,
inserted in autumn, in a cool house; and by seeds, sown when ripe, or
kept till the following April.
=B. papyrifera= (paper-bearing).* The Paper Mulberry. _fl._
greenish, diÅcious; males in pendulous, cylindrical catkins, each
flower in the axil of a bract; females in peduncled, axillary,
upright globular heads. May. _l._ simple, alternate, exstipulate,
variously lobed or entire, hairy, large. _h._ 10ft. to 20ft. China,
1751. There are several varieties, differing in the shape and
character of the leaves. (B. M. 2358).
=BROWALLIA= (named in honour of John Browall, Bishop of Abo, who
defended the sexual system of Linnæus against Siegesbeck, in a book
entitled "Examen epicriseos," &c., 1739). ORD. _Scrophularineæ_. A
genus of handsome shrubs or herbs. Flowers blue or white, axillary and
terminal; corolla salver-shaped, resupinate from the contortion of the
peduncle; tube fifteen-nerved, ventricose at top. Leaves alternate,
stalked, ovate in outline. They thrive best in a rich, open, sandy
soil. To have strong plants in bloom by Christmas and after, seeds
should be sown in July, in pans or pots of light rich sandy soil, and
kept in a close frame, or hand light, where they can be shaded till
germination takes place. When large enough to handle, the seedlings may
either be pricked out, three in a pot, or potted singly, according to
the size of the specimens required. In the former way, they form fine
masses for conservatory or greenhouse decoration, or to cut from; and
in the latter, they are very suitable for window recesses, &c. After
potting, they should be stood in a pit or frame, and syringed every
morning and evening, to ward off attacks of insect pests. An abundance
of well-diluted liquid manure is required as soon as the flower-buds
appear. To keep the plants dwarf and bushy, it will be needful to stop
them about three times during the remainder of the summer and autumn,
keeping as near the glass as possible; they should be housed by the end
of September. These elegant little greenhouse annuals are unrivalled
for affording choice, neat sprays for bouquets during the winter and
early spring months, or for growing as pot plants, to furnish warm
greenhouses or sitting-room windows. Many of the species and varieties
are largely employed for summer decoration of the flower garden, with
highly satisfactory results; for this purpose, seeds should be sown
in gentle heat early in spring, and the plants transferred to the
flower borders late in June, or early in July, having been previously
encouraged in pots, and well hardened off.
=B. abbreviata= (shortened). _fl._ light red; pedicels shorter than
the calyx; calyx campanulate, with teeth as long as the tube. _l._
oval, hairy when young, quite glabrous when mature. 1852. (R. G.
94.)
=B. demissa= (low).* _fl._ of a bright but pale blue colour,
sometimes red or purple; peduncles axillary, one-flowered, downy.
June. _l._ ovate-oblong, acuminated, oblique at the base. _h._ 6in.
to 1ft. Panama, 1735. (B. M. 1136.)
[Illustration: FIG. 283. BROWALLIA ELATA, showing Habit and Flower.]
=B. elata= (tall).* _fl._ deep blue; calyx beset with glandular
hairs; peduncles axillary, one or many-flowered. July. _l._ oval,
acuminated. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Peru, 1768. Of this extensively-grown
species there are two varieties, one with white flowers, and the
other, _grandiflora_, with pale blue, both of which are well worth
growing. See Fig. 283. (B. M. 34.)
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._, corolla with a
greenish-yellow tube, which is clothed with glandular villi, and a
white or very pale lilac limb; peduncles one-flowered, axillary,
racemose at the tops of the branches. July. _l._ ovate, acute,
attenuated into the petioles at the base. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Peru,
1829. (B. M. 3069.)
=B. Jamesoni= (Jameson's).* _fl._ bright orange, with
lighter-coloured throat, tubular. June. _h._ 4ft. New Grenada,
1850. This species has been recently re-introduced, after having
been lost to cultivation for over thirty years. (B. M. 4605.)
=B. Roezli= (Roezl's). _fl._ large, either of a delicate azure
blue, or white, with a yellow tube. Spring to autumn. _l._ shining
green. An exceedingly pretty species, having flowers double the
size of any other, and forming a dense compact bush, 1-1/2ft. to
2ft. in height. Rocky Mountains.
=BROWNEA= (named after Patrick Browne, M.D., author of a History of
Jamaica). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Very handsome stove evergreen trees or
shrubs, allied to _Amherstia_. Flowers of a rose-scarlet colour, rising
in fascicled heads from the axillary buds. Leaves abruptly-pinnate,
when young flaccid, and with the leaflets revolute at the edges;
leaf-bud long and stipulaceous. All the species are well worthy of
the most extensive cultivation. A mixture of loam, peat, and sand, is
a soil well adapted for them, and great care should be taken not to
over-water the plants in winter, as too great a supply will be sure to
kill them. Propagated by cuttings, taken from ripened wood, planted in
a pot of sand, and placed under a hand glass, in a moist heat.
=B. Ariza= (Ariza).* _fl._ richest scarlet, produced in a
large, globular, drooping head of immense size. Summer. _l._
pinnate, usually with six or eight pairs of pinnæ, which are
oblong-lanceolate, and sharply tapered to a point. _h._ 20ft. to
40ft. Columbia, 1843. This noble tree requires a large house to
fully perfect its beauty. SYN. _B. princeps_. (B. M. 6459.)
=B. Birschellii= (Birschell's). _fl._ rose-coloured, in drooping
racemes. April to July. _l._ pinnate; leaflets oblanceolate, 6in.
long. _h._ 10ft. to 20ft. La Guayra, 1872. (B. M. 5998.)
=B. coccinea= (scarlet).* _fl._ scarlet, fascicled. July to August.
_l._ with two to three pairs of oval-oblong, acuminated leaflets.
_h._ 6ft. to 10ft. Venezuela, 1793. (B. M. 3964.)
=B. grandiceps= (large-headed).* _fl._ red, in dense capitate
spikes. July. _l._ with usually twelve pairs of oblong-lanceolate
glandless leaflets, ending in a long cuspidate acumen; branches and
petioles pubescent. _h._ (in its native home) 60ft. Caraccas, 1829.
(B. M. 4859.)
=B. latifolia= (broad-leaved). _fl._ red, in dense fascicles;
involucre tomentose. _l._ with one to three pairs of ovate or
obovate-cuspidate leaflets. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. Caraccas, 1824.
=B. macrophylla= (large-leaved).* _fl._ orange-scarlet, in dense
heads, often measuring nearly 3ft. in circumference. Central
America, 1879. (G. C. 1873, p. 779.)
=B. princeps= (chief). A synonym of _B. Ariza_.
=B. racemosa= (clustered).* _fl._ rose-coloured, racemose;
involucre and calyx clothed with fine tomentum. _l._ with
four pairs of unequal-sided, oblong, or oblong-lanceolate,
cuspidately-acuminated leaflets, which are glanduliferous at the
base. _h._ 4ft. Caraccas, 1826.
=B. Rosa del Monte.= _fl._ scarlet, in dense heads; leaflets of
the involucre roundish, imbricated, and, when in a young state,
rather velvety. June. _l._ with two to three pairs of oval-oblong
acuminated leaflets; branches and petioles glabrous. _h._ 8ft.
South America, 1820. (B. R. 1472.)
=BROWNLOWIA= (named in honour of Lady Brownlow, daughter of Sir Abraham
Hume, and a great patroness of botany). ORD. _Tiliaceæ_. Very handsome
greenhouse evergreen trees, thriving well in a mixture of loam and
peat. Cuttings of ripe shoots will root if placed in sand, under a hand
glass, in heat.
=B. elata= (tall).* _fl._ yellow; panicle terminal, conical, spreading.
May. _l._ large, cordate, acute, seven-nerved, smooth. _h._ 60ft.
India, 1823. (B. R. 1472.)
=BRUCEA= (commemorative of James Bruce, the celebrated African
traveller). ORD. _Simarubeæ_. Ornamental stove evergreen shrubs.
Flowers small, purplish inside, disposed in interrupted glomerate
spikes, or racemes. Leaves impari-pinnate, with six pairs of opposite,
entire or serrated leaflets, without dots. Branches, peduncles,
petioles, and nerves of leaves, clothed with rufescent down. They
thrive in a loamy soil; and cuttings from ripened wood strike freely,
in a pot of sand, under a hand glass, in a moderate heat.
=B. antidysenterica= (antidysenteric). _fl._, racemes simple,
spike-like. May. _l._, leaflets quite entire, clothed with rusty
villi on the nerves beneath. _h._ 8ft. Abyssinia, 1775.
=B. sumatrana= (Sumatra).* _fl._ dark purple; racemes usually
compound. May. _l._, leaflets serrated, villous beneath. _h._ 20ft.
Sumatra, 1822.
=BRUCHUS GRANARIUS.= _See_ =Bean Beetle=.
=BRUCHUS PISI.= _See_ =Pea Weevil=.
=BRUGMANSIA.= _See_ =Datura=.
=BRUNFELSIA= (named after Otto Brunfels, of Mentz, first a Carthusian
monk, and afterwards a physician; he published the first good figures
of plants in 1530). SYN. _Franciscea_. ORD. _Scrophularineæ_. Elegant
free-flowering stove evergreens. Flowers sweet-scented; corolla large,
funnel or salver-shaped, with a long tube, and a flat, five-lobed,
obtuse, nearly equal limb. A light rich soil, or a compost of loam,
leaf soil, and peat, is necessary to grow these plants successfully.
Propagated by cuttings, planted in sand, and placed under bell glasses,
in a moderate heat. When rooted, they should be placed in small pots,
in a compost somewhat more sandy than that already mentioned. While
growing, they require to be kept in a moist stove temperature, and
should be hardened by placing them in a drier, and somewhat cooler,
temperature after each growth is completed; the pots should be changed
as often as the roots become thick around the ball of earth. The larger
plants flower freely, and should be slightly pruned in annually, before
commencing their new growth, thus securing neat and compact specimens.
Repotting should be effected directly they have done flowering. The
plants should then be placed in a temperature ranging from 60deg.
to 68deg., and both the roots and foliage liberally supplied with
water. When flowers appear--about October or November--the syringing
must be less frequently performed. At this period, if it be desirable
to prolong the flowering season, the plants should be removed to a
temperature of about 48deg. A few administrations of weak liquid manure
during the growing season are of great value.
=B. acuminata= (taper-pointed-leaved).* _fl._ bluish-violet, few,
sub-cymose, terminal. April. _l._ oblong, acuminated, attenuated
a little at the base, glabrous; bracts lanceolate, acuminated,
glabrous. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Rio Janeiro, 1840. (B. M. 4189.)
=B. americana= (American).* _fl._ first yellow, then white, very
sweet-scented; axillary flowers solitary, terminal ones numerous.
June. _l._ obovate, elliptic, acuminated, longer than the petioles.
_h._ 4ft. to 6ft. West Indies, 1735. There are narrow and
broad-leaved varieties of this species. (B. M. 393.)
[Illustration: FIG. 284. FLOWER OF BRUNIA NODIFLORA.]
=B. calycina= (cup-shaped).* _fl._ purple, disposed in large
trusses, which are produced in succession throughout the whole
year. _l._ large, lanceolate, shining light green. _h._ 2ft.
Brazil, 1850. One of the largest-flowered species grown. (B. M.
4583.)
=B. confertiflora= (dense-flowered). _fl._ soft blue, cymosely
crowded, terminal. January to June. _l._ nearly sessile,
oblong-acute, attenuated at the base, rather pilose, ciliated,
yellowish-green above; bracteoles oblong, attenuated at the base,
and are, as well as the calyces, clothed with rusty hairs. _h._
1ft. to 2ft. Brazil.
=B. eximia= (choice).* _fl._ produced from the points of the
shoots, upwards of 2in. in diameter, deep purple. January to July.
_l._ oblong-lanceolate, dark green, but not glossy. _h._ 2-1/2ft.
Brazil, 1847. (B. M. 4790.)
=B. grandiflora= (large-flowered). _fl._ greenish; limb of corolla
2in. in diameter, corymbose, terminal. June. _l._ elliptic-oblong,
acuminated. Branches twiggy. _h._ 3ft. Peru.
=B. hydrangeæformis= (Hydrangea-like).* _fl._ beautiful
bluish-violet; cymes terminal, hemispherical, large. April. _l._
oblong, acute, cuneiform at base, quite glabrous, 1ft. long; bracts
lanceolate, aggregate. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Brazil, 1840. This is one
of the most elegant species of the genus. (B. M. 4209.)
=B. latifolia= (broad-leaved). _fl._ at first lavender-colour, with
a distinct white eye, eventually becoming almost white; deliciously
fragrant, sub-cymose, terminal. Winter to early spring. _l._
broad-elliptic, acutish, greyish-white, 6in. to 7in. long, and 2in.
to 2-3/4in. broad. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Brazil, 1840. (B. M. 3907.)
=B. Lindeniana= (Linden's).* _fl._ rich purple, with a light eye.
_l._ ovate-acuminate, dark green. Brazil, 1865. (B. H. 1865, 226.)
=B. uniflora= (one-flowered). _fl._ solitary; corolla with a
whitish tube, and a bluish-violet or purple limb. Winter. _l._
elliptic, acute; branches greenish, hoary, diffuse, spreading. _h._
1ft. to 3ft. Brazil, 1826. (L. B. C. 1332.)
=BRUNIA= (named after Corneille de Bruin, better known under the name
of Le Brun, a Dutchman, a traveller in the Levant). ORD. _Bruniaceæ_.
Elegant little greenhouse evergreen Heath-like shrubs, more or less
branched, with the branches in whorls, erect or spreading. Flowers
capitate, furnished with three bracts each, or sometimes deficient of
the two lateral ones. Leaves small, closely imbricate. They require a
compost of peat and sand, with a little leaf soil added, firm potting
and good drainage. Cuttings of young shoots root freely in sand, under
a hand light, in summer.
=B. nodiflora= (knot-flowered).* _fl._ white; heads globose, size
of a cherry, on the tops of the branches. July. _l._ lanceolate,
awl-shaped, trigonal, acute, smooth, closely imbricate, not
ustulate at the apex. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1786.
See Fig. 284.
=BRUNIACEÃ.= An order of much-branched Heath-like shrubs, usually
having small leaves, which are crowded and entire. Flowers in terminal
heads; petals five, alternating with the lobes of the calyx. The
typical genus is _Brunia_.
=BRUNONIA= (named after Robert Brown, the most eminent botanist of his
time). ORD. _Goodenoviæ_. A stemless greenhouse perennial herb, with
the habit of _Scabiosa_, downy from glandless simple hairs. Flowers
distinct, with a whorl of five membranous bracts; corolla blue,
marcescent. Radical leaves quite entire, spathulate; scapes undivided,
each bearing one head; head hemispherical, lobate; lobes involucrated
by foliaceous bracts. It thrives in a compost of decayed manure, or
leaf soil and peat, with a little loam added; thorough drainage is
necessary. Propagated by divisions, in early spring, previous to
repotting.
=B. australis= (southern)* is the only species known to be in
cultivation. _h._ 1ft. New Holland, 1834. (B. R. 1833.)
=BRUNSVIGIA= (named after the noble House of Brunswick). ORD.
_Amaryllideæ_. Very showy greenhouse bulbous plants, from the Cape of
Good Hope. Flowers red, on very long pedicels. Bulbs large. Leaves
broad, horizontal; perianth with an evident longer or shorter tube,
curving upwards, funnel-shaped, deeply six-parted, deciduous; segments
sub-equal, many-nerved, flat, and recurved at the apex; stamens on the
tube much curved upwards; scape appearing in summer without the leaves;
umbels many-flowered. Propagation is effected by offsets, of which the
large bulbs produce but few. These, when secured, may be removed after
reaching some considerable size, carefully potted in a mixture of sandy
loam and peat, with good drainage, and kept tolerably warm and close
until established; water must be given but sparingly until root-action
has commenced. The best place for growing the offsets into a flowering
size is on a shelf near the glass, in a temperature of from 50deg. to
55deg. With an abundance of water while growing, and kept dry while
semi-dormant, thus allowing them a rest, the bulbs will speedily
increase in size; but it may be years before flowers are produced.
Culture: This may be divided into two periodsÂ-one of growth, and one
of rest. After the latter period, they should be allowed to start into
fresh growth, without stimulation, and, as soon as started, liberal
supplies of water should be given, and a genial temperature of from
60deg. to 65deg. maintained, to make them grow vigorously. Good-sized
pots are also necessary, with a mixture of loam, peat, and sand, in
equal parts. They are usually confined to the greenhouse, or warm
conservatory, but are sometimes successfully grown in a south border
at the base of a wall, planted out in a pit, upon which the lights may
be placed in winter, and matted if necessary, as they cannot endure
frost. A good depth of soil, consisting of fibrous loam, peat, and
sand, in equal proportions, with good drainage, should be prepared. In
all cases, the bulbs should be planted somewhat deeply. One of the most
satisfactory methods of ensuring the flowering of these plants consists
in subjecting the bulbs, when at rest, to a hot dry heat of 70deg. or
more, which thoroughly ripens them; but, after this treatment, it will
be necessary to encourage the after-growth to the fullest possible
extent.
=B. ciliaris= (hair-fringed). _fl._ dull purple. _l._ strongly
fringed with white hairs. _h._ 1ft. 1752. (B. R. 1153.)
=B. Cooperi= (Cooper's).* _fl._ sulphur-coloured, edged with red;
umbels twelve to sixteen-flowered. _l._ ligulate-obtuse, bifarious,
fleshy. _h._ 1-1/2ft. 1872. (Ref. B. 330.)
=B. falcata= (sickle-leaved).* _fl._ red. May. _l._ sickle-shaped,
with a muricated, discoloured, cartilaginous edge. _h._ 9in. 1774.
(B. M. 1443.) SYN. _Ammocharis falcata_.
=B. Josephineæ= (Josephine's).* _fl._ scarlet; scape twice as long
as the rays of the many-flowered umbel. _l._ strap-shaped, erect,
spreading, glaucous. _h._ 1-1/2ft. This handsome species is much
grown. 1814. (B. M. 2578.) _Minor_ and _striata_ are varieties.
=B. multiflora= (many-flowered).* _fl._ red, loosely umbellate.
June. _l._ linguiform, smooth, lying on the ground. _h._ 1ft. 1752.
(B. M. 1619.)
=B. toxicaria= (poison-bulb).* _fl._ pink; umbel hemispherical,
many-flowered. September to October. _l._ many, erect, oblique,
glaucous. _h._ 1ft. 1774. (B. R. 567.) _B. coranica_ is a variety
of this. 1815. (B. R. 139.)
[Illustration: FIG. 285. BRUSSELS SPROUTS.]
=BRUSSELS SPROUTS= (_Brassica oleracea bullata gemmifera_). A
cultivated variety of the Cabbage (Fig. 285). Leaves blistered. Stems
covered with small, close heads. To secure this vegetable in its best
form, it must be grown on deeply-worked and rich ground. In addition,
the seeds should be obtained from a good source, as there are many
spurious stocks in cultivation. Plenty of room must be allowed the
plants to develop, and the tops and leaves should not be removed till
after the sprouts are gathered; dead leaves, of course, excepted. It is
a bad plan to plant Brussels Sprouts amongst potatoes or other crops,
as they become unduly weakened, and never give such good returns as
when grown by themselves.
[Illustration: FIG. 286. BRYONIA LACINIOSA.]
_Soil and Cultivation._ In February, and early in March, sow thinly in
a cold frame, or carefully prepare seed beds on a warm south border.
As soon as the plants are large enough, prick them off into prepared
soil, to grow on; about the end of April, transplant into a piece of
rich ground, which has been previously prepared for them, setting in
rows from 2ft. to 3ft. asunder, and 2ft. apart in the rows. The earlier
the plants are put out, the better; and they should be watered-in when
planted, so that they receive as little a check as possible. They must
be kept clear of weeds, and earthed up as soon an they get a good size.
During severe frost, some light dry litter may with advantage be
thrown over them for protection; and the less they are interfered with
when frozen, the better.
_Sorts._ The Imported is the best strain for general use; other good
sorts are: Sutton's Matchless, The Aigburth, and Scrymger's Giant.
=BRYA= (from _bryo_, to sprout; the seeds germinate before falling from
the tree). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A small genus of stove shrubs or small
trees, furnished with stipular spines, and solitary, or clustered, or
pinnate leaves. The undermentioned species thrives in a rich fibry
loam. Propagated by seeds, or by cuttings, placed in a hotbed.
=B. Ebenus= (ebony). Jamaica Ebony. _fl._ bright yellow; peduncles
two to three together, axillary, one to two-flowered, shorter than
the leaves. July and August. _l._, leaflets aggregate, obovate.
_h._ 12ft. to 14ft. West Indies, 1713. (B. M. 4670.)
=BRYANTHUS= (from _bryon_, a moss, and _anthos_, a flower). ORD.
_Ericaceæ_. A genus of small trailing shrubs, allied to _Loiseleuria_.
Flowers terminal, somewhat racemose; calyx five-leaved, imbricate;
corolla deeply five-parted, spreading. Leaves crowded, spreading,
flattish. For culture, _see_ =Menziesia=.
=B. empetriformis= (Crowberry-leaved). _fl._ reddish-purple,
clustered near the extremities of the branches. _l._ crowded,
linear, on short adpressed petioles. _h._ 6in. North-west America,
1829. SYN. _Menziesia empetrifolia_. (B. M. 3176.)
=B. erectus= (erect). _fl._ red, pentamerous, broadly campanulate.
_l._ linear, obtuse, obscurely serrated. _h._ about 1ft. Siberia.
Trailer. (L. & P. F. G. 1, 19.)
=B. Gmelini= (Gmelin's). _fl._ red; peduncles glandular,
many-flowered. _l._ with denticulated margins. _h._ 2in. or 3in.
Kamtschatka and Behring's Island.
=BRYONIA= (from _bryo_, to sprout; in allusion to the annual growth
from the tuber). Bryony. ORD. _Cucurbitaceæ_. Tuberous-rooted perennial
herbaceous plants, producing annual climbing stems. The native species
is well worth growing over unsightly hedges, fences, &c., and in the
wild garden; it is a rapid grower, and of extremely easy culture.
The stove perennial species should be grown in pots, and the stems
trained up the rafters. Rich loam is the soil most suitable for their
cultivation. Propagated by seeds, or by divisions of the tuber.
=B. dioica= (diÅcious). _fl._ greenish-white, racemose, diÅcious.
_fr._ globose, red. May to September. _l._ cordate, palmately
five-lobed, toothed, scabrous, from callous points. England. (Sy.
En. B. 517.)
=B. laciniosa= (cut-leaved). _fl._ yellow, solitary; corollas
hairy inside, smooth outside. _fr._ size of a cherry, striated
with white. July. _l._ palmately five-parted, cordate, rough, and
blistered, with oblong-lanceolate, acuminated, serrated segments;
petioles muricated. Ceylon, 1710. Stove species. SYN. _Bryonopsis
laciniosa_. See Fig. 286.
=BRYONY.= _See_ =Bryonia=.
=BRYOPHYLLUM= (from _bryo_, to sprout, and _phyllon_, a leaf; plants
spring from the notches on the edges of the leaves when taken off the
plant, and placed in a moist situation). ORD. _Crassulaceæ_. This very
curious stove succulent thrives in pots of rich loamy soil; perfect
drainage is essential, and but little water is at any time needed.
=B. calycinum= (large-cupped). _fl._ yellowish-red; cymes
panicled, terminal. April. _l._ opposite, thick, petiolate; some
impari-pinnate, with one or two pairs of segments, the terminal
one large; others solitary; all ovate and crenated. _h._ 2ft. to
3ft. India, 1806. A fleshy, erect, branched evergreen shrub, grown
chiefly for curiosity.
=BUCCO.= _See_ =Agathosma=.
=BUCIDA.= _See_ =Terminalia=.
=BUCKBEAN.= _See_ =Menyanthes=.
=BUCKLANDIA= (named after Dr. Buckland, a former Dean of Westminster,
and Professor of Geology at Oxford). ORD. _Hamamelideæ_. A handsome
greenhouse tree, allied to _Liquidambar_. It thrives in rich sandy
loam, peat, and leaf mould; or peat may be left out if the leaf soil is
good; perfect drainage is also essential. Cuttings of ripened shoots
will strike in sandy loam, under a hand glass, with moderate heat.
They must be watered carefully, or they are liable to rot off.
=B. populnea= (Poplar-like). _l._ pale green, large, leathery,
cordate, ovate-acute, on long stalks, pinkish when young; stipules
very curious, large red, consisting of two leafy oblong plates,
placed face to face in an erect position between the leafstalk and
the stem. _h._ 100ft. Himalayas, 1875. (B. M. 6507.)
=BUCKLER MUSTARD.= _See_ =Biscutella=.
=BUCKTHORN.= _See_ =Rhamnus=.
=BUCKWHEAT.= _See_ =Fagopyrum esculentum=.
=BUCKWHEAT-TREE.= _See_ =Mylocaryum=.
=BUDDING.= This process consists of taking an eye or bud attached to
a portion of the bark, and transferring it to another and different
plant; it is an operation almost confined to woody plants, but has been
practised with more or less success upon herbaceous perennials. The
stock should not be budded unless the sap is in circulation, which is
assured if the bark will detach itself easily, when gently lifted, from
the wood.
There are many ways of performing the different systems, in preparing
and inserting the Buds, &c., and all may prove more or less successful
if undertaken when the Buds and stock are both in a suitable condition.
The principal methods are Shield or T-budding, including the Circular,
Square, and Inverted forms; Flute or Tube-budding, and Annular or
Ring-budding.
The first-named method, which is fully described below, is very
extensively practised for propagating Roses and stone fruits. It is
also coming more in use for the propagation of many other fruit trees,
including Apples and Pears, especially new or scarce varieties, as
the great advantage of making use of many more of the eyes, to form
separate trees, is thereby attained. In large nurseries, where skilful
propagators are employed, thousands of trees are annually budded, the
majority of them with very successful results. It is, in most cases,
preferable to purchase established fruit trees, as cultivators require
the produce much quicker than they could get it by propagating trees
themselves. The same system of Budding is, however, applicable for
increasing Roses; and this may be adopted with every chance of success
by even a cottager, if he takes the necessary care in performing the
work.
Rare varieties of ornamental deciduous trees are largely propagated in
this way; for instance, many of the Acers, Elms, Horse Chestnuts, &c.
Evergreen shrubs, such as Rhododendrons and Hollies, are also rapidly
increased in some establishments by this means.
In the case of fruit-frees, plump wood Buds must be selected, from
medium-sized branches. On some sorts these are scarce, the majority
being Flower-buds, and it is rather difficult to distinguish between
them at the Budding season. The best time for the operation is from
June to the end of August; but surrounding influences, condition of
Buds, stocks, &c., must be taken into account. Clean cuts, with gentle
and skilful handling, are even more important in the Budding of stone
fruits than of Roses or other plants, and the ties should be lightly
but firmly made. In all cases, the operation must be performed as
quickly as possible, as both Bud and bark are injured if exposed to the
air for any length of time.
[Illustration: FIG. 287.]
[Illustration: FIG. 288.]
To proceed with the ordinary system of Shield-budding, the stock (see
Fig. 287 _a_) should first have a longitudinal and a transverse
incision made in the bark, the former about 1in. long. Next, the Bud
should be prepared, removing half the leaf (see Fig. 288). Hold the
branch with the left hand, and pass the knife from about 1/2in. below,
gradually upwards and inwards under the Bud, bringing it out in a
similar way at a somewhat shorter distance above. A portion of wood
will also be taken out, and this is generally removed the opposite
way to that in which the Bud has been cut. By skilful Budders, it is
removed by a sort of twitch from either end. Great care must be taken
not to pull out the base or root of the Bud at the same time, as this
would render it useless. Should the whole come out together, leaving
a hollow place under the eye of the Bud, it must be thrown away, and
another prepared. The Bud being ready, loosen the bark at the point
where the incisions meet, with the ivory knife handle, and insert it by
means of the piece of leaf attached. It must then be tied in with soft
matting or bast, to exclude air, but not tight enough to injure the
bark. Shading from bright sun is advisable for a few days afterwards,
and, as soon as the union takes place, the ties must be frequently
examined, and loosened if necessary. Some prefer Budding late in the
season, in order that the Bud may remain dormant during the winter,
and breaking stronger the following spring. Occasionally, they are
inserted in spring, just at the commencement of growth. The stocks of
the Summer-budded trees should only be allowed a moderate amount of
foliage during the autumn, and should be cut back to the established
Bud before growth commences in spring.
_Square and Circular Shield-budding_ consists in cutting out a piece
of bark of either shape from the stock, and inserting another piece of
exactly the same size, containing a Bud, and covering with a bandage,
or piece of sticking plaster, all except the eye. This mode is seldom
made use of. Inverted T or Shield-budding is preferred in the south of
France for propagating Orange-trees, but is not otherwise much used.
The only difference is that the transverse incision is made below,
instead of above, the other, and the Bud inserted upwards, making it
fit with the bark at the point where the stock is cut across.
[Illustration: FIG. 289.]
_Flute-budding_ is sometimes used, and answers well for some trees
(see Fig. 289). A cylinder of bark is removed from the stock, and one
of a similar size from the scion. containing Buds, is fitted in its
place, being carefully made air-tight by means of a bandage or grafting
wax. Some prefer splitting the hark, as shown in the illustration. and
laying it over the tube or cylinder; but the parts cannot be fitted so
well as when it is removed.
_Ring Budding._ By this mode, it is not necessary to cut off the top of
the stock. A ring of bark may be removed from any convenient part (see
Fig. 290 _b_) and replaced with one containing eyes (see Fig. 290 _a_).
The latter should be taken from a little larger branch than the stock,
as the bark could then be made to fit better. As in Flute-budding, air
must be excluded by means of adhesive paper and bandages or grafting
wax.
Budding operations may be performed at any time during the season; but
dull cloudy weather, and morning or evening, are most suitable. If the
branch, containing Buds, cannot be obtained as required for use, the
ends may be placed in water, to keep them fresh; but unnecessary delay
should be avoided.
[Illustration: FIG. 290.]
[Illustration: FIG. 291.]
_Stocks for Budding upon._ For the Cherry, the Wild Gean, and
seedlings from the Morello. make capital stocks for tall trees and
those of moderate growth; and the Mahaleb, or Perfumed Cherry, for
small trees for pots, bushes, pyramids, or cordons. For the Plum, the
Mussel, Mirabelle, Magnum Bonum, St. Julian, &c., are mostly used
for stocks, the Mirabelle being best for small trees. Peaches and
Nectarines are generally budded on the Mussel, St. Julian, or Mirabelle
Plums; the last are best for dwarfs. The Apricot is budded on the
Mussel or Mirabelle Plums, for small plants; and the St. Julian Plum
for standards. In France, the Damas Noir, or Black Damask, and the
Cerisette, are also used. They should all be raised from seeds, and
not from suckers. Seeds for raising plants for stocks may be sown as
soon as ripe; but where quantities are used, the stones are thrown into
heaps, so as to slightly ferment during winter. In the spring, they
are sown in drills or beds, and transplanted the next year in rows
2ft. or 3ft. apart. and 10in. or 12in. from plant to plant. The dwarfs
are generally budded the second year, and the standards the third
or fourth. Dwarf trees are budded from within a few inches of the
ground to 1ft. above; standards and riders from 3ft. to 9ft.; cordons,
pyramids, &c., can hardly be budded too low.
_Rose Budding._ Propagation of Roses by Budding is very extensively
practised both with standard trees and dwarf plants. It is perhaps
easier and more certain to succeed with these than with fruit trees;
but the mode adopted is precisely the same--that of the shield-shaped
Bud with the core, or root, and the bark attached. For standards,
the common briar of the Dog Rose is the best. The earlier these are
obtained and planted in November, the better, as roots are then formed
at once. For dwarf plants, the Manetti stock is mostly used, being
easily obtained and had in proper condition almost at any time when
Buds are ready. Plants on this stock do not succeed in all soils, and
suckers are also very liable to be produced. Budding on the seedling
briar is attended with good results, and is practised more than
hitherto. The De la Grifferaie stock is also used, more for Tea Roses
than others, and is considered by some to produce better plants than
the Manetti. The shoots on standard briars should be reduced to about
three of the strongest, selected as close together as possible, and
near the top, the briars having been previously cut back the desired
height at planting time. Two Buds are sufficient for a good head; but,
for certainty, three may be inserted. Fig. 291 represents a tall briar
with three shoots; _a_ shows the shoot slit for the Bud; _b_, the Bud
inserted; _c_, the Bud tied in. Fig. 292 is a branch showing Buds, the
lowest ones of which are most suitable, being in firmer wood. Those at
the top are often useless. Fig. 293 represents a Bud taken from Fig.
292, _a_, _b_, and Fig. 294 gives an idea of how the wood is removed.
As previously remarked when describing the system, experienced Budders
remove the wood from either end. Fig. 294 shows its removal from the
lower end.
[Illustration: FIG. 292.]
[Illustration: FIG. 293. FIG. 294.]
Budding as close as possible to the main stem is most desirable. Raffia
grass is superior in every way for tying, which should be performed
as soon after the Bud is inserted as possible. It requires much care,
and, of course, the Bud itself must be entirely free. As soon as the
Buds swell, the tying material should be loosened, and the top of the
stock cut back to the level of the budded shoot. By Budding late, the
Buds lie dormant till the next spring, and the necessity of tying the
young shoots is dispensed with for that season. The shoots of the briar
in advance of the Rose Buds must be cut back, as shown in Fig. 295, so
soon as the Buds are safely established. The Manetti and other dwarf
stocks are budded on the main shoot nearly close to, or underneath the
ground, and if low enough to cover part of the rose stem when grown,
the latter often roots as well and assists the stock. Being small, they
may be grown in pots and removed to the required position at any time.
[Illustration: FIG. 295.]
Dog Roses, used for standards, are usually collected from hedgerows,
and sold at about 8s. per hundred. Manetti stocks are increased by
cuttings, which, after making one season's good growth, will be fit for
use. Briars are raised from seed, which may be collected from hedges,
and sown in the autumn, in drills. The seedlings should be transplanted
the first year after sowing, and the following season they will be
ready for working.
=BUDDING KNIVES.= The best Budding Knives are those manufactured by
Messrs. Saynor and Co., and Messrs. G. Hall and Son. They are made with
handles of ivory, shaped in different ways at the end, for the purpose
of opening the bark, in order to insert the Bud. Some of the blades are
made with the edge rounded at the point, so as to cut the bark without
the knife entering the wood underneath (see Figs. 296 and 297). Others,
which may be used for Budding, and are much better for ordinary use for
cutting flowers, &c., are made with the edge of the blade carried to a
point, as in ordinary knives (see Figs. 298 and 299). Another form has
the handle made of some other material, and a piece of ivory inserted
for opening the bark; this is represented in Fig. 300. The first-named
is the best, if required for Budding only; the second is the most
useful for ordinary purposes, and answers admirably for Budding as
well. None of the other shapes have any material advantages over these.
[Illustration: FIG. 296.
FIG. 297.
FIG. 298.
FIG. 299.
FIG. 300.
=BUDDING KNIVES.=]
=BUDDLEIA= (named after Adam Buddle, who is so often mentioned in Ray's
"Synopsis"; his collection of dried British plants is preserved in the
British Museum). ORD. _Loganiaceæ_. A large genus of stove, greenhouse,
or half-hardy shrubs. Flowers small, often tomentose, axillary,
spicate, capitate, or thyrsoid; calyx equally four-toothed; corolla
tubular-campanulate, regular; limb spreading, four-toothed. Leaves
opposite, reticulately veined. Branches quadrangular.
The species most extensively grown is _B. globosa_, which, among all
our other shrubs, is quite unique; but it is only in the southern or
favoured counties of England where it can be fairly termed hardy. It
is readily propagated by cuttings or by seeds. The latter should be
sown in a gentle heat the spring following the ripening, when they
will vegetate pretty freely. With careful treatment and nurturing in
pots for the first winter, in a frost-proof pit or house, they may
soon be grown into elegant plants. Cuttings of the ripened wood, put
in under bell glasses or hand lights, in a cool but frost-proof pit,
will root slowly during the winter. They will root all the surer and
quicker if each cutting has a heel of older wood attached to that of
the current year's growth. They are best inserted in fine sand or in
very sandy soil, and require but little water until rooted. As soon as
fairly calloused over or rooted, their further progress may be much
advanced by potting them off, and plunging them in a bottom-heat of
60deg. or 65deg. This is by no means an essential to secure success,
but it hastens it, and promotes growth in an extraordinary manner. The
surface temperature should range about the same as the bottom-heat.
Under such treatment, the plants will be quite fit to place out about
the middle of July. A warm, sheltered situation should be chosen, and
a light, rich soil prepared for them; and if dry weather ensues, they
only require water. South or west walls are, without doubt, the best
situations for them. In all cool or unfavourable localities, much may
be done to ensure success by planting on a dry bottom, and on poorish
soil. A loose, free-and-easy style of training suits the plants best.
This enables them to yield a great number of their peculiarly formed,
distinct, and beautiful flowers; whereas, anything like a close, trim
course of pruning or of training reduces the flowers to the lowest
number.
Throughout the southern parts of England, and, indeed, in many places
in the north, _B. globosa_ makes an excellent bush for the shrubbery.
It is only during severe winters that it gets badly cut.
For the other presumably hardy species much the same plan as the
foregoing may be adopted. The greenhouse and stove kinds may have the
same routine of culture usually employed with plants requiring similar
temperatures.
Stove species, except where specified otherwise.
=B. americana= (American). _fl._ yellow; spikes disposed in a
terminal panicle, nearly 1ft. long; glomerules nearly globose, size
of a sloe, on short peduncles. August. _l._ ovate, acuminated,
narrowed at the base, serrately crenated. _h._ 8ft. to 12ft. Peru,
1826.
=B. asiatica= (Asiatic).* _fl._ white, small, disposed in long,
dense racemes. _l._ lanceolate, finely serrated. _h._ 3ft. India,
1874. A graceful and sweet-scented shrub. SYN. _B. Neemda_. (B. M.
6323.)
=B. crispa= (curled). _fl._ lilac, with a white eye; numerously
produced in long terminal branching spikes, forming a pyramidal
head about 5in. long. March. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, crenately
curled; lower ones cordate at the base; superior ones rounded, all
thick and wrinkled, clothed with soft tomentum on both surfaces.
_h._ 13ft. Western Himalayas. Half-hardy. (B. M. 4793.)
