MARCH. 65 



SONERILA MARGARITACEA. 



Pearl-Bearing Sonerila. 

 (Plate 98.) 



Those of our readers who attend the meetings of the Horticul- 

 tural Society in Regent Street will remember how much this 

 extremely pretty plant was admired at the November meeting of 

 last year, when it was exhibited by the Messrs. Veitch, who have 

 been fortunate in introducing it from India, through their col- 

 lector, Mr. Thomas Lobb. 



Sonerila Margaritacea forms a tufty, low-growing plant, with 

 obovate-lanceolate leaves, of a rich dark green, thickly covered 

 with white oval spots, which give the leaves the appearance of 

 being covered with pearls — hence the specific name. Numerous 

 offsets or short runners, each producing a tuft of leaves at their 

 extremity, are sent out from the parent stem, forming altogether 

 dense tufts of foliage, from which rise numerous flower-stems of a 

 crimson colour, carrying bright rose-coloured flowers. The plant 

 grows from 6 to 9 inches high, and, well managed, will grow 

 18 inches or 2 feet in diameter. 



No doubt this plant may be propagated freely by means of the 

 offsets, or from seed, which should be sown in shallow pans, and 

 treated much in the same way as seedling Gloxinias or Achimenes, 

 shading them from the sun, and potting them on as they require 

 it. Towards winter less Avater will be required. For the purpose 

 of wintering the plants a dry atmosphere and moderate tempera- 

 ture — say 55° or thereabouts — will be found the best, with the 

 foliage kept free from wet or damp of any kind. As spring 

 advances increase the temperature, and shift into a size larger 

 pot. On all occasions be particular not to injure the foliage. 

 Towards May the heat may range up to 70°, and by this time 

 the plants will require being put into 9 or 10-inch pots for 

 blooming. The soil may consist of one-half fibrous peat, and 

 the other turfy loam, leaf-soil, and sand, well mixed together, 

 using plenty of drainage. 



There is just now quite a rage for variegated-leaved plants, 

 among which this must occupy the very first place ; besides which, 

 it is altogether so charming a plant, and will be found useful for 

 so many decorative purposes, that every one cultivating a dozen 

 stove plants will select this as one. We are indebted to the 

 Messrs. Veitch for permission to figure it for our pages ; and Mr. 

 Andrews' usual success as a floral artist has attended him in 

 giving a beautiful representation of the original. 



NEW SERIES, VOL. Y. NO. LI. 



