Copyright, 1898, by 

 rUORISTS' PUBLISHirHG CO.. 520-533 Caxton Building. CMICAQO. 



Vol. n. 



CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, JUNE 16, J898. 



No. 29. 



MARTINEZIA CARYOTAEFOLIA, 



This handsome palm, a young plant 

 of which is illustrated in this issue, is 

 one of a small family of rather slender 



in parts of Peru and also New 

 Grenada. Though this species has been 

 in cultivation since 1845 it is not now 

 largely grown, but few seeds being of- 

 fered in the market. 



Martinezia Caryotaefolia. 



growing South American palms, the 

 species in question having been found 



The martinezia also possesses a dis- 

 advantage in being so abundantly pro- 



vided with long and sharp spines, not 

 only the stems but also the backs of 

 the leaves being armed with these 

 needlelike protectors, and nearly all 

 plants having this characteristic re- 

 ceive but scanty attention from the 

 general public, and especially so if the 

 price is held above the average. 



Martinezia caryotaefolia may be de- 

 scribed in a general way as bearing 

 some resemblance to Caryota urens, 

 except that the latter is without 

 spines, but the peculiarly wedge- 

 shaped pinnae of the martinezia are 

 arranged in irregular groups along the 

 leaf stem, there being frequently from 

 six to ten inches of bare stem between 

 these groups of pinnae on a large leaf. 

 The general color of the leaves is deep 

 green, and the habit of the plant very 

 graceful. 



This palm is not specially subject to 

 the attacks of insects, but if scale In- 

 sects are allowed to infest it they are 

 likely to fix themselves along the 

 stems among the thorns, where it is 

 very difficult to dislodge them. In fact, 

 with any of the very spiny palms it 

 becomes a severe test of patience to 

 eradicate scale, and the use of strong 

 insecticides can hardly be recommend- 

 ed in such a case, an experience with 

 kerosene emulsion some years ago on 

 l)oth martinezias and daemonorops 

 having proved disastrous. 



Regarding the cultural requirements 

 of martinezias it may be said that they 

 belong among the warm house palms, 

 and will flourish under suitable condi- 

 tions for Areca lutescens, that is, tem- 

 perature of 65 to 70 degrees, raoderate 

 shading and abundant moisture. 



M. caryotaefolia is said to bear ex- 

 posure very well as a plant for house 

 decoration, but I have not seen it 

 tested for such use, though a good 

 sized plant of this species would un- 

 doubtedly be a very effective single 

 specimen to be placed on a pedestal, 

 where its spines would be out of reach 

 of the passer-by. W. H. TAPLIN. 