=B. globosa= (globose).* _fl._ orange, or honey-colour; heads
large, terminal, globose, pedunculate. May. _l._ lanceolate,
acuminated, petiolate, crenated, 6in. long. Branches
sub-tetragonal, clothed with hoary tomentum, as well as the under
side of the leaves. _h._ 15ft. to 20ft. Chili, 1774. Hardy in most
places. (B. M. 174.)
=B. Lindleyana= (Lindley's). _fl._ purplish-red, hairy; disposed in
terminal racemose spikes. September. _l._ ovate, shortly petiolate,
serrate. Branches angular, glabrous. _h._ 6ft. China, 1844.
Half-hardy. (B. R. 32, 4.)
=B. Neemda= (Neemda). A synonym of _B. asiatica_.
=BUDS, FLOWER.= These are developed like Leaf-buds, from which they
differ chiefly in containing one or more incipient flowers within the
leaves--the flowers being wrapped up in their own floral-leaves, within
the ordinary leaves, which have their outer covering of scales. If a
Bud be gathered from a Lilac or Horse-chestnut very early in spring,
all the rudiments of the future flowers and leaves will be found within
it, though the Bud itself may not be more than half-an-inch long, and
the flowers not larger than the points of the smallest pins.
=BUDS, LEAF.= These consist of rudimentary leaves, surrounding a
growing vital point, and appear like a collection of scales arranged
symmetrically one above the other. Leaf-buds universally originate in
the horizontal or cellular system, and are formed under the bark at the
extremity of the medullary rays, and at the margin or on the surface
of leaves, whether perfect or rudimentary. Deciduous trees lose their
leaves, but in the axil of each a little Bud previously forms, from
which fresh leaves expand the following spring. In some cases, as in
the Horse-chestnut, the Buds are covered with a gummy exudation. In
Privet-trees, Leaf-buds are generally smaller and more elongated than
Flower-buds.
=BUETTNERIA= (named after David Sigismund Augustus Byttner, once
a Professor of Botany in the University of Göttingen). ORD.
_Sterculiaceæ_. Erect or scandent stove or greenhouse shrubs. Flowers
small, usually dark purple; calyx and corolla valvate; umbels simple,
disposed in something like racemes or panicles, rarely in corymbs.
Leaves simple. All are of easy culture in a compost of loam and peat.
_B. dasyphylla_, _hermanniæ-folia_, _microphylla_, and _scabra_, are
occasionally met with, but they are hardly worth growing.
=BUETTNERIEÃ.= A section of _Sterculiaceæ_.
=BUFF-TIP MOTH= (_Pygæra bucephala_). This large and beautiful Moth
is very common in many districts; it is easily recognised by the
buff-coloured tips of the fore-wings--whence its common name; the
head, and body between the wings and abdomen, are ochreous. According
to Newman's "British Moths," "the caterpillars, when full grown, are
about an inch and three-quarters long, and sprinkled with silky hairs;
the general colour yellow, with black head, black lines running from
the head to the tail, interrupted by a transverse orange band on each
ring, and a black horny plate above the tail segment." They feed on the
leaves of the Lime, Elm, and Oak, among other trees, and apparently the
only remedy is that generally adopted in exterminating caterpillars,
viz., to shake the branches which are infested, when the pest will be
quickly dislodged, and fall to the ground. Miss Ormerod is of opinion
that "as the caterpillars come down the tree to the ground for their
change to chrysalids, it might be worth while to throw a few spadefuls
of gas-lime, or of anything they would not cross, in a circle at about
a yard from the tree; or a rough band of any material soaked in tar,
or tar and oil, which would keep wet longer, would stop them from
straying off ... and they might be cleared in sufficient numbers so as
to considerably lessen future attack." This plan of prevention deserves
a trial in any place where the destructive caterpillars of these Moths
abound. It is almost a hopeless task to destroy them altogether when
once established on the trees, such specimens as large Oaks being often
almost or wholly denuded of foliage.
=BUGLE.= _See_ =Ajuga=.
=BUGLOSSUM BARRELIERI.= _See_ =Anchusa Barrelieri=.
=BUGWORT.= _See_ =Cimicifuga=.
=BULBIFEROUS.= Bearing bulbs.
=BULBINE= (from _bolbos_, a bulb). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A genus of rather
pretty hardy, or nearly hardy, herbaceous or bulbous plants, allied
to _Anthericum_. Flowers showy, fragrant; perianth with spreading
segments. Leaves somewhat fleshy, narrow. Stems short. They are all of
easy culture in a compost of sandy loam. The bulbous-rooted species
are increased by offsets, and the herbaceous sorts by suckers and
divisions. The only species which can be grown satisfactorily in
the open air is _B. annua._ All the others should be grown in the
greenhouse, but may be placed in the open during the summer months.
=B. alooides= (Aloe-like).* _fl._ yellow, disposed in a terminal
panicle. April. _l._ fleshy, tongue-shaped, lanceolate, flat on
both sides. _h._ 1ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1732. SYN. _Anthericum
alooides_. (B. M. 1317.)
=B. annua= (annual). _fl._ yellow; scape racemose. May, June. _l._
fleshy, subulate, rounded. _h._ 9in. Cape of Good Hope, 1731. An
annual species, the seeds of which should be sown in a gentle heat
during spring, and the seedlings may be transplanted to the open
when large enough to handle. SYN. _Anthericum annuum_. (B. M. 1451.)
=B. caulescens= (caulescent).* _fl._ yellow. March. _l._ fleshy,
rounded. Stem shrubby, erect, branched. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good
Hope. 1702. A shrubby species, which should be propagated by
cuttings, placed under a hand glass. SYN. _B. frutescens_. (B. M.
816.)
=B. frutescens= (shrubby). Synonymous with _B. caulescens_.
=BULBOCODIUM= (from _bolbos_, a bulb, and _kodion_, wool; referring to
the woolly covering of the bulbs). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. TRIBE _Colchiceæ_.
A very pretty little bulbous plant, much resembling the _Crocus_,
from which it differs principally in having a superior ovary and
six stamens. It is amongst the earliest of spring-flowering plants,
the flowers preceding the foliage; and, like the majority of bulbs,
delights in rich sandy loam. In such positions, they multiply rapidly
from offsets. It is a good plan to take up the bulbs, divide, and
replant them every second year, selecting in autumn, and renewing the
soil or planting in new positions. Few plants prove more welcome in
the garden, in February, than _B. vernum_, either in beds, patches, or
masses.
=B. Aitchisoni= (Aitchison's). A synonym of _Merendera Aitchisoni_.
=B. Eichleri= (Eichler's). A synonym of _Merendera caucasica_.
=B. trigynum.= A synonym of _Merendera caucasica_.
[Illustration: FIG. 301. BULBOCODIUM VERNUM.]
=B. vernum= (spring).* _fl._ violet-purple, with a white spot on
the claw; long, tubular, funnel-shaped, two to three from each
bulb; preceding the appearance of the leaves. Very early spring.
_l._ usually three in number, broadly strap-shaped, concave, and
surrounded at the base by well-developed sheaths. Bulb black,
oblong. _h._ 4in. to 6in. Spain, 1649. See Fig. 301. There is a
variety with the leaves striped white, which is also desirable.
=BULBOPHYLLUM= (from _bulbos_, a bulb, and _phyllon_, a leaf; referring
to the leaves issuing from the apex of the pseudo-bulbs). SYNS.
_Anisopetalum_, _Bolbophyllum_, _Tri-brachium_. ORD. _Orchideæ_. Of
this rather large genus of orchids but few are worth cultivating except
as curiosities. Racemes long or spike-like, very rarely one-flowered or
sub-umbellate; sepals usually nearly equal and free; lip jointed to the
foot of the column. They are of easy culture when grown on small blocks
of wood with a little moss, and suspended in a warm part of the house;
the roots require a good supply of water. Propagated by dividing the
pseudo-bulbs.
The following comparative few of the aggregate number of species
already introduced are really all that are worth the cultivator's
attention; what the botanist often regards as being very pretty, &c.,
does not always appear such in the eyes of the grower.
=B. barbigerum= (bearded).* _fl._, sepals and petals
greenish-brown; lip covered with dark-coloured hair, and so loosely
attached at the base as to be moved with the slightest breath.
Sierra Leone, 1835. A curious dwarf-growing plant, with dark green
leaves and pseudo-bulbs. (B. R. 1942.)
=B. Beccarii= (Beccari's). _fl._ light brownish and painted with
violet; lip brown, with a violet hue, proceeding from a rhizome at
the base of the leaf (just below the small pseudo-bulb), and at
once turning downwards; racemes dense, cylindrical, nodding. _l._
three, 25in. long, 18in, across, very thick. Rhizome 20in. long.
Brazil, 1879. A remarkable and gigantic climbing species; the odour
of this plant is intolerably fÅtid and the leaves are larger than
those of any other known orchid. This species requires plenty of
heat. (B. M. 6517.)
=B. Lobbi= (Lobb's).* _fl._ large; sepals and petals yellow, the
upper part spotted with purple; solitary, on radical scapes.
Summer. Java, 1845. (B. M. 4532.)
=B. maculatum= (spotted). _fl._ prettily spotted, _l._ long,
obtuse, bright green. India.
=B. reticulatum= (netted-leaved).* _fl._ in pairs, white, striped
inside with purple; lip spotted with the same colour. _l._ somewhat
heart-shaped, with the nerves of a deeper green than the rest of
the leaf, giving it a beautifully reticulated appearance. Brazil,
1866. Perhaps the handsomest of the genus. (B. M. 5605.)
=B. saltatorum= (dancing). _fl._ greenish-brown, lasting some time
in perfection. Winter. _h._ 6in. Sierra Leone, 1835. (B. R. 1970.)
=B. siamense= (Siamese).* _fl._ pale yellow, striped with purple;
lip yellow, streaked with purplish lines. A very pretty species,
closely allied to _B. Lobbi_, but with longer and stouter leaves.
Pseudo-bulbs ovate. Siam, 1867. Should be grown in a pot of peat
and sphagnum.
=BULBOSTYLES= (from _bolbos_, a bulb, and _stylos_, the style). ORD.
_Compositæ_. A. small genus of stove evergreen plants, now referred to
_Eupatorium_.
=BULBS.= A Bulb is formed upon or beneath the ground, and is a swollen
stock, consisting, in the first place, of a more or less fleshy disk,
which below gives rise to the roots; secondly, of more or less fleshy
coats, or scales, borne on the disk; thirdly, of a more or less central
shoot, equally borne by the disk, protected by the coats or scales
already mentioned, and formed of rudimentary leaves and flowers. In
some instances, small Bulbs, called Cloves, are formed at the base
of the scales of the original Bulb; these are destined to reproduce
the plant. Shallot and Garlic are good examples. Bulbs are, in fact,
storehouses, husbanding the strength and energy acquired by the plant
during one season, for the exigencies of the next. They are classified
under two sections--Scaly and Tunicated. In the former, the scales
of the Bulb are imbricated, as in the Lily; in the latter, they form
continuous coatings, one within the other, as in the Hyacinth, &c.
In several Lilies, young Bulbs are found growing in the axils of the
leaves, when they are known as Bulbils. Bulbs is also a popular term
given to Dutch Flower Roots, mostly arriving here in the autumn for
spring flowering. Crocus, Colchicum, Cyclamen, Gladiolus, and several
others, are not Bulbs, but Corms. The flowering season varies according
to the different sorts of Bulbs. The majority may be lifted and kept
tolerably dry during the resting period; but they wither and become
exhausted if not replanted at the proper time, thereby causing many
failures. Dutch Bulbs generally arrive in September, and the best
results are obtained from those potted or planted at once, although
some for succession may be kept in reserve up till the beginning of
November. The failure in cultivating imported Liliums and other Bulbs
may be often caused by their long-continued confinement in a dry
atmosphere, whereby their vitality is often almost lost. The roots
of some Bulbs are nearly always, more or less, in action, and these,
especially, should not be kept out of the ground for any length of
time.
=BULLACE.= _See_ =Prunus insititia=.
=BULLACE=, or =MUSCADINE=. _See_ =Vitis vulpina=.
=BULLATE.= Blistered or puckered.
=BULRUSH=, or =CLUB-RUSH=. _See_ =Typha=.
=BUNCHOSIA= (from _bunchos_, the Arabic name for Coffee; in allusion to
the similarity between the seeds of this genus and those of Coffee).
ORD. _Malpighiaceæ_. Ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrubs, nearly
allied to _Malpighia_, but having the racemes of flowers axillary.
Fruit fleshy, indehiscent, externally smooth, and containing two or
three seeds. They thrive best in a compost of loam, peat, leaf soil,
and sand, in about equal proportions. Cuttings of ripened shoots will
root in sand under a bell glass, in moist bottom heat, taking several
weeks to do so. Good drainage is essential, both in striking cuttings
and in the cultivation of the plants.
[Illustration: FIG. 302. BURBIDGEA NITIDA.]
=B. argentea= (silvery).* _fl._ yellow; racemes opposite, simple,
pubescent. July. _l._ lanceolate, silvery beneath. Branches
puberulous. _h._ 10ft. Caraccas, 1810.
=B. glandulifera= (gland-bearing). _fl._ yellow; racemes simple,
axillary. March to May. _l._ elliptical-ovate, on short petioles,
wavy, pubescent on both surfaces, furnished with four glands
beneath at the base. _h._ 10ft. Caraccas, 1806.
=B. nitida= (shining). _fl._ yellow; racemes elongated, almost the
length of the leaves. July. _fr._ large, red; it is much eaten by
turkeys and other large fowl. _l._ 4in. long, oblong, acuminated,
smooth, glandless. _h._ 4ft. Jamaica, 1800.
=B. odorata= (fragrant).* _fl._ yellow, sweet-scented; racemes
opposite. May. _l._ ovate, emarginate, downy on both surfaces. _h._
7ft. Carthagena, 1806.
=BUPHTHALMUM= (from _bous_, an ox, and _ophthalmos_, the eye; the disk
of the flower being ox-eye-like). Oxeye. ORD. _Compositæ_. Very showy
and ornamental hardy perennial plants, thriving freely in common garden
soil. They are propagated by divisions, made in autumn or spring.
=B. grandiflorum= (large-flowered).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, large;
involucre naked. June to October. _l._ alternate-lanceolate,
somewhat toothleted, smooth. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Austria, 1722. Hardy
herbaceous perennial.
=B. salicifolium= (Willow-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ yellow, solitary,
rather large, terminal; involucre naked. June. _l._ alternate,
oblong-lanceolate, sub-serrated, three-nerved, villous. _h._
1-1/2ft. Austria, 1759. Hardy herbaceous perennial.
=B. speciosissimum= (showiest).* _fl.-heads_ yellow. July. _h._
2ft. South Europe, 1826. Hardy herbaceous perennial. SYN. _Telekia
speciosissima_.
=BUPLEURUM= (derivation not satisfactorily explained). Hare's-Ear. ORD.
_Umbelliferæ_. A somewhat extensive genus of quite glabrous shrubs or
herbaceous plants. Flowers yellowish; umbels compound. Leaves mostly
quite entire. But few of this genus are worth growing, and all are of
the easiest culture in common garden soil. Seeds of the annuals may
be sown out of doors in March or April; divisions of the herbaceous
perennials made in autumn or spring; and cutting or divisions of the
greenhouse species, in March or April.
=B. fruticescens= (shrubby).* _fl._, umbels small, three to
five-rayed; involucre of three to five, very short, subulate
leaves. August. _l._ linear-subulate, stiff, striated, five to
seven-nerved. Branches slender, elongated, erect. _h._ 1ft. Spain,
1752. Hardy and evergreen.
=B. fruticosum= (shrubby).* Leaves of involucre oblong. July. _l._
of a sea-green colour; oblong, attenuated at the base, coriaceous,
one-nerved, quite entire, sessile. Bark of branches purplish. _h._
3ft. to 6ft. Spain, 1596. Hardy. This is nearly the only species
grown. (W. D. B. 1, 14.)
=B. gibraltarica= (Gibraltar). _fl._ yellow. June. _l._ lanceolate,
one-nerved, coriaceous. _h._ 3ft. Gibraltar, 1784. Evergreen,
half-hardy.
=B. graminifolium= (Grass-leaved).* _fl._ green-yellow. June. _l._
linear, grass-like. _h._ 6in. Switzerland, 1768. Hardy perennial.
=B. longifolium= (long-leaved). _fl._ green-yellow. June. _l._
ovate-oblong; radical ones stalked; cauline ones amplexicaul. _h._
3ft. Switzerland, 1713. Hardy perennial.
=BUR.= _See_ =Centotheca lappacea=.
=BURBIDGEA= (named after F. W. Burbidge, the discoverer of the genus,
a traveller in Borneo, and author of several horticultural works).
ORD. _Scitamineæ_. A very large, brilliant-flowered stove herbaceous
perennial, allied to _Hedychium_. For culture, _see_ =Alpinia=.
=B. nitida= (shining).* _fl._, perianth-tube 1in. to 1-1/2in.
long, slender; outer segments 1-1/2in. to 2in. in diameter,
bright orange-scarlet; panicle terminal, 4in. to 6in. long,
many-flowered. Summer. _l._ 4in. to 6in. long, elliptic-lanceolate,
cordate-acuminate, rather fleshy, bright green above. Stems tufted,
2ft. to 4ft. high, slender, terete, leafy. N. W. Borneo, 1879. See
Fig. 302, for which we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons. (B.
M. 6403.)
=BURCHARDIA= (named after H. Burchard, M.D., a botanical author). ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse herbaceous perennial, allied to
_Androcymbium_. It thrives best in sandy peat, or peat mixed with a
little loam. Propagated by offsets or divisions, made just previous to
potting, in spring. It is best to repot annually. Good drainage should
be allowed, and the plant must not be potted too firmly.
=B. umbellata= (umbelled). _fl._ white, green. August. _h._ 2ft.
New Holland, 1820.
=BURCHCHELLIA= (named after W. Burchell, a botanical traveller in the
Cape of Good Hope, and in Brazil). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. A stove evergreen
shrub from the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers scarlet, disposed in heads
at the tops of the branches, sessile upon a villous receptacle,
intermixed with small distinct bracteoles; and each head is propped
up by the ultimate pair of leaves; corolla of a clavate-funnel-shape.
Leaves ovate, acute, a little cordate at the base, petiolate; stipules
interpetiolar, broad, cuspidate at the apex, deciduous. It grows well
in a rich light soil, or a mixture of turfy loam, turfy peat, and sand.
Cuttings, not too ripe, root readily if planted in sand, and placed
under a hand glass, in a gentle heat.
=B. bubalina= (buffalo). A synonym of _B. capensis_.
=B. capensis= (Cape).* _fl._ deep scarlet, nearly 1in. long. March.
_l._ ovate, acute, clothed with hispid pubescence; stipules very
broad, and very short. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft.; 12ft. to 14ft. in a wild
state. SYN. _B. bubalina_. (B. M. 2339.)
=BURLINGTONIA= (named after the "amiable and accomplished" Countess of
Burlington). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A small genus of epiphytal orchids, all
of which are beautiful and eminently well worth growing. They may be
grown upon small blocks of wood, or in rustic baskets, suspended from
the roof of the plant stove, where, if liberally treated with water,
and a genial moisture in the air during the growing season, very little
else will be required to ensure health and vigour. In the dull days
of winter, they should be watered less frequently, but the plants must
not be allowed to exhibit the slightest signs of distress from drought,
or the consequences may be fatal to their health. When fastening
these plants to blocks of wood, a little sphagnum should be used, for
experience proves that they thrive best when their thin white roots
can escape and hang exposed to the air. If growing them in baskets, it
is preferable first to fasten them securely upon small pieces of bare
cork, then to fill the basket, and finally to cover the whole thinly
with a layer of sphagnum.
[Illustration: FIG. 303. FLOWER-SPIKE, PSEUDO-BULB, AND LEAF OF
BURLINGTONIA DECORA.]
Generally speaking, this genus is not a difficult one to cultivate;
its great enemy is a small white scale, which secretes itself in the
sheathing bases of the leaves. Here it rapidly multiplies, to the great
detriment of the plants; the leaves soon turn yellow at the base, and
drop off; the whole plant looks sickly, and soon dies, or else requires
a very long time and much trouble to achieve its recovery to health.
To prevent this, the bases of the leaves must be carefully looked into
every time the plants are taken down to be dipped in water; and, should
the slightest sign of this pest appear, a thorough washing with soft
soap and tepid water must be given, repeating the operation every day
until all traces of the insect are removed. Red thrip are also apt to
work much mischief with these plants. They take up their abode in the
same way as the white scale, and if not speedily removed or destroyed,
soon make sad havoc. To put a stop to the ravages of this pest, a wash
should be given, as before recommended, and after the soap has been
rinsed out of the base of the leaf, a little tobacco powder should be
sprinkled into the hollows, and allowed to remain for a day or two
before brushing it off. This process will, however, cause a somewhat
dirty appearance, but it will ensure ultimate health and vigour.
Propagated by dividing the plants.
=B. Batemanni= (Bateman's).* _fl._ white, deliciously-scented; lip
beautiful mauve. A very pretty South American species, resembling
_B. candida_.
=B. candida= (white).* _fl._ snowy-white, with a slight stain of
yellow on the upper part of the lip, in substance and appearance
like white satin, trimmed with gold; large, sweet-scented, in
gracefully drooping three to four-blossomed racemes, produced from
the axils of the leaves. April and May, lasting about three weeks
in perfection, and sometimes having a second flowering season.
_l._ one or two in number, dark green, and firm in texture. _h._
1ft. Demerara, 1834. A very compact species, well suited for
basket culture; it should never be allowed to get dry. It may
be distinguished from other species by having a single row of
tubercles, forming a ridge upon each side of the slightly hastate
lip. (B. R. 1927.)
=B. decora= (comely).* _fl._ white or rose-coloured, spotted
with red; lip pure white; scapes erect, five to ten-flowered.
Winter. Brazil, 1852. This species differs entirely from _B.
candida_, inasmuch as it possesses a long slender-rooting stem,
from different parts of which arise small oval pseudo-bulbs, each
bearing a leaf; a lesser leaf appears at the base of a bulb, and
from the axil of this the scape springs. It is a rather straggling
but nevertheless beautiful species, and is best grown fastened upon
long strips of cork, a little sphagnum being used in the operation;
whilst, to prevent the plant getting too much "away from home,"
the young growths should be twisted back as they advance, and the
practice continued until the pseudo-bulb is ultimately left near
the centre, or in any spot which may appear bare. It likes strong
heat and a very moist atmosphere, when growing; but during the
period of rest, it should be kept cool and dry. See Fig. 303. (B.
M. 4834.)
=B. d. picta= (painted).* A beautiful variety, differing from the
type in having shorter and more acute leaves; flowers produced in
greater profusion, rose-coloured, beautifully mottled and blotched
with dark purple. October. Brazil. (B. M. 5419.)
=B. fragrans= (fragrant).* _fl._ very gratefully fragrant, disposed
in erect racemes. April, remaining in perfection about three weeks.
_l._ long, rigid, dark green. Habit compact. Brazil, 1850.
=B. pubescens= (downy). _fl._, sepals and petals snow-white;
distinguished by the somewhat hastate lip, which has three yellow
ridges on each side, and also by the downy column. November. _h._
6in. Brazil, 1850.
=B. rigida= (rigid).* _fl._ purplish-white, spotted with pink on
the lip; produced in heads. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1838. A handsome
plant, but difficult to flower. (L. S. O. 36.)
=B. venusta= (charming).* _fl._ white, slightly tinted with pink;
produced in heavy pendulous clusters at various seasons of the
year; lip stained with yellow. _l._ rigid, dark green. Brazil,
1840. It forms a compact mass, and requires less heat than the
kinds previously described. It is often confounded with _B.
pubescens_, from which it may be distinguished by its larger and
more loosely arranged flowers, by its smooth column, by the lip not
being hastate in shape, and by the numerous shallow ridges borne
near the base upon each side. (L. S. O. 2.)
=BUR MARIGOLD.= _See_ =Bidens=.
=BURNET= (_Poterium Sanguisorba_; from _poterion_, a cup; being used
in cooling drinks). ORD. _Rosaceæ_. A native perennial. The leaves
are sometimes used in soups, and with Borage in cooling drinks; they
are also put in salads. The foliage only being useful, keep the
flower-spikes removed, as this tends to increase the luxuriance of the
plants. It thrives in any light soil. Propagated by division.
=BURNET SAXIFRAGE.= _See_ =Pimpinella=.
=BURNING BUSH.= _See_ =Euonymus atropurpureus= and =E. americanus=.
=BURN ONION.= _See_ =Potato Onion=.
=BUR REED.= _See_ =Sparganium=.
=BURSARIA= (from _bursa_, a pouch; the capsules very much resemble
those of the Shepherd's Purse). ORD. _Pittosporaceæ_. A handsome,
much-branched, greenhouse evergreen shrub, forming a very pretty object
when covered all over with its elegant white blossoms. It thrives
well in a compost of sandy loam and peat, in equal proportions. Young
cuttings will root freely in sand, under a bell glass, with a little
bottom heat.
=B. spinosa= (thorny).* _fl._ white, small, disposed either in
lateral or terminal panicles. July to December. _l._ small,
oblong-cuneated, entire. _h._ 10ft. New Holland, 1793. (B. M. 1767.)
=BURSERA= (named after Joachim Burser, a disciple of Caspar Bauhin).
ORD. _Burseraceæ_. Stove balsam-bearing trees. Flowers polygamous, or
hermaphrodite; calyx small, four to six-toothed; petals four to six,
spreading, generally valvate in æstivation; stamens eight to twelve;
disk annular, with usually six to ten teeth; drupe oblong, covered by a
three-valved succulent rind, containing three to five nuts. They thrive
in a compost of loam and peat. Propagated by cuttings, placed under a
glass, with bottom heat.
=B. gummifera= (gum-bearing). _fl._ whitish, hexandrous; racemes
terminal and axillary. _l._ deciduous, usually impari-pinnate;
leaflets ovate, acute, membranous. _h._ 60ft. West Indies, 1690.
=B. serrata= (serrate).* _fl._ whitish, decandrous; panicles
axillary, shorter than the leaves. _l._ impari-pinnate, with three
to five pairs of broad-lanceolate, bluntly-acuminated, serrulated
leaflets; petioles and pedicels pubescent. _h._ 25ft. India, 1818.
=BURSERACEÃ.= An order of shrubs or trees, abounding in resinous juice;
with opposite compound leaves, full of pellucid dots, and axillary and
terminal fascicles of flowers. Fruit indehiscent, somewhat drupaceous.
The genera best known are _Amyris_, _Balsamodendron_, _Boswellia_,
_Bursera_, and _Canarium_.
=BURTONIA= (named after D. Burton, a plant collector for Kew Gardens).
ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A genus of handsome greenhouse dwarf Heath-like
shrubs, natives of West Australia. Flowers axillary, often thickly
gathered at the ends of the branches; corollas rich purple; keel
generally of a deeper colour, and the standard having sometimes a
yellow blotch at its base. Leaves simple or trifoliolate, sessile,
usually awl-shaped. They thrive well in a mixture of loam, peat, leaf
soil, and sand, in equal proportions, with thorough drainage; but care
must be taken not to give them too much water, as they require to be
kept moderately dry, and are difficult to preserve in a living state.
Young cuttings root freely in a pot of sandy soil, in a cool house,
with a bell glass placed over them; but some of the species produce
seed in abundance, which are the best means of increasing them.
=B. conferta= (cluster-flowered).* _fl._ violet. July. _l._ simple,
very much crowded, six to eight lines long, linear-subulate, with
revolute margins, and are, as well as the branches, smooth. _h._
2ft. 1830. (B. R. 1600.)
=B. minor= (smaller). A synonym of _Gompholobium minus_.
=B. pulchella= (beautiful). A synonym of _B. scabra_.
=B. scabra= (rough).* _fl._ purple; peduncles axillary,
bi-bracteate. April. _l._, leaflets glabrous, linear-mucronate.
Branches puberulous. _h._ 2ft. 1846. SYN. _B. pulchella_. (B. M.
5000.)
=B. villosa= (villose). _fl._ purple, large; peduncles axillary,
bi-bracteate. May. _l._, leaflets linear-subulate, bluntish,
scabrid. _h._ 2ft. 1846. (B. M. 4410.)
=BUSHEL.= _See_ =Measures=.
=BUTCHER'S BROOM.= _See_ =Ruscus aculeatus=.
=BUTEA= (commemorative of John, Earl of Bute, once a munificent patron
of botany). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A genus of very ornamental stove
evergreen unarmed trees. Racemes many-flowered; flowers three together,
on short pedicels, and furnished with two bracteoles each, under the
calyx; corolla deep scarlet; down on the calyces usually black and
velvety. Leaves pinnately-trifoliate; leaflets large, ovate, roundish,
stipellate. For culture, &c., _see_ =Erythrina=.
=B. frondosa= (leafy). _fl._ 2in. long. _l._, leaflets roundish,
obtuse, or emarginate, rather velvety beneath. Branches pubescent.
_h._ 40ft. India, 1796. (B. F. S. 176.)
=B. superba= (superb).* _l._, leaflets roundish, obtuse, velvety
beneath. Branches glabrous. Coromandel, 1798. This approaches the
preceding species, from which it differs mainly by its scandent
habit, and not by any botanical characters. (B. F. F. 143.)
=BUTOMACEÃ.= An order of aquatic plants, now usually included under
_Alismaceæ_.
=BUTOMUS= (from _bous_, an ox, and _temno_, to cut; in reference to the
sharp leaves, which injure the mouths of cattle that browze upon them).
Flowering Rush. ORD. _Alismaceæ_. A very handsome hardy perennial
aquatic, of extremely easy culture on the margins of ponds or muddy
banks. Propagated by divisions of the roots, in spring.
[Illustration: FIG. 304. BUTOMUS UMBELLATUS, showing Habit and single
Flower.]
=B. umbellatus= (umbelled).* _fl._ rose-coloured, umbellate;
pedicels with scariose sheathing bracts at the base; scape naked,
terete, longer than the leaves. Summer. _l._ all radical, 2ft.
to 3ft. long, linear, acuminate, triquetrous. Ditches and ponds;
frequent in England, and rare in Ireland. See Fig. 304.
=BUTTER AND EGGS.= The double-flowered variety of =Narcissus aurantius=
(which _see_).
=BUTTER AND TALLOW TREE.= _See_ =Pentadesma=.
=BUTTER-BUR.= _See_ =Petasites vulgaris=.
=BUTTERCUPS.= _See_ =Ranunculus=.
=BUTTERFLY ORCHIS.= _See_ =Habenaria bifolia= and =H. chlorantha=.
=BUTTERFLY PLANT.= _See_ =Oncidium Papilio=.
=BUTTER NUT.= _See_ =Caryocar= and =Juglans cinerea=.
=BUTTERWORT.= _See_ =Pinguicula=.
=BUTTON FLOWER.= _See_ =Gomphia=.
=BUTTON-TREE.= _See_ =Conocarpus=.
=BUTTON-WOOD.= _See_ =Cephalanthus=.
=BUXUS= (from _pyknos_, dense; referring to the hardness of the wood).
Box Tree. ORD. _Euphorbiaceæ_. A genus of hardy evergreen shrubs or
small trees. Flowers unisexual, monÅcious; male flowers, calyx of four
minute segments, stamens four, inserted under the rudiment of a pistil;
female flowers singly, at the tips of groups of male ones. Fruit, a
regma, leathery, beaked with the styles. Leaves simple, opposite,
exstipulate, evergreen. These well-known plants thrive in any light,
well-drained soil. Seeds should be sown in similar situations as
soon as ripe. Cuttings, made of the young shoots, from 4in. to 6in.
in length, inserted in a shady place, in August or September, root
readily. Layers of either young or old wood, made in autumn or early
spring, will make good plants. They can also be increased by suckers
and division.
=B. balearica= (Balearic).* _l._ yellowish-green,
oblong-elliptical, emarginate, coriaceous, about 2in. long, with
a cartilaginous margin. _h._ 15ft. to 20ft. South Europe, 1780.
This is a handsome species. The cuttings will require a shelter in
winter, and in exposed situations it will be better to afford the
plants protection.
=B. sempervirens= (evergreen).* Common Box. _l._ oval-oblong,
retuse, convex, coriaceous, shining; stalks slightly hairy.
_h._ various. England. There are numerous forms of this popular
shrub: _argentea_, silver-variegated; _aurea_ has its leaves
variegated with a golden colour; _marginata_ has leaves with a
golden margin; _myrtifolia_ has small, oblong, narrowish leaves;
_obcordate-variegata_ is a variegated variety, with obcordate
leaves, from Japan; _suffruticosa_ is the form usually cultivated
for edgings, its leaves are small, obovate, this is readily
increased by divisions, and requires to be planted firmly, in order
to keep it dwarf.
=BYRSONIMA= (from _byrsa_, a hide, and _nimius_, much used; because
the bark of some of the species is used in tanning, in Brazil). ORD.
_Malpighiaceæ_. Ornamental stove evergreen trees or shrubs. Flowers
racemose, terminal, simple or branched. All the species thrive very
well in any light soil, or a mixture of loam and peat. Cuttings made of
half-ripened shoots will root freely in sand, under a hand glass, in a
moist bottom heat.
=B. altissima= (tallest).* _fl._ white; racemes clothed with rufous
hairs. July. _l._ ovate-oblong, covered with rufous down beneath,
but beset with bristles above, which are fixed by the centre. _h._
60ft. Guiana, 1820.
=B. chrysophylla= (golden-leaved).* _fl._ yellow; racemes simple.
August. _l._ oblong, short, acuminated, acute at the base, rather
wavy on the margin, and revolute, smooth above, clothed beneath
with silky down, which is of a rusty golden colour. _h._ 14ft.
South America, 1823.
=B. coriacea= (leathery-leaved). _fl._ yellow, sweet-scented;
racemes densely spiked, pubescent, erect. May. _l._ ovate, acute,
quite entire and smooth. _h._ 30ft. Jamaica, 1814.
=B. crassifolia= (thick-leaved). _fl._ yellow; racemes erect,
elongated, brownish-velvety. July. _l._ ovate, acute at both ends,
at length smooth above, but clothed with brownish down beneath.
_h._ 6ft. Guiana, 1793.
=B. lucida= (shining).* _fl._ pink; petals hastately kidney-shaped;
pedicels hispid; racemes spiked, erect, short, smooth. May. _l._
obovate, cuneiform, obtuse, or mucronate, smooth, veinless,
shining. _h._ 8ft. Caribbee Islands, 1759. Described as "a
beautiful shrub."
=B. verbascifolia= (Verbascum-leaved). _fl._ yellow; racemes
terminal. July. _l._ lanceolate-obovate, quite entire, downy on
both surfaces. _h._ 6ft. Guiana, 1810.
=BYSTROPOGON= (from _byo_, to close, and _pogon_, a beard; in reference
to the throat of the flower being closed up with hairs). ORD.
_Labiatæ_. Greenhouse evergreen sub-shrubs, nearly allied to _Mentha_.
Flowers small, in dichotomous, sub-corymbose, or panicled cymes; or
else disposed in dense spicate whorls. Bracts lanceolate or subulate.
This genus contains easily cultivated species, which are, however, of
no value for garden purposes.
=CAA-CUYS.= _See_ =Ilex paraguariensis=.
=CAA-MINI.= _See_ =Ilex paraguariensis=.
=CAAPEBA.= _See_ =Cissampelos Pareira=.
=CAAPIM DE ANGOLA.= _See_ =Panicum spectabile=.
=CAA-QUAZU.= _See_ =Ilex paraguariensis=.
=CABARET.= The French name of _Asarum europæum_.
=CABBAGE.= The common name for _Brassica_; but especially applied to
the plain-leaved hearting garden varieties of _Brassica oleracea_. To
obtain good tender Cabbages in early spring and throughout the summer,
it is necessary that they should be planted on rich, deeply-trenched
ground, in a position free from the shade of fruit or other trees.
Stable dung or good farmyard manure is best for this crop, and should
be applied when trenching is being done, burying the manure a spit
below the surface. Cabbages should not be planted successionally on
the same ground, nor should they follow any of the other species of
_Brassica_, if it can be avoided. A warmer position, not too much
sheltered to make the plants tender, will be found beneficial for the
earliest spring crop. This should not be planted too soon in autumn, as
the plants are more subject to run to seed, especially if the winter
be mild. The several forms of Cabbage are well known, being so much
cultivated by cottagers as well as gardeners. None of those forming
close hearts will bear severe frost, but the Savoys are improved by a
little in the early autumn. The Coleworts are very useful in winter,
being perhaps the hardiest of all; and, as the hearts do not get so
close and hard as the Savoy and other Cabbages, the frost, unless it is
very severe, does not injure them so much.
_Cultivation._ The crop obtained in April and May is usually the most
important one, young Cabbages being then much appreciated by everyone.
The time for seed-sowing varies in different localities, from the third
week in July to the middle of August. The first date would probably
prove suitable for the northern parts of the country; and the latter
would be early enough for the south. The seed should be sown thinly in
beds of rather light, well pulverised soil, afterwards covering these
with netting, to protect the seed from birds. The plants will be ready,
in most cases, for placing out during September, or as soon as the
ground can be cleared of other crops and prepared for their reception.
The Early Battersea, or one of its many allied sorts, is best for
sowing at this season; and, when planting out, an allowance of 2ft.
apart each way will be sufficient. Seed should again be sown on a mild
hotbed in February, and occasionally afterwards, for succession; and a
second crop may be obtained from the plants put out in autumn if they
are allowed to remain. Drumhead and other strong-growing sorts, sown
in spring, will require from 6in. to 1ft. more space when planted out.
These are not, however, of such good quality as the smaller-growing
varieties.
_Savoys._ The seed of these should be sown in March or April, according
to the locality, in the same way as described above, in seed beds; and
the after treatment is also very similar. The young plants must not
be allowed to starve in the seed bed, but should be kept watered, and
planted out in June and July, choosing dull weather for the operation.
The ground should occasionally be hoed between the plants, to keep
the surface open and destroy weeds. Distances of from 15in. to 30in.
between the plants, according to the variety, must be allowed. See Fig.
305.
[Illustration: FIG. 305. SAVOY CABBAGE.]
_Coleworts._ Seed of these should be sown about the end of June, and
planted out 1ft. apart on a sheltered border, when large enough.
Rosette is one of the best varieties; but the early Cabbages are often
grown and used as Coleworts before they have had time to form close
hearts.
