264 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



OUVIRANDRA. 



is used in several ways. They are mostly 

 tall growers, with thin straight stems that 

 bear good-sized pinnate leaves. 



For propagation and cultivation, see 

 Palms, general details of culture. 



(ZJ. Batava. A stately species that 

 attains a considerable height, but which 

 may be kept within reasonable bounds for 

 some time under pot culture. A native of 

 South America. 



(E. dealbatus. 'A species that attains 

 a moderate size, and is distinct-looking 

 wlien it has advanced beyond the early 

 stages of growth. From the Amazon 

 country. 



<!!. frigidus. A free-growing species that 

 forms a handsome head of leaves. Tropical 

 America. 



OREOPANAX. 



A genus of evergreen, ornamental- 

 leaved plants nearly allied to the Aralias, 

 in appearance not unlike A. Sieboldii. 

 They do the best in an intermediate tem- 

 perature ; in other matters treat as advised 

 for stove Aralias, which see. 



0. dactylifolium. A handsome, large- 

 leaved plant, with palmate, deeply-lobed 

 leaves. Introduced from Mexico. 



0. plantanifolium. A pretty kind, with 

 general habit somewhat like 0. dactyli- 

 folium. From Peru. 



Insects. — The juices of the';e plants are 

 little suited to the tastes of insects, but 

 thrips sometimes affect them, for which 

 sponge and syringe freely. 



OTHONNA CRASSIFOLIA. 



An evergreen plant, from the Cape of 

 Good Hope, wdth scandent habit. It is of 

 no particular merit, but is sometimes used 

 as a greenhouse climber. It can be in- 

 creased by cuttings in spring in the usual 

 way, and grown on in a pot until it is large 

 enough for planting out. 



The flowers are yellow, produced in 

 autumn. 



Insects. — Nothing interferes much with 

 this plant except red spider or aphides ; 

 should the former be troublesome syiinge 

 freely ; for aphides fumigate. 



OUVIRANDRA. 



Among the most singular of all vegetable 

 productions are the Ouvirandras or Lattice 

 Plants. Theyare stove aquaticswhoseleaves 

 float near the top of the water in which 

 they grow, but not quite on the surface. 

 The water should not be very deep, for 

 the plants are not large growers — the 



leaves of a healthy, well-grown specimen 

 rarely attain a length of more than 12 or 

 15 inches, and are borne on foot-stalks not 

 nearly so long as the leaf-blade. Coming 

 as they do from Madagascar, a country 

 proverbial for its high temperature, it 

 follows that under cultivation Lattice 

 Plants must be continuously in Avater 

 kept at something approaching a uniform 

 temperature. Another matter of impor- 

 tance is that the water should be clean and 

 without sediment, otherwise the deposit 

 left on the leaves would not only spoil 

 their appearance, but also cause them to 

 decay prematurely. 



These Ouvirandras can be increased by 

 division of the crowns, but we much prefer 

 seedlings, which are produced freely from 

 self-sown seeds wherever the plants are 

 grown well, and have sufficient room. 

 They can, however, be induced to grow 

 freely in a moderate space, such as a tub 3 

 feet or so in diameter and 2 feet deep. In 

 the bottom of this should be put a mound 

 of loam about 6 or 8 inches deep and a foot in 

 diameter ; in this the young plant should 

 be placed and the soil just pressed around 

 it, the surface of the mound being left 

 quite smooth ; then fill up with water at a 

 temperature of 80°, introducing it very 

 gently, so as not to displace the soil. The 

 vessel thus furnished should be set over, or 

 as close as possible to, the hot-water pipes, 

 so that the water in which the plant is 

 immersed may be kept at an even tem- 

 perature ; this is best secured by growing 

 it in something that will hold a consider- 

 able body of water, such as a slate or lead 

 cistern about 3 feet square ; in that case 

 the plant can be put in a pot, and the pot 

 placed on another inverted in the tank, 

 and then the leaves will not be too deep in 

 the water. Some fresh water at a tem- 

 perature of 80° should be added three or 

 four times a week, so as to cause a moderate 

 portion to run over ; in this way the water 

 will be regularly renewed, and kept in a 

 fresh, clear condition. 



Little further is required, except that if 

 the water, notwithstanding the precaution 

 suggested, happens to get foul, it should be 

 completely changed, and the leaves very 

 carefully sponged, so as to remove all 

 slimy matter irom them. These plants, 

 however, rarely do well if the water cannot 

 be kept clean without entire renewal. We 

 have spoken of Ouvirandras as requiring 

 the water kept in a continuously warm 

 state. This cannot well be done except in 

 a house in which a high temperature is 

 maintained, and unless such is at com- 

 mand, it is of little use attempting their 

 cultivation. Where the plants have plenty 



