THE FLORISTS MANUAL. 



183 



on the underside of the midrib being 

 turned the opposite direction to those on 

 the edges of the leaves, similarly to the 

 arrangement of spines on P. candela 

 brum. 



The leaves of P. reflexus are so much 

 recurved that they frequently hide the 

 pot in a well-grown plant, and really 

 have a very graceful effect, as will be 

 readily seen from our illustration, but 

 owing to its ever-ready armor of spines 

 this plant is a most unpleasant one to 

 handle, and is consequently not likely to 

 become a popular one. 



P. Vandermeechii is a comparatively 

 rare species that would probably be use 

 ful in the trade if grown in quantity, 

 being of somewhat similar character to 

 P. utilis, but stouter in growth and usu 

 ally more upright. The leaves of P. 

 Vandermeechii are broad and stiff, dark 

 green and slightly glaucous, the edges 

 of the leaves and also the spines being 

 dark red, and the same color appearing 

 to some extent about the base of the 

 leaves. 



This species forms a very effective 

 specimen, but does not appear to pro 

 duce any suckers, and propagation must 

 therefore depend on seeds. P. Vander 

 meechii was introduced from the island 

 of Borneo, and is said to be peculiar to 

 that island, though quite plentiful there. 



Among novelties of the pandanus 

 family that have been grown to some 

 extent of late years are P. Baptistii and 

 P. caricosus, but while both these spe 

 cies are attractive, neither is of much 

 value commercially. 



Pandanus Reflexus. 



P. Baptistii is a rapid growing plant, 

 the leaves of which are striped with yel 

 lowish variegation, and in some measure 

 resembling the foliage of Phormium 

 tenax var., but without the toughness of 

 that plant. 



P. caricosus is more dwarf in habit 

 than the preceding, and has narrow 

 green leaves that are but little armed 

 with spines. It branches freely, and 

 might be briefly described as a very 

 strong P. graminifolius, though per 

 haps less useful than the latter for trade 

 purposes. 



PANICUM VARffiGATUM. 



A very pretty free growing, creeping 

 plant with white and pink striped, 

 pointed leaves. It requires heat in win 

 ter and does not like the hot suns of 

 summer, or anything like dryness. 

 Warmth and moisture are conditions 

 that suit it. It makes a very pretty 

 basket plant for a shaded house in sum 

 mer, either entirely filling the basket, or 

 with other plants. Its variegation is 

 pretty. 



Its cultivation is of the simplest kind, 

 as it roots from cuttings most easily, 

 either in the sand or a few pieces put 

 around the edge of a small pot in any 

 ordinary soil. Excepting as a conserva 

 tory basket plant, or for planting in 

 borders among palms and ferns in a 

 permanent border under glass, it has no 

 special value to the florist. 



There are several other species of 

 panicum, ornamental and useful to the 

 private gardener. 