[Illustration: FIG. 306. EARLY YORK CABBAGE.]
_Pickling Cabbage._ The Red Dutch is the variety generally grown for
pickling, and is probably the best to keep its colour when so treated.
Seed should be sown in August, to stand the winter, and again in
February for a succession; only a few plants will, in the majority of
cases, be required, as, if liberally treated, they grow to a good size.
[Illustration: FIG. 307. OXHEART CABBAGE.]
_Sorts of White Cabbage._ These are extremely numerous, and selections
or improved forms are of annual appearance. Some of the old types are,
however, still much cultivated. The following are a selection of the
best sorts for general purposes: Atkins' Matchless, Carter's Heartwell,
Early Battersea, Early York (see Fig. 306), Ellam's Early Dwarf,
Enfield Market, Little Pixie, Oxheart (see Fig. 307), St. John's Day
(see Fig. 308), Sugarloaf, Wheeler's Imperial, and Portugal or Couve
Tronchuda. The last-named variety was introduced from Portugal some
years ago, where it is much grown. It has a large midrib, and does
not form very close hearts. It is very tender when cooked, and is only
suitable for culture in summer. Under the name of Gilbert's Cabbage
Broccoli, or Chou de Burghley, a variety of Cabbage was recently
distributed which produces, if left long enough, hearts resembling
Broccoli. Although there are different opinions as to its merits, it
is said to be very tender when cooked, and is considered a decided
acquisition.
Of Savoys, the best are: Drumhead, Dwarf Green Curled, Early Ulm, Large
Late Green, and Tom Thumb.
[Illustration: FIG. 308. ST. JOHN'S DAY CABBAGE.]
_Insects, &c._ The majority of the Cabbage tribe is attacked by a very
large number of different caterpillars and other pests, both above and
below ground. The plants in their young stages are always a prey for
snails and slugs, and often require a dusting of soot and lime as a
protection. When planting out, many of the plants are often found with
a protuberance at the root, caused by an insect, and termed "clubbing."
Those so injured should be thrown away if they can possibly be spared,
and the others dipped in a thick solution of soot water. This is the
worst kind of disease the Cabbage tribe is subject to. The caterpillars
of several moths and butterflies are very destructive in summer,
often eating through the hearts of Cabbages and Cauliflowers, and so
rendering them totally unfit for use. Hand-picking, or dusting with
lime, is apparently the only means of diminishing the numbers of these
pests.
=CABBAGE CATERPILLARS.= _Large Cabbage White_ (_Pieris brassicæ_).
From May to July, and again in September and October, this, the most
common of our butterflies, may be seen in great numbers, frequenting
gardens, lanes, and fields, being especially numerous where Cabbages
are growing. Their beautiful yellow eggs are laid singly on the under
surface of the leaves, and securely fastened by a natural glue;
from these, in due time, issue the small, but destructive, "green
caterpillars." Shortly after birth, they become quite green in front
and yellow behind. They then get hairy and dotted over with black; they
have eight pairs of feet, of which the three front ones only are "true"
legs, or those which ultimately develop into the legs of the butterfly.
They change their skin several times, and at each moult become larger
in size. When full grown, they are about 1-1/2in. long, of a light
green or bluish hue above, and yellow beneath; along the back of the
adult caterpillar is a conspicuous yellow line, edged on each side with
black dots.
[Illustration: FIG. 309. CATERPILLAR AND CHRYSALIS OF LARGE CABBAGE
BUTTERFLY.]
The chrysalis, or pupa, is commonly found on window-ledges, palings,
walls, and similar places; but is sometimes attached to the plant (see
Fig. 309). It is a rather curious object, of the colour of stone, and
prettily chiselled. It is fastened to the plant by the tail and by a
belt of silk round the middle.
[Illustration: FIG. 310. LARGE WHITE CABBAGE BUTTERFLY.]
[Illustration: FIG. 311. SMALL WHITE CABBAGE BUTTERFLY AND CATERPILLAR.]
The perfect male insect has the body black and wings white on the
upper side, except the tips of the fore-wings, which are black and
crescent-shaped; and on the upper edge of the hinder wings there is a
black spot. On the under side, the fore wings are white with yellow
tips, and two black patches on each; the hind wings are yellow, with
small black markings. The antennæ are alternately black and yellow,
with the club black above and yellow beneath. The female (see Fig. 310)
differs from the male in having two large black spots on each of the
fore or upper wings, and a spot on the inner margin.
_The Small White_ (_Pieris rapæ_, see Fig. 311) has two broods in the
year, the first batch about April, and the second in July. The eggs
are always placed on the upper side of the leaf, and are hatched in
from ten to thirteen days, the caterpillars becoming full grown in
about three weeks after emerging. The colour of the caterpillar is
dark green, with a fine line of yellow, and a row of yellow spots down
the sides. The chrysalis is attached by the tail and a band of silk to
the place selected by the caterpillar, and varies greatly in colour,
although generally it is of a whitish-brown.
_Cabbage Moth_ (_Mamestra brassicæ_). Newman, in his "British Moths,"
thus describes the Cabbage Moth: "The antennæ are rather long and
slender, and scarcely ciliated in either sex; the fore-wings are dark,
smoky, grey brown, mottled and marbled with confused markings, both
darker and paler; the orbicular spot is inconspicuous, but decidedly
to be traced; the reniform stigma is delicately outlined with white or
whitish-grey, and has a pale anterior disc, in which the same pale grey
colour predominates; the hind wings are dark, smoky brown with rather
pale base, and rather darker crescentic discoidal spot and wing-rays;
the head, thorax, and body have the same colour as the fore and hind
wings." The eggs are laid on Cabbages, or similar plants, and are
hatched in a few days. The caterpillars are very voracious, feeding by
day and night, and, what is worse, they spoil with their excrement, in
the case of Cabbages, more than they eat. They are of a dark colour,
with a kind of marbling, more or less distinct, on the back, the effect
being produced by a triangular mark containing two white dots on each
of their segments. On being disturbed, they roll themselves into a
tight ring, and so remain until they suppose that danger is over. They
descend into the earth for change to smooth red-brown chrysalids,
and remain there till the following spring. If the chrysalids were
collected and destroyed during the autumn and winter digging, much
injury would be obviated through the succeeding spring and summer.
The destruction of these pests is a very troublesome matter, as the
grubs of the last-named kind bore into the heart of the cabbage.
Hand-picking is the only sure method. Anything emitting a distasteful
odour will also keep them at bay. Miss Ormerod recommends throwing
gas-lime over the plants, but it must be previously weakened by a few
months' exposure. The following remedy may also be recommended:
_Paraffin_, or _Coal Oil_. Mix one ounce of oil with a gallon of
soapsuds, and water the plants with the mixture before the caterpillars
appear. If any have appeared, an application at the rate of two
ounces to the gallon will generally clear them off. Of course, this
operation must not be performed less than a month previous to cutting
the cabbages, on account of the smell. Soapsuds alone will also clear
caterpillars from most smooth-leaved subjects if frequently applied.
=CABBAGE FLY= (_Anthomyia brassicæ_). Among the injurious insects which
infest Cabbages, none commit greater havoc to both stem and root, than
the maggots of the Cabbage Fly. "They are whitish, cylindrical, and
legless, tapering to the head, and blunt at the tail, which has short
teeth on the lower margin, and two brown tubercles in the middle. When
full grown, they are about 1/3in. long. They then leave the plants, and
turn, in the earth, to pupæ, with a few black spots at the head, and
short teeth at the tail, inside which the flies form, and emerge in
about a fortnight or three weeks. The fly is of an ashen-grey colour,
and smaller than the Onion Fly, which it much resembles. The male is
of a darker grey, and has a short black stripe along the back between
the wings, with a curved one on each side of it, and one black stripe
along the abdomen" (Ormerod). The presence of these maggots may be
easily detected by the flagging and change of colour of the leaves.
The infested plants should be immediately removed and destroyed. The
following remedy will be found beneficial:
_Lime._ Hot lime should be soaked in water for about twenty-four hours.
When clear, the infested Cabbages should be well washed with the
liquid. Superphosphate of lime may also be applied with advantage.
=CABBAGE GALL WEEVIL= (_Ceutorrhynchus sulcicollis_). This is a pretty
little beetle, about three-quarters of a line or one line in length.
Its colour is dark, but the insect is really of a coppery hue; on the
thorax and head are rather large depressions; the wing-cases vary
in colour from green to greenish-blue, or even black, and along the
entire length of the elytra are parallel lines or holes, as may be
seen with the aid of an ordinary lens. This insect, which causes much
damage to plants of the _Brassica_ family, is, in some places, very
difficult to eradicate. It is also very destructive to other crops,
and, therefore, any effectual remedy is valuable. The following methods
may be recommended:
_Carbolic Acid._ Mix 1oz. Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid with two
gallons of soapsuds, and add sufficient loam or clay to make a thin
paste. Dip the roots of the whole of the plants into this before they
are set out. Well stir the mixture, and put the plants out in a damp
soil, so that watering will not be necessary.
_Paraffin_, or _Coal Oil_. This, applied in the same manner as
recommended for Carbolic Acid, is also very good.
_Guano, Superphosphate of Lime, and Nitrate of Soda._ A good dressing
of either of these, given after the ground is dug, and in wet weather,
about a month before the plants are put out, has been found very
beneficial; but, although preventatives, they do not totally clear the
crop from insects for the season.
_Soot and Lime._ Take equal parts of air-slaked lime and soot, and mix
together. Set the plants with a trowel, and, having placed some soil
over the roots, throw in a little of the mixture, filling up the hole
with soil.
=CABBAGE MOTH.= _See_ =Cabbage Caterpillars=.
=CABBAGE PALM.= _See_ =Euterpe oleracea=.
=CABBAGE POWDERED-WING= (_Aleyrodes brassicæ_). A small four-winged
powdery fly, closely allied to the Aphides. As implied by its
name, this pest infests the various sorts of Cabbages. It is more
particularly prevalent in autumn. Its presence may be readily detected
by the partial discoloration of the leaves attacked. The head and
body between the wings are black, with yellow variegation; abdomen
yellow or rosy; wings white and mealy (whence its common name), the
upper pair each having a darker spot, near the centre. Its destructive
power resides in the rostrum, or sucking-tube, with which its head is
furnished.
_Remedies._ The only effectual means of exterminating this pest is to
destroy the leaves, preferably by burning. If its presence is detected
early, an application of tobacco water, or diluted soft soap, may prove
beneficial.
=CABBAGE ROOT-EATING FLY.= _See_ =Root-eating Fly=.
=CABBAGE-TREE.= _See_ =Euterpe oleracea=.
=CABBAGE WEEVIL.= _See_ =Cabbage Gall Weevil=.
=CABOMBA= (the native name in Guiana). ORD. _Nymphæaceæ_. SUB. ORD.
_Cabombeæ_. Small and very interesting aquatics. They thrive well in a
cistern 1ft. deep, with 2in. of loam in the bottom, for the plants to
root in, then filled up with water, and placed in a warm part of the
greenhouse during summer, being allowed a rest in a cool part of the
stove in winter. Propagation may be effected by root division.
=C. aquatica= (water-loving). _fl._ yellow, small; peduncles long,
axillary, solitary, one-flowered. July. Submerged leaves opposite,
stalked, cut into five divisions even to the petiole; segments
multifid; floating leaves alternate, on long petioles, peltate,
orbicular, entire. Guiana, 1823. SYN. _Nectris aquatica_.
=C. caroliniana= (Carolina) is somewhat similar to _C. aquatica_.
It is a native of the Southern United States.
=CACALIA= (from _kakalia_, a name used by Dioscorides). ORD.
_Compositæ_. A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, here treated
as distinct from _Senecio_, of which genus, from a botanical point
of view, it is but a section. Heads five to many-flowered; florets
all tubular and perfect; scales of the involucre in a single row;
receptacle naked; pappus of numerous capillary bristles. For culture,
_see_ =Senecio=.
=C. atriplicifolia= (Atriplex-leaved). _fl.-heads_ white. August.
_l._, lower ones triangular-kidney shaped, or slightly cordate;
the upper rhomboid, toothed. Stem terete. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. United
States of America.
=C. hastata= (hastate). _fl.-heads_ white, nodding, racemose.
Autumn. _l._ stalked, three-lobed, hastate, serrate. _h._ 1ft.
Siberia, 1780.
=C. reniformis= (reniform). _fl.-heads_ white, disposed in large
corymbs. August. _l._ dilated, fan-shaped, 1ft. to 2ft. broad,
repandly-toothed and angled, petiolate. Stem grooved and angled.
_h._ 4ft. to 9ft. New Jersey, 1801.
=C. suaveolens= (sweet-scented).* _fl.-heads_ white. Autumn. _l._
triangular-lanceolate, halbert-shaped, pointed, serrate; those of
the stem on winged petioles. Stem grooved. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft. North
America, 1752.
=C. tuberosa= (tuberous).* _fl.-heads_ whitish. June. _l._ thick;
lower ones lanceolate or oval, nearly entire, tapering into long
petioles; upper ones on short margined petioles, sometimes toothed
at the apex. Stem angled and grooved. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. North
America.
=CACOUCIA= (its name in Guiana). ORD. _Combretaceæ_. A small genus
of stove twining or climbing shrubs. Flowers large, showy, racemose.
Leaves opposite, oblong or ovate-elliptical. For culture, _see_
=Combretum=.
=C. coccinea= (scarlet).* _fl._ scarlet, alternate, bracteate at
the base, disposed in long terminal racemes. May. _l._ ovate,
acuminated, shortly petiolate. Guiana. (A. G. i., 179.). A handsome
stove climber.
=CACTEÃ.= A large order of succulent plants, with remarkable spines
clustered on the cylindrical, angular, two-edged, or leafy stems.
Flowers very variable, showy or minute, usually solitary, sessile,
rarely in fascicles, ephemeral; petals disposed in two or more series,
hardly distinguishable from the inner sepals, and sometimes united with
them; sepals numerous, united and adnate a great length to the ovarium.
Fruit fleshy, one-celled, many-seeded. Well-known genera are _Cereus_,
_Melocactus_, _Mammillaria_, _Opuntia_, _Pereskia_, and _Rhipsalis_.
=CACTUS= (from _kaktos_, a name used by Theophrastus to describe a
spiny plant). This generic term is popularly applied to all members
of the extensive family _Cacteæ_, which order may be distinguished by
the following characteristics: Calyx composed of many sepals, usually
indefinite in number, the inner series not readily distinguishable from
the petals, united and adnate a great length to the ovary; with the
tube smooth in the genera _Mammillaria_, _Melocactus_, and _Rhipsalis_;
or with the lobes of the sepals crowning the fruit, and having the
tube scaly, as in the genera _Cereus_, _Opuntia_, and _Pereskia_.
Petals disposed in two or more series, hardly distinguishable from the
inner sepals, and somewhat united to them; sometimes irregular, and
disposed in a long tube at the base, but distinct at the apex, as in
the genera _Mammillaria_, _Melocactus_, and _Cereus_; sometimes equal
and distinct to the very base, forming a rotate corolla, as in the
genera _Opuntia_, _Pereskia_, and _Rhipsalis_. Stamens indefinite,
disposed in many series, more or less cohering with the petals or
inner sepals; filaments slender, filiform; anthers ovate, versatile,
two-celled. Ovarium obovate, fleshy, one-celled. Fruit fleshy,
one-celled, many seeded, either smooth and crowned by the calyx, or
covered with scales, scars, or tubercles, and umbilicate at the apex.
This order contains fleshy or succulent shrubs, very variable in habit
and size. Flowers very variable, showy, or minute, usually solitary,
sessile, rarely in fascicles, ephemeral, expanding by night or day.
Leaves usually wanting, but, when present, small, caducous, and
terete, rarely flat and expanded, sometimes alternate and disposed
in a spiral order, always glabrous and fleshy. Prickles or bristles
disposed in fascicles, rising from the axils of the leaves. In the
leafless genera, the fascicles of spines are disposed on the angles
of the stem, rising from tubercles. Stems usually angular, winged,
or regularly beset with tubercles, rarely terete, usually jointed;
joints compressed. A group of Cacti is shown at Fig. 312, for which we
are indebted to Herr Fr. Ad. Haage, jun., of Erfurt, Germany. _See_
=Cereus=, =Disocactus=, =Echinocactus=, =Epiphyllum=, =Leuchtenbergia=,
=Mammillaria=, =Melocactus=, =Nopalea=, =Opuntia=, =Pelecyphora=,
=Pereskia=, =Phyllocactus=, and =Rhipsalis=.
_Cultivation._ Perhaps no class of plants more easily accommodate
themselves to a general system of treatment, than do these; although
certain genera would undoubtedly thrive better than when subjected to
the lower temperature, suited to the requirements of those coming from
cooler regions. Notwithstanding that nearly all the species are natives
of the western hemisphere, they occur in various geographical and
altitudinal areas, in which the temperature is proportionately lessened
or increased, as the case may be; yet, presuming a special house is set
apart for their culture, the majority of the species may be happily
suited therein. The warmest end of the structure should be selected for
the tropical kinds; while those found in cooler regions may be grown
in the other portions of the house; even those which are hardy in our
climate are really best wintered in a house or frame. Granted that
several species will endure our winter outside, it is yet necessary to
give them the shelter of a friendly ledge of the rockery, or frame, or
to cover them in their permanent position with a hand light, or sheet
of glass, in order to prevent the ill-effects of excessive moisture.
Generally, a winter temperature of from 50deg. to 55deg., and a summer
one of from 70deg. to 80deg. during shade, or in sunshine up to 90deg.,
will be found advantageous. When thus treated, it will be necessary to
keep the tropical species, on the whole, very dry during the winter. As
regards soil, potting, and general treatment, all may be treated alike,
except _Epiphyllum_, _Disocactus_, and _Pereskia_ (which _see_). Some
growers give them the protection of a house in winter, and stand them
outside during the summer, which is not, however, a very commendable
plan, as, in consequence of the very variable character of our climate
being especially prejudicial to several of the tender and more delicate
species, the often excessive amount of moisture they would receive,
will produce a weakly state of health in many, while others will be
lost. It is far better if their culture is attempted at all, to give
them the proper treatment. The numerous species and varieties found
on the Rocky Mountains are a most interesting series, and may be well
managed in a cold frame facing south, arranging them on shelves as
close to the glass as possible, and keeping them very dry through the
winter. If the weather is very severe, the lights should be matted. One
of the best collections of these in the country, is in the possession
of E. G. Loder, Esq., Floore House, Weedon, Northampton, where a great
number are admirably grown in frames, and under a large ledge of the
rockery outside. Amateurs may grow quantities of handsome Cacti either
in dwelling rooms near the window, or in small frames or greenhouses.
As they are slow growing, not much space will be occupied; at the
same time, a great deal of interest will be centred in their culture.
As regards watering and insect pests, they are but little trouble.
Miniature Cacti, of numerous kinds, are now often sold in small pots,
and most attractive little subjects they prove.
[Illustration:
1. Opuntia.
2. Cereus.
3. Opuntia streptacantha.
4. Cereus candicans.
5. Mammillaria.
6. Cereus peruvianus monstrosus.
7. Echinocereus electracanthus.
8. Mammillaria.
9. Echinopsis formosa.
10 Echinocactus Visnaga.
11. Cereus peruvianus var.
12. Opuntia candelabriformis.
13. Cereus strictus.
14. Pilocereus senilis.
15. Cereus Tweedii.
16. Cereus chilensis.
FIG. 312. GROUP OF CACTI.]
_Soil, Drainage, and Potting._ Good ordinary fibrous loam should form
about one-half of the compost, the other half should be made up of
sand, broken bricks, and lime rubbish in equal quantities; the whole
to be carefully mixed together, and not used until it is moderately
dry. It is absolutely necessary to ensure perfect drainage; a good
"stopper" should, therefore, be placed over the hole at the bottom
of the pot, and about one-third of its depth filled with draining
material. The best time for potting is during February and March. Turn
out the plants, and remove nearly all the old soil from the roots,
taking away any dead or decaying roots which may be observable. Place
some of the roughest soil next the crocks, and gradually fill the pots
with the finer material, well working the same amongst the roots;
finally press the soil moderately firm. Do not water for a few days
after potting, but syringe every evening, especially if the weather be
fine; a little extra heat may be given after potting, to excite new,
healthy growth. It will not be necessary every year to repot specimens
in large vessels. A good top-dressing, with an occasional dose of weak
liquid manure, is all they will require for several seasons.
_Watering._ This must be discriminately managed, especially during the
winter; for, whatever their treatment as regards temperature during
that season, they must be studiously watered, and anything like a
saturated condition of the soil should be avoided. If the temperature
is brisk, a little water may be given once a week, or perhaps not quite
so often. If the plants are subjected to very cool treatment, water
must be sparingly administered during November, December, and January;
after which, they should be examined weekly, and very carefully
attended to. During the summer months, when in active growth, they
will not suffer if watered twice a week; and, on bright afternoons,
light syringings may be advantageously given.
_Propagation._ Three methods are adopted, viz., by cuttings or offsets,
grafting, and seeds; the former is the plan generally adopted. The
cuttings or offsets should be removed with a sharp cut, and laid upon a
sunny shelf until the wound is healed and roots are emitted, when they
should be potted in sandy soil, and placed with the others. They will
thrive freely if kept syringed. Grafting is resorted to with delicate
kinds, which, from some reason or another, will not grow freely except
upon the stock of a stronger species; and, by this means also, such
delicate kinds can be kept from the damp soil, which frequently causes
incipient decay. The stocks usually employed are those of _Cereus
tortuosus_, _C. peruvianus_, &c., according to the species intended for
working; they readily unite with each other. If the scion and stock are
both slender, wedge-grafting should be adopted; if both are broad, it
is best to make horizontal sections, placing them together and securing
in proper position by tying with matting, but not too tightly, or the
surface may be injured. Propagation by seeds is not often adopted, as
it is a very slow method; they should be sown in very sandy soil, and
placed in a semi-shady position until germination commences, when they
may be exposed, and very carefully watered.
=CACTUS DAHLIA.= _See_ =Dahlia Juarezii=.
=CADUCOUS.= Falling off soon; deciduous.
=CÃNOPTERIS.= _See_ =Asplenium=.
=CÃSALPINIA.= (in honour of Andreas Cæsalpinus, a celebrated Italian
botanist, 1519-1603). Brasiletto. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. An ornamental
genus of stove evergreen trees or shrubs, not much grown, on account
of the space required and the time the species take to flower. Flowers
yellow or red, produced in racemes, having a top-shaped calyx, divided
at the end into five parts, the lowest larger than the others; petals
five, unequal-stalked, upper one shortest; stamens ten. A mixture of
loam and leaf mould suits them best. Cuttings are somewhat difficult
to root, but sometimes will succeed if taken off from the mother plant
in a growing state and planted in sand, with a hand glass placed over
them, in heat.
=C. alternifolia= (alternate-leaved). _fl._ orange, clustered. _l._
alternate, very elegant, compound. Central America, 1868.
=C. brasiliensis= (Brazilian). Brazil Wood. _fl._ orange; racemes
rather panicled. _l._ with seven to nine pairs of pinnæ, each pinna
bearing about fifteen or sixteen pairs of oval-oblong, obtuse,
glabrous leaflets. Brazil, 1739. Plant unarmed.
=C. Sappan= (Sappan). _fl._ yellow, panicled. _l._ with ten to
twelve pairs of plane, each pinna bearing ten to twelve pairs of
unequal-sided, obliquely oval-oblong leaflets, which are emarginate
at the apex. _h._ 40ft. Tropical Asia, 1773. This tree furnishes
the Sappan-wood of commerce.
=C. sepiaria= (hedge). _fl._ yellow. April. _l._ compound; pinnæ
with about ten pairs of pinnules. _h._ 60ft. India, 1857. SYN.
_Biancea scandens_.
=CÃSIOUS.= Lavender-colour, bluish-grey.
=CÃSPITOSE.= Growing in tufts.
=CAFFER BREAD.= _See_ =Encephalartos Caffra=.
=CAFFER TEA.= _See_ =Helichrysum nudifolium=.
=CAFTA.= _See_ =Catha edulis=.
=CAHOUN NUTS.= A name applied to the fruits of _Attalea Cohune_, which
yield a valuable oil.
=CAIOPHORA.= _See_ =Blumenbachia= and =Loasa=.
=CAJAN.= _See_ =Cajanus=.
=CAJANUS= (_Catjang_ is the Amboyna name). Cajan. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A
genus of erect stove evergreen shrubs, clothed with velvety pubescence.
Flowers yellow, distinctly peduncled, corymbose, racemose; standard
sometimes beautifully veined with red. Leaves pinnately trifoliate.
A light rich soil suits these plants well. Young cuttings will root
in sand, with a hand glass placed over them, in heat; but plants are
usually raised from seeds, obtained from the West Indian Islands and
India.
=C. indicus= (Indian).* Pigeon Pea. _fl._ yellow, or
purple-spotted, in axillary racemes. July. _l._ pinnately
trifoliate; leaflets lanceolate. _h._ 6ft. to 10ft. India. (B. M.
6440.)
=C. i. bicolor= (two-coloured). _fl._ yellow. July. _h._ 4ft.
India, 1800. (B. R. 31, 31.)
=C. i. flavus= (yellow). _fl._ yellow. July. _h._ 4ft. India, 1687.
=CAJUPUT OIL= and =CAJUPUT-TREE=. _See_ =Melaleuca leucadendron minor=.
=CAKILE= (derived from the Arabic). Sea Rocket. ORD. _Cruciferæ_. A
pretty hardy annual, frequently found on sea-shores. It is of easy
culture in most sandy soils. Propagated by seed, sown in spring.
=C. maritima= (sea). _fl._ lilac, large, densely corymbose. Summer
and autumn. _fr._ a succulent pod, divided, when mature, by a
horizontal partition into two cells, the upper containing a single
erect seed, the lower a pendulous one. _l._ oblong, deeply lobed,
fleshy. Stem much branched. _h._ 1ft. Sea-shores of Europe and
North America.
=CALABASH NUTMEG.= _See_ =Monodora Myristica=.
=CALABASH, SWEET.= _See_ =Passiflora maliformis=.
=CALABASH-TREE.= _See_ =Crescentia Cujete=.
=CALABA-TREE.= _See_ =Calophyllum Calaba=.
=CALADENIA= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _aden_, a gland; in reference
to the disk of the labellum being finely beset with glands). ORD.
_Orchideæ_. A genus of pretty greenhouse terrestrial orchids from
New Zealand and Australia. They should be kept in a cool frame or
greenhouse, and carefully watered, when not in a growing state. A
compost of peat, loam, and sand, in equal parts, suits them well.
Over thirty species are enumerated, but probably none are seen out of
botanic gardens.
=CALADIUM= (derivation of name doubtful; probably of Indian origin).
ORD. _Aroideæ_. Stove perennials, chiefly grown for the great beauty
and varied hue of their leaves. Spathe hood-like, rolled round at
the base; spadix, upper portion entirely covered with stamens, but
ultimately becoming bare at the extreme top, provided with blunt
glands or sterile stamens in the middle, and ovaries beneath; anthers
shield-shaped and one-celled; ovaries numerous, two-celled, with from
two to four ascending ovules in each cell. Leaves upon long petioles,
more or less sagittate, ovate, and usually very richly coloured.
Fruit a one or two-celled berry, with few seeds. They are all of easy
culture, and grow freely in a humid atmosphere. In March, when the
tubers have been kept dry or rested for some time, they may be started
into growth again, in small pots, placed in a stove or pit, where a
night temperature of from 60deg. to 65deg. is maintained, and syringed
daily once or twice at least. As soon as indications of activity are
presented, they may be shifted into 4in., 5in., or 6in. pots, or
larger ones may be used if good sized specimens are required. If the
tubers should be in large pots, it is best to turn them out, dividing
if necessary, and placing all the crowns in small pots, from which
they can be removed when root action and growth are resumed, and they
require more room. Large tubers, if sound, may be divided, and the
pieces placed in pots of such sizes as it is desired to grow them in.
_Soil._ Turfy loam, leaf mould, turfy peat, and a little well
decomposed manure, in equal parts (not broken up too fine), with a
good sprinkling of sharp sand, form an excellent compost, the whole
being well incorporated together. Thorough drainage must be insured,
as these plants require an abundance of water. After potting, they
should be placed in a stove temperature, and kept well moistened by
syringing two or three times daily. If accommodated with mild bottom
heat at this time, they will make much freer and more vigorous growth
than if otherwise treated. Water sparingly at first, but as soon as
the leaves expand, increase the supply; and, when the pots are well
filled with roots, apply clear liquid manure at every other time of
watering. As the season advances, the temperature and humidity of the
house should be increased. During bright sunshine, Caladiums should be
slightly shaded for a few hours in the middle of the day, with some
thin material, just to break the fierceness of the sun's rays; but the
more they are exposed to the light at other times during growth, the
brighter, richer, and more beautiful will the foliage be. As soon as
the plants have attained a good size, some of them should be placed in
the coolest part of the house, and partially hardened off; they may
then be taken to the conservatory, allowing them a situation free from
currents of cold air, and giving water only when really necessary. They
may remain here for some time, but care must be taken to return them to
the stove before they suffer from cold.
Small neatly grown specimens make beautiful ornaments for table
decoration, and their suitability for exhibition purposes is well
known, and largely taken advantage of. Towards autumn, and as the
foliage begins to fade, the supply of water should be gradually
lessened, until all the leaves die down; the pots should then be placed
under the stage in the stove, where they can be looked to now and then,
and a little water given if required. By no means allow the tubers to
get dried up, as is often done; for, if so, they will frequently rot
away inside; whereas, kept in a semi-moist condition, even the most
delicate can be preserved. In this state, they may remain until the
following season. Caladiums will not endure a very low temperature;
from 55deg. to 60deg. is as low as they can be safely kept. Very few of
those known as "true species" are grown, being superseded, for general
decorative purposes, by the numerous hybrids which have been raised of
late, principally from _C. bicolor_.
[Illustration: FIG. 313. CALADIUM CHANTINII.]
=C. argyrites= (silvery).* _l._ small, sagittate, round colour
light green; centre and margins white, with many irregular white
blotches scattered over the remaining portion. Para, 1858. One of
the smallest and most elegant of the genus, and much esteemed for
table decoration. (I. H. 1858, 185.)
=C. Baraquinii= (Baraquin's). _l._ from 20in. to 30in. long; centre
deep red; margin dark green. Para, 1858. (I. H. 1850, 257.)
=C. bicolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._, spadix shorter than the
hooded spathe, which is contracted in the middle. June. _l._
peltate-cordate, sagittate, coloured in the disk. _h._ 1ft.
Brazil, 1773. (B. M. 820.)
=C. Cannartii= (Cannart's). _l._ green, with pale blotches; veins
deep red. Para, 1863.
=C. Chantinii= (Chantin's).* _l._ chiefly brilliant crimson,
irregularly blotched with white, and margined with dark green.
Para, 1858. See Fig. 313.
=C. Devosianum= (Devosie's).* _l._ angular, blotched white and
pink. Para, 1862.
=C. esculentum= (edible). Synonymous with _Colocasia esculenta_.
=C. Hardii= (Hardy's). _l._ red-tinged, slightly spotted with
white. Para, 1862.
=C. Kochii= (Koch's).* _l._ spotted with white. Para, 1862.
=C. Lemaireanum= (Lemaire's). _l._ green, with whitish venation.
Brazil, 1861. (I. H. 1862, 311.)
=C. Leopoldi= (Prince Leopold's).* _l._ green, marbled with red,
and blotched with pink. Para, 1864.
=C. macrophyllum= (large-leaved).* _l._ large, palish green,
blotched with greenish-white. Para, 1862.
[Illustration: FIG. 314. CALADIUM MACULATUM.]
=C. maculatum= (spotted).* _l._ oblong, acuminate, cuspidate,
cordate at base, finely spotted with clear white. Plant erect,
caulescent. South America, 1820. See Fig. 314.
=C. marmoratum= (marbled).* _l._ broad, peltate, upwards of 1ft.
long, sagittate-ovate, acute or shortly acuminate, the two basal
lobes being slightly divergent, dark bottle-green, variegated with
greyish or silvery angular spots and blotches; petioles terete,
greenish, mottled with purple. Guayaquil. SYN. _Alocasia Roezlii_.
The variety _costata_ differs from the type in having the midrib
(or costa) marked out by a tapering band of silver grey.
=C. Rougieri= (Rougier's). _l._ green, with white spots; the centre
pale green, with red veins. Para, 1864.
=C. rubronervium= (red-nerved). A synonym of _C. rubrovenium_.
=C. rubrovenium= (red-veined).* _l._ greyish-green in the centre,
with red veins. Para, 1862. SYN. _C. rubronervium_.
=C. sanguinolentum= (blood-red blotched).* _l._ with a white
midrib, blotched with red. Amazons, 1872.
=C. Schoelleri= (Schoeller's). A synonym of _C. Schomburgkii_.
=C. Schomburgkii= (Schomburgk's).* _l._ green, with white veins.
Brazil, 1861. SYNS. _C. Schoelleri_ and _Alocasia argyroneura_.
=C. S. Schmitzii= (Schmitz's). _l._, centre whitish, with green
network; midrib and veins red. 1861. SYN. _Alocasia erythræa_.
=C. sub-rotundum= (half-round). _l._ roundish, spotted with red and
white. Brazil. 1858.
=C. Verschaffeltii= (Verschaffelt's).* _l._ somewhat heart-shaped;
ground colour brilliant green, entire surface irregularly spotted
with bright red. Para.
=C. Wallisii= (Wallis's). _l._ dark olive green, with large
irregular shaped spots and blotches of the purest white, and the
veins all yellowish-white. Para, 1864.
