AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
E 
OF HORTICULTURE. 
287 
Rhaphidophora—continued. 
R. lancifolia (lance-leaved). fl., spathe apricot-coloured and 
panepen outside, salmon-colour within, 3in. to 4in. long, 
sin. to 3in. wide, ovate, acuminate, open; spadix white, 
cylindrical, erect, obtuse. Z. lanceolate, cuspidate, Yin. to 10in. 
long, unequal-sided, dark shining green, glabrous. Stem cylin- 
drical. Khasia and Sylhet, 1874. (G. C. 1874, ii. 612.) 
.P. Peepla (Peepla). M. spathe yellowish outside, reddish-yellow 
within, ovate-acuminate, shorter than the petiole; spadix yel- 
lowish. J. oblong or elliptic-oblong, rounded at base, or cuneate, 
with a long cuspidate-acuminate apex, acute. East Indies. 
R. pertusa (perforated). fl., spathe scarcely equalling the petiole, 
but exceeding the spadix. l unequilateral, loosely cordate at 
base, shortly cuspidate at apex, entire, pertuse, or pinnatitid ; 
petioles about a quarter shorter than the leaves. East Indies. 
RHAPHIOLEPIS (from rhaphis, a needle, and 
lepis, a scale; alluding to the narrow, subulate bracts). 
Erroneously spelt Raphiolepis. Indian Hawthorn. ORD. 
Rosaceew. A genus comprising about five species of 
interesting, hardy or half-hardy, evergreen shrubs or 
trees, natives of China and Japan, one being also 
found in the Sandwich Isles (?). Flowers white or 
red; calyx with an obconical or funnel-shaped tube 
and five deciduous, subulate lobes; petals five, clawed, 
oblong, acute; stamens many; inflorescence paniculate 
or corymbose ; bracts subulate,: deciduous. Berries 
pulpy. Leaves alternate, petiolate, coriaceous, entire 
or serrulate. The most suitable compost for these 
shrubs and trees is one of loam, peat, and sand. 
Ripened cuttings will readily root in sand, under a hand 
glass. Some of the species will stand our winters 
outside, if planted against a south wall, and covered 
with mats during severe weather. Those best known 
in gardens are described below. i 
R. indica (Indian). East Indian Hawthorn. fl. white or pink- 
tinted, the size of those of the Hawthorn, in short, terminal 
panicles. February to August. l. ovate or lanceolate. h. 4ft. 
China, 1806. Half-hardy shrub. 
R. i. phæostemon (brown-stamened). 
ments brown. J. lanceolate, acuminate 
(B. R. 468, under name of R. indica.) 
R. i. rubra (reddish). ji. reddish; — lanceolate. 
l. ovate-lanceolate, acuminated at both ends. 1806, 
(B. R. 1400 and L. C. B. 3, under name of R. rubra.) 
R. i, salicifolia (Willow-leaved). jl. white. l. long-lan- 
ceolate. 1821. (B. R. 652, under name of R. salicifolia.) 
R. ja ca inte (entire-leaved Japanese). 
ñ. snow-white, odorous, żin. in diameter; panicles ter- 
minal, erect, 2in. to 4in. h, densely clothed below 
with large, ciliated bracts. June. J. alternate and ob- 
Pip petals white; fila- 
at both ends. 1820. 
scurely whorled, 2in. to 3in. long, broadly obovate, 
obtusely apiculate, dark green and shining above, paler 
below. Branches stout. Japan, 1865. Hardy shrub. 
(B. M. 5510.) 
RHAPHITHAMNUS (from rhapis, a needle, 
and thamnos, a shrub; on account of the spiny 
character of some of the species). Syn. Peppigia 
(of Bertero). ORD. Verbenacew. A small genus (six 
Species) of unarmed or spiny shrubs or trees, 
all natives of Chili. Flowers nodding, at the axils 
of minute bracts; calyx tubular - campanulate, 
shortly five-toothed; corolla tube straight, enlarged 
above, the limb spreading, of four or five unequal 
lobes ; stamens four, didynamous ; racemes axillary, 
few (often one or two) flowered. Leaves opposite, 
rather small, ovate, entire. Only two species 
have been introduced. For culture, see Myrtus. 
R. ited). f. pale blue, soli 
ce In pate erie — — ig ohn din. ely 
Summer. ‘7. broadly ovate and acute or orbicular and 
mucronate, very coriaceous, bright deep green above, 
pa beneath. h. 15ft. to 20ft. A densely leafy green- 
ouse tree, hardy in the Channel Islands and South-west 
England. (B. M. 6849.) 
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM (from Rhapis, and 
phyllon, a leaf; in reference to its resemblance 
to the genus Rhapis, both producing suckers 
freely—a character by no means common in the 
Palm family). ORD. Palme. A monotypic genus. 
The species is a low, greenhouse palm, with a short, 
erect or creeping trunk. For culture, see 
Rhapidophyllum—continued. 
. Hystrix (porcupine). Blue Palmetto. fl. yellow, minute; 
gets about four, oblong, woolly, acutely two-lipped; 
small, short-peduncled. June an 
l 3ft. to 4ft. high, circular in outline, deeply and uneq 
plicate, and cut into numerous two to four-toothed divisions, 
silvery beneath, on triangular, rough-edged petioles ; sheaths per- 
sistent, composed of oblique fibres interwoven with numerous 
strong, erect spines. Trunk 3ft. to 4ft. long. Southern United 
States, 1801. Syn. Chamerops Hystrix (I. H. 1883, 486). 
RHAPIS (from rhapis, a needle; alluding to the 
needle-like segments of the leaves). ORD. Palma. A 
genus comprising four or five species of low, Chinese and | 
Japanese, greenhouse palms, with long, densely-tufted, 
reed-like, leafy caudices. Flowers yellowish; spathes two 
or three, incomplete, membranous ; spadices shorter than 
the leaves, borne on slender peduncles, the branches 
spreading. Fruit consisting of one to three small, 
obovoid, one-seeded carpels, Leaves alternate and ter- 
minal, sub-membranous, connate or semi-orbicular, deeply 
cut into three to many segments, which are linear, 
cuneate, or elliptic, truncate, entire, toothed, or cut, 
three to many-nerved; petioles slender, biconvex, with 
smooth or serrulated margins; sheaths split into a 
fibrous network. Several of the species have been intro- 
duced, for culture of which see Chamerops. 
R. aspera (rough). A synonym of R. flabelliformis. 
R. cochinchinensis (Cochin China). A., spadix short, branched. 
Jr. ovate, not edible. l. fan-shaped, ately divided ; segments 
oblong, obtuse, much plaited; petioles short, straight, prickly. 
Caudex 8ft. high, Cochin China. 
FIG. 363. RHAPIS FLABELLIFORMIS, 
ER. flabelliformis (fan-leaved).* Ground Rattan Cane. 
yellowish, sessile, thickly covering the spikelets; s 
Ji, males 
sparse, 
ve to seven- 
hed, 4in. to Sin. long. l. petioled, 
* 
July. fr. a small drupe. — 
cally a 
