í 
AN ENCYCLOPÆDIA 
‘ 
OF HORTICULTURE. 313 
Romulea—continued. 
R. Bulbocodium (Bulbocodium).* fl. yellow below, violet above 
the middle, large; spathe two-valved, the outer valve ovate, 
carinate, the inner one broad and yg pear scape simple, 
` rarely bifid, densely leafy. March. l. linear-ensiform, furcate, 
channelled and sheathing at base, arcuately recurved. h. 6in. 
South Europe, 1739. Hardy. (Fl. Ment. 934; B. M. 265, under 
name of Ixia Bulbocodium.) A variety, P. Pylium, has white 
flowers marked with purple, borne on a many-flowered scape, 
(B. R. xxx. 40, Fig. 2, under name of T'richonema Pylium.) 
P. subpatustre is a form having white flowers —— with 
blue. (B. R. xxx. 40, Fig. 1, under name of Trichonema palustre.) 
R. Columnz (Columna’s). fl. nish outside, whitish within, 
with purple veins and a yellow , one to three on a very short 
scape ; =o longer than the perianth tube. March to May. 
i. wiry, 2in. to 4in. long, recurved, sub-cylindric, grooved above. 
South and West Europe (Britain), &c. (Fl. Ment. 91.) SYN. 
Tr a Col (Sy. En. B. 1492). 
R. cruciata (cruciate). jl. rose-coloured, terminal, erect; outer 
spathe valve striated and purple tted, inner one dark-striped 
and dotted; oe simple or branched. May. l. long-sheathing 
at base, four-ribbed on both sides, — recurved. A. 6in. 
rape of Good Hope, — Half-hardy. (B. M. 575, under name 
richo a cr t á 
R. pudica (chaste). A. pink, with violet spots at the base, 
terminal, pedunculate ; spathe valves striate, keeled, equal; 
scape terete, short, simple, curved. August. J. lanceolate-linear, 
tricostate-bisulcate ; — ones ventricose-sheathing. fh. 6in. 
or or opa Hope, 1 à Greenhouse. (B. M. 1244, under name 
R. ramifiora (branch-flowered). fl. yellow in the throat, rather 
small ; outer segments yellowish outside, and deep or pale lilac 
in the upper part; inner segments purple in the — part 
inside and out; scape elongated, two or three-flowe May. 
l. 6in. to 12in. in length, stout, straight or recurved. Naples, 
1830. Hardy. (Fl. Ment. 92; S. B. F. G. 596, under name of 
Trichonema ramiflora.) 
R. rosea (rosy). A. rose-coloured, yellow at base, terminal, 
stalked, campanulate ; spathe valves broadly ovate, acute, striated, 
urple-spotted ; scape terete, simple, leafy. July. 2. recurved, 
ong-sheathing at base, often slenderly ciliated on the ribs. A. 6in. 
Cape of Good Hope, 1818. Greenhouse. (B. M. 1225, under name 
of Trichonema roseum.) 
R. speciosa (showy).* M. rose-coloured, yellow and violet-striped 
at the base of the segments; outer spathe valve convolute and 
striate, inner one ventricose, obtuse, and broader; scape terete, 
simple, erect, leafy. May. J. slender, somewhat Rush-like, four- 
channelled, long-sheathing, slightly twisted. h. 6in. Cape of 
Good Hope, 1 Greenhouse. (A. B. R. 170, under name of 
Bulbocodium sp ; B. M. 1476, under name of Trichonema 
G. 300, under name of Spatalanthus 
speciosum; S. B, F. 
speciosus.) 
RONDELETIA (named in memory of William Ronde- 
let, 1507-1566, a scientific physician, whose attention was 
chiefly devoted to fishes and alge). Syns. Arachni- 
morpha, Lightfootia (of Schreber), and Wilidenovia. In- 
eluding Rogiera. ORD. Rubiacee. A genus comprising 
about sixty species of stove evergreen shrubs and 
(rarely) trees, with terete branchlets, natives of the 
West Indies and tropical America, but very rare in 
Guiana and Peru. Flowers white, yellow, or red, small, 
pedicellate, disposed in corymbose or paniculate, axil- 
lary or rarely terminal cymes; calyx four or five- 
lobed, persistent; corolla funnel or. salver-shaped, the 
limb of four or five spreading lobes; stamens four or 
five. Leaves opposite, rarely ternately whorled, sessile 
or petiolate, coriaceous or membranous; stipules broad, 
interpetiolar, deciduous or persistent. Many of the species 
are very pretty, and well deserving of a position in the 
stove. The most suitable soil is a compost of loam, 
peat, and sand. Propagation may be readily effected by 
cuttings, inserted in sand, under a bell glass, in heat. A 
selection of the best-known species is given below. 
R. americana (American). fi. white, slightly odorous ; cymes 
axillary, corymbiform, long-pedunculate, pubescent. August. 
l. lanceolate-oblong, ber tone. pointed, acuminate at base, 
glabrous, hispidulous on the nerves within; stipules hairy 
within. A. 5ft. West Indies, 1752. 