The following descriptive list of hybrid varieties is, for the most
part, a selection from Mr. Bull's catalogue, and contains all of
importance:
ADOLPHE ADAMS, green leaf-ground, densely speckled with white, and
rose-coloured midribs; ADOLPHE AUDRIEN,* a very attractive variety,
with fine large richly-coloured foliage; AGRIPPINE DIMITRY, leaves
large, with white ground, narrow green margin and veins, and pink
centre; ALCIBIADE,* crimson-rayed centre, surrounded with pale
green, and blotched with pure white, green margin; ALFRED BLEU,
leaves rich green, with pure white spots, and flesh-coloured
centre; ALFRED MAME,* carmine-red, bordered with white, and
profusely spotted with rose; ALPHAND, green, spotted with red,
crimson centre; ALPHONSE KARR, rosy-carmine centre and red spots;
ARISTIDE, light green, with crimson centre; AUGUSTE LEMONIER,*
fine large leaves, with soft green centre, and rosy-crimson ribs
and veins; AUGUSTE RIVIERE, white centre and rays upon a light
green ground, with crimson spots; BARILLET,* bright rosy-crimson
centre, and ribs on green ground, with broad margin of rich green;
BARON DE ROTHSCHILD, rich blood-red centre, and spots, on mottled
green leaf-ground; BARONNE JAMES DE ROTHSCHILD,* young leaves of a
bright rose colour, the more matured foliage soft rose, with red
veins; BARRAL, bright green, with a fine red centre, and large
spots of rose; BEETHOVEN,* ground colour white, intersected and
veined with green, centre rib delicate rose; BELLEYMEI,* fine white
variegated leaves; BELLINI, mottled pale green ground, with rosy
centre and spots; BLANQUÃRTI, dark green, with grey veins and white
spots; BUREL, dark bluish-green, veined bright rose, marked with
rosy-violet, and spotted orange-red; CHANTINII FULGENS,* rich dark
metallic-green, with attractive crimson centre and white spots;
CHELSONI,* bright glossy green, suffused with brilliant red, and
blotched with crimson; CLIO, ground colour deep rose, shaded white,
green ribs and narrow green margin; DE CANDOLLE,* rich green,
with beautiful rose-coloured spots and creamy white centre rays;
DE HUMBOLDT, a fine variety, having glossy green leaves, spotted
with scarlet; DEVINCK, leaves heart-shaped, delicate pink centre
ribs, interspersed with white spots; DR. BOISDUVAL, centre rayed
crimson, snow-white blotches on a green ground; DR. LINDLEY,*
crimson centre, the green ground marked with rose blotches; DUC
DE CLEVELAND, deep red centre, surrounded with pea-green, largely
spotted with red; DUC DE MORNY,* deep green leaf borders, with
large crimson-rayed centre; DUC DE NASSAU,* brilliant red centre
and ribs, white spot on emerald green leaf borders; DUC DE RATIBOR,
green ground, with red midribs marked with white spots; DUCHARTRE,
leaf-ground white, flushed rose, green veins and red spots; EDOUARD
ANDRE, crimson centre, and rose blotches; EDOUARD MOREAUX, mottled
green ground, with lake centre; EDOUARD RODRIGUES,* deep carmine,
margined with light green, and spotted with rose; E. G. HENDERSON,*
green, with transparent rose spots and mottled crimson rays and
centre; ELVINA, bright green, blotched with red, grey centre and
veins; EMILIE VERDIER,* leaves of a light transparent rose colour,
spotted with red; ETOILE D'ARGENT,* bright green, midribs and veins
creamy-white, shaded with grey; EUCHARIS, rose centre, with violet
reflections, margined with bright green, very fresh and bright
looking; FELICIEN DAVID,* centre of leaf dark carmine, surrounded
with white and beautifully veined with red on a light green ground;
GOLDEN QUEEN, leaves large, pale golden yellow, uniform in colour;
GRETRY, carmine centre, with white spots on a dark green ground;
HELEVY, white midribs and marked with crimson blotches, on a green
ground; HEROLD,* dark carmine veins, surrounded by light green,
blotched with pure white, and margined dark green; IBIS ROSE,* a
magnificent variety, with beautiful rich rose-coloured foliage,
extremely attractive; ISADORA LEROY, rich metallic green, with
crimson-red centre rays; JULES DUPLESSIS, bright rose centre,
shaded with rich red and bordered with green; JULES PUTZEYS, rich
green, with crimson midrib and veins, centre mottled grey, and
the whole surface blotched with red; LAINGII,* reddish-carmine
centre, surrounded with yellowish-green, the whole of the leaf
sprinkled with white; LAMARTINE, deep crimson centre, with white
and red spots; LA PERLE DU BRÃSIL,* exceedingly attractive, large
leaves, white, delicately tinted with rose, midrib and veins
dark green; LEPLAY, leaves attractively marked with white, and
beautifully veined with rosy-violet; LOUISE DUPLESSIS, red rays
and veins on a white ground, green margin; LUDDEMANNII,* deep
crimson ribs, the leaf blotched with magenta and white, border pea
green; MADAME ALFRED BLEU, deep green, with large white blotches,
and broad crimson-scarlet veins; MADAME ALFRED MAME, light green,
covered with large white spots, rosy-carmine centre; MADAME DE
LA DEVANSAYE, leaves white, shaded rose, and veined with red and
green; MADAME DOMBRAIN,* centre and ribs pale yellowish-green,
shaded rose, surface covered with large white and rose spots;
MADAME FRITZ KÅCHLIN,* white ground, with violet-rose ribs and
green veins, a beautiful dwarf-growing variety; MADAME HEINE,*
silvery white, stained and edged with pale green, distinct; MADAME
HUNNEBELLE, leaves veined with light garnet colour on a white
ground, and margined with green veins; MADAME JULES MÃNOREAU,
fine large leaves, with white centre tinted rose, veined rich
bright rose, and margined green; MADAME LAFORGE, centre and ribs
reddish-crimson, with green margin; MADAME MARJOLIN SCHEFFER,*
a beautiful variety, with white foliage, charmingly veined and
netted with pure rosy-lake; MADAME WILLAUME, a charming variety,
with transparent leaves, of a delicate salmon-rose colour; MARQUIS
DE CAUX, red centre and veins, with rose blotches on margins;
MARTERSTYGINUM, crimson centre and white spots; MERCADANTE, pale
copper-coloured centre and veins, bordered with green; MEYERBEER,*
white leaf-ground, green veins, and red midribs; MINERVE,* silvery
white midrib and rays, surrounded with greyish white, green margin,
with snowy white spots; MITHRIDATE, ground colour crimson-lake,
with darker ribs, and dark bronze-green margin; MONSIEUR A. HARDY,
rich reddish-carmine veins on white ground, tinted with rose and
spotted with green; MONSIEUR J. LINDEN,* a fine large whitish leaf,
with metallic reflections, coral-rose veins, and reticulated green
border; MRS. LAING,* white ground, deep rose centre and veins,
green margin; MURILLO,* centre and veins metallic-red, with large
crimson blotches, broad margin of lustrous bronzy-green; NAPOLEON
III.,* flamed crimson centre, with forked rays, and carmine spots
on green ground; ONSLOW, deep rosy-crimson centre, with broad
green margin, spotted with rose; PAILLET, crimson centre, broad
green margin, splashed with crimson, and dotted with white; PAUL
VERONESSE, large leaves, with pinkish-white centre, deep scarlet
ribs, and broad green margin; PHILIPPE HERBERT, deep mottled
crimson rays, and clear white margin, spotted with crimson;
PICTUM, green blotched, and spotted with white; PRINCE ALBERT,*
dark emerald green, rich crimson midrib, radiating from centre
to margins, the intervening spaces spotted with white; PRINCE OF
WALES,* a very handsome variety, with large golden-yellow leaves;
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA,* rosy-salmon leaf, green centre rib, bordered
with magenta-crimson, green margin, with light pink chain; PRINCESS
OF TECK,* ground colour bright orange-yellow, the veins suffused
with deep red; PRINCESS ROYAL, leaves of a golden ground, with
crimson centre; PYRRHUS, centre and ribs deep crimson, pea-green
margins; QUADRICOLOR, centre of leaf pale yellowish-green, ribs
white, edged rosy-crimson, and margined green; RAMSAU, centre and
ribs deep reddish-crimson, surface covered with white blotches,
shaded red; RAULINII, rich red centre and veins, finely spotted
with white; REGALE, silvery grey centre, rosy-red ribs, spotted
with vermilion-red; REINE MARIE DE PORTUGAL,* violet-rose centre,
with red veins, dark maroon zone, and green border, very handsome;
REINE VICTORIA,* green veins and margins, spotted or marbled with
white and rich crimson; ROSSINI, large leaf, with pale centre,
pink midribs, and red blotches; ROUILLARD, glossy green margin,
pale green centre, midrib and rays rich violet-plum, the whole
leaf spotted crimson; SANCHONIANTHON, crimson centre, deep glossy
crimson ribs, and pea-green margin; SIEBOLDII, rich green, with
fiery-red crimson-rayed centre, green spaces, spotted with claret
red; SOUVENIR DE MADAME E. ANDRE,* large deep green leaves, marbled
with pure white, veins fine rosy crimson; SPONTINI, pea-green, with
white spots, and rosy-pink ribs and veins; THIBAUTII, fine large
leaf, with rich crimson veins on a red ground; TRICOLOR, edges of
leaves grey-green, intersected with dark green, centre red-lake,
carmine midribs; TRIOMPHE DE L'EXPOSITION,* crimson centre, with
red ribs, and green border; VERDI, crimson-lake centre with small
green zone and apple-green margin; VESTA, greenish-white veins,
surrounded with crimson, the whole of the leaf spotted bright rose;
VICOMTESSE DE LA ROQUE-ORDAN, red midrib, and rays bordered with
white, the margin beautiful emerald green; VILLE DE MULHOUSE, a
beautiful variety, with greenish-white leaves, shaded rose, and
rich green centre; VIRGINALE,* clear shining white, veined with
dark bluish-green, a handsome variety.
=CALAIS.= _See_ =Microseris=.
=CALAMAGROSTIS= (from _calamos_, a reed, and _agrostis_, grass). ORD.
_Gramineæ_. An extensive genus of grasses, for the most part hardy.
Panicle more or less spreading; spikelets compressed, one-flowered;
empty glumes two, sub-equal, lanceolate, pointed, keeled, awnless. They
thrive in any ordinary garden soil. Seeds may be sown during autumn.
=C. lanceolata= (lanceolate). _fl._ purple, spreading in all
directions; panicle erect, loose, much branched. July. Culms about
3ft. high, smooth, slender. Britain (moist woods and hedges). (Sy.
En. B. 1724.)
=C. stricta= (upright). _fl._ brown, spreading in all directions;
panicle erect, close. June. Culm about 2ft. high, very slender,
smooth. England, &c. (bogs and marshes), but very rare. (Sy. En. B.
1725.)
=CALAMANDER WOOD.= _See_ =Diospyros quÅsita=.
=CALAMINT.= _See_ =Calamintha=.
=CALAMINTHA= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _mintha_, mint). Calamint.
ORD. _Labiatæ_. A genus of hardy herbaceous plants, having the
following essential characters: Calyx two-lipped; stamens diverging;
upper lip of corolla nearly flat; tube straight. Rather pretty plants,
with Thyme-like flowers, well suited for furnishing rock gardens.
They grow in almost any garden soil. Increased by seeds, cuttings, or
divisions of the roots, in spring.
=C. Acinos= (Acinos). Basil Thyme. _fl._ bluish-purple, variegated
with white and dark purple, disposed in whorls, one on each
flower-stalk. July and August. _l._ acute, serrate. Stems branched,
ascending, leafy. _h._ 6in. England. Annual. SYNS. _Acinos
vulgaris_ and _Thymus Acinos_. (Sy. En. B. 1048.)
=C. alpina= (alpine). _fl._ purplish, almost sessile, four to six
in a whorl, June to September. _l._ petiolate, roundish or ovate,
slightly serrated. _h._ 6in. S. Europe, 1731. A freely branched,
tufted plant.
=C. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ purplish, 1-1/2in. long,
in loose racemes; throat much inflated. June. _l._ petiolate,
ovate, acute, coarsely toothed, rounded at the base, 2in. to 3in.
long. Herbaceous stems branched at the base, and decumbent. _h._
1ft. 1596.
=C. patavina= (Paduan). _fl._ pale or purplish-red, rather large.
June. _l._ petiolate, ovate, acute, pubescent. _h._ 6in. to 9in. S.
Europe, 1776.
=CALAMPELIS.= _See_ =Eccremocarpus=.
=CALAMUS= (from _kalamos_, a reed; old Greek name used by
Theophrastus). ORD. _Palmeæ_. An elegant genus of stove palms. Flowers
small, usually of a rose or greenish colour, clustered upon branching
spikes, each branch having a separate spathe, which is not large enough
to enclose it. Fruit one-seeded, and covered with smooth, shining
scales. Leaves pinnate. Stems reed-like, 1in. to 2in. in thickness.
When in a young state, these palms are most effective as drawing or
diningroom decorations; and, when in a more mature condition, they are
excellent as stove ornaments and for exhibition purposes. They are all
of slender growth, and of easy culture in a compost of equal parts
loam and vegetable mould; a copious supply of water being needed to
keep them in a flourishing state. Propagated by seeds. _C. Rotang_,
_C. viminalis_, and several other species furnish the canes usually
employed in this country for the bottoms of chairs, couches, &c.
=C. accedens= (yielding). _l._ long, arching, dark green, pinnate;
pinnæ long, narrow, closely set; petioles with slender black
spines. India. A rare, but elegant, slender-growing, miniature tree.
=C. adspersus= (scattered). _l._ pinnate; pinnæ 6in. to 8in. long,
narrow, deep green; petioles about 6in. in length, sheathing at
the base, clothed with long, slender, black spines. Stem not much
stouter than a large wheat straw. _h._ 20ft. Java, 1866.
=C. asperrimus= (very rough).* _l._ pinnate, 3ft. to 12ft. long;
pinnæ 1ft. to 2ft. in length, 1in. in breadth, pendent, light
green, upper side with two rows of hair-like spines; petioles
broadly sheathing at the base, densely armed with long, stout,
black spines. Java, 1877. A beautiful species, which attains a
considerable size. (I. H. 275.)
=C. ciliaris= (fringed).* _l._ pinnate, clothed with a quantity of
soft hair-like bristles; petioles sheathing at the base. Stem erect
and slender. India, 1869. From the plume-like habit of the leaves,
it makes a splendid plant for table decoration, as well as being a
beautiful specimen for exhibition.
=C. draco= (dragon). _l._ 4ft. to 6ft. in length, beautifully
arched, pinnate; pinnæ 12in. to 18in. long, narrow, slightly
pendent, dark green; petioles sheathing at base, armed with long,
flat, black spines. _h._ 20ft. to 30ft. India, 1819. A very
handsome species, with a robust constitution.
=C. fissus= (cleft). _l._ ovate in outline, pinnate, when young
bright cinnamon; leaflets pendent, dark green, bearing on the upper
side a few black hair-like bristles; petioles armed with dark,
stout spines. Borneo. A very ornamental species.
=C. flagellum= (whip-like). _l._ 6ft. to 8ft. in length when fully
grown, pinnate; pinnæ pendent, about 1ft. in length and 1in. in
breadth, dark green, furnished on the upper side with two rows of
long, white, hair-like spines; petioles sheathing, copiously armed
with stout white spines, much swollen at the base, and tipped with
black. Stem slender.
=C. Hystrix= (bristly). _l._ pinnate; petioles spiny. A
compact-growing and very graceful species.
=C. Jenkinsianus= (Jenkins's). _l._ pinnate, gracefully arched,
2ft. to 6ft. long; pinnæ 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. broad, rich dark
green; petioles slightly sheathing at the base, armed with long
flat spines. Sikkim.
=C. leptospadix= (slender-spadix).* _l._ pinnate; pinnules about
1/3in. wide, and from 6in. to 12in. long, subulately acuminate;
upper surface with three bristle-bearing ribs; a few smaller
bristles are disposed along the midrib underneath; margins finely
and regularly toothed with small ascending bristles; petiole
channelled, tomentose towards the base, bearing three or four
solitary needle-like spines, about 1in. long. India. A rare
species, and described as one of the most graceful.
=C. Lewisianus= (Lewis's).* _l._ ultimately spreading, 2ft. to 6ft.
long, pinnate: pinnæ equidistant, 1/2in. broad, and front 13in.
to 15in. long: veins on the upper surface bristled, under surface
smooth; margins rough, with appressed bristles; petioles white,
with a broad, sheathing, blackish-brown base, densely armed with
long, flat, black spines. India. A fine, but somewhat rare, species.
=C. Rotang= (Rotang). _l._ pinnate, from 3ft. to 4ft. in length.
very gracefully arched; pinnæ 6in. to 12in. long, less than 1in.
broad; upper side dark green, with two rows of hair-like spines;
petioles and stems armed sparingly with stout, slightly reversed
spines. Stems slender. India. When young, especially, this plant is
very handsome.
=C. Royleanus= (Royle's).* _l._ pinnate, arching; pinnæ very
numerous, narrow, pendent, deep green; petioles with few spines,
dark green. North-west Himalayas.
=C. spectabilis= (showy).* _l._ pinnate, with a few pairs of smooth
linear-lanceolate, three-ribbed leaflets, measuring 6in. to 8in.
long; petioles green, furnished with numerous short conical white
spines, tipped with brown. Malacca. A slender-growing species.
=C. verticillaris= (whorled). _l._ pinnate, with a very ornamental
plume-like appearance; pinnæ long, broad, drooping; petioles with
the spines arranged verticillately. Malacca. This beautiful species
is extremely rare.
=C. viminalis= (twiggy).* _l._ 1ft. to 2ft. long, pinnate; pinnæ
about 6in. long, narrow, light green; petioles sheathing, densely
armed with long flat white spines. When only 3ft. or 4ft. in
height, its spiny whip-like spikes of flowers are often produced.
Stem slender. _h_. 50ft. Java, 1847.
The following are other, but less-known, species: _australis_,
_elegans_, _micranthus_, _niger_, _oblongus_, and _tenuis_.
=CALAMUS AROMATICUS.= An old name of =Acorus Calamus= (which _see_).
=CALAMUS ODORATUS.= An old name of =Andropogon SchÅnanthus= (which
_see_).
[Illustration: FIG. 315. CALANDRINIA MENZIESII, showing Flower and
Habit.]
=CALANDRINIA= (in honour of L. Calandrini, an Italian botanist, who
lived in the beginning of the eighteenth century). ORD. _Portulaceæ_. A
rather large genus of fleshy, glabrous, annual or perennial, herbaceous
plants, some fourteen or fifteen species growing in Australia, the rest
occurring in the New World. Flowers usually rose or purple, solitary,
or in terminal umbels or racemes. Leaves quite entire, radical or
alternate. Only four or five species are cultivated in this country;
these are treated as half-hardy annuals--with the exception of _C.
umbellata_, which is best treated as a biennial--and as such they are
extensively grown in small gardens, with most satisfactory results.
They should be sown in the spots where they are intended to flower, as
transplantation, unless performed with more than ordinary care, will
considerably check their growth or result in loss. Their flowers only
expand during bright sunshine, and, consequently, they are less grown
than they otherwise would be. The plants thrive in a light sandy soil.
_C. umbellata_ may be sown in a pan, placed in a cold frame, in May or
June; and when the plants are large enough to handle, they should be
potted off, or placed out in colonies where they are to bloom.
=C. discolor= (two-coloured). _fl._ bright rose, with a yellow
tuft of stamens in the centre, 1-1/2in. across; raceme long. July,
August. _l._ fleshy, obovate, attenuated at the base, pale green
above, purple beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Chili, 1834. (B. M.
3357.)
=C. grandiflora= (large.flowered).* _fl._ rosy, about 2in. across;
calyx spotted; raceme simple, loose. Summer. _l._ fleshy, rhomboid,
acute, petiolate. Stem suffruticose. _h._ 1ft. Chili, 1826. (B. R.
1194.)
=C. Menziesii= (Menzies').* FL. deep purple-crimson, from 1/2in. to
1in. across, terminal and axillary, solitary. June to September.
_l._ elongated, spathulate, much attenuated at the base. Stems much
branched, prostrate. California, 1831. SYN. _C. speciosa_. See Fig.
315. (B. R. 1598.)
=C. nitida= (shining). _fl._ rose-coloured, about 2in. across;
raceme leafy, many-flowered. Summer. _l._ oblong-spathulate,
sub-acute, glabrous, attenuated at the base, 1in. to 2in. in
length. _h._ 6in. Chili, 1837. A very pretty hardy annual, forming
a tuft from 4in. to 6in. across.
=C. speciosa= (showy). A synonym of _C. Menziesii_.
[Illustration: FIG. 316. CALANDRINIA UMBELLATA, showing Flower and
Habit.]
=C. umbellata= (umbellate).* _fl._ of a dazzling magenta-crimson,
about as large as a sixpence; corymb cymose, terminal,
many-flowered. Summer. _l._ radical, linear, acute, pilose. _h._
6in. Peru, 1826. A very charming half-hardy biennial. See Fig. 316.
(P. M. B. 12, 271.)
Other species occasionally met with are: _compressa_, _micrantha_, and
_procumbens_; they are, however, inferior to those described above.
=CALANTHE= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _anthos_, a flower). ORD.
_Orchideæ_. SEC. _Vandæ_. A very handsome genus of stove terrestrial
orchids. They may be characterised as robust-growing plants, producing
large, broad, many-ribbed, or plaited leaves, which are, with one or
two exceptions, evergreen, and long spikes, bearing many flowers,
distinguished by their calcarate lip, which is attached to the column,
and by the eight thick, waxy pollen masses adhering to a separate
gland. Calanthes should be special favourites with amateurs, as, in the
first place, they produce an abundance of showy flowers, which last
a long time in perfection; and, secondly, because they are so easily
managed. In potting these plants, it will be necessary to depart from
the usual style of potting orchids, and, instead of elevating them
above the rim of the pot upon a cone of peat and sphagnum, they must
be kept below the rim, as in potting ordinary plants. In place of the
usual soil and moss, these plants should have a mixture of loam, leaf
mould, and peat, broken up rough, to which may be added some silver
sand and dried cow manure. During the growing season, they require
abundant supply of water, and in winter even this element must be
administered freely to the evergreen kinds; whilst the deciduous ones,
on the contrary, enjoy a thorough rest after blooming. Good drainage
is essential to all. Little more need be said upon the cultivation of
Calanthes during the summer months. When growing, they enjoy strong
heat and plenty of moisture; but, when growth is complete, a cooler
situation is most beneficial. They are subject to the attacks of
various insects, which must be continually searched for, and, when
found, destroyed; for, if neglected in this particular, the bold
and handsome leaves will be much disfigured, and rendered far from
ornamental. Propagated by suckers and divisions. About forty species
are known, of which the following are a selection:
=C. curculigoides= (Curculigo-like). _fl._ beautiful orange-yellow,
disposed in an erect spike. Summer and autumn. _l._ large,
evergreen, plaited. _h._ 2ft. Malacca, 1844. (B. R. 33, 8.)
=C. Dominyi= (Dominy's).* _fl._, sepals and petals lilac; lip deep
purple. This fine hybrid is a cross between _C. Masuca_ and _C.
veratrifolia_. (B. M. 5042.)
=C. furcata= (forked). _fl._ creamy white, very freely produced;
spikes erect, 3ft. long. June to August. Luzon Isles, 1836. An
excellent exhibition plant.
=C. Masuca= (Masuca).* _fl._, sepals and petals deep violet colour,
with an intense violet-purple lip; numerously produced on spikes
2ft. long. June to August. India, 1838. (B. M. 4541). The variety
_grandiflora_ differs from the type in its greater size both of
spike and individual flower; the gigantic spikes are from 3ft. to
4ft. high, and continue blooming for three months.
=C. Petri= (Peter Veitch's).* _fl._ whitish-yellow. Said to be very
like _C. veratrifolia_, but bearing leaves a little narrower, and a
system of five curious sulcate yellowish calli on the base of the
lip, without the single lamella and teeth which are proper to that
species. Polynesia, 1880.
=C. pleiochroma= (many-coloured). _fl._ whitish, purplish, ochre,
orange. Japan, 1871.
=C. Regnieri= (Regnier's). _fl._, sepals and petals white; lip
rosy-pink; middle lobe short, wedge-shaped, and emarginate.
Pseudo-bulbs jointed, Cochin China. _fausta_ is a fine variety,
with the base of the tip and column a warm crimson.
=C. Sieboldii= (Siebold's).* _fl._ yellow, large; spikes erect.
_l._ broad, dark green, plaited. _h._ 1ft. Japan, 1837. An elegant
evergreen dwarf-growing species. (R. H. 1855, 20.)
=C. Textori= (Textor's). _fl._ cream-white, washed with violet on
the petals and column, as well as on the base of lip, where the
calli are brick-red, changing later on to ochre-colour, excepting
the white-lilac base of sepals and petals and the column; lip very
narrow. Japan, 1877.
[Illustration: FIG. 317. SINGLE FLOWER OF CALANTHE VEITCHII.]
=C. Veitchii= (Veitch's).* _fl._ rich bright rose, with a white
throat; spikes often attaining a height of 3ft., and bearing an
immense quantity of flowers. Winter. _l._ large, plaited, light
green, deciduous. Pseudo-bulbs flask-shaped. This very beautiful
hybrid is the result of a cross between _C. vestita_ and _C. rosea_
(SYN. _Limatodes rosea_). See Fig. 317. (B. M. 5375.)
=C. veratrifolia= (Veratrum-leaved).* _fl._ pure white, except the
green tips of the sepals and the golden papillæ on the disk of the
labellum; spikes 2ft. to 3ft. high, freely produced on well-grown
plants. May to July. _l._ 2ft. or more long, dark green, broad,
many-ribbed, with wavy margins. India, 1819. See Fig. 318. (B. M.
2615.)
[Illustration: FIG. 318. SINGLE FLOWER OF CALANTHE VERATRIFOLIA.]
=C. vestita= (clothed).* _fl._, sepals and petals pure white,
numerously produced in a many-flowered, nodding spike. _l._
deciduous. Pseudo-bulbs large, whitish, _h._ 2-1/2ft. Burmah. (B.
M. 4671.) The varieties of this species are very numerous.
=C. v. igneo-oculata= (fire-eyed).* _fl._, base of the column
purplish, over which is a dazzling fire-colour, the blotch in the
base of the lip of the same colour. Borneo, 1876.
=C. v. nivalis= (snowy).* _fl._ pure white, entirely destitute of
any colour on the lip. Java, 1868.
=C. v. rubro-oculata= (red-eyed).* _fl._ delicate white, with a
blotch of rich crimson in the centre; upwards of 2in. across;
spikes long, drooping, having a white downy covering, and rising
from the base of the silvery-green pseudo-bulbs, when the latter
are without leaves. October to February.
=C. v. Turneri= (Turner's).* _fl._ pure white, with rose-coloured
eye, larger, and produced on longer flower-spikes than the other
kinds; form of flowers more compact. Java. This is considered by
some authorities, to be a distinct species.
=CALATHEA= (from _kalathos_, a basket; in reference to the
basket-shaped stigma, or to the leaves being worked into baskets in
South America). ORD. _Scitamineæ_. This genus of very ornamental-leaved
stove plants is distinguished from _Maranta_ by mere botanical
characters; and the two genera are often confounded. Flowers in
terminal spikes, bracteate; perianth six-cleft, outer segments
lanceolate, inner ones blunt and irregular; stamens three, petal-like.
Leaves large, springing from the contracted stem, near the root. They
delight in a rich, loose, open soil, consisting of peat, loam, and
leaf soil, in about equal proportions, with the addition of a good
sprinkling of sand, to keep it open and porous. The mixture should be
used in a rough, lumpy state, so that the roots, which are of large
size, may be able to travel with freedom. Nearly all the species admit
of easy increase by division. July is a favourable time to set about
it, or it may be carried out any time between that and the spring
months. In order to make the necessary separation without damaging the
roots, the plants should be shaken out from the soil, when they may
be divided into as many pieces as there are separate crowns. Whether
an increased stock be desired or not, Calatheas require fresh soil
annually; and, if not reduced by division, they become much too thickly
foliaged to properly develop, unless they are shifted into larger-sized
pots, which can always be done if large specimens are required. When
making divisions, see that each crown is well furnished with roots, so
that they may at once commence sending up fresh young foliage. Although
Calatheas require an abundant supply of water while growing, a stagnant
moisture is most injurious; good drainage is, therefore, essential.
To have the leaves in fine, healthy condition, plenty of atmospheric
moisture must be maintained during their growth; and, if syringing
is resorted to for the purpose of securing this, clear soft water
should be used, or an unsightly deposit will be the result, by which
the beauty of the plants, unless they are frequently sponged, will
be spoiled. These plants require, in addition to plenty of moisture,
moderate shade during the summer, as they dislike strong sunshine, and
may, therefore, be grown among ferns, under creepers, in situations
that would be of little use for other purposes. Calatheas are not
subject to insects if properly supplied with water while growing, and
a sufficiently moist atmosphere is at all times maintained; but, if
either of these are lacking, red spider soon put in an appearance, and
quickly disfigure the leaves.
=C. applicata= (inclined). _fl._ white. Brazil, 1875. SYN. _Maranta
pinnato-picta_. (B. H. 1875, 18.)
=C. arrecta= (erect).* _l._ rich satin-green on the upper side, and
heavy ruby colour on the under side. Ecuador, 1872. A fine species,
with a very elegant growth. (I. H. 1871, 77.)
=C. Bachemiana= (Bachem's). _l._ silvery, with green lines and
blotches. Brazil, 1875.
=C. Baraquinii= (Baraquin's).* _l._ ovate-lanceolate; ground
colour bright green, relieved by beautiful bands of silvery white.
Amazons, 1868.
=C. bella= (handsome).* _l._ greyish-green, with the margins and
two series of central patches deep green. Brazil, 1875. SYN.
_Maranta tessellata Kegeljani_.
=C. crocata= (saffron-coloured). _fl._ orange. Brazil, 1875.
=C. eximia= (choice). 1857. SYN. _Phrynium eximium_. (R. G. 686.)
=C. fasciata= (banded).* _l._ 8in. to 12in. long, 6in. to 8in.
wide, broadly cordate; ground colour bright green, with broad bands
of white running across from midrib to the margin; the under side
pale green, tinged with purple. _h._ 1ft. Brazil, 1859. (R. G. 255.)
=C. hieroglyphica= (hieroglyphic). _l._ broadly obovate, obtuse;
ground colour rich dark velvety green, which, towards the midrib,
shades off into light emerald green; primary veins oblique, and
the spaces between them ornamented with irregular streaks and bars
of silvery white; under surface of a uniform dark vinous purple.
Columbia, 1873. Dwarf and distinct. (I. H. 1873, 122.)
=C. illustris= (bright).* _l._ somewhat obovate; upper surface of a
bright pea-green, streaked with transverse bands of a deeper green;
midrib pink, with two irregular blotches of white traversing the
leaves from base to point, midway between the margin and costa;
under surface deep purple. Ecuador, 1866.
=C. Kerchoviana= (Kerchove's).* _l._ cordate, oblong, obtuse,
shortly and abruptly acuminate, greyish-green, with a row of
purplish blotches on each side of the midrib. _h._ 6in. Brazil,
1879. SYN. _Maranta leuconeura Kerchoviana_.
=C. Legrelliana= (Le Grell's). _l._ very dark green, relieved by
a feathery band of white, extending the whole length between the
midrib and margin. Ecuador, 1867.
=C. Leitzei= (Leitze's). _l._ oblong-lanceolate, deep metallic
green, and shining on the upper surface, with feather-like markings
of deeper colour, purplish-violet beneath. Brazil, 1875. (R. G.
935.)
=C. leopardina= (leopard).* _l._ oblong, pale or yellowish-green,
marked on each side of the costa with several oblong acuminate
blotches of deep green. _h._ 2ft. Brazil, 1875. (R. G. 893.)
=C. leuconeura= (white-nerved). A synonym of _Maranta leuconeura_.
=C. leucostachys= (white-spiked). _h._ 1ft. A fine species, allied
to _C. Warscewiczii_. Costa Rica, 1874. (B. M. 6205.)
=C. Lindeni= (Linden's).* _l._ oblong, 6in. to 12in. long, deep
green, with blotches of yellowish-green on each side of the midrib;
under surface purplish-rose, through which the markings of the
upper side are visible. Peru, 1866. Very handsome and free-growing.
(I. H. 1871, 82.)
=C. Luciani= (Lucian's). _l._ shining green, the midrib festooned
with silvery white. Tropical America, 1872.
=C. Makoyana= (Makoy's).* _l._ oblong, somewhat unequal-sided,
6in. to 8in. long, upwards of 4in. broad; outer margin deep green,
the central portion semi-transparent, beautifully blotched with
creamy-yellow and white; the central part is also ornamented
between the transverse veins with oblong blotches of deep green;
petioles slender, purplish-red. Tropical America, 1872. SYN. _C.
olivaris_. (G. C. 1872, p. 1589.)
=C. Massangeana= (Massange's).* _l._ beautifully covered with rich
marking, presenting a somewhat similar appearance to the wings of
certain butterflies. The outer portion is olive-green; the middle,
on both sides of the costa, of a delicate silvery-grey colour, from
which the whitish side veins run out in a well-defined and regular
manner; the portion of the leaf surrounding the silvery centre is
ornamented with large blotches of dark velvety purplish-maroon,
occasionally shaded with brownish-crimson; the whole of the leaf
being marked with silky and sparkling reflections. Brazil, 1875.
It is of neat habit, growing in close tufts, its ample foliage
covering the ground.
=C. medio-picta= (middle painted). _l._ oblong-acute, tapering
to the base, dark green, with a feathered white central stripe.
Brazil, 1878.
=C. micans= (glittering).* _l._ oblong-acuminate, 2in. to 3in.
long, a little over 1in. in breadth, dark shining green, with
a white feathery stripe down the centre. Tropical America. The
smallest species of the genus with a spreading habit, and quickly
forming dense and beautiful tufts. There is a variety of this named
_amabilis_. Brazil.
=C. nitens= (shining).* _l._ oblong, green, with a bright glossy
surface, marked on each side of the midrib with a series of
oblong acute bars, alternating with numerous lines of a dark
green on a pale bright green ground. Brazil, 1880. An elegant and
small-growing plant.
=C. olivaris= (olive-green). Synonymous with _C. Makoyana_.
=C. ornata= (ornamented).* _l._ oblong acuminate, 6in. to 9in.
long, 3in. or more broad, yellowish-green, relieved by broad
transverse bands of dark olive-green; under side tinged with
purple. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Columbia, 1849.
=C. o. albo-lineata= (white-lined). Columbia, 1848. SYN. _Maranta
albo-lineata_.
=C. o. majestica= (majestic). Rio Purus, 1866. SYN. _Maranta
majestica_.
=C. o. regalis= (royal). Peru, 1856. SYNS. _Maranta regalis_ and
_M. coriifolia_.
=C. o. roseo-lineata= (rosy-lined).* _h._ 1ft. 1848. SYN. _Maranta
roseo-lineata_.
=C. pacifica= (Pacific). _l._ oblong ovate, of a fine dark green on
the upper surface, olive-brown beneath. Eastern Peru, 1871.
[Illustration: FIG. 319. CALATHEA VEITCHII.]
=C. pardina= (leopard).* _fl._ yellow, large, handsome, produced
in great abundance. _l._ 10in. to 18in. long, 5in. to 6in. wide,
ovate, pale green, with dark brown blotches on each side the
midrib, and which occur at regular intervals the whole length of
the leaf. New Grenada. (F. d. S. ii., 1101.)
=C. prasina= (leek-green). _l._ with a yellow-green central band.
Brazil, 1875.
=C. princeps= (magnificent).* _l._ 12in. to 18in. long; centre rich
dark green, broadly margined with yellowish-green, purple beneath.
_h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Peru, 1869. A superb large-growing species.
=C. pulchella= (pretty). _l._ bright green, with two series of deep
green blotches, alternately large and small. Brazil, 1859. This
much resembles _C. zebrina_ in general appearance, but is not so
strong a grower, and the leaves are not so dark.
=C. rosea-picta= (rose-coloured). _l._ somewhat orbicular, of a
rich glossy green; midrib of a lovely rose-colour, between the
margin and midrib are two irregular bands of the same colour,
traversing the entire length of the leaf. Upper Amazon, 1866. (R.
G. 610.)
=C. Seemanni= (Seemann's). _l._ about 1ft. long, 6in. broad, satiny
emerald-green; midrib whitish. Nicaragua, 1872.
=C. splendida= (splendid). _l._ large, oblong-lanceolate, deflexed,
10in. to 18in. long, rich dark olive-green, with distinct blotches
of greenish-yellow. Brazil, 1864.
=C. tubispatha= (tube-spathed).* _l._ somewhat obovate, obtuse,
6in. to 12in. long, pale greenish-yellow, beautifully relieved by
a row of rich brown oblong blotches, set in pairs on each side of
the midrib, throughout the entire length of the leaf. West Tropical
America, 1865. An elegant species. (B. M. 5542.)
=C. Vanden Heckei= (Van den Heck's).* _l._ rich dark glossy green,
shaded with transverse bands of a lighter green; midrib broadly
margined with silvery-white, two bands of the same colour traverse
the leaf from base to apex, midway between midrib and margin; under
side of a uniform purplish-crimson. Brazil, 1865. Very distinct and
handsome.
=C. Veitchii= (Veitch's).* _l._ large, ovate elliptic, over 1ft.
long, very rich glossy green, marked along each side the midrib
with crescent-shaped blotches of yellow, softened by shades of
green and white; under surface light purple. _h._ 3ft. W. Tropical
America, 1865. Probably the handsomest of the genus. See Fig. 319.
=C. virginalis= (virginal). _l._ large, broadly ovate, light green;
midrib white, also with a white band on each side; the under side
of a greyish-green. Amazons, 1857. Habit dwarf and compact.
=C vittata= (striped). _l._ ovate-acuminate, 9in. long, very light
green, with narrow transverse bars of white on each side of the
midrib. Brazil, 1857.
=C. Wallisii= (Wallis's).* _l._ rather large, of a rich and
pleasing light green, beautifully relieved with a ray of rich dark
green. South America, 1867. A handsome and distinct sort, but
somewhat rare.
=C. W. discolor= (two-coloured). _l._ bright velvety green, with
the centre and margins grey. South America, 1871.
=C. Warscewiczii= (Warscewicz's).* _l._ 2ft. long, about 8in. wide,
deep velvety green in colour, relieved by a feathery stripe of
yellowish-green on either side the midrib, and extending from the
base to the apex. _h._ 3ft. Tropical America, 1879. A fine sort.
(R. G. 515.)
=C. Wioti= (Wiot's). _l._ bright green, with two series of
olive-green blotches. Brazil, 1875.
[Illustration: FIG. 320. CALATHEA ZEBRINA.]
=C. zebrina= (zebra).* _l._ 2ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 8in. wide,
beautiful velvety light green on the upper side, barred with
greenish-purple; under side of a dull greenish-purple. _h._ 2ft.
Brazil, 1815. This is a very old inhabitant of our stoves, and, for
general usefulness is not much surpassed. See Fig. 320. (B. R. 385.)
=CALATHIAN VIOLET.= _See_ =Gentiana Pneumonanthe=.
=CALCARATE.= Spurred, or having a spur.
=CALCEOLARIA= (from _calceolus_, a little slipper, in allusion to the
form of the corolla; the form _calceolarius_, shoemaker, probably
chosen to include a reference to F. Calceolari, an Italian botanist
of the sixteenth century). Slipperwort. ORD. _Scrophularineæ_. A
genus of hardy or half-hardy shrubs, sub-shrubs or herbs. Peduncles
one or many-flowered, axillary or terminal, corymbose; corolla with a
very short tube; limb bilabiate; upper lip short, truncately rounded,
entire; lower lip large, concave, slipper-shaped. Leaves opposite,
sometimes three in a whorl, rarely alternate.
SHRUBBY SECTION. In addition to the widely-known utility of this class
for bedding purposes, they are fine decorative plants when well grown,
and useful alike in conservatory or dwelling house. It will be found
more convenient to grow these in a pit or frame, as in such places they
are less liable to the attacks of fly, and make sturdier growth. If
large plants are required, cuttings should be taken in August, placed
in a cold frame facing the north, in sandy soil, and, when rooted,
potted off into 3in. pots. They should then be placed in a light sunny
frame, where they may remain until the middle of February. The points
should then be pinched out. When the plants break, they must be shifted
into 48-sized pots. If there are from four to six breaks to each
plant, it will be sufficient; but, should such not be the case, the
plants must be stopped again, when the requisite number will probably
be obtained. Directly the roots touch the pots, the plants should be
transferred to 7in. or 8in. pots, in which they will flower, and the
shoots must be tied out so as to develop fully. Every effort should
be exerted to keep the foliage green to the base of the plants, and
they should be fumigated on the first appearance of green fly. As the
flower-spikes are thrown up, weak liquid manure, applied two or three
times a week, will prove beneficial. For potting, the following compost
is most suitable: One-half good fibrous loam, one-eighth thoroughly
rotted manure, and the remainder leaf soil, with enough sharp sand
to keep the whole open. During frosty weather, of course, it will be
necessary to protect the frames with mats, and to water judiciously, to
avoid damping. Those plants intended for bedding will not require to
be repotted, but should be inserted, about 3in. apart, in sandy soil,
in a cold frame. The tops must be taken off early in March; and from
the middle of April to the middle of May, they may be planted out where
they are to remain. Should frosty weather, accompanied by drying winds,
ensue, the plants will require the protection of inverted flower-pots,
with pieces of slate or crock placed over the holes. A good soil,
abundantly enriched with rotten manure, is most desirable for them.
[Illustration: FIG. 321. HERBACEOUS CALCEOLARIA.]
_Varieties._ These are very numerous. The best of them are the
following: BIJOU, dark red, very free; GAINE'S YELLOW, rich deep
yellow, extremely free; GENERAL HAVELOCK, crimson-scarlet, very fine;
GOLDEN GEM, bright yellow, perhaps the best; SPARKLER, crimson-gold,
dwarf; VICTORIA, dark maroon, very attractive.
HERBACEOUS SECTION. These, like the preceding, are very useful, both
for house and conservatory decoration (see Fig. 321). A packet of
seed from a first-class firm will, if properly managed, produce a
good percentage of excellent flowers. The seed may be sown from June
to August, when large batches are required (when only one sowing is
made, July will be the best month), on pans of light, sandy soil,
which should be soaked with water before sowing. Care must be taken
to make the surface of the soil level, and also to sow the seed as
evenly as possible. It is better not to cover with soil, but a sheet
of glass should be laid over the pan, which must be placed in a shady
part of the greenhouse or cold frame until the young plants show the
first leaf. The glass can then be gradually removed. When large enough
to handle, the seedlings must be pricked out, about 2in. asunder, in
pans or boxes, and placed in a close, shaded situation. As soon as of
sufficient size, they must be placed singly in 3in. pots, returned
to the frame, kept close for a few days, and as near the glass as
possible, to make them sturdy. When necessary, they should be shifted
into 5in. pots, in which they may be kept through the winter; or the
later batches may be placed in small pots. By the end of October or
early in November, the plants will be strong and fit for wintering;
at this stage, the best place for them is in a dry, frost-proof pit,
or on an airy shelf of the greenhouse, giving them sufficient water
to prevent flagging. All dead leaves must be removed. On the first
appearance of green fly, the plants should be fumigated with tobacco.
