An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



13 



Achimenes — continued. 

 tlio temperature will not fall below SOtlog*., keeiiiiijif the 

 plants qiiite dry until the time of startint;: again. Aeliimenes 

 are liable to attacks of thrips, rod-spitler, and green-fly, 

 especially if tlio atmosphere is kept dry ; these are easily 

 dosti-oyed by funiig-ation with tobacco. This must only bo 

 done when the foliag-o is quite dry, otiierwise tlio plants will 

 Buffer, Achimenes are especially bea\itiful when well 

 arranged, especially if two or throe varieties are mixed 

 together, as white, red, and piirplo (Fig. 15). There are 

 Boveral methods of increasing these : — (l) By cuttings; 

 these need not be cut off at a joint, as they will root from 

 any portion of the stem. Insert them thickly in well- 

 drained pots of sandy soil— say a mixture of orpial parts of 

 peat and sand — and place in bottom Iieat. (2) By leaves, 

 which stiould be severed from the stems, and pricked in 

 pots of similar soil to the cuttings, placing all the petiole 

 below the surface ; stand the pots in bottom heat. (3) By 

 scales from the corms, which should bo carefully rubbed off 

 and sown, like seeds, in pots or pans of the same compost, 

 barely covered with sand, and placed in bottom heat. 

 (4) By seeds, which are very small, and, consequently, 



Fig. 16. Flower of Achimenes longiflora. 



require to be carefully sown. The pans must be thoroughly 

 drained and filled nearly to the rim, levelled, and well 

 watered with a fine rose, after wliich the seed should bo 

 thiiUy scattered, covered very lightly with sand, and placed 

 in a shady position. Keex> nicely moist, and apply water 

 very lightly, or the tiny gorms will bo disturbed. Place a 

 sheet of glass over the seed-pans. When the seedlings are 

 large enough to handle, they may be pricked off and after- 

 wards treated like rooted cuttings. The best time for all 

 modes of propagating is early spring. 



A. atrosanguinea ('lark-crimson).* jl. crimson ; tuhc of cru-olla 

 \\'\u. Inn.ir. olindrical. saccate at base, pilo.se ; limb siuall, j^incail- 

 iiiii ; |>c<hnick' oiK'-flnwtMciL July. August, l. ]t'\htsi; ulilong, 

 stili-cindatc, .serrated, unequal, h. lift, tiuateniula, 1848. 



A, Candida (whitn).* ;/. white; tube of corolla ^ibbnus at base; 

 limb obliMUo. tbu front sci^nient laigest ; peduncles axillary, 

 I)ilusc, three-flowered. June. l. unci|ual, oblique at ba,se, 

 serrated, pilose. It. l^ft. Guatemala, 1848. 



A cocclnea (scarlet).* Jl. scarlet ; petbuidos solitary, axillary. 

 Au^iust. /. three in a wlu>rl, ovate, acuminated, serniteil, with 

 minute leaves in the axils. A. l.^ft. Jamaica, 1778. 



A. cupreata («'opperv). rf. siarUt; ralvx spotted inside, with a 

 friii-ed iu..iith : petals cili;it.ly tnnthed ; pedniicles ..iie.fl,.wt.|ed. 

 Ajiril. /. elhptic. serrated, wrinkled, coloured. A. 6in. Mexico, 

 1845. Plant creepiiiir, (b.wuy. 



A.gloxiniaBflora(i;l<ixinia-flowered).* Jl. whitish, larse, axillary ; 

 tube of corolla 2iTi. lonji; limli broad, spreadinji; lolies Hnelysei rated, 

 dotted with purple inside. June. /. serrated from middle to top. 

 Stem slender, flexuous. A. 1ft. Mexico, 1845. 



Achimenes - rontinned. 



A. grandiflora (larse-flowered).* fl. violet purple, very large, 

 solitary, axillary ; lind>s of corcdla spreading. June. I. equal, 

 ovate, oblique at base, sparingly serrated, h. l^ft. Mexico, 

 1842. 



A. heterophylla (varions-Ieavcd). fl. .solitary or twin ; corolla 

 .scarlet; lobes ciliated, .Inly. l. opposite, one smaller than the 

 otlier, coidate ovate, acuminated, coarsely* serrated, h. 1ft. 

 Mexico. Plant rather hairy. 



A, hirsuta (hairy), fl. reddisli, with yellow eye; limb of corolla 

 flat, witli rounded scrridatu se;;nients ; peduncles one-flowered, 

 -lulv. /. cordate, serrated. A. Z^ft. Stem bulbiferous. Guatemala, 

 1842. Plant hairy. 



A, Kleei (Klee's).* /. lilan ; corolla dark near the month, with a 

 dash of yellow in the throat ; calyx downy ; pedimcles one- 

 flowered. Auiiust. I. ovate, acuminate, serrated, h. bin. Guate- 

 mala, 1848. Plant hairy. 



A. longiflora (long-flowered).* fl. violet ; segments of calyx lan- 

 cer)Iate. erect; corolla with a long tube, and an ample spreading 

 limb; pedicels one-flowered. July and Angnst. I. three to four 

 in a whorl, ovate or oblong, coarsely serrated, h. 1ft. Guate- 

 mala, 1841. I'lant hairy. See Fig. 16. 



