236 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Calandrinia continued. 



a light sandy soil. C. umbellata may be sown in a pan, 

 placed in a cold frame, in May or June ; and when the 

 plants are large enough to handle, they should be potted 

 off, or placed out in colonies where they are to flower. 

 C. discolor (two-coloured), fl. bright rose, with a yellow tuft 



lugtri. flesh"! oblate, ^S^V^fS^JSi 



above, purple beneath, h. 1ft. to lift. Chili, 1834. (B. M. 3357.) 



C. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl. rosy, about 2in. across; 

 calyx spotted ; raceme simple, loose.. Summer I. fleshy rhom- 

 boid, acute, petiolate. Stem suffruticose. A. 1ft. Chili, 1826. 

 (B. R. 1194.) 



C. Menziesii (Menzies 1 ).* fl. deep purple-crimson, from Jin. to 

 lirL across terminal and axillary, solitary. June to September. 

 1. elongated, snathulate, much attenuated at the base. Stems 

 much branched, prostrate. California, 1831. SYN. C. specwsa. 

 See Fig. 315. (B. R, 1598.) 



C. nitida (shining). /. rose-coloured, about 2in. across ; raceme 

 leafy, many-flowered.^ Summer. L oblong-spathulate sub-acute, 

 glabrous, attenuated at the base, lin. to 2m. in length, h. 6m. 

 Chili, 1837. A very pretty hardy annual, forming a tuft from 4m. 

 to 6in. across. 



C. speciosa (showy). A synonym of C. Menziefii. 



FIG. 316. CALANDRIMA UMBELLATA, showing Flower and Habit. 



C. umbellata (umbellate).* /. of a dazzling magenta-crimson, 

 about as large as a sixpence ; corymb cymose, terminal, many- 

 flowered. Summer. I. radical, linear, acute, pilose, h. 6in. 

 Peru, 1826. A very charming half-hardy biennial See Fig. 316. 

 (P. M. B. 12, 271.) 



Other species occasionally met with are : compressa, micrantha. 

 and procumbent; they are, however, inferior to those described 

 above. 



CALANTHE (from kalos, beautiful, and anthos, a 

 flower). ORD. Orchidece. SEC. Vandce. A very handsome 

 genus of stove terrestrial Orchids. They may be cha- 

 racterised as robust-growing plants, producing large, 

 broad, many-ribbed, or plaited leaves, which are, with one 

 or two exceptions, evergreen, and long spikes, bearing 

 many flowers, distinguished by their calcarate lip, which is 

 attached to the column, and by the eight thick, waxy pollen 

 masses adhering to a separate gland. Calanthes should 

 be special favourites with amateurs, as, in the first place, 

 they produce an abundance of showy flowers, which last a 

 long time in perfection ; and, secondly, because they are 

 so easily managed. In potting these plants, it will be 

 necessary to depart from the usual style of potting Orchids, 

 and, instead of elevating them above the rim of the pot 

 upon a cone of peat and sphagnum, they must be kept 

 below the rim, as in potting ordinary plants. In place 

 of the usual soil and moss, these plants should have a 

 mixture of loam, leaf mould, and peat, broken up rough, 

 to which may be added some silver sand and dried cow 

 manure. During the growing season, they require abundant 

 supply of water, and in winter even this element must be 

 administered freely to the evergreen kinds ; whilst the 

 deciduous ones, on the contrary, enjoy a thorough rest after 



Calanthe continued. 



blooming. Good drainage is essential to all. Little more 

 need be said upon the cultivation of Calanthes during 

 the summer months. When growing, they enjoy strong 

 heat and plenty of moisture ; but, when growth is complete, 

 a cooler situation is most beneficial. They are subject to 

 the attacks of various insects, which must be continually 

 searched for, and, when found, destroyed ; for, if neglected 

 in this particular, the bold and handsome leaves will be 

 much disfigured, and rendered far from ornamental. Pro- 

 pagated by suckers and divisions. About forty species are 

 known, of which the following are a selection : 

 C. curculigoides (Curculigo-like). fl. beautiful orange-yellow, 

 disposed in an erect spike. Summer and autumn. I. large, ever- 

 green, plaited, h. 2ft. Malacca, 1844. (B. R. 33, 8.) 

 C. Dominyi (Dominy's).* fl., sepals and petals lilac; lip deep 

 purple. This fine hybrid is a cross between C. Masuca and C. 

 veratrifolia. (B. M. 5042.) 



C. furcata (forked), fl. creamy white, very freely produced ; 

 spikes erect, 3ft. long. June to August. Luzon Isles, 1836. An 

 excellent exhibition plant. 



C. Masuca (Masuca).* fl., sepals and petals deep violet colour, 

 with an intense violet-purple lip ; numerously produced on spikes 

 2ft. long. June to August. India, 1838. (B.M.4541). The variety 

 grandiflora differs from the type in its greater size both of spike 

 and individual flower ; the gigantic spikes are from 3ft. to 4ft. 

 high, and continue blossoming for three months. 

 C. Petrl (Peter Veitch's).* fl. whitish-yellow. Said to be very 

 like C. veratrifolia, but bearing leaves a little narrower, and a 

 system of five curious sulcate yellowish calli on the base of the lip, 

 without the single lamella and teeth which are proper to that 

 species. Polynesia, 1880. 

 C. pleiochroma (many-coloured), fl. whitish, purplish, ochre, 



orange. Japan, 1871. 



C. Regnieri (Regnier's). fl., sepals and petals white ; lip rosy- 

 pink ; middle lobe short, wedge-shaped, and emarginate. 1'seudo- 

 bulbs jointed. Cochin China, fausta is a line variety, with the 

 base of the lip and column a warm crimson. 

 C. Sleboldil (Siebold's).* fl. yellow, large ; spikes erect. I. broad, 

 dark green, plaited, h. 1ft. Japan, 1837. An elegant evergreen 

 dwarf -growing species. (R. H. 1855, 20.) 



C. Textorl (Tester's). /. cream-white, washed with violet on 

 the petals and column, as well as on the base of lip, where the 

 calli are brick-red, changing later on to ochre-colour, excepting 

 the white-lilac base of sepals and petals and the column ; lip very 

 narrow. Japan, 1877. 



FIG. 317. SINGLE FLOWER OF CALANTHE VEITCHII. 



C. VeitcMi (Veitch's).* fl. rich bright rose, with a white throat ; 

 spikes often attaining a height of 3ft., and bearing an immense 

 quantity of flowers. Winter. I. large, plaited, light green, 

 deciduous. ' Pseudo-bulbs flask-shaped. This very beautiful 

 hybrid is the result of a cross between C. vestita and C. rosea 

 ^Syn. LimatoO.es rosea). See Fig. 317. (B. M. 5375.) 



C. veratrifolia (Veratrum-leaved).* /. pure white, except the 

 green tips of the sepals and the golden papillae on the disk of the 

 labellum ; spikes 2ft. to 3ft. high, freely produced on well-grown 

 plants. May to July. I. 2ft. or more long, dark green, broad, 

 many-ribbed, with wavy margins. India, 1819. See Fig. 318. 

 (B. M. 2615.) 