From the end of January onwards, in order to encourage growth, the
plants should be removed into 7in. or 8in. pots, giving plenty of
drainage, and a compost consisting of one-half good light fibrous loam,
one-fourth thoroughly decayed sheep manure, and one-fourth leaf soil,
to which must be added sufficient coarse sand to keep the whole open.
After potting, the plants must be again placed in the same position,
and, as they require it, plenty of room given. Careful attention to
watering is necessary, as they must not be allowed to get dry. Air
must be given on all suitable occasions. The flower-stems, as they
require it, should be supported with small neat sticks. About May, the
plants will commence to bloom, and continue to do so for a couple of
months. The best flowers should be selected, and cross-fertilised with
a camel-hair pencil, in order to produce a good strain of seed for
future sowing. The attention of horticulturists appears to be almost
wholly confined to the innumerable hybrids raised from _amplexicaulis_,
_arachnoidea_, _corymbosa_, _integrifolia_, _purpurea_, _thyrsiflora_,
and a few others. Very few pure species are seen in cultivation,
although most of them are well worth growing.
=C. alba= (white). _fl._ white; peduncles elongated, racemose,
dichotomous. June. _l._ linear, remotely serrated. Plant
suffruticose, clammy, and resinous. _h._ 1ft. Chili, 1844. Shrubby.
(B. M. 4157.)
=C. amplexicaulis= (stem-clasping).* _fl._ yellow, umbellately
fascicled; corymbs terminal; pedicels pilose. _l._ stem-clasping,
ovate-oblong, acuminated, cordate, crenately-serrated, pilose. _h._
1-1/2ft. Peru, 1845. Half-hardy, herbaceous. (B. M. 4300.)
=C. arachnoidea= (cobwebby).* _fl._ purple; peduncles terminal,
twin, elongated, dichotomous. June to September. _l._
lingulately-oblong, a little toothed, narrowing downwards into long
winged petioles, which are connate at the base; about 5in. long,
wrinkled. Stem herbaceous, branched, spreading, clothed with white
cobwebbed wool, as well as the leaves and other parts, except the
corolla. _h._ 1ft. Chili, 1827. (B. M. 2874.)
=C. bicolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._ in large terminal cymes; upper
lip yellow, small; lower lip large, gaping, conchiform, the front
clear yellow, the back white. July to November. _l._ broadly-ovate,
sub-acute, coarsely crenated, wrinkled. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Stem much
branched, woody at the base. Peru, 1829. SYN. _C. diffusa_. (B. R.
1374.)
=C. Burbidgei= (Burbidge's).* _fl._ rich yellow, with large lower
lip. Autumn and winter. _l._ ovate, distinctly obtusely biserrate,
sub-acute, with a narrow wing running down the petiole; both
surfaces downy. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. This is a handsome hybrid between
_C. Pavonii_ and _C. fuchsiæfolia_, raised by F. W. Burbidge, Esq.,
Trinity College Botanic Gardens, Dublin, 1882.
=C. chelidonioides= (Chelidonium-like). _fl._ yellow. June. _h._
1ft. Peru, 1852. Annual.
=C. corymbosa= (corymbose). _fl._ yellow, marked with purple dots
and lines, corymbose. May to October. _l._, radical ones ovate
and cordate, petiolate, doubly crenated, white beneath; cauline
ones few, cordate, half amplexicaul. Stems herbaceous, leafless at
bottom, but dichotomous and leafy at top. Plant hairy. _h._ 1ft. to
1-1/2ft. Chili, 1822. (B. R. 723.)
=C. deflexa= (bending). Synonymous with _C. fuchsiæfolia_.
=C. diffusa= (spreading). A synonym of _C. bicolor_.
=C. flexuosa= (flexuose). _fl._, corolla yellow; lower lip large,
ventricose; peduncles axillary and terminal, many-flowered;
pedicels umbellate. _l._ cordate, unequally and bluntly crenated,
petiolate, remote. Plant shrubby, rough, beset with glandular
hairs. _h._ 3ft. Peru, 1847. (B. M. 5154.)
=C Fothergillii= (Fothergill's).* _fl._, upper lip of corolla
yellowish; lower lip sulphur colour, having the margins spotted
with red, four times the size of the upper one; peduncles
scape-formed, one-flowered. May to August. _l._ spathulate, quite
entire, pilose above, about 1in. long. Stem herbaceous, a little
divided near the root. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Falkland Islands, 1777.
(B. M. 348.)
[Illustration: FIG. 322. CALCEOLARIA VIOLACEA.]
=C. fuchsiæfolia= (Fuchsia-leaved).* _fl._ yellow, disposed in
terminal panicles; upper lip nearly as large as the lower one.
Spring. _l._ lanceolate, glandless. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Peru, 1878.
This is a very handsome winter-flowering shrubby species, but it is
difficult to keep the foliage in anything like good condition. SYN.
_C. deflexa_. (Garden, March, 1879.)
=C. Henrici= (Anderson-Henry's). _fl._ yellow, disposed in terminal
corymbose cymes; both lips of corolla much inflated, so as to
entirely close the mouth. _l._ rather large, elongate-lanceolate,
downy beneath. _h._ 2ft. Andes of Cuenca, 1865. Shrubby evergreen.
(B. M. 5772.)
=C. hyssopifolia= (Hyssop-leaved).* _fl._ in terminal cymes; upper
lip clear yellow, about half the width of the lower, and meeting
closely to it; lower lip clear canary-yellow above, nearly white
beneath. May to August. _l._ sessile, linear-lanceolate, sub-acute,
entire. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Chili. Shrubby. (B. M. 5548.)
=C. integrifolia= (entire-leaved). Synonymous with _C. rugosa_.
=C. lobata= (lobed). _fl._ yellow, disposed in erect,
loosely-branched cymes; lip curiously folded on itself, and spotted
on the inner surface. _l._ palmately lobed. _h._ 9in. Peru, 1877.
Herbaceous species. (B. M. 6330.)
=C. Pavonii= (Pavon's).* _fl._ rich yellow and brown, in large
terminal clusters; upper lip small; lower lip large, widely gaping.
_l._ perfoliate, the petioles connected by a broad wing, running
all their length; blade broadly ovate, coarsely serrate-dentate;
both sides covered with soft down. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Herbaceous.
(B. M. 4525.)
=C. pinnata= (pinnate). _fl._ sulphur-coloured; peduncles twin
or tern, panicled. July to September. _l._ pinnate; leaflets or
segments toothed, lower ones pinnatifidly toothed. _h._ 2ft. to
3ft. Peru, 1773. Annual, clothed with clammy hairs. (B. M. 41.)
=C. pisacomensis= (Pisacomanese). _fl._ rich orange-red, large;
lower lip of corolla so bent upwards as to close the mouth; cymes
produced from all the upper axils, forming long leafy panicles.
_l._ ovate, obtuse, coarsely crenate. _h._ 3ft. Peru, 1868. A
sub-shrubby perennial, of strong, erect habit.
=C. plantaginea= (Plantain-like).* _fl._ yellow; lower lip of
corolla large, hemispherical; upper one small, bifid; scapes
generally two to three-flowered, pilose. August. _l._ radical,
ovate, rhomboid, rosulate, serrated. Plant herbaceous, stemless,
pubescent. _h._ 1ft. Chili, 1826. (B. M. 2805.)
=C. purpurea= (purple). _fl._, corolla of an uniform
reddish-violet, rather small; corymbs terminal, many-flowered.
July to September. _l._ wrinkled, hispid; radical ones
cuneate-spathulate, serrated, quite entire behind, petiolate,
acutish; cauline ones cordate, decussate, with a few long scattered
hairs on their surfaces. Stems herbaceous, many from the same root.
_h._ 1ft. Chili, 1826. There are several hybrids between this and
other species. (B. M. 2775.)
=C. rugosa= (wrinkled). _fl._ yellow; panicles terminal, corymbose,
pedunculate. August. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, or lanceolate,
denticulated, wrinkled, opaque, rusty beneath; petioles winged,
connate. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Chili, 1822. Shrubby species.
SYN. _C. integrifolia_. (B. R. 744.) Two varieties of this are
_angustifolia_, and _viscosissima_.
=C. scabiosæfolia= (Scabious-leaved).* _fl._, corolla pale yellow;
lower lip large, ventricose; peduncles terminal, corymbose. May
to October. _l._, lower ones pinnate; superior ones pinnatifid,
three-lobed, or simple, the terminal segment always the largest.
Plant rather hairy. Peru, 1822. Evergreen trailer. (B. M. 2405.)
=C. tenella= (small). _fl._ golden yellow, with orange-red spots
within the lower lip; corymbs few-flowered. _l._ opposite, ovate,
acuminated. _h._ 6in. Chili, 1873. Hardy, herbaceous. (B. M. 6231.)
=C. thyrsiflora= (thyrse-flowered). _fl._ yellow, downy inside;
thyrse terminal, crowded; peduncles compound, umbellate. June. _l._
linear, attenuated at both ends, serrate-toothed, sessile, 2in.
long, and two lines broad. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Chili, 1827. Shrubby,
clammy. (B. M. 2915.)
=C. violacea= (violet).* _fl._, corolla pale violet, spotted
with deeper violet beneath; lip spreading in a campanulate
manner; peduncles terminal by threes, corymbose; pedicels one to
two-flowered. June. _l._ petiolate, ovate-lanceolate, coarsely
serrated, white beneath. _h._ 2ft. Chili, 1853. Shrubby. (B. M.
4929.) See Fig. 322.
=CALCEOLATE.= Shaped like a slipper or round-toed shoe.
=CALDASIA.= _See_ =Galipea heterophylla=.
=CALDCLUVIA= (named after Alexander Caldcleugh, F.R.S. and F.L.S.,
who collected and sent to this country many plants from Chili). ORD.
_Saxifrageæ_. A greenhouse evergreen tree. Flowers panicled, terminal.
Leaves opposite, simple, serrate, glabrous; pedicels jointless;
stipules twin, sub-falcate, toothed, caducous. It thrives well in a
compost of peat and loam, and may be propagated by cuttings of the
half-ripened shoots, planted in sand, under a hand glass, and placed in
a very gentle bottom heat.
=C. paniculata= (panicled). _fl._ white. June. Chili, 1831.
=CALEA= (from _kalos_, beautiful; referring to the flowers). ORD.
_Compositæ_. A genus of stove evergreen herbs or small shrubs. Pappus
hairy; receptacle paleaceous; involucre imbricated. They thrive in a
compost of peat and loam. Side shoots root readily, if placed in sand,
under glass, and with bottom heat; seeds may be sown in March. Warmer
parts of New World.
=CALEANA= (named after G. Caley, Superintendent of the Botanical
Garden, St. Vincent). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A genus of greenhouse
terrestrial orchids, natives of Australia. Flowers few, greenish-brown;
column broad, thin, concave; sepals and petals narrow, reflexed; lip
posticous, peltate, unguiculate, highly irritable. In fine weather, or
if left undisturbed, this lip bends back, leaving the column uncovered;
but in wet weather, or if the plant is shaken, the lip falls over the
column, securely fastening it. Leaves solitary, radical. They are of
easy culture, in a compost of fibry peat, lumpy loam, and a little
charcoal.
=B. major= (greater). _fl._ green-brown. June. 1810.
=C. minor= (less). _fl._ green-brown. June. 1822.
=C. nigrita= (blackish-flowered). _fl._ dark.
=CALECTASIA= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _ektasis_, extension; in
allusion to the star-like perianth segments). ORD. _Juncaceæ_. An
elegant greenhouse suffruticose perennial, with dry, permanent, starry
flowers. It thrives best in a compost of peat and loam. Propagated by
divisions.
=C. cyanea= (blue). _fl._ bright blue, solitary, on short terminal
branches. June. _l._ needle-shaped, sheathing at the base.
Australia, 1840. (B. M. 3834.)
=CALENDULA= (from _calendæ_, the first day of the month; in allusion to
the almost perpetual flowering). Marigold. ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus
of showy greenhouse and hardy annuals, and some few greenhouse shrubby
species. Pappus none; receptacle naked; involucre of one or two series
of sub-equal, acuminate, generally scarious-edged bracts. The shrubby
species are propagated by cuttings, and thrive best in a compost of
loam and peat.. For culture of the annuals, _see_ =Marigold=.
[Illustration: FIG. 323. FLOWERS OF CALENDULA OFFICINALIS.]
=C. arvensis= (field). _fl.-heads_ yellow. Pericarps urceolate,
obovate, smooth; outer lanceolate-subulate, muricated at back. _h._
2ft. Europe, 1597. Hardy annual.
=C. maderensis= (Madeira).* _fl.-heads_ orange. Pericarps
cymbiform, incurved, muricated; outer five ovate-lanceolate,
membranous, toothed at edge. _h._ 2ft. Madeira, 1795. Hardy. SYN.
_C. stellata_.
=C. officinalis= (officinal).* Common Marigold. _fl.-heads_ orange.
June to September. Pericarps cymbiform, all incurved, muricated.
_h._ 3ft. South Europe, 1573. Hardy annual. See Fig. 323.
=C. o. prolifera= (proliferous). A garden form, analogous to the
Hen and Chickens Daisy. See Fig. 324.
=C. stellata= (stellate). A synonym of _C. maderensis_.
[Illustration: FIG. 324. FLOWER OF CALENDULA OFFICINALIS PROLIFERA.]
=CALICO BUSH.= _See_ =Kalmia latifolia=.
=CALIFORNIAN EVERGREEN REDWOOD.= _See_ =Sequoia sempervirens=.
=CALIFORNIAN MAYBUSH.= _See_ =Photinia arbutifolia=.
=CALIFORNIAN PEPPER-TREE.= _See_ =Schinus Molle=.
=CALIFORNIAN POPPY.= _See_ =Platystemon californicus=.
=CALIPHRURIA= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _phroura_, prison; from
the handsome spathe inclosing the flowers). ORD. _Amaryllideæ_. Pretty
half-hardy greenhouse bulbs. Tube of perianth narrow, funnel-shaped,
nearly straight; limb regular, stellate; stamens furnished with a
bristle on each side. They thrive best in a compost of sandy loam,
a little peat, leaf soil, and sand. Propagated by offsets. After
flowering, the plants should have a slight heat; and, when starting
into new growth, should be repotted.
=C. Hartwegiana= (Hartweg's).* _fl._ greenish-white; umbels
seven-flowered; scape nearly terete, glaucous. May. _l._ petiolate,
depressed, ovate, sub-plicate, green. _h._ 1ft. New Grenada, 1843.
(B. M. 6259.)
[Illustration: FIG. 325. CALIPHRURIA SUBEDENTATA.]
=C. subedentata= (rarely-toothed).* _fl._ white, funnel-shaped,
disposed in a truss, on a long scape. Winter. _l._ stalked,
ovate-oblong. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Columbia, 1876. See Fig. 325. (B. M.
6289.)
=CALISAYA BARK.= _See_ =Cinchona Calisaya=.
[Illustration: FIG. 326. CALLA PALUSTRIS, showing Habit and detached
Inflorescence.]
=CALLA= (from _kallos_, beauty). SYN. _Provenzalia_. ORD. _Aroideæ_
(_Araceæ_). A monotypic genus. The species is a native of Central and
Northern Europe and North America, has creeping or floating stems, and
cordate entire leaves. _C. palustris_ is sometimes grown in collections
of aquatics or bog plants; and, although, perhaps, hardly worth
cultivating as a pot plant, is well worth a place in open ornamental
waters. _Richardia æthiopica_ is frequently erroneously called _Calla
æthiopica_.
=C. palustris= (marsh). _fl._, spadix protected by a flat white
spathe, upper ones female, lower hermaphrodite, with numerous
thread-like stamens. _l._ stalked, emerging from a sheath. _h._
6in. Hardy aquatic, naturalised here and there in Britain. See Fig.
326.
=CALLI.= Small callosities, or little protuberances.
=CALLIANDRA= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _andros_, a stamen;
referring to the elegant long, silky, purple or white stamens). ORD.
_Leguminosæ_. A genus of beautiful stove evergreen shrubs. Flowers
usually borne on stalked globose heads; corollas small, hidden by
the numerous filaments of the stamens. Leaves bipinnate; leaflets
varying in size and number. They thrive in a compost of peat and loam.
Propagated by cuttings of rather firm young wood, inserted in sand,
under a hand glass, in heat.
=C. Harrisii= (Harris's). _fl._ pink; peduncles axillary,
fascicled, glandularly downy. February. _l._ bipinnate; leaflets
obovate, falcate, downy; stipules small, falcate. Branches
puberulous. _h._ 10ft. Mexico, 1838. (B. M. 4238.)
=C. Tweediei= (Tweedie's).* _fl._ red; peduncles longer than the
petioles; bracts linear. March and April. _l._ with three or
four pairs of pinnæ; leaflets numerous, oblong-linear, acutish,
ciliated, pilose beneath; stipules ovate, acuminate. Branches and
petioles pilose. _h._ 6ft. Brazil, 1840. (B. M. 4188.)
=CALLICARPA= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _karpos_, fruit; referring
to the beautiful berries). SYN. _Porphyra_. ORD. _Verbenaceæ_. A
genus of stove, greenhouse, or nearly hardy evergreen shrubs, closely
allied to _Petræa_. Flowers inconspicuous, disposed in axillary cymes;
corolla-tube short, with the limb four-lobed. Fruit a very ornamental
small juicy berry or drupe. The following mode of culture has been
recommended: "After the old plants have been cut back in the spring,
and started into growth, the young shoots will strike as readily as a
Fuchsia, and with exactly the same treatment. In order to make good
plants, short-jointed cuttings should be selected; and, as soon as
these are struck, they should be potted into 2-1/2in. pots, using a
compost of equal parts loam and peat, with a little charcoal and river
sand. When they commence to grow, after being potted, remove to a pit
or house with a temperature ranging from 60deg. to 75deg. Pinch out
the tops of the plants as soon as they have three pairs of leaves, and
whenever each of the laterals has made two pairs of leaves, pinch out
their points, and continue this operation with all the rest of the
shoots till the beginning of August, at the same time keeping off all
the flower-buds. The next shift will be into 4in. or 5in. pots. They
should always have plenty of light and air, but more especially after
they come into flower."
=C. americana= (American). _fl._ red, small, in axillary cymes.
Berries violet-coloured. _l._ ovate-oblong, toothed, silvery
beneath, with a scurf of tomentum. _h._ 6ft. South America, 1724.
Greenhouse.
=C. japonica= (Japanese). _fl._ pink. August. _l._ stalked, ovate,
oblong, acuminate, serrate. _h._ 3ft. Japan, 1850. Stove. (L. & P.
F. G. ii., p. 165.)
=C. lanata= (woolly). _fl._ purplish. June. Berries purple. _l._
sessile, ovate, acuminate, serrate, hairy beneath. _h._ 3ft. India,
1788. Stove. (S. F. d. J. 1861, p. 96.)
=C. purpurea= (purple). _fl._ insignificant, borne in cymose
clusters, upon axillary footstalks. Berries very numerous, bright
glossy deep violet coloured. _l._ opposite, ovate, acuminate; edges
serrated; profusely clothed, as well as the stem, with hairs. _h._
3ft. India, 1822. Stove. (Garden, June, 1833.)
=C. rubella= (reddish). _fl._ red. May. _l._ sessile, obovate,
acuminate, cordate at the base, hairy on both surfaces. _h._ 2ft.
China, 1822. Half-hardy. (B. R. 883.)
=CALLICHROA= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _chroa_, colour; referring to
the bright yellow colour of the flowers). ORD. _Compositæ_. This genus
is now usually included under _Layia_. Hardy annual, of easy culture in
common garden soil. Seeds may be sown in March, on a slight hotbed,
and transplanted to the open border early in May; or if sown out of
doors in April, it will flower in the autumn.
=C. platyglossa= (broad-tongued). _fl.-heads_ yellow, solitary,
pedunculate; ray florets large, cuneate. Autumn. _l._ alternate,
sessile, ciliated. _h._ 1ft. California, 1836. SYN. _Layia
platyglossa_. (B. M. 3719.)
=CALLICOMA= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _kome_, hair; in reference to
the tufted heads of flowers). ORD. _Saxifrageæ_. A greenhouse evergreen
shrub. Flowers capitate; heads terminating the tops of the branchlets,
pedunculate, globose. Leaves simple, coarsely serrated, stalked.
Stipules membranous, bidentate, caducous. It thrives well in a sandy
peat soil. Half ripened cuttings will root if placed in the same sort
of soil, under a hand glass.
=C. serratifolia= (saw-leaved). Black Wattle. _fl._ yellow. May to
August. _l._ lanceolate, acuminate, hoary beneath, attenuated at
the base. _h._ 4ft. New South Wales, 1793. (B. M. 1811.)
=CALLIGONUM= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _gonu_, a knee-joint; in
reference to its leafless joint). ORD. _Polygonaceæ_. SYNS. _Pallasia_,
_Pterococcus_. A genus containing about a score species of very
curious, erect, evergreen, hardy shrubs, found growing in dry, arid,
sandy spots in Northern Africa and Western Asia. They will thrive in
any well-drained sandy loam. Cuttings will root in spring or autumn if
placed under a hand glass.
=C. Pallasia= (Pallas's). _fl._ whitish, in groups. May. _fr._
winged; wings membranous, curled and toothed, succulent, acid,
edible. _l._ simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous, caducous,
minute. Shoots rush-like, smooth, green. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Caspian
Sea, 1780.
=CALLIOPSIS.= _See_ =Coreopsis=.
=CALLIPRORA= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _prora_, a front; referring
to the front view of the flower). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A very pretty
little bulbous plant, now often referred to _Brodiæa_. It thrives in a
well-drained spot on the lower flanks of rockwork, in dry, rich, sandy
soil. Propagated by offsets, which should remain on the parent bulbs
until they are a good size.
=C. lutea= (yellow).* Pretty Face. _fl._, segments purplish-brown
in the middle on the outside. Summer. _l._ linear-lanceolate,
acuminated, channelled, longer than the flower-stem; bracts
sheathing, scarious, much shorter than the pedicels. _h._ 9in.
North California, 1831. SYNS. _Brodiæa ixioides_, _Milla ixioides_.
(B. M. 3588.)
=CALLIPSYCHE= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _psyche_, a butterfly;
alluding to the handsome flowers). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. Ornamental
greenhouse bulbs; requiring shade, and a compost of rich sandy loam and
leaf mould, with good drainage. Propagated by seeds and offsets. They
should have plenty of water when growing, and, during the winter, be
kept moderately dry, but not dried off, so as to cause them to shrivel.
As the leaves wither, water should be gradually withheld.
=C. aurantiaca= (orange).* _fl._ deep golden-yellow, several in an
umbel, spreading, much flattened sideways; stamens green, twice the
length of the perianth; scape erect, nearly 2ft. high. _l._ few,
oblong-acute, bright green, conspicuously veined, stalked, 6in.
long. Andes of Ecuador, 1868. (Ref. B. 167.)
=C. eucrosiodes= (Eucrosia-like).* _fl._ scarlet and green; stamens
very long, incurved; scape about ten-flowered, glaucous. March.
_l._ few, green, tessellated, pitted, 4in. wide. _h._ 2ft. Mexico,
1843. (B. R. 1845, 45.)
=C. mirabilis= (wonderful)*, _fl._ greenish-yellow, small, with
stamens three times as long as the perianth, and spreading out on
all sides; disposed in an umbellate head of about thirty blooms;
scape 3ft. high. _l._ about two, oblong-spathulate, green, 1ft.
long. Peru, 1868. An extremely curious plant. (Ref. B. 168.)
=CALLIPTERIS= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _pteris_, a fern). ORD.
_Filices_. A genus of stove ferns, founded upon the sub-genus
_Diplazium_, which is now included under _Asplenium_.
=CALLIRHOE= (of mythological origin, from Callirhoe, a daughter of
the river-god Achelous). Poppy-Mallow. Allied to _Malva_. Species
belonging to this genus have been erroneously referred to _Malva_
and _Nuttallia_. ORD. _Malvaceæ_. A genus of elegant annual or
perennial herbs, natives of North America. They are of extremely
easy cultivation, thriving in a compost of light, rich, sandy loam.
Propagation of the perennial species may be effected by means of both
seeds and cuttings; of the annuals, by seeds only. Seeds should be sown
in spring, either outside, or in pans in a cold frame. Young cuttings
should be taken and dibbled in sandy soil in a frame.
=C. digitata= (fingered).* _fl._ reddish-purple; peduncles
long, axillary, one-flowered. Summer. _l._ sub-peltate, six to
seven-parted, with linear-entire or two-parted segments; upper ones
more simple. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. 1824. Perennial. (S. B. F. G. 129,
under the name of _Nuttallia digitata_.)
=C. involucrata= (involucrate).* _fl._ crimson, nearly 2in. across,
loosely panicled. Summer. _l._ divided nearly to the base, three to
five-parted; segments narrow, lanceolate, three to five-toothed,
hairy on both surfaces. Habit procumbent; stems hairy. _h._ 6in.
Perennial. (G. W. P. A. 26.) SYN. _Malva involucrata_ (B. M. 4681).
=C. Papaver= (Poppy-like).* _fl._ violet-red; sepals ovate-acute,
ciliated. Summer. _l._, root leaves lobed or pedate; lower stem
leaves palmato-pedate, upper digitate or simple. _h._ 3ft.
Louisiana, 1833. Perennial. SYN. _Nuttallia Papaver_. (B. M. 3287.)
=C. pedata= (pedate-leaved). _fl._ cherry-red, panicled. August.
_l._ laciniately-pedate; upper ones trifid. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. 1824.
Annual. (R. H. 1857, 148.)
=C. triangulata= (triangular-leaved). _fl._ pale purple. August.
1836. Perennial. SYN. _Nuttallia cordata_ (under which name it is
figured in B. R. 1938).
=CALLISTACHYS.= _See_ =Oxylobium=.
=CALLISTEMMA.= _See_ =Callistephus=.
=CALLISTEMON= (from _kallos_, beauty, and _stemon_, a stamen; in most
of the species, the stamens are of a beautiful scarlet colour). ORD.
_Myrtaceæ_. Handsome greenhouse evergreen shrubs or trees, having
the inflorescence rising from the old branches in crowded spikes,
as in the species of _Melaleuca_, but with the stamens free, as in
_Metrosideros_. Leaves elongated, stiff, alternate, usually lanceolate.
All the species of this genus are very ornamental and neat in habit.
They are well adapted for a conservatory. The soil best suited for them
is a mixture of loam, peat, and sand. Ripened cuttings strike root
in sand, under a hand glass; seeds are frequently produced on large
plants, and these may also be used to increase the stock, but they do
not produce flowering plants for a considerable time; whereas plants
raised from cuttings, taken from flowering plants, come into flower
when small.
=C. linearis= (linear-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet; calyces clothed
with velvety pubescence. June. _l._ linear, stiff, acute, keeled
beneath, channelled above, villous when young. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft.
New South Wales, 1788.
=C. lophanthus= (crest-flowered). Synonymous with _C. salignus_.
=C. salignus= (willow). _fl._ straw-coloured, distinct, spicate,
nearly terminal; petals rather pubescent, ciliated; calyx pilose.
June to August. _l._ lanceolate, attenuated at both ends,
mucronate, one-nerved, villous when young, as well as the branches.
_h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Australia, 1806. SYN. _C. lophanthus_. (L. B. C.
1302.)
=C. speciosus= (showy).* _fl._ scarlet; calyx villous. March
to July. _l._ lanceolate, mucronate, flat, middle nerve rather
prominent; when young, rather silky from adpressed villi,
and reddish. _h._ 5ft. to 10ft. West Australia, 1823. SYN.
_Metrosideros speciosa_. See Fig. 327. (B. M. 1761.)
[Illustration: FIG. 327. CALLISTEMON SPECIOSUS.]
=CALLISTEPHUS= (from _kallistos_, most beautiful, and _stephos_, a
crown; in allusion to the appendages on the ripe fruit). China Aster.
SYN. _Callistemma_. ORD. _Compositæ_. A hardy annual, requiring an open
situation and a rich loamy soil. Involucre of many fringed bracts;
receptacle naked, pitted; pappus double. Propagated by seed, sown in a
hotbed in March, the seedlings being hardened off and transplanted in
May. For culture of these much grown plants and their varieties, _see_
=Aster=.
[Illustration: Chrysanthemum-flowered Aster.
Truffaut's Pæony-flowered Aster.
Victoria Aster.
FIG. 328. FLOWER-HEADS OF CALLISTEPHUS CHINENSIS VARS.]
=C. chinensis= (Chinese).* _fl-heads_ dark purple. July. _l._
ovate, coarsely toothed, stalked; stem ones sessile, cuneate at the
base. Stem hispid. Branches with single heads. _h._ 2ft. China,
1731. See Fig. 328.
=CALLITRIS= (probably altered from _kallistos_, most beautiful;
referring to the whole plant). ORD. _Coniferæ_. SYN. _Frenela_.
Half-hardy evergreen shrubs or small trees, with long, very
slender-jointed branches, and often very minute, scale-like, persistent
leaves. Flowers monÅcious. Fruit globular, composed of four to
six--rarely eightÂ-unequal, woody, valvate scales, with one or two
seeds at the base of each. All the species are somewhat tender, in
England, except in the more southern districts. They require a sandy
loam compost. Propagated by cuttings, inserted under a handlight in
autumn, and protected by a cold pit; or by seeds.
=C. quadrivalvis= (four valved). Arar-tree; Sandarach Gum-tree.
_fl._, female catkin tetragonal, with four oval valves, each
furnished with a point, and two of which bear seeds. February to
May. _l._ flattened, articulate. _h._ 15ft. to 20ft. Barbary, 1815.
=CALLIXENE.= _See_ =Luzuriaga=.
[Illustration: FIG. 329. FLOWERS AND LEAVES OF CALOCHORTUS VENUSTUS.]
=CALLOSE.= Callous, hardened.
=CALLOUSLY-GLANDULAR.= Having hardened glands.
=CALLOUSLY-SERRATED.= Having hardened serratures.
=CALLUNA= (from _kalluno_, to sweep, from the use of the plant in
brooms). Common Ling; Heather. ORD. _Ericaceæ_. A small hardy spreading
shrub, very common throughout Northern and Central Europe. Corolla
campanulate, four-lobed, shorter than the calyx. For culture, _see_
=Erica=.
=C. vulgaris= (common).* _fl._ disposed in long, terminal, spicate
racemes. July to September. _l._ trigonal, obtuse, very short,
imbricating in four rows, having the margins revolute and the
base sagittate. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Britain. There are numerous
very ornamental varieties of this species, which are admirably
adapted for planting in borders and clumps. The white-flowered
(_alba_, _Serlii_, and _Hammondi_), flesh-coloured (_carnea_), and
double-flowered varieties (_fl.-pl._) are all well worth growing in
shrubberies; _aurea_ and _argentea_, with gold and silver coloured
shoots, are also very ornamental. The value of the common form can
scarcely be over-estimated for planting on barren hill sides or
spaces; it affords excellent shelter for game, and food for bees.
=CALLUS.= The new formation at the end of a cutting before it puts
forth roots; when the Callus is formed, it shows that the cutting is in
a healthy state.
=CALOCHILUS= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _cheilos_, a lip; referring
to the beauty of the labellum or lip). ORD. _Orchideæ_. Interesting
greenhouse terrestrial tuberous-rooted orchids, allied to _Epipactis_.
Sepals yellowish-green; lip purple, covered with rich brown hairs. For
culture, _see_ =Bletia=.
=C. campestris= (field). _fl._ greenish and brown. April to June.
_l._ narrow, oblong, pointed. Stem leafy, slender, terete. _h._
9in. Australia, 1824. (B. M. 3187.)
=C. paludosus= (marsh).* _fl._ very similar in colour to those
of _C. campestris_, but rather larger. May and June. _l._ rather
broader. _h._ 9in. Australia, 1823. (F. A. O., part 4.)
=CALOCHORTUS= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _chortos_, grass; referring
to the leaves). Mariposa Lily. ORD. _Liliaceæ_. Handsome bulbous
plants. Flowers showy, on erect scapes; perianth deciduous; three
outer segments sepaloid, three inner ones much larger and broader, and
bearded on the inside. Leaves ensiform. Bulbs tunicated. These have
not, hitherto, been generally grown in the open air with much success;
but in warm localities and sheltered positions, they may be flowered
outside. A frame, in a sunny situation, is the best possible place for
their cultivation. Here they may be fully exposed to the sun and air,
during mild weather, through the winter; and, when expedient, they may
be protected from excessive moisture, as that is the primary cause of
failure, rather than cold, for they are perfectly hardy, and capable
of enduring all the frost we are likely to get. From May onwards, the
lights might be wholly removed. From the end of June to August, the
bulbs will be in bloom, when, if necessary, the flowers should be
fertilised to secure seed; and when the capsules are forming, material
assistance would be given by placing the lights on again, allowing
plenty of air. Assuming that fresh bulbs are being planted, they should
be in the soil early in the autumn, as nothing is more prejudicial
than keeping them dry through the winter. A good depth of soil should
be provided, composed of fibrous loam, leaf soil, and sand, in equal
proportions, in a well-drained position. The bulbs must be planted 3in.
deep, and some sand placed about them; they may be left undisturbed for
years. Of course, where no frame can be provided, they may be planted
in a well-drained, sunny position in the same soil. They are also
easily managed in pots, but it is necessary to pot in the autumn, and
keep in a frame. Through the winter, they must never be allowed to get
dry, until the leaves are withering in the autumn, when water may be
withheld.
_Propagation._ This may be effected by seeds or offsets, and by the
tiny bulbs frequently produced on the upper portion of the stem. Sow
seeds in pans, in a cool house or frame, as soon as ripe, or in the
early part of the year, and keep the plants close to the glass during
their early stages, as they are very liable to damp off. Sow thinly,
so as to enable the young plants to pass a second season in the seed
pots or pans. Early in the third season, pot off and plant out singly,
encouraging them to grow freely. Propagation by offsets is the most
usual method. With liberal treatment, most of the species increase
pretty freely. The offsets are best removed when the plants are in a
dormant state. They may be either grown in pots or pans, or planted out
in pits or frames, until they reach flowering size. During the season
of rest, it is the safest plan, with those in pots, to keep them in the
earth in which they were grown.
=C. albus= (white).* _fl._ snow-white, with a rich blotch, bearded
and ciliated, large, globose, pendent; umbels many-flowered, on
stems from 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. high. California, 1832. This handsome
species is rare. SYN. _Cyclobothra alba_. (B. R. 1661.)
=C. Benthami= (Bentham's).* _fl._ rich yellow; petals obtuse,
densely covered with yellow hairs; stem three to six-flowered.
July, August. _l._ linear, much elongated. _h._ 4in. to 8in. Sierra
Nevada. SYN. _C. elègans lutea_.
=C. cÅruleus= (bluish).* _fl._ lilac, more or less lined and dotted
with dark blue, the petals covered and fringed with slender hairs;
stem two to five-flowered. July. _l._ solitary, linear. _h._ 3in.
to 6in. Sierra Nevada.
=C. elegans= (elegant).* _fl._ greenish-white, purplish at base;
stems three-flowered; petals not ciliate on the margin, or
sparingly so. June. _h._ 8in. California, 1826. This is a rare
species.
=C. e. lutea= (yellow). A synonym of _C. Benthami_.
=C. Gunnisoni= (Gunnison's).* _fl._ light lilac, yellowish-green
below the middle, with a purple band encircling the base of the
perianth; large, 2in. to 3in. in diameter. Rocky Mountains.
=C. Leichtlinii= (Leichtlin's). A synonym of _C. Nuttallii_.
=C. lilacinus= (lilac).* _fl._ pale pink, hairy below the middle,
1-1/2in. across, with three segments narrow and three broad; scape
slender, leafy, bearing one to five flowers. _l._ solitary, narrow
lanceolate, radical. _h._ 6in. to 8in. California, 1868. SYN. _C.
umbellatus_. (B. M. 5804, under the name of _C. uniflorus_.)
=C. luteus= (yellow).* _fl._ terminal, two or three together;
exterior segments of the perianth greenish; the inner yellow,
bordered with purple hairs. September. _h._ 1ft. California, 1831.
(B. R. 1567.)
=C. l. oculatus= (eyed). _fl._ very charming bright yellow, with a
bold eye on the inside of each petal.
=C. macrocarpus= (large-capsuled). _fl._ very large,
lavender-coloured, on stems 1ft. high. August. California, 1826.
(B. R. 1152.)
=C. Maweanus= (Mawe's). _fl._, sepals purplish, broadly obovate
acute; petals white or bluish-purple, longer than the sepals, the
surfaces more or less covered with long purplish hairs. June, July.
_l._ glaucous, linear. Stem three to six-flowered. _h._ 6in. to
10in. San Francisco, &c. (B. M. 5976, figured under the name of _C.
elegans_.)
=C. Nuttallii= (Nuttall's).* _fl._ large, 2-1/2in. across; the
three smaller segments of the perianth of a greenish colour
streaked with red; the three larger segments pure white, with a
purple spot at the base on the inner surface; two or three flowers
on a stalk. June. _l._ linear, glaucous. _h._ 6in. California,
1869. SYN. _C. Leichtlinii_. (B. M. 5862.)
=C. pulchellus= (beautiful).* _fl._ bright yellow, globular,
drooping; umbels three to five-flowered, on stems from 10in. to
12in. high. Summer. California, 1832. A lovely species. (B. R.
1662.) SYN. _Cyclobothra pulchella_.
=C. purpureus= (purple).* _fl._, outer segments of the perianth
green and purple outside and yellow within; inner segments purple
outside and yellow within. August. _h._ 3ft. Mexico, 1827. (S. B.
F. G. ser. ii., 20.)
=C. splendens= (splendid).* _fl._ clear lilac, large. August. _h._
1-1/2ft. California, 1832. (B. R. 1676.)
=C. umbellatus= (umbelled). A synonym of _C. lilacinus_.
=C. venustus= (charming).* _fl._ large, white, nearly 3in. in
diameter, yellow at the base, deeply stained with crimson, and
blotched on each segment with crimson. _h._ 1-1/2ft. California,
1836. See Fig. 329. (B. R. 1669.) There are three varieties of
this species, viz., _brachysepalus_ (short-sepaled), _lilacinus_
(lilac), and _purpureus_ (purple-flowered).