R. ameena (pleasing).* j. of a beautiful pink colour, golden- 
June 1, brondy oblong im (0 Bie. long, aenminate, nerved. 
une, ¢, broadiy ong, . f M. 4579), Rog: 
h. 4ft. Guatemala. SYNS. R. versicolor 
amæna (F. d. S. 442; L. & P. F. G. i. 143). : 
Backhouse’ rose-coloured, pedicel 
f Sot piae con -flowered panic 
as the calyx lobes. 
i _ terminal 
bescent, twice or thrice as 
* —— shortly petioled, ain to Yin. long, sub- 
kim ->œ 
Rondeletia—continued. 
acute, membranous; petioles and veins beneath red. 1860. A 
small shrub, of unknown origin; it is probably identical with 
R. erythronema, of Karsten. (B. M. 6290.) 
R. cordata (heart-shaped).* A. pink, four-parted ; cymes terminal, 
corymbose, many-flowered. Summer. /. sub-sessile, ovate or 
ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, cordate at base, coriaceous, puberu- 
lous beneath and on veins, or at length glabrous ; stipules ovate- 
lanceolate, leafy, reflexed. h. 4ft. Guatemala, SYN. 
Rogiera cordata (F. d. S. 754). 
gratissima (most agreeable).* jt. pinkish, sweet-scented, with 
a long tube and five lobes, disposed in dense, terminal, corymbi- 
form cymes, and not unlike those of the Laurestine. J. lanceo- 
late-elliptic. 7 Mexico, 1866. A beautiful, cool stove shrub. 
(I. H. n. s. 424; F. d. S. 1570-1 and R. G. 
Rogiera gratissima.) 
R. hirsuta (hairy). #. yellow; corolla tube externally hairy; 
cymes axillary, corymbiform, shaggy-pilose, on peduncles as long 
as the leaves. July. J. opao or elliptic-oblong, 2in. to Sin. 
long, cuspidate, rounded or blunt at the base, hispidulous on both 
sides with scattered down; stipules shaggy-pilose. h. 4ft. 
Jamaica, 1820. 
R. laurifolia (Laurel-leaved), A. brownish-yellow, fragrant ; 
corolla sub-rotate ; cymes in axillary, hoary-pubescent, racemi- 
490, under name of 
form panicles. July. J. elliptic-oblong, šin. to Sin. long, pointed, 
glabrous; stipules subulate-deltoid, villous within. h. 4ft. 
Jamaica, 1824 
R. odorata (odorous).* fi. bright vermilion, fragrant, in terminal, 
cs trichot d co 
T p rymbs; pedicels hairy; corolla 
salver-shaped, with a narrow tube and a spreading limb. 
November. J. in opposite and rather remote pairs, ovate, acute 
or somewhat — nats, entire, waved, on very short petioles. 
Stem straggling, with rounded, downy branches. h. 3ft. Cuba 
said also to be Mexican), 1836. (B. 53; B. M. 3953; B. R. 1905.) 
YN. R. speciosa (L. B. C. 1893; P. M. B. ii. 242, v. 354). ; 
R. o. breviflora (shorter-flowered). fi. vermilion or bright 
orange-red, with a distinct yellow eye; corolla shorter than in 
the type; limb nearly żin. in diameter. West Indies. (B. M. 
R. Purdiei (Purdie’s).* f. pee yellow, fragrant, żin, in diameter, 
crowded into terminal and axillary, rounded corymbs; corolla 
with a thickened ring at the throat. Summer. J. Jin. to 8in. 
long, ovate-oblong or almost oblong-lanceolate, but obtuse, 
narrowed at base into the very short petiole, or suddenly (in the 
larger lower leaves) terminating in a small, cordate base ; midrib 
above. h. 4ft. Columbia, 1867. An almost silky-pubescent 
shrub. (B. M. 5669.) 
R. racemosa (raceme-flowered). Har 
glabrous, racemiform, peduncled panicles. Summer. J. — 
oblong, 3in. long, pointed, glabrous; stipules deltoid, villous 
within. A. 5ft. Jamaica, 1 
R. speciosa (showy). A synonym of R. odorata. 
R. thyrsoidea (thyrse-flowered). fl. rusty-yellowish, externally 
pubescent; cymes in axillary, hoary-pubescent, pyramidal 
panicles. July. l. ovate or elliptic, din. to 6in. long, pointed, 
glabrous above, puberulous with scattered, minute down beneath ; 
stipules deltoid-subulate, strigose within. h. 6ft. Jamaica, 1819. 
R. versicolor (various-coloured). A synonym of R. amena. 
RONNBERGIA (named in honour of M. Ronnberg, 
Director of Agriculture and Horticulture to the Minister 
of the Interior of Belgium). ORD. Bromeliacew. A 
monotypic genus. The species is a very distinct and 
remarkable, stove, perennial herb. For culture, see Bill- 
f. white; cymes in axillary, 
R. Morreniana (Morren’s).* fi. blue, very similar to those of 
Billbergia, disposed in a dense, spike-formed, terminal thyrse. 
2. large, entire, long-stalked, oblong, acuminate, sub-cordate at 
base, bright green, zonately. or transversely marked with bars 
spots of a very deep green. Stem erect. New Grenada, 
34 (1. H. 1874, 177.) 
RONNOWIA. A synonym of Omphalea (which see). 
ROOF-FOIL. Ruskin’s suggested name for the 
House-leek. 
ROOT. See Radix. 
ROOTERIES. These are formed by arranging old 
| roots of trees over a mound of soil, and inserting trailing 
plants, hardy Ferns, &c., to grow and cover them. Used 
as a screen; this arrangement is often most effectual; 
and otherwise valueless tree-stumps may be utilised in 
place of stones, which are not always to be obtained, 
for making a rockery instead. One objection to Rooteries 
is that they often afford a hiding-place and home for 
numerous kinds of vermin. MRooteries may be piled up 
in almost any shape, and made to produce, when fur- 
nished, a good effect. 
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