364 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Columnea continued. 



C. aureo-nitens (bright golden).* /. deep rich orange-red. 

 September. I. broadly-lanceolate, and densely clothed with 

 golden-coloured silky-shaggy hairs. Columbia, 1843. A very 

 distinct and singular species. (B. M. 4294.) 



C. erythrophsea (bright red).* /. solitary, axillary; corolla 

 bright red, large; calyx large, spreading, blotched with red 

 inside. November. I. lanceolate, tapering to a point, oblique 

 at the base, rich deep green, h. 2ft. Mexico, 1858. Shrub. 

 (R. H. 1867, 170.) 



C. hirsute (hairy). /. usually twin ; corolla purplish, or pale 

 red, villous, hairy; calycine segments denticulated, hairy. 

 August to November. I. ovate, acuminated, serrated, hairy 

 above; petiolate. Jamaica,1780. Climbing shrub. (B. M.3081.) 



C. Kalbreyeriana (Kalbreyer's).* fl. on short racemes ; corolla 

 yellow, exceeding the calyx in length, marked with red stripes 

 in the interior ; calyx yellow, liin. to 2in. long. February. I. 

 opposite, lanceolate, curving downwards on either side of the 



stem, dull green above, somewhat spotted with pale yellow ; the 

 'icing of a deep claret-red. One leaf of each pair 

 is much smaller than the other, and the large and small leaves 



lower surface bcir 



alternate. 1882. Habit shrubby, perhaps half -climbing ; stems 

 rather thick, fleshy. (B. M. 6633.) 



C. rutilans (ruddy-leaved). /. corolla reddish-yellow, villous ; 

 calycine segments jagged, villous. August, September. I, ovate- 

 lanceolate, denticulated, rather scabrous, hairy, and coloured 

 beneath. Jamaica, 1823. Climbing shrub. 



orolla scarlet, melliferous, 

 ist. I. 

 quad- 



C. Schiedeana (Schiede's).* fl., corolla 2in. long, clothed with 

 glandular hairs, variegated with yellow and brown ; calycine 

 segments entire, spotted and villous. June. I. oblong-lanceolate, 

 itire, about 5in. long, and l^in. broad, clothed with silky 

 Stems nodose, smoothish at bottom, but clothed with 

 hairs. Mexico, 1840. Herbaceous climber. (B. M. 



C. scandens (climbing). /. solitary ; corolla scarlet, melliferous, 

 hairy ; calycine segments denticulated, pubescent. August. I. 

 ovate, acute, serrated, rather villous, petiolate. Stems quad- 

 rangular. Climbing shrub. Guiana, 1759. (B. M. 1614.) 



quite entire, about 5in. long, and l^in. broad, clothed with silky 

 hairs. ~ 



B3S 



COIiURJA (from kolouros, deprived of a tail ; the seed 

 is without the tail, so conspicuous in several allied genera). 

 OKU. RosacecB. The only species in this genus is the hardy 

 herbaceous perennial described below. Styles jointed, 

 falling from the achenes when mature, not adhering as in 

 Geum, to which genus it is closely related. For culture, 

 see Geum. 



C. potentilloides (Potentilla-like). fl. orange ; stem one to three- 

 flowered. June. i. interruptedly pinnate, the terminal leaflets 

 large, the lateral ones unequal in size and shape, all canescent 

 beneath ; cauline ones trifld or entire, h. 6in. to 1ft. Siberia, 

 1780. This has at different times been placed under Dryat, Geum, 

 and Sieversia. 



COLUTEA (presumably from koluo, to amputate ; the 

 shrubs are said to die if the branches are lopped off; 

 Koloutea is also used as the name of a plant by Theo- 

 phrastus). Bladder Senna. OBD. Leguminosce. A genus of 

 deciduous shrubs, with small stipules, and impari-pinnate 

 leaves, which are somewhat longer than the axillary few- 

 flowered racemes. Coluteas are of the easiest culture in 

 any common soil. They may be increased by seeds, which 

 ripen in abundance ; or by cuttings, inserted in sandy 

 soil, in the autumn. They are chiefly valued as fast- 

 growing shrubs which will thrive in almost any situation. 

 C. arborescens (woody).* fl. yellow ; peduncles usually bearing 

 about six flowers. June to August. I., leaflets elliptic, retuse. 

 h. 6ft. to 10ft. Middle and South of Europe (in hedges and bushy 

 places), 1568. This is said to grow on the crater of Vesuvius, 

 where little other vegetation exists. (B. M. 81.) 

 C. a. crlspa (curled). A synonym of C. a. pygmcea. 

 C.a. pygmrea (dwarf)* is a dwarf-growing form, with crisped 



leaves. SYN. C. a. erispa. 



C. cruenta (bloody).* fl. reddish-yellow, peduncles three to five- 

 flowered. Summer. I., leaflets usually seven to nine, glaucous 

 h. 4ft. to 6ft. South-east Europe and Levant, 1731. 

 C. haleppica (Aleppo), fl. yellow, larger than those of the other 

 species here mentioned. I. glaucous, with small more numerous 

 leaflets, h. 3ft. to 6ft. Levant, 1752. 