=CALODENDRON= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _dendron_, a tree). ORD.
_Rutaceæ_. A very handsome greenhouse evergreen tree. Flowers in
terminal panicles. Leaves large, opposite, simple, crenated. It will
grow freely in a mixture of loam and peat. Cuttings of half-ripened
wood root in sand if placed under a bell glass, in gentle bottom heat.
=C. capensis= (Cape). _fl._ flesh-coloured; pedicels compressed,
dilated under the flower; panicle trichotomously divided. Branches
opposite, or three in a whorl. _h._ 40ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1789.
This is supposed to be one of the finest trees at the Cape of Good
Hope. (G. C., 1883, xix., 217.) See Fig 330, for which we are
indebted to Mr. Bull.
=CALODRACON.= _See_ =Cordyline=.
=CALONYCTION.= _See_ =IpomÅa=.
=CALOPHACA= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _phake_, a lentil; in
allusion to the beauty of the plant, and to its being one of the
leguminous kind). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A hardy deciduous shrub, with
axillary pedunculate racemes of yellow flowers, and impari-pinnate
leaves. This is well adapted for the front of shrubberies. It is
somewhat difficult to propagate, except by seeds, which, however, in
fine seasons, are produced in abundance. Grafted high on the common
Laburnum, it forms an object at once singular, picturesque, and
beautiful, whether covered with blossoms, or with its fine reddish pods.
=C. wolgarica= (Volga).* _fl._ yellow. May, June. _l._, leaflets
six or seven pairs, orbicular, velvety beneath, as well as the
calyces. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia, 1786. (W. D. B. 83.)
=CALOPHANES= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _phaino_, to appear;
alluding to the flowers). ORD. _Acanthaceæ_. A genus of about thirty
species, widely distributed, principally in the tropical regions of
both hemispheres. The best garden plant is that mentioned below; it is
an interesting hardy herbaceous perennial, excellent for growing in
borders, in loam and peat, or sandy loam soil; and may be propagated by
dividing the roots, in March.
=C. oblongifolia= (oblong-leaved).* _fl._ blue; corolla
funnel-shaped, throat ventricose, limb bilobed, nearly equal; tube
of corolla one-half longer than the calyx; pedicels axillary.
August. _l._ opposite, oblong-spathulate, entire, acuminated. _h._
1ft. Florida, &c., 1832. (S. B. F. G., ser. ii., 181.)
=CALOPHYLLUM= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _phyllon_, a leaf; the
leaves are large, of a beautiful green, and elegantly veined).
ORD. _Guttiferæ_. Fine stove evergreen trees. Flowers disposed in
axillary racemes. Leaves furnished with numerous transverse, parallel
nerves. They thrive in a compost of loam, sand, and peat. Cuttings of
half-ripened shoots will root in sand, if placed under a glass, in
bottom heat.
=C. Calaba.= Calaba-tree. _fl._ white, sweet-scented, loosely
racemose; racemes lateral, very short. _fr._ green. _l._ obovate or
oblong, obtuse or emarginate. _h._ 30ft. West Indies, &c., 1780.
=C. inophyllum= (fibrous-leaved). _fl._ snow-white, sweet-scented,
loosely racemose; racemes axillary; peduncles one-flowered, usually
opposite. _fr._ reddish, the size of a walnut. _l._ oblong or
obovate, obtuse, but usually emarginate. Branches round. Tropics of
the Old World, 1793. A medium-sized tree.
[Illustration: FIG. 330. CALODENDRON CAPENSIS.]
=CALOPOGON= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _pogon_, a beard; in
reference to the fringe on the lip). ORD. _Orchideæ_. Very pretty,
hardy, tuberous-rooted orchids, admirably suited for a good shady
position at the foot of the rockwork, or for an open situation in a
hardy fernery. Propagated by offsets, taken from the tuberous roots;
but this method of increase is very uncertain. Perhaps the only species
in cultivation is the following:
=C. pulchellus= (beautiful).* _fl._ purple, with a very pretty pale
yellow beard or tuft of hairs growing from the lip; two or three to
a plant. Late summer. _l._ few, radical, grass-like. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
North America. 1791. SYN. _Limodorum tuberosum_. (S. B. F. G. 115.)
=CALOSANTHES INDICA.= A synonym of _Oroxylum indicum_.
=CALOSCORDUM= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _skorodon_, garlic). ORD.
_Liliaceæ_. A genus of half-hardy bulbs, allied to _Allium_, but now
referred to _Nothoscordum_. For culture, _see_ =Calochortus=.
=C. nerinæflorum= (Nerine-flowered).* _fl._ rose; umbels about
twelve-flowered; spathe one-valved. June and July. _l._ narrow,
semi-terete, channelled above. _h._ 6in. Chusan, 1843. (B. R. 1847,
5.)
=CALOSTEMMA= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _stemma_, a crown). ORD.
_Amaryllidaceæ_. Handsome greenhouse bulbous plants, natives of New
Holland. Flowers funnel-shaped, irregular; perianth with the orifice
surmounted by a corona; stamens erect, united by their dilated bases;
ovary three-celled, many-seeded. Leaves linear-lorate.
=C. album= (white). _fl._ white. May. _l._ ovate, acute, 3in. to
5in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad. _h._ 1ft. 1824.
=C. luteum= (yellow). _fl._ yellow. November. _l._ strap-shaped,
narrow. _h._ 1ft. 1819. (B. M. 2101.)
=C. purpureum= (purple). _fl._ purple. November. _l._ like those of
_C. luteum_. _h._ 1ft. 1819. (B. M. 2100.)
=CALOTHAMNUS= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _thamnos_, a shrub; in
reference to the elegance of the shrubs, from their scarlet flowers and
terete leaves). ORD. _Myrtaceæ_. Greenhouse evergreen shrubs. Flowers
scarlet, axillary and solitary, sessile. Leaves scattered, crowded,
terete. They require much the same culture as _Callistemon_. Cuttings
of young wood, firm at the base, will root in sand, if covered by a
hand glass, which requires to be occasionally taken off and wiped, to
prevent damp.
=C. quadrifidus= (four-cleft). _fl._ scarlet, somewhat secund;
bundles of stamens four, distinct, equal. July. _l._ glabrous (as
well as the flowers). _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. West Australia, 1803. (B.
M. 1506.)
=C. villosa= (villous). _fl._ scarlet, quinquefid; bundles of
stamens equal, distinct. July to September. _l._ villous (as well
as the fruit). _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. West Australia, 1823. (B. R. 1099.)
=CALOTIS= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _ous_, _otos_, an ear; in
reference to the chaffy scales of the pappus, or seed-head). Allied
to _Bellium_. ORD. _Compositæ_. Greenhouse or half-hardy herbaceous
perennials, rarely annuals, all natives of Australia. Receptacle naked;
involucre nearly equal, many-leaved, in a single or double row. They
may be grown successfully in any ordinary garden soil. Propagated by
divisions of the root.
=C. cuneifolia= (wedge-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ blue, solitary,
terminal. July and August. _l._ cuneate, cut, toothed at end. _h._
1ft. 1819. Greenhouse herbaceous perennial. (B. R. 504.)
=CALOTROPIS= (from _kalos_, beautiful, and _tropis_, a keel; literally
"beautifully twisted," apparently in reference to the corolla of _C.
gigantea_). ORD. _Asclepiadeæ_. A genus of stove evergreen shrubs,
or small trees. The three species bear large handsome flowers, in
interpetiolar umbels. They thrive best in a mixture of loam, sand, and
peat. Young cuttings, thinly dibbled in a pot of sand, strike root
freely under a hand glass, in heat. Care must be taken that they do not
receive an excess of moisture, or they will rot.
=C. gigantea= (gigantic).* _fl._ very handsome, a mixture of
rose and purple; corona shorter than the gynostegium, obtuse,
circinately recurved at the base; umbels sometimes, though rarely,
compound, surrounded by several involucral scales. July. _l._
decussate, broad, wedge-shaped, bearded on the upper side at the
base, woolly-downy on the under side, 4in. to 6in. long, 2in. to
3in. broad. _h._ 6ft. to 15ft. India, &c., 1690. (B. R. i. 58.)
=C. procera= (tall). _fl._ white; petals spreading, marked at the
top by a purple spot. July. _l._ obovate-oblong, on short petioles,
whitish from wool. _h._ 6ft. Persia, 1714. (B. R. 1792.)
=CALPICARPUM.= _See_ =Kopsia=.
=CALPIDIA.= A synonym of =Pisonia= (which _see_).
=CALTHA= (a syncope of _kalathos_, a goblet; in allusion to the form of
the perianth, which may be likened to a golden cup). Marsh Marigold.
ORD. _Ranunculaceæ_. Hardy herbaceous perennials, of easy culture on
the margin of a piece of water, or in a marshy bog, or in the ordinary
border, where their showy blossoms look very brilliant. Propagation is
readily effected by dividing the roots, in early spring, or in summer
after flowering.
=C. leptosepala= (slender-sepaled).* _fl._ pure white, one to
two upon erect, scape-like peduncles. May, June. _l._ radical,
cordate, the margins nearly entire, or sometimes crenate. _h._ 1ft.
Northwestern America, 1827. (H. F. B. A. 1, 10.)
[Illustration: FIG. 331. CALTHA PALUSTRIS MONSTROSA PLENA.]
=C. palustris= (marsh).* _fl._ golden-coloured, large;
peduncles furrowed. Spring. _l._ cordate, somewhat orbicular,
roundly-crenate, with rounded auricles. Stems dichotomous, erect.
_h._ 1ft. Great Britain. (Sy. En. B. 40.) The double forms of
this species, under the names of _nana plena_ and _monstrosa
plena_ (see Fig. 331) are excellent plants, and, though growing
best in the immediate vicinity of water, and most appropriate
for rough scenery, they, like the type, do very well in ordinary
well-enriched soil. A variety named _purpurascens_, from Southern
Europe, is also showy, more erect, and branching; the shoots and
pedicels purplish.
=C. p. biflora= (two-flowered). A twin-flowered variety of _C.
palustris_. North America, 1827. This is not quite so tall as the
type, and the flowers are rather larger.
=C. p. parnassifolia= (Parnassia-leaved). _fl._ yellow, on
few-flowered peduncles. April, May. _l._ cordate-ovate, crenated.
_h._ 3in. to 4in. North America, 1815.
=C. radicans= (rooting).* _fl._ bright yellow, several in small
cyme. April, May. _l._ reniform-cordate, sharply crenate-serrate,
spreading. _h._ 6in. Scotland. (Sy. En. B. 41.)
=CALTROPS.= _See_ =Tribulus=.
=CALTROPS, WATER.= _See_ =Trapa natans=.
=CALUMBA, FALSE.= _See_ =Coscinium fenestratum=.
=CALUMBA ROOT.= _See_ =Jateorrhiza Calumba=.
=CALUMBA WOOD.= _See_ _Coscinium fenestratum_.
=CALYCANTHACEÃ.= A natural order of shrubs, with square stems, having
four woody axes surrounding the central one. Flowers solitary, lurid;
calyx of numerous coloured sepals compounded with the petals. Leaves
opposite, entire, exstipulate. The two genera known are _Calycanthus_
and _Chimonanthus_.
=CALYCANTHUS= (from _kalyx_, _kalykos_, a calyx, and _anthos_, a
flower; in reference to the calyx being coloured, and appearing
like a corolla). Allspice. ORD. _Calycanthaceæ_. A genus of hardy,
deciduous, North American shrubs. Flowers lurid purple, axillary, and
terminal, stalked, sweet-scented; stamens numerous. Leaves opposite,
oval or ovate-lanceolate, entire, generally rough on the surface;
sweet-scented. All are handsome and well worth growing. They thrive
best in a peaty compost, but grow freely in almost any soil. Increased
by layers, put down in the summer; or by seed, sown as soon as ripe, or
in spring, in a cold frame.
=C. floridus= (Floridan).* Carolina Allspice. _fl._ with a sweet
apple scent. May. _l._ ovate, downy beneath, as well as the
branchlets. Branches spreading. Wood and roots smelling strongly
of camphor. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Carolina, 1726. See Fig. 332. (B. M.
503.) There are several varieties of this species.
[Illustration: FIG. 332. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CALYCANTHUS FLORIDUS.]
=C. glaucus= (glaucous).* _fl._ lurid purple, not strongly scented.
May. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, glaucous and pubescent
beneath. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft. Carolina, 1726. SYN. _C. fertilis_. (B.
R. 404.) _C. oblongifolius_ is a variety with ovate-lanceolate
elongated leaves.
[Illustration: FIG. 333. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CALYCANTHUS LÃVIGATUS.]
=C. lævigatus= (smooth-leaved).* _fl._ lurid purple. May. _l._
oblong, thin, either blunt or taper-pointed, bright green,
and glabrous, or nearly so, on both sides, or rather pale
beneath. Branches strictly erect. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. Mountains of
Pennsylvania, &c., 1806. See Fig. 333. (B. R. 481.)
=C. macrophyllus= (large-leaved). A garden synonym of _C.
occidentalis_.
=C. occidentalis= (Western).* _fl._ brick-red, sweet-scented, 3in.
to 4in. across, each petal about 2in. long and 1/2in. broad. June
to October. _l._ oblong or ovate-cordate, acuminate, slightly
pubescent on the veins only beneath. _h._ 6ft. to 12ft. California,
1831. In California, this is called the Sweet-scented Shrub. SYN.
_C. macrophyllus_, of gardens. (B. M. 4808.)
=CALYCIFLORÃ.= A sub-division of dicotyledonous plants, having the
stamens inserted on the calyx or disk.
=CALYCIFORM.= Formed like a calyx.
=CALYCINE.= Of, or belonging to, the calyx.
=CALYCOPHYLLUM= (from _kalyx_, a calyx, and _phyllon_, a leaf; in
allusion to one of the teeth of the calyx being expanded into a large
petiolate coloured leaf). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. Stove evergreen shrubs,
requiring a compost of loam, peat, and a little sand and charcoal.
Cuttings of half ripe shoots will root in sand if placed under a bell
glass, in bottom heat.
=C. candidissimum= (whitest).* _fl._, corolla white, campanulate,
with a bearded throat, three together, the middle one bearing a
petiolate leaf, but the two lateral ones naked; corymbs terminal.
_l._ ovate, bluntly acuminated, 2in. to 3in. long. _h._ 30ft. Cuba,
1830.
=CALYCOTOME= (from _kalyx_, _kalykos_, calyx, and _tome_, a section;
lips of calyx fall off). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A small genus of hardy,
divaricately-branched, spiny shrubs, formerly included as a section of
_Cytisus_. Flowers yellow, disposed in short branched leafy fasicles.
For culture, _see_ =Cytisus=.
=C. spinosa= (spiny). _fl._ yellow. June and July. _l._, leaflets
obovate-oblong. Branches angular, spiny. _h._ 5ft. to 6ft. Genoa,
Corsica, &c., 1846. (B. R. 55.)
=CALYCULATE.= Having bracts so placed as to resemble an external or
additional calyx.
=CALYMMODON.= _See_ =Polypodium=.
=CALYPSO= (from the beautiful nymph, _Calypso_, or from Greek
_kalypto_, to conceal; in reference to its place of growth). ORD.
_Orchideæ_. An elegant terrestrial monotypic genus. It thrives well in
half-shady spots on the margins of a rock garden or artificial bog, in
a light, moist, vegetable soil, composed of peat, leaf soil, and sand,
mulched with cocoa-nut fibre refuse in winter. Propagated by offsets.
=C. borealis= (Northern).* _fl._ solitary, delicate rose and brown,
with a yellow crest on the lip; labellum longer than the sepals,
the lateral lobes cohering in their upper part over the saccate
central one, which is usually bifid at the tip, resembling those of
a Cypripedium. Summer. _l._ solitary, thin, many-nerved, ovate or
cordate. Stems usually thickening into pseudo-bulbs. _h._ 1ft. High
latitudes of Northern hemisphere, 1820. (B. M. 2763.)
=CALYPTRA.= Literally an extinguisher; applied to the hood which covers
the theca in mosses.
=CALYPTRANTHES= (from _kalyptra_, a covering, and _anthos_, a flower;
in allusion to the operculum of the flower). ORD. _Myrtaceæ_.
Strong-growing stove evergreen shrubs or small trees. Peduncles
axillary, many-flowered. Leaves feather-veined. They are of easy
culture, in a compost of loam and peat, and may be propagated by
layers, or by cuttings, placed in heat.
=C. Chytraculia= (Chytraculia). _fl._ white, small, glomerate;
peduncles axillary and terminal, trichotomous, panicled, and are,
as well as the flowers, clothed with rufous velvety down. March.
_l._ ovate, attenuated at the apex, stiffish, glabrous. _h._ 10ft.
Jamaica, 1778. (N. S. 1, 26.)
=C. Syzygium= (Syzygium). _fl._ white, on short pedicels; peduncles
axillary, trichotomous, many-flowered. May to July. _l._ ovate,
obtuse, stiff. _h._ 10ft. to 12ft. Jamaica, 1779.
=CALYPTRARIA.= _See_ =Centronia=.
=CALYPTRATE.= Resembling an extinguisher.
=CALYPTRIFORM.= Shaped like an extinguisher.
=CALYPTRION.= _See_ =Corynostylis=.
=CALYPTROCALYX= (from _kalyptra_, an extinguisher, and _kalyx_, a
calyx, in allusion to the form of the outer perianth segments).
ORD. _Palmeæ_. A monotypic genus of stove palms. For culture, _see_
=Calamus=.
=C. spicatus= (spiked). _fl._, spadices elongated, spicate, leafy
at base; spathe opening longitudinally. _l._ terminal, pinnatisect;
segments reduplicate, linear, acuminate, bifid at the apex; petiole
fibrous at the base. Caudex finally smooth. _h._ 12ft. Moluccas.
SYNS. _Areca_ and _Pinanga globosa_.
=CALYPTROGYNE= (from _kalyptra_, an extinguisher, and _gyne_, a
woman--pistil--in allusion to the form of the pistil). Including
_Calyptronoma_. ORD. _Palmeæ_. A small genus comprising five species of
handsome stove palms, allied to _Geonoma_ (which _see_ for cultivation).
=C. Ghiesbreghtiana= (Ghiesbreght's). _fl._, peduncles erect,
overtopping the leaves, bearing a single cylindrical, undivided
spadix, 9in. to 12in. in length. _l._ pinnate, 2ft. to 5ft.
long; pinnæ opposite or alternate, sessile, of unequal breadth,
the narrower ones one to two-nerved, the broader ones six to
ten-nerved, usually from six to twelve on each side of the rachis;
the intervals between the pinnæ vary from 1in. to 2in.; petiole
broadly sheathing at the base, from a few inches to 1-1/2ft.
long. Stem short or absent. Mexico. A very elegant dwarf-growing
species. SYNS. _Geonoma Ghiesbreghtiana_, _G. magnifica_ and _G.
Verschaffeltii_. (B. M. 5782.)
=C. spicigera= (ear-bearing). _l._ irregularly pinnate, 2ft. to
3ft. long, 1ft. broad, deeply bifid at apex, rich bright green;
petioles short, sheathing at the base, flat on the upper side,
rounded below. Stems stout. _h._ 5ft. Guatemala. A very elegant
species.
=C. Swartzii= (Swartz's). _l._ equally pinnatisect; pinnæ deeply
reduplicate at the base, bifid at the top. Trunk smooth. _h._ 50ft.
to 60ft. Jamaica, 1878. A handsome plant when young, and useful for
general decorative purposes. SYN. _Calyptronoma Swartzii_.
=CALYPTRONOMA SWARTZII.= _See_ =Calyptrogyne Swartzii=.
=CALYSTEGIA= (from _kalyx_, a calyx, and _stege_, a covering; in
reference to the two large persistent bracts enclosing the calyx).
Bearbind. ORD. _Convolvulaceæ_. Hardy, glabrous, twining or prostrate
herbs. Peduncles solitary, one-flowered; corolla campanulate,
five-plicate. All the species are of easy cultivation in common garden
soil. Propagation may be effected by dividing the plants; or by seeds,
sown in spring.
=C. dahurica= (Dahurian).* _fl._, corolla of a rosy-purple;
sepals lanceolate, acute, the two outer ones broadest; peduncles
tetragonal, tomentose; bracts broad-ovate, acute, longer than the
calyx. July. _l._ glabrous or hairy, oblong-cordate, having the
margins and nerves on the under side tomentose. Dahuria, 1826. (B.
M. 2609.)
=C. inflata= (inflated). Synonymous with _C. sepium incarnata_.
[Illustration: FIG. 334. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CALYSTEGIA PUBESCENS
FLORE-PLENO.]
=C. pubescens flore-pleno= (downy, double-flowered).* _fl._ 2in. to
3in. across; petals long, narrow, wavy, and reflexed, flesh-colour,
but ultimately bright rose; pedicels 2-1/2in. to 3-1/2in. long.
Summer and autumn. _l._ alternate, hastate, downy. China, 1844. See
Fig. 334.
=C. sepium= (hedge). Common Bindweed. _fl._ white, sometimes tinged
with red; peduncles tetragonal, exceeding the petioles; bracts
cordate, keeled, acute, longer than the calyx, but one-half shorter
than the corolla. Summer. _l._ sagittate or cordate, very acute;
hind lobes obtuse, or truncate, entire. Britain. A very troublesome
weed. (Sy. En. B. 924.) There is a variety named _incarnata_, with
rose-coloured flowers. North America. SYN. _C. inflata_. (B. M.
732.)
=C. Soldanella= (Soldanella-like).* Sea Bells. _fl._ pale red, with
five longitudinal, yellowish plaits, large; peduncles angular,
angles winged; bracts large, ovate, blunt, mucronate, generally
shorter than the calyx. June. _l._ rather fleshy, reniform, entire
or a little angular. Sea-shores, Britain. This pretty species can
only be grown with success in a very sandy soil. (Sy. En. B. 925.)
=CALYTHRIX= (from _kalyx_, a calyx, and _thrix_, a hair; in reference
to the lobes of the calyx, which each end in a long hair). ORD.
_Myrtaceæ_. A genus of very pretty and interesting greenhouse
Heath-like shrubs, natives of Australia. Flowers small; bracteoles
two under each flower; they are either free or joined together at the
base, sometimes in the form of an operculum. Leaves scattered, crowded,
opposite, full of dots, axillary, solitary, almost sessile. They grow
well in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand, with good drainage and firm
potting. Cuttings, made from young shoots, will root in April or May,
if placed in sand, under a bell glass, in a cool house.
=C. ericoides= (Heath-like). A synonym of _C. tetragona_.
=C. glabra= (glabrous). A synonym of _C. tetragona_.
=C. tetragona= (tetragonal).* _fl._ white; bracts one-half shorter
than the tube of the calyx. _l._ scattered, petiolate, glabrous;
stipules deciduous. _h._ 2ft. 1825. SYNS. _C. ericoides_, _C.
glabra_. (B. R. 409.)
_C. angulata_, _aurea_, and _breviseta_ are other species which
have been introduced, but are not worth house room when that
described above is grown.
=CALYX.= The external whorl of floral leaves.
=CAMARIDIUM= (from _kamara_, an arched roof; in reference to the arched
tip of the stigma). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A pretty stove orchid, allied to
_Cymbidium_. It thrives best if grown in a shallow basket, or raised
above the surface of the pots with sphagnum and broken pots.
=C. ochroleucum= (yellowish-white).* _fl._ yellowish-white. July.
_l._ ligulate. Pseudo-bulbs oblong, compressed, smooth. _h._ 1ft.
Trinidad, 1823. SYN. _Cymbidium ochroleucum_. (B. M. 4141.)
=CAMAROTIS.= _See_ =Sarcochilus=.
[Illustration: FIG. 335. CAMASSIA ESCULENTA.]
=CAMASSIA= (from _Quamash_, so called by the North American Indians,
who eat the bulbs). SYN. _Sitocodium_. ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A small genus
(two species) of handsome bulbous plants. Perianth of six segments,
slightly connected at base, and spreading out horizontally, but not
equally. Leaves narrow, about 1ft. long, grooved down the inside.
They thrive best in a sheltered, partially-shaded situation, but will
do fairly well in almost any ordinary good garden soil. A compost of
loam and leaf mould, with a liberal mixture of sharp sand, suits them
best. They need not be disturbed for several years; but a top-dressing
of rich soil or well-rotted manure may be given yearly. Propagated by
offsets and seeds. The plants are so hardy that they ripen seeds in
warm situations. These may be sown as soon as ripe, or the following
spring, either in a warm situation out of doors, or in pots or boxes,
under glass. The young plants make rapid progress, and should remain
for at least two years in the seed beds. The best time for final
transplanting is in February. Offsets are produced very freely,
and should be removed either when in a dormant condition, or just
previously to starting into fresh growth, and arranged in clumps or
lines, placing a little sand about them.
=C. esculenta= (edible).* Camash or Quamash. _fl._ blue, about
2in. across; racemes loose, ten to twenty-flowered, borne on
stout scapes; perianth six-cleft, the five upper segments close
together, the sixth standing by itself. Summer. _l._ linear, about
1ft. high. Columbia, &c., 1837. The colour of the flowers varies
from a deep blue to nearly white. See Fig. 335. (B. R. 1486.) The
white-flowered form is figured in B. M. 2774, under the name of
_Scilla esculenta flore albo_.
=C. e. Leichtlini= (Leichtlin's).* _fl._ creamy-white, larger than
those of the type, with more numerous nerves in the keel of the
segments of the perianth; racemes longer, and sometimes compound.
Spring. _h._ 2ft. Columbia, 1853. This also differs from the type
in its more robust habit and broader leaves. SYN. _Chlorogalum
Leichtlini_. (B. M. 6287.)
=C. Fraseri= (Fraser's).* _fl._ pale blue, smaller than those of
_C. esculenta_; pedicels and scape much more slender. _l._ narrow,
acute; capsule more acutely angled. _h._ 1ft. Eastern States of
North America. A smaller and more slender plant. (B. M. 1574, as
_Scilla esculenta_.)
=CAMBESSEDESIA= (named after James Cambessedes, coadjutor of Auguste
St. Hilaire, in his "Flora Brasiliæ Meridionalis," and author of
several botanical memoirs). ORD. _Melastomaceæ_. A genus of elegant,
erect, or ascending, dichotomously branched stove shrubs or herbaceous
plants. Flowers terminal and axillary, in paniculate cymes; petals
five, obovate; calyx bell-shaped. Leaves sessile, opposite or
verticillate, obovate, oblong or linear. They thrive best in a compost
of peat and sand. Propagated by half-ripened cuttings, which root
freely in a similar mixture, if placed in heat and under a hand glass.
There are about eight species known to science, but probably that
mentioned below is the only one in cultivation.
=C. paraguayensis= (Paraguay). _fl._ rose-red, 2/3in. in diameter,
in terminal corymbose, glandular, hairy panicles. July. _l._ nearly
1in. long, sessile, ovate, acute, three-nerved, pale green, with
entire ciliate margins. Stem annual, herbaceous, leafy. _h._ 10in.
to 18in. 1880. (B. M. 6604.)
=CAMBIUM.= The formative fluid found between the bark and wood of
Exogens, in spring.
=CAMBUY FRUIT.= _See_ =Eugenia=.
=CAMELLIA= (named in honour of George Joseph Camellus or Kamel, a
Moravian Jesuit and traveller in Asia, who wrote a history of the
plants of the Isle of Luzon, which is inserted in the third vol. of
John Ray's "Historia Plantarum"). Japanese Rose. Including _Thea._
ORD. _TernstrÅmiaceæ_. A genus of elegant hardy or nearly hardy
evergreen shrubs or trees. Flowers large; sepals five or six, gradually
passing from bracts into petals, the latter slightly cohering at the
base; stamens numerous. Leaves coriaceous. By close attention to a
few particulars in the management of these beautiful plants, much
disappointment may be avoided, and a succession of flowers obtained
from October till the following July. The fact of the buds frequently
dropping off, deters many would-be growers from attempting the culture
of the Camellia. Dryness of the atmosphere, and want of water at the
roots, are generally the primary causes of failure; the remedy for
these evils rests with the cultivator. The roots are apt to get
matted together, compressing the earth around them into a hard ball,
impervious to water; hence attention is necessary to see that the
water poured into the pot thoroughly moistens all the soil. In order
to form handsome plants, they should be trained with single stems to
rods, and pruned, so as to make them throw out side branches from
every part of the stem; they must not be placed too close to each
other on the stage, or when planted out. A liberal supply of water
is always necessary, but especially so during the flowering period.
Plants that are required to flower early may remain in the warm house
till they commence to blossom, when they should be removed to a cold
place, such as the back of a greenhouse, giving them plenty of light.
Those kept in a hothouse or vinery during summer, will flower in the
beginning or middle of October; and a large plant, having from fifty to
one hundred buds, will continue in flower till the month of January.
Those that are removed early, will blossom in January, and so succeed
the others. The plants that have finished flowering should be brought
back to the hothouse, where they will begin to make new wood, and be
ready to come in succession next season. By thus shifting the plants
from a warm to a cold situation, a regular succession will be secured
from October to July. The soil should be kept constantly moist, and in
the summer months the leaves occasionally syringed. Camellias flower
best when kept in small pots or tubs. In order to raise and exhibit
these handsome plants to the best advantage, they should be grown in
a separate house, of ample height, as they never look so well as when
6ft. or 8ft. high, trained in a conical form, with branches from the
root upwards; and the plants should be raised near to the glass on a
movable stage, which should be lowered as they grow. In summer, they
may either be placed in the open air in a sheltered spot, or the glass
roof of the house can be taken off. The hardier sorts, such as the
Double-red, Blush, and Pæony-flowered, succeed in the bed or border of
a conservatory, if the roof can be taken off in summer, so as to admit
air. If this cannot be managed, they are better grown in portable pots
or boxes. The most suitable time for shifting Camellias is directly
after flowering; they should then be put into a vinery or hothouse,
where there is a little heat; or the warmest part of a greenhouse.
They will soon begin to make new wood, where they should be allowed to
remain, amply supplied with water, till they form their flower buds,
at the extremity and sides of the young growth. A few should then be
removed to a cold place, and shaded during strong sunshine. In a few
weeks afterwards, others may also be transferred, so as to have a
regular succession of flowering plants.
_Propagation._ The red Camellias are generally propagated by layers,
but cuttings will also succeed; the single red Camellia being raised by
either cuttings, layers, or seeds. This latter forms suitable stocks
on which to inarch or graft the rarer kinds. The ripened shoots of the
preceding summer should be taken off in August, cutting them smoothly
at a joint or bud. Two or three of the lower leaves should be taken
off, and the cuttings planted firmly in the soil with a dibble. Some
growers use peat earth and sand to strike in, while others prefer a
loam mixed with sand and peat. The pans containing the cuttings should
be kept in a plant or cold frame, without being covered with glasses,
but shaded during powerful sunshine. In the following spring, such as
have struck will begin to push, when they need to be placed in a gentle
heat. The following September or October, the rooted plants will be
fit to pot off, and in the second or third spring they may be used
as stocks. Inarching or grafting is done in early spring, as soon as
growth commences. When this process is completed, care must be taken
to fix the pot containing the stock so that it may not be disturbed
during the connection of the scion with the parent plant. The grafting
being clayed over, is then covered with moss, to prevent its cracking.
When independent grafting is resorted to, the mode called "side
grafting" is generally employed, as in the case of Orange-trees; but
the operation of tongueing is generally omitted, as tending to weaken
the stock. Liquid or other manure is not required; nor is it desirable
to apply it, as it often, sooner or later, causes the destruction of
the plants. As a rule, insects do not trouble this class of plants; but
scale will sometimes appear, and can easily be removed by hand. Thrips
occasionally put in an appearance, but a little smoke will quickly get
rid of them.
=C. euryoides= (Eurya-like). _fl._ white; peduncles lateral,
one-flowered, scaly. May to July. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, acuminate,
serrated, silky beneath. Branches hairy. _h._ 4ft. China, 1822. (B.
R. 983.)
[Illustration: FIG. 336. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CAMELLIA JAPONICA.]
=C. japonica= (Japanese).* Common Camellia. _fl._ variously
coloured, axillary, sessile. _l._ ovate, acuminate, acutely
serrated. _h._ 20ft. Japan and China, 1739. The innumerable hybrids
are chiefly the offspring of this species. See Fig. 336.
[Illustration: FIG. 337. FLOWER OF CAMELLIA JAPONICA ANEMONÃFLORA.]
=C. j. anemonæflora= (Anemone-flowered). All, or nearly all, the
stamens, &c., in this variety are transformed into small petaloid
bodies, and the flower has the general aspect of a double Anemone.
See Fig. 337. (B. M. 1654.)
[Illustration: FIG. 338. FLOWER OF CAMELLIA OLEIFERA.]
=C. oleifera= (oil-yielding).* _fl._ white, very numerous,
fragrant, solitary. November. _l._ elliptic-oblong, acute,
serrated, coriaceous, shining. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft. China, 1820. See
Fig. 338. (B. R. 942.)
=C. reticulata= (netted-leaved). _fl._ bright rose, large,
semi-double. l. oblong, acuminated, serrated, flat, reticulated.
_h._ 10ft. China, 1824. There is a form of this species with full
double flowers.
=C. theifera= (Tea-bearing). _fl._ white, spreading, of five
sepals and five petals, axillary. November to spring. _l._
elliptical-oblong, obtuse, serrated, more than twice as long as
broad, dark green. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. China, Japan, and India, 1780.
This species varies very considerably. In different countries,
it has become modified by cultivation. The Green and Black Teas,
formerly supposed to be produced by different species, are obtained
from the same bushes, but subjected to different processes.
Less-known species are: _drupifera_, _lanceolata_, _rosæflora_, and
_Sasanqua_.
The true species are rarely seen in cultivation. The following is a
selection of the best forms of _C. japonica_; the list is a limited
one, and is capable of great extension:
ALBA PLENA,* double white; ARCHIDUCHESSE AUGUSTA, petals deep red,
veined with blue, a white band; ARCHIDUCHESSE MARIE,* flowers
bright red, banded with white, imbricated; AUGUSTE DELFOSSE, bright
reddish-orange, stripes down the centre of petals; AUGUSTINA
SUPERBA,* flowers clear rose, free bloomer; BEALII ROSEA, one of
the best and latest deep crimson varieties known; BICOLOR DE LA
REINE, white and rose; BONOMIANA,* ground colour white, banded
with intense deep red; CARYOPHYLLOIDES,* white, marbled with
rosy-carmine, flowers very large; CHANDLERII ELEGANS,* flowers
large, light rose; COMTE DE GOMER,* petals soft rose, striped
with crimson, beautifully imbricated; COMTE DE PARIS, rich pink,
large and full; CONTESSA LAVINIA MAGGI, pure white, broadly flamed
with rosy-cerise; CONTESSA LAVINIA MAGGI ROSEA, flowers rich
rosy-red, fine form, a superb variety; CORRADINO, rose, veined
with salmon, centre delicate blush pink; COUNTESS OF DERBY,*
beautifully imbricated, white, striped with rose; COUNTESS OF
ELLESMERE,* colour varying from pure white to flesh, streaked with
carnation; COUNTESS OF ORKNEY, pure white, striped with carmine,
sometimes pink, shaded with deep rose; CUP OF BEAUTY,* pure white
and rose, a beautifully imbricated flower; DAVID BOSCHI, clear
pink, shaded with deep rose; DE LA REINE, petals white, striped
with carmine; DONCKELAARII,* large flowers, semi-double, rich
crimson, marbled white; DUCHESSE DE NASSAU,* flowers light pink,
very large, and of superb form; DUCHESS OF BERRY, pure white, and
cupped, beautifully imbricated, one of the most beautiful of all
the double whites; EMPEROR OF RUSSIA, large crimson; FANNY BOLIS,
white, striped and splashed with deep crimson; FIMBRIATA ALBA,*
similar to _Alba plena_, outer petals notched at the edges; GENERAL
CIALDINI, beautifully imbricated, bright carmine, flaked with red;
HENRI FAVRE, flowers rosy-salmon, finely imbricated; HOVEY, C.
H.,* bright crimson, well imbricated; HOVEY, C. M.,* deep velvety
crimson, darkly shaded, very distinct; HOVEY, MRS.,* delicate pink,
very smooth in outline, medium size; IL CYGNO, flowers pure white,
petals Ranunculi-formed and imbricated; IL 22 MARZO, clear rose,
the petals sometimes banded with white; IMBRICATA, deep carmine,
occasionally variegated; JARDIN D'HIVER, a fine variety, flowers
beautifully imbricated, colour bright rose; JEFFERSONII, fine
crimson; JENNY LIND,* flowers imbricated to the extreme centre,
broad, and of good substance, white, striped and marbled with
rose; JUBILEE,* flowers very large, with broad, round, imbricated
petals, white, marbled with rose, centre pure white; LADY HUME'S
BLUSH,* flowers flesh-colour, and of excellent form; LA MAESTOSA,
rose, mottled with white; LEEANA SUPERBA, flowers salmon-red, very
fine; LEON LEGUAY, rich crimson; MADAME AMBROISE VERSCHAFFELT,*
white, shaded with blush, and dotted with red; MADAME LEBOIS,
bright rose, finely imbricated, and of good form; MATHOTIANA,*
flowers brilliant red, and beautifully imbricated, extra fine;
MATHOTIANA ALBA, flowers large, finely imbricated to the centre,
pure white; MONTIRONI,* a fine pure white flower; MRS. ABBEY
WILDER, ivory-white, striped with rose, well imbricated; MRS.
COPE,* white, delicately shaded with pink, and striped with rose;
MRS. DOMBRAIN,* shape and substance excellent, colour beautiful
soft pink; NAPOLEON III., flowers rose, beautifully veined with
deep rose, and edged with pure white; PRINCE ALBERT, white,
beautifully flaked with carmine; PRINCESS BACCIOCCHI,* rich velvety
carmine; PRINCESS FREDERICK WILLIAM,* flowers white, tipped with
bright carmine; QUEEN OF ROSES, flowers delicate rose; REINE DES
BEAUTÃS,* very delicate clear rose, fine form, extra fine variety;
REINE DES FLEURS,* finely imbricated, petals of good substance
and perfect symmetry, colour vermilion-red, flaked occasionally
with white; RUBENS, deep rose-white stripes; SACCOIANA,* a finely
imbricated flower, colour very variable, occasionally clear rose,
at other times spotted with pure white; SARAH FROST, flowers
bright red; STORYI, outer petals bright rose, centre almost white;
TARGIONI, flowers beautifully imbricated, pure white, striped with
cerise; TEUTONIA, flowers sometimes red, at other times white,
but occasionally half red and half white; THOMAS MOORE,* flowers
4-1/2in. across, perfectly round, and well imbricated, petals also
round, and well filled up in the centre, colour rich carmine,
shaded with crimson; TRICOLOR DE MATHOT, flowers red, marbled with
white, semidouble; TRICOLOR IMBRICATA PLENA, blush white, flaked
with carmine and rose; VALTEVAREDA, colour bright rose, often
spotted with snowy white; WILDERII,* soft rose, of excellent form.
