162 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Fleospora — continued. 

 of erect filaments, each hearing on, or near, the tip one 

 or two conidia of a cylindrical or elliptical form, and 

 entire or two-celled. This Fungus, known as Cladn- 

 sporium herbaruni has long been regarded as an ill- 

 developed condition of Pleospora hevhanim ; but recently 

 it has been denied that C. herbarum is a stage in the 

 development of P. herbarum. Other forms of conidia 

 also occur, intermingled with the Cladosporiuni, which 

 are admitted to be conditions of P. herbarum. These 



Fig. 203. Plf.ospoua iikriiaum, Macrosporf, Stack (known as 

 Macnisp" rill III .sarriiiiihi)~a, (.'nniiliinn on Stalk (sf) ; h, Cnni- 

 diiim after falling fvoiii Stalk ; c, Aunther b'orm of Gonidiura, 

 more typical of Sarcinvla Stage : all x 400. 



latter forms {see Fig. 203) resemble, in their general ap- 

 pearance, the spores from the asci, e.jy., in the forms 

 Macrosporium sarr inula, Sporidesmium, and Altefunria 

 Brassicce. Of these forms of conidia, Macrosj^orium and 

 Sporidesmiiini are oblong, with blunt ends, and are 

 divided, as shown in Fig. 203, both lengthwise and 

 crosswise, by partition walls, and each conidium is pro- 

 duced on the end of a separate stalk. Alternavia has 

 conidia produced on stalks, which may be sparingly 

 branched ; on the tip of each branch is a I'ow of pear- 

 shaped, many-celled conidia, attached by the broader end, 

 and these separate very readily. The two forms Macro- 

 sporium and Alff'rnaria are regarded by Gibelli as 

 characteristic of the two species into which he divides 

 P. herbarum, as mentioned above. All the forms of 

 conidia now described germinate readily, and, in suitable 

 conditions of moisture and nourishment, produce myce- 

 lium, which produces the Fungus anew. On the relation- 

 ship of Cladosporium Jierbaruin to the other forms 

 greatly depends the view that must be taken of the 

 disease-producing power of P. lierbarum, and further 

 investigations are ret|uired on this point. 



Remedies. Unfortunately, these are hardly procurable, 

 because of the wide diffusion and abundance of the Fungi, 

 and the internal parasitism of the mycelium ; but all 

 diseased parts should be burned. The best method to 

 prevent damage is to promote, in every way, healthy 

 growth in the plants most liable to be attacked. 



FIiEROMA (from pleroma, fulness; referring to the 

 cells of the capsule). Stn. Lasiandra, Including Chce- 

 fogastra, Melasfoma, Micranthella, and Rhexia (in part). 

 Ord. Melastomacece. A genus containing about 124 

 species of stove or greenhouse shrubs and sub-shrubs, 

 rarely perennial herbs, sometimes climbing, often strigoso- 

 pilose or hispid, natives of tropical South America, 

 being mostly Brazilian. Flowers violet or purple, usually 

 disposed in terminal, trichotomously-branched panicles, 

 large, sometimes with concave involucral bracts, very 

 rarely four - parted ; calyx tube ovoid, campanulate, 

 urceolate, or elongated ; lobes five, as long as, or longer 

 than, the tube ; petals five, obovate, often unequilateral 

 and retuse. Leaves frequently large, coriaceous, petiolate, 

 ovate or oblong, entire, three to seven-nerved. The 

 species thrive either in turfy loam or peat, preferably 

 the former, and cuttings of half-ripened shoots root 



Pleroma — continued. 

 readily in a close frame at almost any time of year when 

 they can be obtained. P. elegans forms a fine exhibition 

 plant when well grown, and P. mavranthum is one of the 

 most beautiful subjects for covering a pillar or rafter in 

 a greenhouse or cool stove. A season of rest should 

 be allowed Pleromas in winter ; but plenty of water 

 may be applied through the summer. Except where 

 otherwise stated, the under-mentioned species are shrubs, 

 and require stove treatment. 



P. Benthamianuiil (Bentliam's)."^ _fl. of a beautiful dark 

 purple, ahuost wliite in the centre, about 2iii. across ; panicles 

 terminal, glaiiduloso-piloae. Autunm. I. oblong -lanceolate, 

 rounded or somewhat cordate at the base, acute, nine-nerved, 

 entire, the upper surface riiu*ih with small setjp, the lower 

 covered with ailpresseil, silky hairs. /*. 4ft. Organ Mountains, 

 1841. (B. M. 4007.) 



P. elegans (elegant).* Jl. rich blue, large, proiUiceil in abundance 

 during .Mav and June. /. opposite, ovate-acuminate, bright shining 

 green, h. 5ft. Organ Mountain-, lb44. (B. M. 4262.) 



P. Gaudichaudianum ((.iaudichaud's). Ji. rosy-purple, in ter- 

 minal panicles. Summer. I. petiuhite, ovate, acuminate, beset 

 with small, softish bristles. Branches tetragonal, rough from 

 small, adpressed bristles, h. 2ft. to 3ft. Brazil, 1836. Sv.NS. 

