ALPINIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



ALPINIA 



arranged in raceme - like clusters 

 at the end of the leafy stems. The 

 corolla has a short tube, the 

 outer limb being divided into equal 

 lobes, the inner one forming a large 

 flat lip, while the lateral segments are 

 reduced to small teeth or are absent 

 altogether, 



Alpinias flourish in a rich compost 

 of fibrous loam, peat, and leaf-mould, 

 or old cow-manure, in about equal 

 proportions, with the addition of a 

 little sharp silver sand to secure 

 sufficient porosity. The minimum 

 temperature during the winter season 

 should not sink below 65° or 60° F., 

 even if the plants are at rest and 

 quite leafless. During the spring and 

 summer months, when growth is 

 active, an abundance of water must 

 be given, and the syringe should be 

 freely used in the mornings and after- 

 noons to keep the foliage clean and 

 healthy, and free from attacks of red 

 spider or mealy bug. After the 

 flowers have passed their best they 

 should be cut off, to save the plants 

 further exhaustion. Once the leaves 

 begin to assume a yellowish tint, 

 water should be given in smaller 

 quantities, until eventually it is with- 

 held almost entirely when the leaves 

 drop. Propagation is efi'ected in 

 spring by carefully cutting the 

 rhizomes with a strong sharp knife 

 when the young shoots have fairly 

 started into growth. 



The following are the only species 

 of garden value : — 



A. albo-lineata. — A native of New 

 Guinea, 3 to 4 ft. high, with elliptic, 

 lance - shaped, soft green leaves 

 obliquely banded with white. 



A. borneensis. — A distinct Bornean 

 species 4 to G ft. high, with leaves 

 2 ft. long, and purple-lipped flowers 

 in panicles a foot long. 



A. fimbriata. — A Bornean plant 3 

 to 5 ft. high, with lance-shaped leaves 



67 



1 h ft. long, and fine spikes of purple 

 flowers. 



A. longipetiola. — A strong-growing 

 species from West Tropical Africa, 

 about 6 ft. high, with elliptic leaves, 

 the upper ones becoming narrower, 

 the petioles being long, roundish, 

 and winged at the top. The white 

 or rose flowers spotted with purple 

 are borne in terminal panicles, 



A. mutica. — A handsome Bornean 

 plant about 6 ft. high, with narrow, 

 lance-shaped, almost stalkless leaves, 

 and white and yellow flowers veined 

 with crimson, borne in pairs on a 

 spike-like raceme about August (Belg. 

 Hort. vii, 21 ; Bot. Mag. t, 6908), 



A. nutans (G'lobha nutans). — A fine 

 Indian species, as much as 13 ft. high, 

 with smooth, lance-shaped leaves, 12 

 to 18 ins. long, covered with reddish 

 hairs. The pinkish, sweetly scented 

 flowers appear about May in drooping 

 racemes, the large orange-pink lip 

 being striped with red. Owing to its 

 size this species requires plenty of 

 space, and may be grown in bold 

 masses in corners of the hothouse, 

 where it may be seen to the best 

 advantage, either in pots, tubs, or 

 planted out in beds of rich soil. {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 1903.) 



A. pumila. — A native of Eastern 

 China, with tufts of elliptic, lance- 

 shaped, pointed leaves, having white 

 stripes on the green upper surface. 

 The pink and rosy flowers are borne 

 in short spikes about April, on short 

 stalks springing up from the roots. 

 {Bot. Mag. t. 6832.) 



A. Sanderae. — A species from New 

 Guinea, with erect stems, shortly 

 stalked shining green leaves about 

 5 ins. long, regularly and closely 

 striped with broad white bands 

 {(Jard. Chron. 1903, xxxiii. 245). 



A. tricolor. — A native of the Solo- 

 mon Islands, with oblong pointed 

 leaves about 10 ins. long, green, with 