A, multiflora (many-flowered).* fl. pale lilac; .sepals linear ; 

 corolla fuuTiel-sbape ; tube curved ; lobes roundi.sh, lower one 

 friuLced ; peduncles axillary, three to tive-flowered. August. I. 

 opposite, or three in a whorl, ovate, deeply and doubly serrated. 

 k. lit. r>razil, 1843. Plant hairy. 



A. ocellata (eye-spotted).* fl. reddish yellow, with dark spots, 

 solitary, dronping; petals nearly eiiually spotted. Autinnn. i. on 

 lon2;is!i petioles, ovate, acumiiKite, serrated, wrinkled, coloured 

 beneath, h. Ijft. 1845. Plant hairy. 



A patens (spreadinp;). fl. violet, blue; calyx downy; tube of 

 conilla slii>rter than limb, which is spreading. June. I. ovate, 

 acuminate, hispid above, serrate. /(. 1ft. Mexico, 1845. 



A, pedunculata (long-.stalked).* fl. scarlet, with yellow eye; 

 corolla droiiiiiiig, <>ibbous at base; peduncles in the axils of the 

 upper leaves. July. I. rather unequal, obliquely coidate, ovate, 

 serrated, k. 2ft. Stem sinii>Ie, downy. Guatemala, 1840. 



A, picta (painted).* fl. scarlet, with yellow eye; tube of calyx 

 turbinate; lobes of corolla roundish, three lower ones smallest; 

 peduncles solitary or two-flowered, axillary one-flowered July. I. 

 opposite, or three in a whorl, cordate-ovate, coarsely serrated, 

 velvety, and elegantly painted. A. Ljft. Mexico, 1843. 



A. rosea (rosy), fl. rose, pilose ; limb of corolla equal to tube ; 

 peduncles filiform, many-flowered, June. I. sometimes three 

 in a whorl, pilose, h. l.Ut. Guatemala, 1848. 



The foregoing are the most important species knovni. 

 Hybrid varieties are innnmerablo, and even surpass the 

 species in beauty, the best of which are enumerated below 

 in their respective colours. 



Blue and Purple Flowered. Advance,* flowers reddish- 

 purple, lighter at the eye, dwarf, and free habit ; Argus,* rich 

 plum, with deep orange eye, large and free ; Br. Buenzod,* 

 flowers rich crimson purple, spotted with orange in the centre, 

 very free ; Excelsior, rich violet-purple, very large and free, 

 with compact habit; Gkm,* flowers small, of good form, rich 

 carmine-purple; GlBSO.xi,* flowers very large, clear mauve, with 

 the tube white outside ; Grandis, rich violet purple, with large 

 orange eye, carmine .shaded, a charming variety ; Lady Scars- 

 dale,* flowers of fair size, very free, rich plum purjtle, shaded 

 carmine; LoNGli^LORA major,* a stronger grower than the type, 

 freely producing large rich Idue flt>wers, one of the finest varii'ties 

 grown; Madamk CiKURdi;, tieep purple sliadcil crinisou ; Mauve 

 Queen,* flowers very large, of a distinct mauve, with a brownish 

 eye-sliade, very profuse, with a grand habit, one of the best; 

 injRi'UREA elegans,* deep claret purjde, orange throat with dark 

 spots, a very attractive variety ; Kollisonu,* flowers large, deep 

 lavender-blue, yellow throat, spotted with deep crimson, very 

 ertective; Vivh'a.ns,* dark carmine-purple, with crimson eye, 

 a few blue rays streaking from the eye, habit good, and very 

 free. 



Crimson and Scarlet Flowered. Aurora,* rich rosy-scarlet, 

 ^^ith yellow throat, very lar;;e, fully 2in. across ; Carl WooL- 

 I'oRiii,* deep crinistui, sliaded lighter at the eye, vety free; 

 ]>a//l1':, flowers small, brilliant scarlet, pale yellow eye, very 

 juetty and free; Dl\I)EM*, ciiinsun lak<'. shaded carmine, with 

 deep yellow eye; Kci.lPSE,* rii^h orange scar b-t, spotted with 

 carmine, extiemely floriferous, witliagond habit; KiKEi-LV,*deep 

 carniine red, golden eye, spotted with criuisuii, uue of the best; 

 II VKRV Wiia.iAMS*, bright cerise red, yellow, niarunus[)otted, the 

 edge ]jrettily fringed, a very charniing vaiiety ; Loveliness, rich 

 magenta crimson, golden eye, spotted «itli niaioon ; Meteor, 

 flowers rather large. bri;iht crinisnu-scarlet, yellow eye, .sptitted 

 carmine, very dwarf and free; SiAUi.i:i' I'latMX'i lOiX,* rich car- 

 nnne-scailet, deep orange eye, very lieautitul; Sir Trehekn 

 'J'noMAS,** deep critusiiii lake, very profuse, with a good habit; 

 STELLA, deep iiiaginta, uitli orange eye. the margins fringed, very 

 laige and free, 2iu. or more acrtiss ; Willi vMSii,* flowers huge, 

 stout, brilliant scarlet, orange throat, habit dwarf and free- 

 branching, one of the finest varieties grown. 



Orange-Flowered. (Jeorgtana dlscolor, flowers large, bright 

 orange, with a distinct yellow centre; UEiXDERsoni,* rich orange- 