 Lasiaiidra petiolata (B. M. 3766), Pleioneiiia Gaudichaiidlaiia, 

 Jila'xia patiiilafa, and R. petiolaris. 



P. Gayanum (Oay's).* ji. white, in terminal panicles. Late 

 autumn. /. ovat.--riI)lung, acute, serrate, hairy, h. 1ft. to 2ft. 

 J'eru, 1874. Herb. (B. M. 6345.) 



P. granulosum (grunuhise). jl. reddish-purple, very showy, 

 almost 3in. in diameter ; corolla concave, rotate ; petals ohovate- 

 oI)long, acuminate, shortly apiculate ; panicles terminal, with 

 decussate branchlets. I. coriaceous, decussately opposite, entire, 

 attenuated at both ends, tive-nerved ; petioles much shorter than 

 the leaves, /j. 10ft. Brazil. (B. R. 671.) SVN. Lasiaiidra Fon- 

 tanesiaiHi (R. O. 1865, 466). 



P. heteromallum (one- woolly-sided). Jl., petals purplish-violet 

 five or six, obcordate ; calyx pubescent, with deciduous teeth ; 

 filaments short, conniving. July to September. I. oval-cordate, 

 stalked, beset with flocky wool beneath, h. 4ft. to 6ft. Brazil, 

 1819. SVi\. Melastoma heteromalla (B. M. 2337 ; B. R. 664). 



P. liolosericeum (silky). /(. purple ; thyrse panicled, ter- 

 minal, with the rachis very villous and compressed ; calyx 

 tubular. July. I. sessile, ovate, five to seven-nerved, entire, 

 densely silky-villous on both surfaces. Branches tetragonal, 

 clotlied with adpressed bristles, h. 6ft. to 10ft. Brazil, 1816. 

 A beautiful species. SVNS. Lasiandra arqentea, Rhexia holosericea 

 (11. R. 323; L. B. C. 236). 



P. Kunthiaxium (Kunth's). A synonym of P. seinidecaiidrutn- 



P, macranthum (large-flowered).* Jl. rich deep violet-purple, 

 about 5iii. in diameter, solitary, freely produced at the ends of 

 the branchlets. Winter, l. ovate or oblong-ovate, acuminate, 

 rugose. Branches slender, terete. Brazil, 1864. A very beautiful 

 plant, flowering the more profusely when in a large state, and 

 forming one of the most effective subjects for greenhouse or 

 conservatory decoration. It is best suited for trellises or walls, 

 and, for this purpose, should be planted out, or placed in large 

 tubs or boxes, after the first year's growth. (B. M. 5721.) SvN. 

 Lasiandra inacrantfia. 



P. m. floribundum (fioriferous). Jl. of a rich and brilliant 

 violet-blue, produced almost throughout the year, and measuring 

 nearly lift, in circumference. St. Catherine's, Brazil, 1870. A 

 most beautiful variety, producing its gigantic flowers on young 

 plants when only abnut 3in. in height. It is better suited for 

 pot culture than the type. 



P. sarmentosum (twiggy).* jl. deep violet or violet-purple, 

 upwards of 2in. in diam'eter, and disposed in trichotomous 

 panicles. I. ovate or ovate-oblong, shortly stalked. Branches 

 sarmentose. /(. 1ft. to 2ft. Cool valleys of Peru. 1867. A beau- 

 tiful, greenhouse, sub-shrubby plant. (B. M. 5629.) 



P. semidecandrum (five-stamened). jt. purple; peta's very 

 obtuse ; calyx tube campanulate, rigidly setose ; pedicels hispid, 

 axillary, I 'ne-fiowered, and terminal. Joly. L petiolate, oblong, 

 acute, ' five-nerved, entire, setuloso - scabrous above, villous 

 l)eneath. Branches tetragonal, and, as well as the petioles, 

 villous. Brazil. SvN. P. Kunthianu in (B. M.^n2). 



P. villosum (villous). Jl. rosy-pink, terminal, few, pedunculate; 



petals obovate, retuse, mucronate. May and June. I. ovate, 

 acute, entire, villous, tive-nerved. Branches terete, villous 

 Iteneath. /). 3ft. to 4ft. 1820. Syn. Melastoma viUo;>-iun (B. M. 

 2630 ; L. B. C. 853). 

 P. vimineum (twiggy), rf. purple ; calyx covered with glandular 

 hairs, the segments lanceolate and mucronate. July and August. 

 l. ovate-laiicenlatt', acute, petiolate, and, as well as the branches, 

 scabrous, but c;inescent beneath, k. 6ft. Brazil, 1821. SVN. 

 Rhi'xia riuiiiu'a (B. R. 664). 



FIiIIURANBRA (of Labillardiere). Included under 

 Hibbertia (which t^ee). 