[Illustration:
1. C. lactiflora.
2. C. rotundifolia Hostii.
3. C. carpathica turbinata.
4. C. carpathica alba.
FIG. 339. GROUP OF CAMPANULAS.]
=CAMOENSIA= (named in honour of Luis Camoens, a celebrated Portuguese
poet). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A genus containing a couple of handsome
species. _C. maxima_ is the largest-flowered leguminous plant known. It
thrives well in rich loam and leaf mould. Cuttings root in sandy loam,
in bottom heat, if placed under a bell glass. It has not yet flowered
in this country. The other species has not been introduced.
=C. maxima= (greatest).* _fl._ cream-colour, yellow, 1ft. long, in
short axillary racemes. Angola, 1878. (T. L. S. 25, 36.)
=CAMOMILE.= _See_ =Chamomile=.
=CAMPANEA= (from _campana_, a bell; alluding to the shape of the
flowers). ORD. _Gesneraceæ_. Stove herbaceous climbing perennials, the
only one at present introduced being _C. grandiflora_. For cultivation,
_see_ =Gesnera=.
=C. grandiflora= (large-flowered).* _fl._ in axillary tufts,
at ends of long, axillary, and terminal peduncles; corolla
white, lined and dotted with crimson. June. _l._ opposite, oval,
acuminated, oblique, soft, crenated, stalked. Plant hairy. _h._
2ft. Santa Fé, 1848. (R. H. 1849, 241.)
=CAMPANULA= (diminutive of _campana_, a bell; in reference to the shape
of the flowers). Bell-flower; Slipperwort. ORD. _Campanulaceæ_. A genus
of mostly perennial--rarely annual or biennial--herbs. Flowers blue or
white, for the most part pedunculate, usually racemose, rarely spicate
or glomerate. Radical leaves usually different in form from the cauline
ones, especially in size. All the species of this genus are elegant
when in flower (see Fig. 339), and are very largely grown. The dwarf
varieties make excellent subjects for pot culture, rockeries, or the
fronts of borders. A rather rich sandy loam, with plenty of drainage,
suits these plants. The forms of _C. pyramidalis_ may be kept in cold
frames during the winter, and firmly repotted in summer, the crown
of the plant being kept just a trifle raised above the soil, or they
are at times liable to damp off, through the water lodging around the
necks. During hot weather, the pots should be plunged in a bed of
ashes. Campanulas are easily raised from seeds, which should be sown in
spring.
_General Culture._ As a rule, few plants are so easily cultivated as
these. The strong-growing kinds may be grown with the greatest success
in ordinary garden soil, well enriched with manure, while the alpine
kinds are easily managed on the rockery. Sow seeds of the annuals
in April, and of the biennials in June, in the open, or in a cold
frame. The perennials are chiefly propagated by dividing the roots,
or by young cuttings, in spring--the latter is by far the best method
of propagation with many of the species--or by seeds. Those kinds
requiring special treatment are particularised, and those suitable
to the rockery are so designated. Perennials, except where otherwise
mentioned.
=C. Adami= (Adam's). _fl._ bluish, nearly erect, one on the top of
each stem; corolla funnel-shaped. July. _l._ slightly ciliated;
radical ones on long petioles, cuneate-spathulate, coarsely toothed
at the apex; cauline ones sessile, obovate or linear. _h._ 6in.
Caucasus, 1821. Alpine.
=C. Allionii= (Allioni's).* _fl._ usually blue, rarely white,
subnutant, large, solitary. July to September. _l._, radical ones
linear-lanceolate, nearly entire, ciliated; lower ones rosulate,
bluntish. Stem rather pilose. Root creeping. _h._ 3in. to 4in.
Piedmontese Alps, &c., 1820. A little gem, requiring a well-drained
position, in rich sandy loam, with plenty of grit in it, and an
abundance of moisture when growing. SYNS. _C. alpestris_ and _C.
nana_. (B. M. 6588.)
=C. alpestris= (rocky). A synonym of _C. Allionii_.
=C. alpina= (alpine).* _fl._ deep blue, few or numerous,
scattered in a pyramidal manner along the whole stem. July. _l._
linear-lanceolate, repandly-crenate, woolly; radical ones crowded,
narrowed at the base. Stem glabrous or woolly. _h._ 3in. to 9in.
Europe, 1779. Rockery. (B. M. 957.)
=C. americana= (American). _fl._ erect, one to three from the axil
of each bract; corollas blue, a little longer than the calycine
lobes. July. _l._, radical ones rosulate, ovate, acute, a little
cordate, petiolate, serrated; cauline ones ovate-lanceolate,
acuminated at both ends, serrulated. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. North
America, 1763. Borders.
=C. barbata= (bearded).* _fl._ nutant, disposed in a loose, often
secund raceme; pedicels one-flowered, rising from the axils of
the superior leaves; corolla pale blue or white (in the variety
_alba_), glabrous outside, but woolly in the mouth. June. _l._
villous, nearly entire; radical ones crowded, lanceolate; cauline
ones few, ligulate. _h._ 6in. to 18in. European Alps, 1752. This is
best grown on the rockery. The white variety is very handsome. (B.
M. 1258.)
=C. Barrelierii= (Barrelier's). A synonym of _C. fragilis_.
=C. betonicæfolia= (Betony-leaved).* _fl._ terminal and axillary,
the branchlets usually bearing three; corollas purplish-blue, with
a pale yellow base, tubular. May. _l._ elliptic-oblong or ovate,
acute, crenate-toothed; radical ones shortly petiolate. Stems much
branched. Plant pilose. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Mount Olympus in Bithynia,
1820. Borders. (S. F. G. 210.)
=C. bononiensis= (Bononian).* _fl._ bluish-violet, rather small,
numerous, disposed in long racemes. July. _l._ serrulated, ovate,
acuminate, dark green above, pale beneath; radical ones cordate,
petiolate; upper ones stem-clasping. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Europe,
1773. Borders. There is also a very showy white-flowered variety.
=C. cæspitosa= (tufted).* _fl._ drooping, terminal, solitary, and
sometimes three to four at the top of each stem; corollas deep blue
or pure white (in the variety _alba_). May to August. _l._, radical
ones crowded, on short petioles, ovate, glandularly toothed,
shining. Stems numerous, tufted. Root fibrous, creeping. _h._ 4in.
to 6in. Temperate parts of Europe, 1813. Rockery, delighting in
rich fibrous loam and leaf mould.
[Illustration: FIG. 340. FLOWERING STEM OF CAMPANULA CARPATHICA.]
=C. carpathica= (Carpathian).* _fl._ blue, broadly campanulate,
disposed in loose panicles, on long peduncles, which are elongated,
naked, and terminated by an erect flower. June to August. _l._,
lower ones on long petioles, ovate-roundish, cordate, toothed;
upper ones on short petioles, ovate, acute. Stems leafy, branched.
_h._ 9in. Transylvania, 1774. Borders or rockery. See Fig. 340. (B.
M. 117.)
=C. c. alba= (white).* _fl._ quite white, otherwise like the type.
See Fig. 339.
[Illustration: FIG. 341. CAMPANULA CARPATHICA PELVIFORMIS.]
=C. c. pelviformis= (pelvis-formed).* _fl._ lilac, nearly 2in.
across, numerously produced in lax panicles on much-branched stems,
9in. to 18in. high; fragrant. August. _l._ ovate, cordate, toothed.
A distinct seedling from _C. c. turbinata_. See Fig. 341.
[Illustration: FIG. 342. CAMPANULA CARPATHICA TURBINATA.]
=C. C. turbinata= (top-shaped).* _fl._ nearly 2in. across, erect;
corolla deep purple, campanulate. Summer. _l._ ovate, rigid,
greyish-green, toothed, and pointed, with cordate bases, in stiff
tufts. Stems short, erect. _h._ 6in. to 12in. Transylvania,
1868. Borders or rockery. See Figs. 339 and 342. There is also a
desirable variety named _pallida_, with very pale purple flowers.
=C. c. t. Hendersoni= (Henderson's). _fl._ rich mauve, in large
pyramidal racemes, rather open. July to September. _l._, lower ones
cordate, or ovate cordate, slightly crenulated, on long stalks;
upper ones oblong, sessile. _h._ 1ft. Very handsome hybrid for
borders.
=C. caucasica= (Caucasian). _fl._ few, terminal and axillary,
drooping; corollas glabrous outside, but bearded inside, of a
violaceous-blue colour. July. _l._ crenulated; lower ones obovate,
obtuse, petiolate; upper ones lanceolate, sessile. Stems erect,
branched, terete, scabrous, pilose. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Caucasus,
1804. Rockery; very pretty.
=C. celtidifolia= (Nettle-tree-leaved).* A synonym of _C.
lactiflora_.
=C. cenisia= (Mont Cenis).* _fl._ deep blue, solitary, terminal,
erect. June. _l._ entire; radical ones rosulate, obovate, obtuse;
cauline ones ovate-oblong. Stems numerous, glabrous, or slightly
pilose. _h._ 3in. Italy, &c., 1775. A rare little rockery gem,
requiring a deep gritty loam and leaf soil, between stones. (A. F.
P. 3, 6.)
=C. Cervicaria.= Throatwort. _fl._ blue, pilose outside; heads
terminal, round, bracteate. July. _l._ crenately serrated; radical
ones linear-lanceolate, bluntish, on short petioles; cauline ones
linear-acuminated. Stem simple. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Mountains of
Europe, 1768. Biennial. Borders. (L. B. C. 452.)
=C. collina= (hill).* _fl._ deep blue, funnel-shaped, few, secund,
disposed in a long raceme. July. _l._, lower ones on long petioles,
ovate-oblong, crenulated; middle ones lanceolate; upper ones
linear-acuminated. Stems simple, rather pilose. _h._ 1ft. Caucasus,
1803. Borders. (B. M. 927.)
=C. colorata= (coloured). _fl._ purple; corolla tubular, velvety;
peduncles elongated, terminal and axillary. September. _l._
scattered, lanceolate, acute, repandly denticulated. Stem branched,
downy. Sikkim Himalayas, 1849. This requires frame protection
during winter. (B. M. 4555.)
=C. dichotoma= (forked). _fl._ bluish-purple, with a paler tube,
drooping, terminal, solitary in the forks of the branches and stem.
July. _l._, cauline ones ovate, acute, a little crenated. Stem
erect, with dichotomous branches. Plant clothed with stiff hairs.
_h._ 6in. South-western Europe, 1820. Annual. Borders. (S. F. G.
211.)
=C. drabifolia= (Draba-leaved). _fl._ pedicellate, opposite the
leaves; corolla inflated, with a white tube and a violaceous-blue
limb. July. _l._ elliptic-oblong, toothed. Stem many times forked,
slightly erect. Plant hispid. _h._ 3in. Island of Samos, 1823.
Annual. Rockery. (S. F. G. 215.)
=C. Elatines= (Elatine).* _fl._ scattered over the upper part of
the plant, sometimes racemose, and sometimes panicled; corollas
bluish-purple. June to August. _l._ cordate, coarsely and acutely
toothed, ovate-acute; lower ones roundish. Stem branched. Plant
downy. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Piedmont, 1823. Rockery. (A. F. P. 3, 7.)
=C. Erinus= (Erinus).* _fl._ terminal and axillary, situated
in the angles of the forks of the branches; corollas of a pale
bluish-rose-colour, or white, pilose at the base, tubular. May to
August. _l._ obovate or ovate, toothed. Stem much branched. Plant
hispid. _h._ 3in. to 9in. Europe, 1768. Annual. Rockery. (S. F. G.
214.)
=C. excisa= (excised). _fl._ drooping; stem one-flowered; corollas
blue, funnel-shaped. June. _l._ entire, or remotely-denticulated,
linear-acuminated. Stems numerous, erect, slender, simple, naked at
top. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Switzerland and Transylvania, 1820. Rockery.
A rare species, requiring to be treated like _cenisia_. (L. B. C.
561.)
=C. floribunda= (many-flowered). A synonym of _C. isophylla_.
=C. fragilis= (fragile).* _fl._ clear lilac-purple, white in
the centre, solitary or in pairs, axillary, erect, or nearly
so, on spreading branches. July and August. _l._, radical ones
reniform, or roundish-cordate, rather deeply lobed; cauline ones
broadly-ovate, slightly cordate, all stalked. _h._ 4in. to 6in.
South Italy. SYN. _C. Barrelierii_. (B. M. 6504.)
=C. garganica= (Gargano).* _fl._ axillary, in fascicles; corollas
blue, rotate, deeply five-lobed. May to September. _l._, radical
ones reniform, on long petioles; cauline ones cordate, all
crenately toothed, downy. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Italy, 1832. An
extremely variable species. Rockery, in rich sandy loam. (B. R.
1768.)
[Illustration: FIG. 343. FLOWER-SPIKE OF CAMPANULA GLOMERATA.]
=C. glomerata= (clustered).* _fl._ sessile, disposed in terminal
heads on the branches and stems; corollas bluish-violet or
white, glabrous, except the nerves outside, funnel-shaped.
May to September. _l._ serrulated; radical ones ovate, acute;
bracts ovate, acuminated. Stems simple, or branched. _h._ 1ft.
to 2ft. Britain, &c. Borders. See Fig. 343. (Sy. En. B. 866.) A
double-flowered variety, and also a white-flowered form, are very
desirable. There are numerous varieties of this species which are
frequently described as distinct species. The following are among
the number:
=C. g. cervicaroides= (Cervicaria-like). _fl._ bluish-violet,
terminal and axillary. Lower leaves on long petioles. Stem
flexuous, hairy.
=C. g. elliptica= (elliptical). _fl._ blue, large, capitate. _l._
on long petioles, elliptic; bracts large, often longer than the
flowers.
=C. g. nicæensis= (Nice). _fl._ bluish-violet, disposed in short,
dense spikes. _l._ approximate, ovate, acute, sessile.
=C. g. pusilla= (diminutive).* _fl._ few, capitate. _l._ round,
cordate. _h._ 1in. to 2in. In addition to these, there are
_aggregata_ and _speciosa_ (= _dahurica_). The latter is an
excellent variety, with large heads of deep-coloured flowers.
=C. grandiflora= (large-flowered). _See_ =Platycodon grandiflorum=.
=C. grandis= (large).* _fl._ pale violet-blue, broadly bell-shaped,
with large pointed divisions, axillary and alternate, on the upper
part of the stem. June. _l._ sessile, lanceolate, serrated. Stem
simple, furrowed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Siberia, 1842. Borders. There
is also a very showy white-flowered variety named _alba_.
=C. haylodgensis= (Hay Lodge). _fl._ light blue, rather open,
bell-shaped, few, at the ends of the stems. August. _l._,
radical ones tufted, roundish-cordate, with the margins slightly
indented; cauline ones ovate-cordate, conspicuously toothed, light
green. _h._ 6in. to 9in. Rockery. This is a hybrid, raised by
Mr. Anderson-Henry, Hay Lodge, Edinburgh, probably between _C.
carpathica_ and _C. pusilla_.
=C. hederacea= (Ivy-like). _See_ =Wahlenbergia hederacea=.
=C. Hostii= (Host's).* A synonym of _C. rotundifolia Hostii_.
=C. isophylla= (equal-leaved).* _fl._ numerous, erect, disposed
in a corymb; corolla lilac-blue, with a grey centre, large,
salver-shaped, deeply five-lobed. August. _l._ broadly ovate,
cordate, and toothed. Stems firm. North Italy, 1868. Borders and
rockery. SYN. _C. floribunda_. (B. M. 5745.)
C. i. alba (white).* _fl._ pure white; in other respects like the
species. It is a charming rockery plant, flowering very freely.
[Illustration: FIG. 344. FLOWERS OF CAMPANULA LACINIATA.]
=C. laciniata= (cut-leaved). _fl._ long-stalked, in lax panicles.
Stem erect, branchy, somewhat hairy. _h._ 1ft. Islands in Grecian
Archipelago, 1790. This biennial species is impatient of much
moisture during winter, and is therefore best kept in a cold frame.
See Fig. 344.
=C. lactiflora= (milk-coloured-flowered).* _fl._ in loose panicles;
peduncles erect, short, usually three-flowered; corollas erect,
milk-coloured, tinged with blue, or quite blue, as in the variety
named _cÅrulea_. July to September. _l._ sessile. ovate-lanceolate,
acutely serrated. Stems branched. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. Caucasus, 1814.
Borders. SYN. _C. celtidifolia_. See Fig. 339. (B. R. 241.)
[Illustration: FIG. 345. CAMPANULA LANGSDORFFIANA.]
=C. Langsdorffiana= (Langsdorff's). _fl._ blue, either solitary or
in few-flowered panicles, not unlike those of _C. rotundifolia_.
_l._ either entire or toothed. _h._ 3in. to 9in. Mountains of
Northern Asia and America. Perennial. See Fig. 345.
=C. latifolia= (broad-leaved). _fl._ disposed in spicate racemes;
peduncles erect, one-flowered; corolla blue, but sometimes white
(in the variety _alba_) campanulately funnel-shaped, large. July.
_l._ large, doubly serrated; radical ones petiolate, cordate,
ovate-oblong; cauline ones sessile, ovate-acuminated. Stems simple,
smooth. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Britain. (Sy. En. B. 868.)
=C. l. eriocarpa= (woolly-fruited). _fl._, tube of calyx very
hispid. _l._ less acuminated. Stem and leaves pilose and pale.
Caucasus, 1823. Borders.
=C. l. macrantha= (large-flowered).* _fl._, corollas purplish-blue,
larger than those of the type. Stem and leaves rather pilose; teeth
of leaves more distinct. A hybrid. Borders.
=C. Loefflingii= (LÅffling's). _fl._ solitary, terminating the
naked branchlets, loosely panicled, drooping; corolla blue or
violaceous, with a deeper-coloured zone beneath the middle,
white at the base, both inside and out, funnel-shaped. July.
_l._ crenulated; lower ones ovate-reniform; superior ones ovate,
stem-clasping. Stem much branched. Annual. _h._ 6in. to 18in.
South-west Europe, 1818. (B. R. 29, 19.)
=C. Loreyi= (Lorey's). A synonym of _C. ramosissima_.
=C. lyrata= (lyrate). _fl._ disposed in a long, many-flowered,
loose raceme; corolla blue, tubular, with rather pilose nerves.
June. _l._, lower ones petiolate, cordate, ovate, acute, crenated;
superior ones sessile, ovate-lanceolate, serrate-toothed. Stem
branched. Eastern Europe, Levant, &c., 1823. Borders.
[Illustration: FIG. 346. CAMPANULA MACROSTYLA.]
=C. macrostyla= (large-styled). _fl._ dull purple, reticulated with
violet, solitary, on stout stalks; hairy towards the base. July.
_l._, lower ones ovate-oblong, acute; upper ones ovate-lanceolate,
recurved, small for the size of the plant, hispid on both surfaces,
and ciliated with bristles. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Taurus Mountains.
Annual. Borders. The rigid habit, bristly, almost prickly, stem
and leaves, curious calyx appendages, short gaping corolla, and
wonderful stigma, mark this as the most singular Campanula hitherto
introduced. See Fig. 346.
=C. Medium= (middle-sized).* Canterbury Bells. _fl._ numerous,
large, disposed in racemes; corolla blue, purple, and white,
campanulate, inflated, single and double. July. _l._ sessile,
ovate-lanceolate, crenately toothed. Stem erect, branched. _h._
1ft. to 4ft. South Europe, 1597. See Fig. 347. A well-known and
very handsome biennial, of which there are numerous varieties.
Borders.
=C. muralis= (wall).* A synonym of _C. Portenschlagiana_.
=C. nana= (dwarf). A synonym of _C. Allionii_.
=C. nitida= (shining).* _fl._ blue or white, disposed in spicate
racemes; corolla campanulately rotate. Summer. _l._ in rosettes,
leathery, very dark and shining green, oblong, crenated; cauline
ones linear-lanceolate, almost entire. Stem simple. _h._ 3in. to
9in. North America, 1731. Borders. There are also double blue and
white flowered forms of this species. SYN. _C. planiflora_.
=C. nobilis= (noble).* _fl._ drooping, crowded towards the
ends of the branchlets; corollas reddish-violet, or white, or
cream-coloured, spotted, 3in. or more long. July. _l._ hairy; lower
ones petiolate, ovate, toothed; upper ones lanceolate, nearly or
quite sessile. _h._ 2ft. China, 1844. Borders. (B. R. 32, 65.)
There is also a white-flowered variety.
=C. patula= (spreading). _fl._ panicled, terminal, and axillary, on
long pedicels, large, erect; corollas blue or white, funnel-shaped.
July. _l._, radical ones crowded, obovate, crenated; cauline ones
linear-lanceolate, sessile, nearly entire. Stems branched. Branches
diverging. Europe. Borders. (Sy. En. B. 873.)
[Illustration: FIG. 347. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CAMPANULA MEDIUM.]
=C. peregrina= (foreign).* _fl._ disposed in a dense spicate
raceme, sessile; corollas of a dark violet colour at the base,
not so deep in the middle, and paler towards the margins,
funnel-shaped. July. _l._ crenated; lower ones obovate; superior
ones ovate, acute. Stem simple, angular. _h._ 2ft. Mount Lebanon,
1794. Borders. (B. M. 1257.)
=C. persicæfolia= (Peach-leaved).* _fl._ terminal and axillary,
pedunculate, solitary, inclined, racemose; corollas blue and all
the intermediate shades to white, large, broadly campanulate. July.
_l._ glabrous, stiff, crenulated; radical ones lanceolate-obovate;
cauline ones linear-lanceolate. Stems nearly simple. _h._ 1ft. to
3ft. Britain. (Sy. En. B. 871.) The forms of _C. persicæfolia_ are
very numerous in gardens. The following are well worth growing:
_alba_, pure white, single-flowered; _alba coronata_, pure white,
semi-double; _alba fl.-pl._, flowers very double and Camellia-like,
constituting one of the best hardy flowers for cutting; _cærulea
coronata_, blue, in form like the white; _cærulea fl.-pl._, flowers
semi-double.
=C. phrygia= (Phrygian). _fl._, corolla bluish-violet,
spreading, having the nerves more intensely coloured. July. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, crenated; lower ones obtuse, upper acute. Stem
branched. Branches very naked, divaricate, each terminating in
a single flower. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Mount Olympus, 1820. Rockery
annual.
=C. planiflora= (flat-flowered). A synonym of _C. nitida_.
=C. Portenschlagiana= (Portenschlag's).* _fl._ light blue-purple,
erect, or nearly so, bell-shaped, with spreading segments, several
at the ends of the shoots, and one or two in the upper axils.
June, July. _l._, radical ones broadly reniform, conspicuously but
irregularly toothed, on long slender petioles; cauline ones passing
from reniform to ovate. _h._ 6in. to 9in. South Europe. Rockery.
SYN. _C. muralis_. (B. R. 1995.)
=C. primulæfolia= (Primula-leaved). _fl._ disposed in a spicate
raceme; corolla blue or purple, with a whitish downy bottom,
campanulately rotate, nearly glabrous. July. _l._ unequally and
doubly crenated; radical ones lanceolate, bluntish; cauline ones
ovate-oblong, acute. Stem hispid, simple. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft.
Portugal. Borders. (B. M. 4879.)
=C. pulla= (russet).* _fl._ terminal, large for the size of the
plant; corollas violaceous-blue, campanulate. June. _l._ glabrous,
crenulately toothed; lower ones on short petioles, ovate-roundish;
superior ones sessile, ovate, acute. Stems rarely pilose at the
base. _h._ 3in. to 6in. Eastern Europe, 1779. Rockery, in rich
sandy peat and leaf soil. (L. B. C. 554.)
=C. pumila= (dwarf). A synonym of _C. pusilla_.
[Illustration: FIG. 348. UPPER PORTION OF FLOWERING STEM OF CAMPANULA
PUNCTATA.]
=C. punctata= (dotted). _fl._ whitish, spotted with red on the
inner surface; large, pendulous. _l._ ovate-acute, somewhat
crenate. Stem simple, erect, few-flowered. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Siberia,
Japan, &c. Border perennial. See Fig. 348.
=C. pusilla= (small).* _fl._ axillary and terminal at the upper
part of the slender stems, pendulous, bell-shaped, passing from
deep blue to white. July, August. _l._, radical ones tufted,
broadly ovate or roundish, slightly cordate, obtusely serrated, on
petioles longer than the laminæ; cauline ones linear-lanceolate,
distinctly toothed, sessile. _h._ 4in. to 6in. Southern Europe.
SYN. _C. pumila_. (B. M. 512.) There is a pale-coloured variety
named _pallida_, and a pure white variety named _alba_, both
of which, as well as the species, are most desirable for the
embellishment of rockeries, or for planting in sandy soil as a
front line for a border.
[Illustration: FIG. 349. CAMPANULA PYRAMIDALIS, showing Habit and
Flower.]
=C. pyramidalis= (pyramidal).* Chimney Bell-flower. _fl._ very
numerous, pedicellate, usually three together from the same bract,
the whole disposed in a large pyramidal raceme, which is loose at
the base; corollas pale blue or white, with a dark base. July.
_l._ glandularly toothed; lower ones petiolate, ovate-oblong,
somewhat cordate; cauline ones sessile, ovate-lanceolate. Stem
nearly simple, but furnished with floriferous branchlets. _h._ 4ft.
to 5ft. Europe, 1596. See Figs. 349 and 350. There are several
excellent varieties, but the light and dark blue and white are the
best. Borders, and for pot culture.
=C. Raineri= (Rainer's).* _fl._ blue, erect; corolla turbinate.
June. _l._ almost sessile, ovate, tomentose, remotely serrated;
lower ones the smallest, obovate. Stems erect, firm, branched.
Branches one-flowered, leafy. _h._ 2in. to 3in. Switzerland, Italy,
&c., 1826. A beautiful little alpine, requiring a warm position in
rich gritty soil; it must be religiously protected against slugs.
(F. d. S. 1908.)
[Illustration: FIG. 350. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CAMPANULA PYRAMIDALIS.]
=C. ramosissima= (much-branched). _fl._, corolla with a white
base; middle part or base of the lobes pale blue, and the lobes
bluish-violet; peduncles long, naked, glabrous, bearing each an
erect flower at the apex. June. _l._ sessile, glaucous; lower ones
obovate, crenated; middle ones ovate-lanceolate; superior ones
linear, entire. Stem branched. _h._ 6in. to 12in. South Europe,
1824. Annual. SYN. _C. Loreyi_. (B. M. 2581.)
=C. r. flore-albo= (white-flowered) only differs from the type in
having white flowers.
[Illustration: FIG. 351. CAMPANULA RAPUNCULUS.]
=C. rapunculoides= (Rapunculus-like).* _fl._ drooping, solitary,
disposed in spike-formed racemes, secund, but usually hanging on
all sides in strong garden specimens; corollas bluish-violet,
funnel-shaped, and bearded a little inside. June. _l._ scabrous,
ovate, acuminated; radical ones petiolate, cordate, crenulated;
cauline ones serrulated. Stems glabrous or scabrous, usually
branched in gardens, but simple in the wild state. _h._ 2ft. to
4ft. Europe. Borders. (Sy. En. B. 869.)
=C. r. trachelioides= (Trachelium-like). Stem and leaves, but
particularly the calyx, beset with stiff white hairs.
=C. Rapunculus= (little turnip).* Rampion. _fl._ nearly sessile, or
pedicellate, erect, forming a long raceme, which is branched at the
base; corolla blue or white, funnel-shaped. July. _l._, lower ones
obovate, on short petioles, nearly entire; cauline ones sessile,
linear-lanceolate, entire. Stem simple, but sometimes furnished
with a few branches towards the top. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Europe.
Borders. See Fig. 351. (Sy. En. B. 872.)
=C. rhomboidalis= (rhomboidal). _fl._ usually drooping, few,
disposed in loose racemes, pedunculate; corolla blue, campanulate.
July. _l._ sessile, ovate, acute, serrate. Stem glabrous, or a
little pilose, furnished with flower-bearing branches at top. _h._
1ft. to 2ft. Europe, 1775. Border. SYN. _C. rhomboidea_. (L. B. C.
603.)
=C. rhomboidea= (diamond-leaved). A synonym of _C. rhomboidalis_.
=C. rotundifolia= (round-leaved).* Blue-bell; Hare-bell. _fl._
drooping, solitary, pedunculate, few on each stem; corolla deep
blue, campanulate. June to August. _l._, radical ones petiolate,
cordate roundish, crenately toothed; cauline ones linear or
lanceolate. Stems numerous. _h._ 6in. to 12in. Britain. (Sy. En. B.
870.)
=C. r. alba= (white).* _fl._ white, the same size as those of the
type. Stems much more leafy.
=C. r. Hostii= (Host's).* _fl._ rich blue, much larger than those
of the type, produced on stouter profusely branched stems. July,
August. _l._, radical ones roundish only in a very early state;
cauline ones linear, acuminate, sometimes 3in. to 4in. long. SYN.
_C. Hostii_. See Fig. 339. There is a white-flowered form of this,
not quite so vigorous as the blue-flowered form, but the flowers
are equal in size.
[Illustration: FIG. 352. FLOWERS OF CAMPANULA ROTUNDIFOLIA
SOLDANELLÃFLORA.]
=C. r. soldanellæflora= (Soldanella-flowered).* _fl._, corolla
blue, semi-double, turbinate, with shallow marginal divisions, very
acutely pointed. June. _l._ long, linear, acute, sessile. Stem
simple, slender. _h._ 1ft. 1870. (R. G. 473.) All the forms of
_rotundifolia_ are pretty, and suitable for the front of borders,
or the rockery; rising from the crevices of the latter, with their
slender stems laden with flowers, they are especially beautiful.
See Fig. 352.
[Illustration: FIG. 353. FLOWERS AND LEAVES OF CAMPANULA SARMATICA.]
=C. sarmatica= (Sarmatian).* _fl._ nutant, usually secund, terminal
and axillary, forming a long, loose, scattered raceme; corolla pale
blue, velvety outside. July. _l._ tomentose; lower ones petiolate,
cordate, rather hastate, crenately toothed; superior ones sessile,
ovate-lanceolate, serrate-toothed. Stems simple, straight, downy.
_h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Caucasus, 1803. Borders. (B. R. 237.) See Fig.
353.
=C. saxatilis= (rock). _fl._ three to five, disposed in a loose
raceme; corolla blue, tubular, nutant. May. _l._ crenated; radical
ones rosulate, somewhat spathulate; cauline ones ovate, acute. Stem
erect. _h._ 6in. Crete, 1768. Rockery. Very rare.
=C. Scheuchzeri= (Scheuchzer's).* _fl._ dark blue, pendent, on
slender stems, broadly bell-shaped. July, August. _l._, lower ones
similar to those of _C. pusilla_; upper ones linear. _h._ 3in. to
6in. South European Alps, 1813. (L. B. C. 485.)
=C. Scouleri= (Scouler's). _fl._ pale blue, paniculate,
bell-shaped. July, August. _l._, lower ones ovate, on long
petioles, coarsely serrated; cauline ones ovate-lanceolate. _h._
1ft. North-west America, 1876. Rockery.
=C. sibirica= (Siberian). _fl._ panicled, numerous, drooping;
corollas bluish-violet, large. July. _l._ crenulated; radical
ones crowded, petiolate, obovate, obtuse; cauline ones sessile,
oblong-lanceolate, undulated, acuminated. Plant beset with
bristle-like hairs. Stem branched. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. East
Europe, 1783. Biennial. Borders. (B. M. 659.)
=C. s. divergens= (divergent).* _fl._ violaceous, rather large,
at first erect, but drooping in the expanded state; peduncles
many-flowered, and, like the stem, usually trichotomous. June.
_l._, radical ones sub-spathulate, crenulated, narrowed at
the base; cauline ones sessile, lanceolate, acuminated. Plant
pilose, panicled. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Siberia, 1814. Biennial. SYN. _C.
spathulata_. (S. B. F. G. ii., 256.)
=C. spathulata= (spathulate). A synonym of _C. sibirica divergens_.
=C. speciosa= (beautiful).* _fl._ pedicellate, disposed in a
pyramidal raceme; corolla blue, purple or white, 1in. long, smooth
outside, but often villous inside. June, July. _l._ sessile,
repandly crenated; radical ones rosulate, linear-lanceolate;
cauline ones linear. Stem simple. _h._ 12in. to 18in. South-west
Europe, 1820. Borders. (B. M. 2649.)
=C. spicata= (spicate). _fl._ sessile, one to three from each
bract; spike long, interrupted at the base; corolla blue,
funnel-shaped. July. _l._ sessile, nearly entire; radical ones
crowded, linear-lanceolate; cauline ones linear, acuminated. Stem
simple. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Europe, 1786. Biennial. Borders. (A. F.
P. 3, 46.)
=C. stricta= (strict). _fl._ almost sessile, few, solitary,
spicate; corolla blue, tubular. July. _l._ ovate-lanceolate, acute,
serrated, pilose. Stem branched, pilose. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Armenia,
1819. Biennial. Borders.
[Illustration: FIG. 354. CAMPANULA THYRSOIDEA, showing Entire Plant and
Single Flower.]
=C. thyrsoidea= (thyrsoid).* _fl._ disposed in a dense pyramidal
spike, sessile; corolla sulphur-coloured, oblong. July. _l._
entire, pilose; lower ones lanceolate, obtuse; cauline ones
linear-lanceolate, acute. Stem simple, covered with leaves and
flowers. Plant pilose. _h._ 1ft. to 1-1/2ft. Alps of Europe, 1785.
Biennial. Rockery. (B. M. 1290.) See Fig. 354.
=C. Tommasiniana= (Tommasini's).* _fl._ pale blue, tubular,
slightly angled, in closely set, several-flowered, axillary cymes.
July, August. _l._ nearly or quite sessile, linear-lanceolate,
acuminate, distinctly serrated, there being no difference between
the lower and upper ones. Stems at first erect, ultimately drooping
through the weight of the flowers. _h._ 9in. to 12in. Italy. A very
handsome alpine species. (B. M. 6590.)
=C. Trachelium= (Throat-wort).* _fl._ drooping a little, one to
four together, terminating the branchlets; corolla variously
coloured, campanulate, bearded inside. July. _l._ scabrous,
acuminated, coarsely and crenately toothed; radical ones petiolate,
cordate. Stem angular, simple or branched. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
Europe. Borders. (Sy. En. B. 867.) There are double blue, double
white, and variously shaded single forms of this species.
=C. trichocalycina= (hairy-calyxed). _fl._ disposed in an almost
simple terminal raceme, approximate at the top, one to three rising
from each axil, at the time of flowering erect, but afterwards
drooping; corolla profoundly five-cleft, funnel-shaped. July. _l._
on short petioles, ovate, acute, coarsely serrated. Stem simple.
_h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Europe, 1823. Borders.
=C. Van Houttei= (Van Houtte's).* _fl._ dark blue, bell-shaped,
pendulous, 2in. long, axillary and terminal. July, August. _l._,
lower ones roundish-cordate, crenate on long stalks; cauline ones
oblong-lanceolate, sessile, serrated. _h._ 2ft. This is a very fine
hybrid. Differing from it only in colour and other unimportant
details is _C. Burghalti_, a handsome hybrid, found in gardens; the
flowers are of a pale purple colour, very large, pendent. These are
two of the best border Bell-flowers in cultivation.
=C. versicolor= (various-coloured). _fl._ disposed in long spicate
racemes; corolla of a deep violaceous colour at bottom, pale in
the middle, and the lobes pale violet, companulately rotate. July
to September. _l._ serrated; radical ones petiolate, ovate, acute,
rather cordate; cauline ones on short petioles, ovate-lanceolate,
acuminated. Stems erect. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Greece, 1788. Borders.
(S. F. G. 207.)
=C. Vidalii= (Vidal's). _fl._ large, racemose; corolla white,
wax-like, between urceolate and campanulate, pendulous; disk
singularly broad, surrounded by a thick bright orange-coloured
annulus. July and August. _l._ thick and fleshy, oblong spathulate,
viscid, coarsely serrated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Azores, 1851.
Perennial. Cool greenhouse or (during summer) herbaceous border.
(B. M. 4748.)
[Illustration: FIG. 355. CAMPANULA WALDSTEINIANA.]
=C. Waldsteiniana= (Waldstein's).* _fl._ three to four at the
top of each stem, one of which is terminal, and the others
from the axils of the superior leaves, always looking upwards;
corollas violaceous-blue, campanulate. June. _l._ greyish,
sessile, lanceolate, serrated; lower ones obtuse; superior ones
long-acuminated. Stems erect, flexuous, stiff, simple, numerous
from the same root. _h._ 4in. to 6in. Hungary, 1824. See Fig. 355.
=C. Wanneri= (Wanner's). A synonym of _Symphyandra Wanneri_.
=C. Zoysii= (Zoys's).* _fl._ pedicellate, drooping; corolla pale
blue, with five deeper-coloured lines, cylindrical, elongated.
June. _l._ entire; radical ones crowded, petiolate, ovately
obovate, obtuse; cauline ones obovate-lanceolate, and linear. Plant
small, tufted. _h._ 3in. Carniola, 1813. A scarce little alpine
gem, thriving in a sunny chink in rich gritty soil.
=CAMPANULACEÃ.= A large order of herbs or sub-shrubs. Flowers blue
or white; corolla regular, bell-shaped, usually five-lobed. Leaves
alternate, exstipulate. The genus best known is _Campanula_; other
genera are _Adenophora_, _Jasione_, and _Phyteuma_.
=CAMPANULATE.= Bell-shaped.
=CAMPANUMÃA= (altered from _Campanula_). ORD. _Campanulaceæ_. A genus
of greenhouse herbaceous, tuberous-rooted, twining perennials. Flowers
involucrated, solitary, on axillary and terminal peduncles. Leaves
opposite, petiolate, glaucescent beneath. Stems and branches terete.
