152 Subtropical Gardening. 



favourite palm, attaining a height of 25 ft., with large, 

 fan-shaped leaves, over 5 ft. broad, of a cheerful green 

 colour, and with pendent marginal segments. The leaf- 

 stalks are over 4 ft. or 5 ft. long, and are armed at the 

 edges for half their length with short reflexed spines. May 

 be placed in the open air about London and southward 

 in sunny dells in summer, and is a fine warm-con- 

 servatory or stove ornament in winter. 



*Lavatera arborea. — This plant, which has the ap- 

 pearance of a small tree, attains in the southern counties the 

 height of nearly 10 ft. The stem is simple for some dis- 

 tance, and then branches into a broad, compact, roundish, 

 and very leafy head. It may be used to adorn warm 

 and sheltered parts of pleasure-grounds and rough places. 

 In rich well-drained beds it would prove a worthy com- 

 panion for the Ricinus and the Carinas. It is most at 

 home on dry soils, but during the summer months thrives 

 on all. "When planted in the shelter of a south wall it has 

 been known to live for several years and to have almost 

 woody stems from 2 ins. to 4 ins. in diameter at the base. 

 Italy. 



*Ligularia macrophylla {Large-leaved Z.). — A 

 vigorous perennial, with an erect stem nearly 3-5- ft. high, 

 and very large, glaucous, erect, long-stalked, oval leaves. 

 The flowers are yellow, and are borne in a dense long 

 spike at the end of the stem. The most suitable soil for 

 this plant is that which is free, moist, and somewhat peaty. 

 Multiplied by careful division in autumn or in spring. It 

 is a useful subject for grouping with fine-leaved herbaceous 

 plants, but will seldom command a place in the select 

 flower-garden. Caucasus. 



