AN ENCYCLOPZEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 365 
Combretum— continued. Commelina—continued. 
C. farinosum (mealy). Л. orange-coloured, sub-secund ; petals middle rib prominent behind, channelled above. Stem ascend- 
scale-formed ; spikes usually twin, many-flowered. April to July. ing, rooting, branched, red, especially above the joints, hairy. A. 
1. elliptic-oblong, obtuse, rather coriaceous, rounded at the base, lift. to 2ft. Lima. A very pretty greenhouse species. (B. M. 
mealy beneath. Mexico, 1825. 3047, under the name of C. gracilis.) z 
c. grandificrum (large-flowered).* fl. scarlet, large, secund ; 
petals obovate, obtuse; spikes short, axi ‚ and terminal. 
May to July. @. oblong. Plant hairy. Sierra Leone, 1824., SYN. 
C. Afzelii. (B. M. 2944. ) 
C. laxum (loose).* fi. red or yellow, large, secund ; petals small, 
elliptic, brous; stamens scarlet, nearly lin. long; spikes 
axillary and terminal May. J. ovate-lanceolate. Branches sub- 
quadrangular. Trinidad, 1818. 
C. ине оронно (small-petalled). yellow ; petals obovate- 
lanceolate; stamens very Ton , bright yellow; spikes simple, 
densely-flowered, on short uncles, about equal in length to 
the leaves. August. J. elliptic-oblong, acuminated, smoothish 
above, and lepidoted beneath. Brazil, 1867. (В. М. 5617.) 
C. racemosum (racemose).* ji. white, on short pedicels ; petals 
lanceolate, obtuse; panicle of many spikes; spikes elongated, 
tufted at the apex. February to July. l. ovate-oblong, acute, 
shining. West Coast of Africa, 1826. 
COMESPERMA (from kome, hair, and sperma, а seed ; 
in allusion to the tufts of hair at the ends of the seeds). 
Овр. Polygalee. А genus of about twenty-five species 
of greenhouse herbs, under-shrubs or shrubs, erect or 
twining, all natives of Australia. Flowers small, dis- ^ .- 
posed in compound panicles or simple racemes.  Bracts, Aoi or 
two or three, at the base of the flowers. They thrive in a Fig. 504. COMMELINA CXELESTIS, showing Habit, and detached 
mixture of sandy loam and peat, with thorough drainage. Flower (natural size). 
Young cuttings will root freely, if planted in sand, under i 
a bell glass. — Comespermas, although well worth culti- ыр ere qug "e Seen Clee bae aeg ads rir 
з, , d > 5 
vating, are but rarely seen in English gardens. 2in. wide, oblong-lanceolate, the upper and margins 
kt rough backwards. Stems erect, rather stout. t 
C. gracilis (slender) A synonym of C. volubilis. Pennsylvania. One of the larges apoia. х There Ку: 
C. volubilis (twining). Л. very numerous; wings bright blue, hairy form, C. hirtella. 
many-flowered. April. C. lutea (yellow). A synonym of C. africana. 
IE CT sd Nerea rn slight t the margins 
w, linear-lanceo: untish, sli wavy а e mar; Е " 
ME E C ways slow-growing and C. prostrata (prostrate). А synonym of C. benghalensis. 
pretty suffruticose twiner. SYN. C. gracilis. (P. M. B. 5, 145.) С. scabra (rough) Л. purplish-brown, terminal, eight or ten 
together, each blossom lin. across. July. А. 1%. Mexico, 1852. 
