Stove and Greenhouse Plants and Flowers 193 



name of " Howea ". Thirty years ago they were unknown to market- 

 men, but now they are grown in hundreds of thousands. They are both 

 graceful Palms, with arching pinnate deep-shining green leaves, and it 

 requires some little care to distinguish one from the other. Of all Palms 

 perhaps they will stand the roughest treatment, and if hardened off before 

 sale will live for many years in the bleakest and draught iest of rooms 

 or halls. Plants in 3-in. pots sell for 4s. to 6s. per dozen, while those in 

 5-in. pots realize 12s. to 24s. per dozen; and larger specimens will fetch 

 much higher prices. 



Amongst the true Kentias mention should be made of K. Sanderiana 

 (fig. 292), a very graceful Palm from New Guinea, and K. elegantissima, 

 from the same place. The 

 illustration shows the general 

 appearance of K. Sanderiana. 



LICUALA GRANDIS is a fine 

 Palm with a slender stem and 

 broad roundish plaited glossy- 

 green leaves. It is better 

 known in the trade under the 

 name of Pritchardia. Large 

 specimens are used occasion- 

 ally for furnishing. L. elegans 

 is a dwarf species of tufted 

 habit. 



LIVISTONA. The Palms 

 popularly known under the 



J Fig. 292. -Kentia Sanderiana, 



names of " Corypha " and 



"Latania" really belong to this genus. The well-known Fan Palm, L. 

 chinensis (which is still better known in commercial circles as Latania 

 borbonica), is an excellent plant, easily grown, and even hardier in every 

 way than the Kentias. It has spiny stems to its fan-shaped leaves, and 

 is very ornamental in appearance. Plants in 5-in. pots sell for 12s. to 18s. 

 per dozen, higher prices being realized for larger specimens. 



L. australis still well known as Corypha australis is a very hardy 

 Palm, smaller in every way than L. chinensis. It is easily grown, and 

 two plants are often put together in the same pot. 



It may be mentioned here that the true Latanias are ornamental Palms 

 from Mauritius. They have tall non-spiny stems, palmate leathery leaves, 

 which in a young state are attractively bordered and lined with red or 

 yellow. The best-known kinds are Commersoni (or rubra), Loddigesi, and 

 Verscliaffelti (or aurea). 



PHCENIX. The Date Palm (P. dactylifera) belongs to this genus, but 

 is not a marketable plant. The most valuable species for growers are 

 P. Roebeleni and P. rupicola, both graceful plants with rigid midribs to 

 the loose and arching leaflets. They are grown like the Kentias, and realize 

 from 2s. 6d. to 21s. each, according to size and particular circumstances. 



28 



VOL. II. 