They thrive best in a rich sandy loam, with a little peat. Propagated
by seeds and divisions.
=C. gracilis= (graceful). _fl._ pale blue; corolla membranous, with
a tubular base, dilated throat, and slightly expanded, truncated
limb. _l._ on long petioles, ovate, blunt. Himalayas. SYN.
_Codonopsis gracilis_. (C. H. P. t. xvi. A.)
=C. inflata= (inflated). _fl._ yellowish, with brownish veins;
corolla herbaceous, ventricose; peduncles opposite the leaves,
one-flowered. _l._ alternate, ovate-cordate, acute. Himalayas. (C.
H. P. t. xvi. C.)
=C. javanica= (Javan). _fl._ yellowish, with brownish veins;
corolla herbaceous, very broadly campanulate, with five spreading
lobes. _l._ variable, opposite and alternate, ovate-cordate,
crenate. Himalayas. (C. H. P. t. xvi. B.)
=CAMPEACHY WOOD=, or =LOGWOOD=. _See_ =Hæmatoxylon campechianum=.
=CAMPHORA= (Camphor, commercial name of its chief product).
Camphor-tree. ORD. _Laurineæ_. Cool stove evergreen trees, now referred
to _Cinnamomum_. The true Camphor of commerce is a product of the oil
procured from the wood, branches, and leaves of this tree, by means of
dry distillation. The species thrives in a compost of peat and loam,
and may be propagated by cuttings.
=C. officinalis= (officinal). _fl._ greenish-white. March to June.
_l._ triple-nerved, lanceolate, ovate. _h._ 20ft. Japan, 1727. SYN.
_Cinnamomum Camphora_.
=CAMPHOR-TREE.= _See_ =Camphora=.
=CAMPION.= _See_ =Silene=.
=CAMPION, MOSS.= _See_ =Silene acaulis=.
=CAMPION, ROSE.= _See_ =Lychnis=.
=CAMPSIDIUM= (from _kampsis_, a curving). ORD. _Bignoniaceæ_. A small
genus, the best-known (perhaps the only) species being a handsome
greenhouse climber. For culture, _see_ =Bignonia=.
=C. chilense= (Chilian). Pipil Boqui. _fl._ rich orange colour;
corolla tubular, almost regular; anthers parallel. _l._ pinnate,
dark shining green. _h._ 30ft. to 40ft. Chili. (G. C. 1870, 1182.)
=CAMPTERIA.= Included under =Pteris= (which _see_).
=CAMPTODIUM.= _See_ =Nephrodium=.
=CAMPTOPUS= (from _kamptos_, curved, and _pous_, a foot; the
flower-stalk is curved downwardly). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. A curious shrub,
now referred to _Cephaelis_. It requires a most stove temperature.
Cuttings will root in sandy loam, under a hand glass, in bottom heat.
=C. Mannii= (Mann's). _fl._ white, numerously produced in
subglobose, compound heads; peduncles stout, scarlet, drooping,
from 12in. to 18in. long. Summer. _l._ large, opposite, obovate
or obovate-lanceolate, glabrous, coriaceous; midrib thick, red
beneath. _h._ 15ft. Fernando Po, 1863. (B. M. 5755.)
=CAMPTOSORUS.= _See_ =Scolopendrium=.
=CAMPYLANTHERA.= A synonym of =Pronaya=.
=CAMPYLIA.= Included under =Pelargonium=.
=CAMPYLOBOTRYS.= _See_ =Hoffmannia=.
=CAMPYLONEURON.= _See_ Polypodium.
=CAMWOOD.= _See_ =Baphia=.
=CANADA BALSAM.= _See_ =Abies balsamea=.
=CANADA RICE.= _See_ =Zizania aquatica=.
=CANADA TEA.= _See_ =Gaultheria procumbens=.
=CANALICULATE.= Channelled, or furrowed.
=CANARINA= (so named from its habitat). SYN. _Pernettya_ (of Scopoli).
ORD. _Campanulaceæ_. A beautiful, glaucescent, greenhouse, herbaceous
perennial. It thrives in a compost of loam, leaf mould, thoroughly
decomposed manure, and sand, in equal parts; ample root space and
perfect drainage are essential, and when new growth commences, a little
extra heat will considerably accelerate the development of the flowers.
Water should be liberally supplied during the growing season. The plant
may be propagated by divisions when repotting, in January; or by young
cuttings, inserted in sandy soil, in a gentle warmth.
=C. Campanula= (bell-shaped).* _fl._ of a yellowish purple or
orange colour, with red nerves, drooping, solitary, terminating
axillary branchlets; corolla six-lobed at the apex, large,
campanulate. January to March. _l._ opposite, hastately
sub-cordate, irregularly toothed. _h._ 3ft. to 4ft. Canary Islands,
1696. (B. M. 444.)
=CANARIUM= (from _Canari_, its vernacular name in the Malay language).
ORD. _Burseraceæ_. A rather large genus of stove trees. Flowers small,
in axillary panicles; petals usually three, valvate, or slightly
imbricate in the bud. Drupe ovoid or ellipsoid, often three-angled.
Leaves large, impari-pinnate. For culture, _see_ =Boswellia=.
=C. commune= (common). _fl._ white, glomerate, nearly sessile,
bracteate; panicle terminal. _l._, leaflets seven to nine, on long
stalks, ovate-oblong, bluntly acuminated, entire. India. The fruit
has a thin olive skin, and when the nuts are mature, they contain a
sweet kernel, which does not become rancid, and resembles a Sweet
Chestnut; they are also used for various economic purposes. (B. M.
Pl. 61.)
=CANARY-BIRD FLOWER.= _See_ =Tropæolum peregrinum=.
=CANAVALIA= (from _Canavali_, the name of one of the species in
Malabar). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A genus of elegant twining or climbing
stove herbs or subshrubs. Flowers in racemes, produced from the axils
of the leaves; calyx bell-shaped, two-lipped; corolla papilionaceous.
Leaves trifoliate. They are well adapted for training up the rafters in
a stove or warm greenhouse. For culture, _see_ =Dolichos=.
=C. bonariensis= (Buenos Ayrean). _fl._ purple; racemes drooping,
longer than the leaves. July and August. _l._, leaflets ovate,
obtuse, coriaceous, glabrous. Buenos Ayres, 1824. (B. R. 1199.)
=C. ensiformis= (ensiform).* _fl._ white, red, pendulous; racemes
longer than the leaves. June. _l._, leaflets ovate, acute. India,
1790. SYN. _C. gladiata_. (B. M. 4027.)
=C. gladiata= (sword-podded). Synonymous with _C. ensiformis_.
=C. obtusifolia= (obtuse-leaved). _fl._ purple. July, August. _l._,
leaflets ovate obtuse. Malabar, 1820.
=CANBIA= (named in honour of W. M. Canby, of Wilmington, Delaware).
ORD. _Papaveraceæ_. A monotypic genus, remarkable for its persistent
(not caducous) corolla. Sepals three, caducous; petals six, barely
1/6in. in length; stamens six to nine.
[Illustration: FIG. 356. CANBIA CANDIDA.]
=B. candida= (glossy white). _fl._ white, solitary, on little
scapes. _l._ alternate, linear, entire. _h._ about 1in. Discovered
in sandy soil in South-east California, in 1876. See Fig. 356.
=CANCELLATE.= Latticed; resembling lattice-work.
=CANDELABRUM= or =CHANDELIER TREE=. _See_ =Pandanus candelabrum=.
=CANDLEBERRY MYRTLE.= _See_ =Myrica cereifera=.
=CANDLEBERRY-TREE.= _See_ =Aleurites triloba=.
=CANDLE-TREE.= _See_ =Parmentiera cerifera=.
=CANDOLLEA= (named after Augustus Pyramus De Candolle, formerly
Professor of Botany, at Geneva, and author of numerous botanical
works). ORD. _Dilleniaceæ_. A genus of very ornamental greenhouse
evergreen shrubs, natives of Australia. Flowers yellow, sub-solitary,
at the tips of the branches; sepals five, oval, mucronate; petals
obovate or obcordate. They thrive in a compost of equal parts loam
and peat, with which sufficient sand may be mixed to render the whole
porous. Cuttings will root, if placed in a similar compost, under a
hand glass; seeds are also sometimes obtainable.
[Illustration: FIG. 357. FLOWERS AND BUDS OF CANDOLLEA CUNEIFORMIS.]
=C. cuneiformis= (wedge-shaped).* _fl._ yellow. July. _l._ smooth,
obovately cuneated, blunt at the top, entire. Branches cinerous.
_h._ 7ft. 1824. See Fig. 357. (B. M. 2711.)
=C. Huegelii= (Huegel's). _fl._ at tops of the branches, among the
leaves, on short pedicels; sepals acuminate, hoary outside, longer
than the petals. May. _l._ linear, quite entire, villous when
young. _h._ 6ft. 1837.
=C. tetrandra= (four-stamened). _fl._ yellow, solitary; petals
emarginate. June. _l._ oblong, cuneate, toothed. _h._ 7ft. 1842.
(B. R. 1843, 50.)
=CANDYTUFT.= _See_ =Iberis=.
=CANE-BRAKE.= A common name for different species of _Arundinaria_.
=CANELLA= (a diminutive of _canna_, a reed; in allusion to the rolled
bark, like cinnamon). ORD. _Canellaceæ_. The best-known species of this
genus is a very ornamental and economically valuable stove evergreen
tree, which thrives in a mixture of loam and sand. Well-ripened
cuttings, taken off at a joint, will root in sand, under a hand glass,
with bottom heat, in April or May; but care should be taken not to
deprive them of any of their leaves. Sweet says that large old cuttings
are best.
=C. alba= (white).* _fl._ violet-colour, small, growing at the tops
of branches in cluster, but upon divided peduncles. _l._ alternate,
obovate, cuneated at the base, white, or glaucous beneath, somewhat
coriaceous, sometimes full of pellucid dots. _h._ 15ft. The
whole tree is very aromatic, and, when in blossom, perfumes the
neighbourhood. The flowers dried, and softened again in warm water,
have a fragrant odour, nearly approaching to that of Musk. The
leaves have a strong smell of Laurel. West Indies, &c., 1735. (T.
L. S. i., 8.)
=CANELLACEÃ.= A small order of tropical American aromatic shrubs,
allied to _Bixineæ_, from which it differs only in having the albumen
firmer, and with a smaller embryo. The genera are _Canella_ and
_Cinnamodendron_.
=CANESCENT.= Hoary, approaching to white.
=CANICIDIA.= A synonym of =Rourea= (which _see_).
=CANISTRUM= (from _canistrum_, a basket; in allusion to the
inflorescence resembling a basket of flowers). ORD. _Bromeliaceæ_.
Stove epiphytes, with showy inflorescence, and requiring similar
culture to =Billbergia= (which _see_).
=C. aurantiacum= (orange).* _fl._ orange-yellow, in a cup-shaped
involucre of orange-red bracts; scapes erect. June to September.
_l._ ligulate-lorate denticulate, deflexed. Brazil, 1873. See Fig.
358. (B. H. 1873, 15.)
[Illustration: FIG. 358. CANISTRUM AURANTIACUM.]
=C. eburneum= (ivory).* _fl._ white, green, disposed in a depressed
head, the white ovaries of which give an appearance as of eggs in a
basket. May. _l._ tufted, mottled, the central ones cream-coloured,
surrounding the flower-heads. _h._ 2ft. SYNS. _Guzmannia fragrans_
and _Nidularium Lindeni_. Brazil, 1876. (B. H. 1879, 13, 14.)
=C. roseum= (rose-coloured). _fl._ white, green; bracts rosy. 1879.
=C. viride= (green). _fl._ green. _l._ green, canaliculate,
acuminate, irregularly toothed. Brazil, 1875. SYN. _Nidularium
latifolium_. (B. H. 1874, 16.)
=CANKER.= This is a disease presenting very serious difficulties,
principally in the cultivation of Apples and Pears. Both the trees
and fruits, especially of some varieties, are, in many localities,
so far injured as not to be worth cultivating. What causes the
disease is not at all times known; indeed, it is, in most cases, but
imperfectly understood. Were the causes better known, the remedy might
generally be much easier found. Some of the primary causes are cold
and undrained soil, severe and careless pruning, extreme variations
of temperature, and excessive growth, made late in the season, when
it has not sufficient time to get well ripened. Trees that are badly
Cankered may often be improved by lifting, and replanting in improved
or better-drained soil. Immediately the disease is detected in young
trees, by the cracking of the bark or the skin of the fruits, measures
should be taken to find the cause, if possible, and avert its progress.
Some Pear-trees, in various localities, will not produce fruit without
Canker in the open garden, but they will do so when planted against
a wall; and as such may be the very best varieties, trees should be
placed in the latter position. The removal of large branches, late in
spring, will sometimes produce Canker, at the point where mutilation
has taken place; and it may be caused by severe late pruning, which
induces the growth of soft shoots that are almost certain to be injured
by severe frosts. The difference in the seasons, as regards the amount
of moisture, is one that can scarcely be provided against. One spring
may be favourable to rapid growth, and the following may be most
unfavourable, thereby arresting the natural flow of the sap until the
latter part of the summer, when excessive growth will probably take
place. Such checks invariably produce Canker. At times, the disease
seems caused by the punctures of insects, in an early stage, on the
stems or branches. In such instances, a thorough cleansing, and a
smearing of quicklime, made into a wash, often proves successful.
Strong tobacco water will destroy insects, and a weak solution of
sulphuric acid is also fatal to lichens and mosses, which should never
be allowed to obtain a footing. The chief preventatives, therefore,
are: Planting in well-drained soil; avoiding the use of any rank
manure, to cause excessive growth; changing the old, or adding new,
soil to injured trees; careful pruning, and the encouragement of early
growth in spring, and subsequent well ripening in autumn.
[Illustration: FIG. 359. CANNA INDICA, showing Habit, Flowers, and
Leaves.]
=CANNA= (derivation uncertain; according to some, from _cana_, the
Celtic name for cane, or reed). Indian Shot. ORD. _Scitamineæ_. A
large genus of stove herbaceous perennials, very extensively employed
in sub-tropical and other methods of summer gardening. Flowers
spathaceous; anther attached to the edge of the petal-like filament.
Leaves very ornamental. Few plants are more easily grown, or more
quickly propagated. Seeds of many of the finer sorts may be bought
cheaply from respectable seedsmen. These should be sown in heat, in
February or March. A warm house or cucumber pit is the best place for
sowing the seeds, which are very hard. If soaked in tepid water for
twenty-four hours, germination will be materially stimulated. A mixture
of sand and leaf mould is best for them, and a covering of 1-1/2in. or
2in. of earth is not excessive. They should be sown thinly, in pans.
As Cannas are gross, and have somewhat brittle roots in a young state,
it is a good plan to sow the seed singly in small pots. This method
preserves all the roots intact, and prevents any check in potting
off or dividing the plants out of seed pans or boxes. When this is
not done, the plants must be potted off singly, as soon as they have
formed two leaves, 3in. pots being used for the first shift. The soil
can hardly be too rich and porous. Equal parts rotted dung, loam, and
sand, with a little peat, form a capital mixture for them. The plants
must be kept in a growing temperature of 60deg. or so, during their
earlier stages, and shifted as required into larger pots. Under proper
management, the roots will fill 6in. pots by the middle or end of May.
They ought not to be planted out till the end of May or the first week
in June. Should fairly rich soil and a sheltered place be selected for
them, they will not only grow, but flower freely during the late summer
and autumn months. Cannas are also very effective indoors, either for
greenhouse or room decoration. For these purposes they may be grown
on in 8in., 10in., or even 12in., pots, with rich soil, and placed
either in a stove, intermediate house, warm or cool conservatory,
window, or room. Liberal supplies of manure water will be of very great
benefit. Propagation is also effected by means of divisions; they form
a root-stock very like some of the commoner and more free-growing
Irises, each portion of which, with bud and roots attached, may be
converted into an independent plant. The best mode of procedure is to
divide the root-stock in early spring, when the pieces may be placed in
4in. pots at once; and, if plunged in a bottom heat of 60deg. or so,
they will quickly resume root action and grow rapidly. They may also
be propagated by division without bottom heat. Those who grow large
quantities seldom put their plants in pots at all. Stored in pots or
boxes for the winter, they are divided and placed singly in similar
positions in the spring, and transferred from such vessels into the
open air. The best open site for Cannas is in a sheltered spot, with a
good depth of rich soil, and plenty of moisture. In such a position,
their noble leaves are not so much injured by rough winds. After
flowering, or at the end of the season, they may be lifted and stored
away in boxes, or in pots of earth, in dry, frost-proof sheds, or under
greenhouse stages during winter. In warm, sheltered situations, with
dry bottoms, they winter safely in the open, provided their crowns are
covered with 1ft. of litter or cocoa fibre refuse. But where the soil
is wet and cold, or the situation bleak and unprotected, they should be
lifted and stored away, as already described.
=C. Achiras variegata= (variegated Achiras).* _fl._ dark red.
August. _l._ bright green, striped with white and yellow. Better
adapted for indoor culture than out.
=C. Annæi= (M. Année's).* _fl._ salmon-colour, large, well formed.
June. _l._ large, green, glaucescent, ovate-acute, 2ft. long by
10in. wide. Stems vigorous, stiff, sea-green. _h._ 6ft. (R. H.
1861, 470.) Of this there are many forms, the best of which are:
=C. A. discolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._ rosy-yellow, few, small.
Late summer. _l._ lanceolate, erect, light red, 2-1/2ft. long,
10in. wide. Stems dark red. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft.
=C. A. fulgida= (red).* _fl._ orange-red, large, well-opened. _l._
20in. long, 6in. wide, deep purple, erect. Stems small, dark red.
_h._ 3ft. to 5ft.
=C. A. rosea= (rose).* _fl._ carmine-rose colour, small, few. Late
summer. _l._ 2ft. long, very narrow, pointed, erect. Stems dark
green, with a reddish base, numerous. _h._ 5ft.
=C. Auguste Ferrier= (A. Ferrier's).* _fl._ orange-red,
medium-sized. _l._ very large, oval, erect, pointed, deep green,
with narrow stripes and margins of dark purplish-red. Stem green,
very thick, downy. _h._ 10ft.
=C. aurantiaca= (orange). _fl._, segments of perianth rose-coloured
outside, reddish inside; upper lip orange, lower one yellow, dotted
with orange. _l._ large, broadly lanceolate, pale green; margins
slightly undulated. _h._ 6-1/2ft. Brazil, 1824.
=C. Bihorelli= (Bihorell's).* _fl._ deep crimson, produced upon
branching spikes in great abundance. _l._ red when young, changing
to deep bronze with age. _h._ 6ft. to 7ft. One of the best.
=C. Daniel Hooibrenk.= _fl._ bright orange, large, freely produced.
_l._ large, glaucous-green, acuminate, with bronzy margin. Stalks
strong, green. _h._ 6ft.
=C. Depute Henon.=* _fl._ pure canary-colour, with a yellowish
base, large; spikes numerous, rising gracefully above the foliage
to a height of 1-1/2ft. _l._ ovate-acute, erect. _h._ 4ft.
=C. discolor= (two-coloured).* _fl._ red. _l._ very large, broad,
ovate-oblong; lower ones tinged with a blood-red hue; upper ones
streaked with purple. Stems stout, reddish. _h._ 6ft. South
America, 1872. (B. R. 1231.)
=C. edulis= (edible). _fl._ large, with purple outer segments,
inner ones yellowish. _l._ broadly ovate-lanceolate, green, tinged
with maroon. Stems deep purple tinged. _h._ 6ft. to 7ft. Peru,
1820. (B. R. 775.)
=C. expansa-rubra= (red-expanded).* _fl._ large, with rounded
bright purple segments. _l._ very large, sometimes over 4ft. long,
and nearly 2ft. broad, ovate, obtuse, spreading horizontally, dark
red. Stems numerous, very thick. _h._ 4ft. to 6ft.
=C. flaccida= (flaccid). _fl._ yellow, very large, not very unlike
those of the native _Iris pseudo-acorus_. _l._ ovate-lanceolate,
erect. _h._ 2-1/2ft. South America, 1788. (L. B. C. 562.)
=C. gigantea= (gigantic).* _fl._ large, very ornamental, with
orange-red outer, and deep purple red inner segments. Summer. _l._
about 2ft. long; petioles covered with a velvety down. _h._ 6ft.
South America, 1788. (B. R. 206.)
=C. indica= (Indian).* Indian Reed. _fl._ rather large, irregular;
spikes erect, with light yellow and carmine-red divisions. Summer.
_l._ large, alternate, ovate-lanceolate. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. West
Indies, 1570. See Fig. 359. (B. M. 454.)
=C. insignis= (magnificent). _fl._ orange-red, few, small. _l._
ovate, spreading horizontally, green, rayed and margined with
purplish-red. Stems violet, downy. _h._ 3ft. to 5ft.
=C. iridiflora= (Iris-flowered). _fl._ rose, with a yellow spot on
the lip; spikes slightly drooping, several emanating from the same
spathe. Summer. _l._ broadly ovate-acuminate. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft.
Peru, 1816. (B. R. 609.)
=C. i. hybrida= (hybrid). _fl._ blood-red, very large, only
properly developed when grown in a greenhouse. _l._ green, very
large. Stem green, downy, somewhat reddish. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft.
=C. limbata= (bordered).* _fl._ yellowish-red, disposed in long
loose spikes; spathes glaucous. _l._ oblong-lanceolate, acute. _h._
3ft. Native country uncertain, 1818. (B. R. 771.)
=C. l. major= (larger-bordered). _fl._ orange-red, large. _l._
large, lanceolate, 2-1/2ft. long, 8in. wide, spreading, deep green.
Stems downy. _h._ 5ft. to 6-1/2ft.
=C. nigricans= (blackish).* _l._ coppery-red, lanceolate,
acuminate, erect, 2-1/2ft. long, 10in. to 12in. broad. Stems
purplish-red. _h._ 4-1/2ft. to 8ft. One of the finest kinds. _C.
atro-nigricans_ has leaves of a purplish shade, passing into dark
red, of a deeper hue than those of _C. nigricans_.
=C. Premices de Nice.= _fl._ bright yellow, very large. Stems and
leaves like those of _C. Annæi_.
=C. Rendatleri= (Rendatler's).* _fl._ salmon-red, numerous,
large. _l._ much pointed, deep green, tinged with dark red. Stems
purplish-red. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft.
[Illustration: FIG. 360. FLOWERING SPIKE OF CANNA SPECIOSA.]
=C. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._ sessile, in pairs; petals two, erect,
bifid; lip spotted, revolute. August. _l._ lanceolate. _h._ 3ft.
Nepaul, 1820. See Fig. 360. (B. M. 2317.)
=C. Van-Houttei= (Van Houtte's).* _fl._ bright scarlet, large,
very abundantly produced. _l._ lanceolate, 2ft. to 2-1/2ft. long,
acuminated, green, rayed and margined with dark purplish-red.
=C. Warscewiczii= (Warscewicz's).* _fl._ with brilliant scarlet
inner, and purplish outer segments. _l._ ovate-elliptic, narrowed
at both ends, deeply tinged with dark purple. _h._ 3ft. Costa Rica,
1849. (B. H. 2, 48.) There are several varieties of this species,
the best two are: _Chatei_, with very large dark red leaves, and
_nobilis_, with deep green leaves, rayed and margined with dark red.
=C. zebrina= (zebra-striped).* _fl._ orange, small. _l._ very
large, ovate, erect, deep green, passing into dark red, rayed with
violet-purple. Stems dark violet-red. _h._ 6ft. to 8ft.
=CANNABINACEÃ.= This order, of which the genus _Cannabis_ (Hemp) is the
type, is now merged into _Urticaceæ_.
=CANNABIS= (from the Greek word _kannabis_, used by Dioscorides, and
that from Sanskrit _canam_). Hemp. ORD. _Urticaceæ_. A small genus,
of but little ornamental value. Flowers racemose, diÅcious. Nut
two-valved, within the closed calyx. The undermentioned species is a
hardy annual, of easy culture in ordinary garden soil. Propagated by
seeds, sown in spring.
=C. sativa= (cultivated). _fl._ greenish. June. _l._ on long
stalks; leaflets from five to seven, long, lanceolate, acuminated;
margins serrated. _h._ 4ft. to 10ft., or even 20ft. India, &c. This
plant is cultivated very extensively for the sake of its valuable
fibre. Well-grown plants have rather an ornamental appearance
during the summer months. See Fig. 361.
[Illustration: FIG. 361. HEAD OF CANNABIS SATIVA.]
=CANNON-BALL TREE.= A common name for =Couroupita guianensis= (which
_see_).
=CANSCORA= (from _Kansgan-Cora_, the Malabar name of _C. perfoliata_,
as yet unintroduced). SYN. _Pladera_. Including _Phyllocyclus_. ORD.
_Gentianeæ_. Small, erect, simple or branched, stove or greenhouse
annuals. Flowers stalked or sub-sessile. Leaves opposite, sessile
or amplexicaul. Corolla funnel-shaped, with a four-cleft, unequal
limb; the two outer segments equal, two lower ones combined a greater
distance. Stems tetragonal. _C. Parishii_ requires similar treatment to
=Balsam=, and grows best in a soil to which chalk or limestone débris
is added.
=C. Parishii= (Parish's). _fl._ white. _l._ opposite, perfectly
connate, so that the united two apparently form an exactly
orbicular leaf. _h._ 2ft. Moulmein, 1864. Greenhouse. (B. M. 5429.)
=CANTERBURY BELLS.= _See_ =Campanula Medium=.
=CANTHARELLUS CIBARIUS.= _See_ =Chantarelle=.
=CANTHIUM.= A synonym of =Plectronia=.
=CANTUA= (from _Cantu_, the Peruvian name of one of the species).
SYN. _Periphragmos_. ORD. _Polemoniaceæ_. Very pretty erect, branched
greenhouse evergreen shrubs. Flowers in corymbs, at the termination
of the branches, rarely solitary and axillary. Leaves entire or
almost pinnatifid, alternate, petiolate, elliptic, acuminated, or
cuneate-oblong, glabrous, or downy on both surfaces when young. They
are of easy culture in a compost of turfy loam, leaf-mould, and
sand, if good drainage is allowed. Propagated by cuttings, placed
in sand, under a hand glass. In the western parts of England, these
plants--particularly _C. buxifolia_--thrive remarkably well in
sheltered situations.
=C. bicolor= (two-coloured). _fl._ solitary; corolla with a short
yellow tube and scarlet limb. May. _h._ 4ft. Peru, 1846. (B. M.
4729.)
=C. buxifolia= (Box-leaved).* _fl._, corolla pale red, straight,
funnel-shaped, with a very long tube; corymbs few-flowered;
peduncles tomentose. April. _l._ cuneate-oblong, mucronulate, quite
entire. _h._ 4ft. Peruvian Andes, 1849. An elegant plant, having
the tops of branches, calyces, and young leaves, downy. SYN. _C.
dependens_. See Fig. 362. (B. M. 4582.)
=C. dependens= (hanging). Synonymous with _C. buxifolia_.
=C. pyrifolia= (Pyrus-leaved).* _fl._, corolla yellowish-white,
curved; stamens twice as long as the corolla; corymbs terminal,
dense-flowered. March. _l._ elliptic or obovate acute, entire or
sinuate-dentate. _h._ 3ft. Peru, 1846. (B. M. 4386.)
=CAOUTCHOUC.= The elastic gummy substance known as indiarubber, which
is the inspissated juice of various plants growing in tropical climates
in different parts of the world; such as _Castilloa_, _Ficus elastica_,
_Hevea_, various species of _Landolphia_, _Manihot_, &c., &c.
=CAPE EVERLASTING.= _See_ =Helichrysum=.
=CAPE GOOSEBERRY.= _See_ =Physalis peruviana=.
[Illustration: FIG. 362. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CANTUA BUXIFOLIA.]
=CAPE GUM.= The gum of _Acacia Karroo_ or _A. capensis_.
=CAPE JESSAMINE.= _See_ =Gardenia florida=.
=CAPER-TREE.= _See_ =Capparis=.
=CAPILLARY.= Very slender; resembling a hair.
=CAPITATE.= Growing in a head.
=CAPITULATE.= Growing in small heads.
=CAPITULUM.= A close head of flowers; the inflorescence of Composites.
=CAPPARIDEÃ.= An order of herbs or shrubs, rarely trees. Flowers
clustered, or solitary; sepals four to eight, imbricate or valvate;
petals four, arranged crosswise, sometimes, but rarely, five, or eight,
rarely absent. Leaves alternate, very rarely opposite, stipulate or
exstipulate. The order is distributed throughout the tropical and
warm temperate regions of both hemispheres, the frutescent species
being largely represented in America. There are about twenty-three
genera--the best-known being _Capparis_, _Cleome_, and _Cratæva_--and
about 300 species.
=CAPPARIS= (_kapparis_, old Greek name used by Dioscorides, from
Persian _kabar_, Capers). Caper-tree. ORD. _Capparideæ_. Greenhouse
or stove evergreen shrubs, of considerable beauty. Calyx four-parted;
petals four; stamens numerous; succeeded by a berry. They thrive best
in a compost of well-drained sandy loam. Cuttings of ripe shoots will
root in sand, under a hand glass, in moist heat. This genus contains
about 120 species, but it is very doubtful if more than six are to be
found under cultivation in this country.
=C. amygdalina= (Almond-like).* _fl._ white; peduncles axillary,
compressed, corymbiferous. _l._ elliptical-oblong, narrowed towards
both ends, with a callous point; upper surface smooth; under
surface, as well as the branches, covered with silvery scaly dots.
_h._ 6ft. West Indies, 1818. Stove.
=C. cynophallophora= (Dog-phallus bearing). _fl._ white, large,
fragrant; peduncles few-flowered, shorter than the leaves. _l._
smooth, leathery, oblong, on short petiole. _h._ 8ft. to 25ft. West
Indies, 1752. Stove. (R. G. 1862, 351.)
=C. odoratissima= (sweetest-scented).* _fl._ violet, sweet-scented,
about the size of Myrtle, with yellow anthers; peduncles
racemiferous at the top. _l._ oblong, acuminate, on long
footstalks; upper surface smooth; under surface covered with little
hard scales. _h._ 6ft. Caraccas, 1814. Stove.
[Illustration: FIG. 363. FLOWER AND BUD OF CAPPARIS SPINOSA.]
=C. spinosa= (spiny).* Common Caper. _fl._ white, tinged with red
on the outside; pedicels solitary, one-flowered. June. _l._ ovate,
roundish, deciduous. _h._ 3ft. South Europe, 1596. This is an
excellent greenhouse shrub, and one which we have found perfectly
hardy in the southern counties of England. See Fig. 363. (B. M.
291.)
=CAPRIFOLIACEÃ.= A rather large order of shrubs or herbs, often
twining. Flowers terminal, corymbose, or axillary; corolla superior,
regular or irregular. Leaves opposite, exstipulate. Well-known genera
are: _Linnæa_, _Lonicera_, _Sambucus_, and _Viburnum_.
=CAPRIFOLIUM.= _See_ =Lonicera=.
[Illustration: FIG. 364. FRUIT OF LONG AND ROUND CAPSICUMS.]
=CAPSICUM= (from _kapto_, to bite; on account of the biting heat of the
seeds and pericarp). ORD. _Solanaceæ_. Shrubs or sub-shrubs, rarely
herbs. Peduncles extra-axillary, one-flowered. Leaves scattered,
solitary, or twin, and quite entire. Many of the species, although
possessing considerable beauty, are but rarely grown, either for
decoration or for the use of their fruit; consequently, we confine
our specific enumeration to the Common Capsicum, the Bird Pepper or
Chili, and the Bell Pepper. The first two of these have long been in
cultivation, for use either in a green state for pickles and for making
Chili vinegar, or ripened and ground as Cayenne Pepper. Some sorts are
exceedingly ornamental for greenhouse decoration in winter, if plants
are well grown in rather small pots, and the fruit ripened under glass.
The varieties producing small pods are the hottest, and consequently
best suited for making Cayenne Pepper. These are generally called
Chilies. All other varieties of Capsicum have a more or less pungent
flavour, and those bearing larger pods are more profitable for use in
a green state. The fruits of all are either red or yellow when ripe,
and are of various sizes and shapes. Some are produced and stand erect
on the upper side of the branches; others hang underneath. Fig. 364
represents hanging fruits of Long and Round Capsicums, the shapes of
which are produced by both red and yellow varieties.
_Cultivation._ Being natives of tropical countries, Capsicums cannot
always be depended upon to thoroughly ripen in the open air; but a good
crop of green fruits may generally be obtained by preparing the plants
early in the season, and planting out in a warm situation.
Sow the seeds in February or early in March, in pots or pans, placing
them in heat; and so soon as the plants are large enough, pot off
singly into 3in. pots, still keeping them in heat until well rooted.
Place them into 6in. or 7in. pots before they become starved; and
gradually harden off and plant out about 2ft. asunder, in June. The
fruits ripen better if the plants are placed against a south wall and
tacked on to it. The safest plan to obtain a crop of ripe fruits is to
cultivate under glass. Pots of 7in. diameter are large enough. Rich
soil must be used, and any spare frames are suitable in summer. Plenty
of water and frequent syringings should be applied, as the plants are
very liable to injury from red spider and other insects if this is in
any way neglected. The fruits will keep some time after being ripe, but
are never better than when fresh gathered; they may, however, be kept
on the plants for a considerable period.
_Sorts._ Chili, Long Red, Long Yellow, Small Red Cayenne, Round Red,
and Round Yellow. Good ornamental varieties are: Little Gem, a very
dwarf variety, of comparatively recent introduction, covered with
small, erect, red pods; and Prince of Wales, free fruiting, with
hanging bright yellow pods.
=C. annuum= (annual). Common Capsicum. _fl._ white, solitary. June.
Petioles glabrous. _fr._ oblong, pendulous, and erect, red or
yellow, variable in shape. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. South America, 1548.
=C. baccatum.= Bird Pepper or Chili. _fl._ greenish; peduncles
twin. June. _fr._ small, erect, almost globose. _l._ oblong,
glabrous, as well as the petiole. Branches angular, striated. _h._
2ft. to 4ft. Tropical America, 1731. Greenhouse shrub.
=C. grossum= (large). Bell Pepper. _fl._ white. July. India, 1759.
=CAPSULAR.= Like a capsule.
=CAPSULE.= A dry dehiscent seed vessel or fruit.
=CARAGANA= (_Caragan_ is the name of _C. arborescens_ among the
Monguls). Siberian Pea-tree. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Very ornamental hardy
deciduous trees or shrubs. Flowers usually yellow, axillary, either
solitary or crowded, but always single on thin stalks. Leaves abruptly
pinnate, the midrib ending in a bristle or spine; leaflets mucronate.
They are well adapted for shrubberies, and are of the easiest culture
in sandy soil. Propagated by cuttings, made of the roots, or by seeds;
the low-growing shrubs by seeds and layers. Caraganas are generally
increased by grafting on _C. arborescens_, which is easily raised from
seed, sown when ripe or in spring.
=C. Altagana= (Altagana). _fl._ yellow; pedicels solitary. April to
July. _l._ with six to eight pairs of glabrous, obovate-roundish,
retuse leaflets; petiole unarmed. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Dahuria, 1789.
Shrub.
=C. arborescens= (tree-like).* _fl._ pale or bright yellow;
pedicels in fascicles. April, May. _l._ with four to six pairs of
oval-oblong villous leaflets; petiole unarmed. Stipules spinescent.
_h._ 15ft. to 20ft. Siberia, 1752. Tree. (B. M. 1886.)
=C. Chamlagu= (Chamlagu). _fl._ yellow, at length becoming reddish,
large, pendulous; pedicels solitary. May. _l._ with two pairs of
distant, oval, or obovate glabrous leaflets; stipules spreading,
and, as well as the petioles, spinose. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. China,
1773. Shrub.
=C. frutescens= (woody).* _fl._ yellow, resupinate; pedicels
solitary. April. _l._ with two pairs of leaflets, approximating
the top of the petiole, obovate-cuneated; stipules membranous;
petiole furnished with a short spine at the apex. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft.
Siberia, 1752. Shrub. (S. B. F. G. 3, 227.) There are one or two
varieties of this species.
=C. jubata= (bearded).* _fl._ white, suffused with red, few;
pedicels solitary, very short. April. _l._ with four or five pairs
of oblong-lanceolate, lanuginously-ciliated leaflets; stipules
setaceous; petioles somewhat spinose. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Siberia,
1796. Shrub. SYN. _Robinia jubata_. (L. B. C. 522.)
* * * * *
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber notes: |
| |
| P. 14. 't rminal' under Aciotis, changed to 'terminal'. |
| P. 21. 'Ternstroemiaceoe' changed to 'Ternstroemiaceæ' |
| P. 27. 'producing fronds', fronds is usually in italics. Changed. |
| P. 27. 'A synonymn of A. venustum.', changed 'synonymn' |
| to 'synonym'. |
| P. 41. 'deeply chanelled', changed 'chanelled' to 'channelled'. |
| P. 41. 'A. Wislizeni ... which is under 2ft. broad'; should 'broad'|
| be 'long'? Left as a query. |
| P. 49. A. Scorodoprasum. 'Europ' changed to 'Europe'. |
| P. 53. A. ageratoides. 'receptable" changed to 'receptacle'. |
| P. 87. 'surface is punctuate', changed 'punctuate' to 'punctuated'.|
| P. 87. 'of less than than', taken out one 'than'. |
| P. 134. A. umbrosum. 'laceolate' changed to 'lanceolate'. |
| P. 162. 'Caraccas', changed to 'Caracas'. |
| P. 171. 'browish when matured.', changed 'browish' to 'brownish'. |
| P. 174. 'numerous arge round', changed 'arge' to 'large'. |
| P. 190. 'part the day' changed to 'part of the day'. |
| P. 190. 'Rio Janeiro, 1825.' changed to 'Rio de Janeiro, 1825.' |
| P. 210. 'Caraccas', changed to 'Caracas'. |
| P. 213. 'Syn. B Joinvillei, B. pitcairniæfolia.', changed 'Syn.' |
| to 'Syns.' |
| P. 222. 'There is a is a variety', removed extra 'is a'. |
| P. 235. 'petioles sheating' changed to 'petioles sheathing'. |
| P. 259. 'CAPSIDIUM' is 'CAMPSIDIUM' in another volume. Changed. |
| Fixed various punctuation. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
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Gardening, Division. 1; A to Car., by Various
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