C. media (intermediate). /. orange-yellow. I. glaucescent. h. 6ft. 

 Orient. In general aspect, this resembles C. cruenta, but differs 

 in the colour of the flowers. 



COLTSIS. See Polypodium. 



COMACLINIUM ATJRANTIACUM. See Dy- 



sodia grandiflora. 



COMABOPSIS (from Komarum, the Comarum, and 

 opsis, resemblance). OED. Rosacece. Of the five plants 



Comaropsis continued. 



mentioned under this generic name in De Candolle's 

 " Prodromus," three belong to Waldsteinia and the other 

 two to Rubus. 

 C. fragarioides. See Waldsteinia fragarioides. 



COMAROSTAPHYLIS (from Komaros, the Arbutus, 

 and staphyle, & grape ; referring to the clusters of fruit). 

 OBD. Ericaceae. This genus is now included under Arcto- 

 staphylos. Very pretty greenhouse evergreen shrubs, 

 bearing succulent, edible fruit. They thrive in a compost 

 of loam and peat, and are propagated in three ways : By 

 seeds; by cuttings, under a handlight, in the beginning 

 of autumn; and by grafting on the Arbutus, in spring. 

 In southern counties, this genus is tolerably hardy, but 

 should at all times and in all places have a protection in 

 winter, when grown out of doors. 



C. arbntoides (Arbutus-like).* fl. white; racemes panicled ; 

 bracts acuminate, shorter than the pedicels. May. I. linear- 

 oblong, entire, mucronate, rusty beneath. Plant erect, tomen- 

 tose. h. 6ft. Guatemala, 1840. (B. R. 29, 30.) 

 C. poliifolia (Polium-leaved). fl. crimson, racemose. May. I. 

 linear-lanceolate. Plant erect, tomentose. h. 2ft. Mexico, 1840. 



COMARUM (from Komaros, the Arbutus ; in reference 

 to its fruit being similar to that of the Arbutus). Marsh 

 Cinquefoil. OBD. Rosaceos. A hardy herbaceous creeping 

 perennial, only differing from Potentilla, under which genus 

 it is generally included, by the spongy character of the 

 mature receptacle and the different colour of the flowers. 

 It thrives in almost any kind of moist soil, and is easily 

 increased by dividing the roots. 



C. palustre (marsh). /. dark purplish-brown, pedicellate, axillary, 

 and terminal ; petals lanceolate, acuminated, much shorter than 

 the calyx. June. /. pinnate ; leaflets broad, acutely serrated, 

 green above, but glaucescent beneath, h. 1ft. to lft. Northern 

 hemisphere (Britain). The powerfully astringent rootstock yields 

 a yellow dye. SYN. Potentilla Comarum. (Sy. En. B. 437.) There 

 is a form with variegated leaves which is very ornamental. 



COMBRETACE2E. A rather extensive genus of trees 

 or shrubs, often climbing, unarmed, very rarely spinose. 

 Flowers in axillary or terminal spikes or racemes. Leaves 

 alternate or opposite, or rarely whorled, entire, exstipulate. 

 This order contains upwards of 240 species, and the genera 

 best known are : Combretum, Quisqualis, and Terminalia. 



COMBRETUM (a name given by Pliny to a climbing 

 plant, the name of which is now unknown). OED. Com- 

 bretacecB. Stove evergreen climbing or erect shrubs, rarely 

 herbs. Flowers bracteate, almost sessile, rarely pedicellate ; 

 spikes solitary or twin, axillary, and terminal, opposite, or 

 three or four in a whorl, usually disposed in a terminal 

 panicle. Leaves entire, opposite or tern, rarely alternate. 

 Many of the Combretnms are of very considerable 

 beauty. The most successful method of cultivation is to 

 plant them out in a border in the stove, train them up 

 an upright pillar, and then either up the rafters or on 

 chains hung up in festoons lengthwise of the house. For 

 soil, the most suitable compost is three parts peat, one loam, 

 and one leaf mould. The only attention they require in 

 the warm days of summer, is to give a proper supply 

 of water at the roots, taking care to bestow a sufficient 

 quantity to thoroughly moisten all the soil. In the early 

 part of the season, before flowering, frequent syringings 

 may be applied. When the flowering season is over, they 

 ought to be considerably pruned in and thinned, and, at 

 the same time, the branches and leaves which are to 

 remain, should be thoroughly washed with a sponge. When 

 this is performed, the branches may be pretty closely tied 

 in, and they will require but very little attention until 

 spring. Propagation may be effected by cuttings of 'young 

 shoots, or, rather, stiffish side shoots, taken off with a 

 heel, planted in sand, under a bell glass, and placed in 

 heat. 



C. Afzclii (Afzelius's). A synonym of C. grandiflorum. 

 C. elegans (elegant).* /. yellow ; petals lanceolate, acute, hairy ; 



spikes simple, on short peduncles. May. I. elliptic, acute, 



acuminated, puberulous above, and clothed with yellowish 



tomentum beneath. Brazil. 1820. 