COMFREY. See Symphytum officinale. е m pen рада)" ft, blue; spathes mostly solitary Ls 
re eduncled, - - г 
COMMELINA (named after Kaspar (1667-1731) and expanded, оой, in fruit. possit go 
Johann (1629-1698) Commelin, Dutch botanists). ORD. 1. oblong or linear-lanceolate. Stems slender, erect, or reclined 
Commelinacee. This genus is allied to the better- and rooting towards the base. South United States. Hardy. 
known one of Tradescantia, but differs in having only we S rerrowteaved form of this species, nau 
three perfect stamens. Herbaceous perennials, some of a x det 
which are very pretty plants, but not often seen in COMMELINACEZE. An extensive, widely « 
cultivation. The stove and greenhouse evergreen species oo Н piaite, талашы pooner acy = 
^ i ^ ; я : outer perianth of three 
irr chiefly o pir: зер which. will Ў E in pi co Стар барайн inner also of three, and бөй. lanes 
1 at, usually sheathing at the base. There are above 
in а gentle hotbed. The tuberous-rooted species, when 5 dhe oy 
grown in the open, should be taken up before autumn, с ape AO te two best-known genera are Commelina and 
and stored away, like Dahlias, care being taken, however, ix 
to prevent them becoming very dry. If the position is COMOCLADIA (from kome, hair, and klados, a 
sheltered, and the soil well drained, they may be left out. | branch; in allusion to the leaves being crowded at the 
In the ensuing spring, their growth may be accelerated by | tops of the branches) Maiden Plum. Овр. Anaca 
the aid of slight heat, and in May, they may be trans- | diacew. Stove evergreen trees, abounding in c 
planted out in the open. Plants thus treated, flower | juice. Flowers purple, 'small, on short pedicels, 
much stronger than seedlings. in loose branched panicles; petals three to four, 
africana (African). JL of a tawny yellow colour, at first | bricate. Leaves impari-pinnate, with opposite leaflets. 
lance resemb. those of some of the окаса. May to They sueceed well in a mixture of peat orloam, or any 
ber. l. lanceolate, $ - 7 : | ц Für 
slender, terete. h. Itt: to ate” Cape af Good Hope, i758. A light rich soil Ripened cuttings root in sand, if placed 
trailing, somewhat bushy greenhouse plant. SYN. С. lutea. under a glass, in heat. n n my 
ч (toothed). Z, leaflets on short footstalks, oblong, 
- 
M MN. E C. dentata | 
с. benghalensis (Bengal). fi. blue, small. June. J. oval, green. erosely-toothed, smooth above and downy beneath. A. 50. 
Bengal, 1794. Stove evergreen trailer. SYN. C. prostrata. G. Cuba, 1790. ; : s 
1868, 592.) С. ilicifolia (Holly-leaved). l., leaflets ovate or roundish, sessile, 
С. ccelestis (sky-blue)* jl. blue; peduncles pubescent; spathes smooth, with spiny angles; spines one to three on Sach side. 
дозите e 10s ае; Verr E about Mf long; юл 
sheath ciliated. A. ljft. i -hardy herbaceous peren- C. inte; tire -leaved), g; 
nial. See Fig. 504. (5. B. F.G. 3) talked lanceolave, quite entire, smooth. A. 10. to 3Oft. 
©. c. alba (white)* resembles the type, except in the colour of Jamaica, 1778, : 
the flowers COMPARETTIA (named after Andreas Comparetti, 
C. deficiens varie: (deficient variegated). Л. blue, small writer table physiology; 
cgi ln Ard аы Н professor at Padua, and a W on vegetable physi Ee 
produced at the ends of the branches. 1, ovate-lanceolate, freely bu p^ 1746, ii і т, 1801). Овр. Orchidee. Elegant but | 
and elegantly striped with longitudinal bands of white. Stems à ; 
terete, branching. Brazil. A low-growing, diffuse, stove peren- very rare stove epiphytal orchids, with handsome, generally 
nial. (The type is figured in B. M. 2644.) droopi racemes of small but brightly-coloured flowers, 
+ eliptica (elliptic). Ji, calyx white, glabrous ; peduncles 2in. which seam their beauty for a considerable period. — 
o ME Ss with a line of reflexed hairs along the inner side. They. кп rel dm "small blocks of wood, v ith live 
Jul late, acuminate, flat, glabrous on both sides, Medi 
t green above, whitish Lov, seven-nerved, the | sphagnum, suspended from the roof of a moderately ` 
