422 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Cynometra continued. 



C. canliflora (stem-flowering), fl. white; racemes rising in 



fascicles from the trunk, sometimes short and few-flowered, 



sometimes elongated and many -flowered. I., leaflets emarginate 



at the apex. h. 30ft. to 40ft. East Indies, 1804. 



CYFEIiliA (from kypellon, a goblet or cup ; referring 



to the form of the flowers). STN. Folia. ORD. IridecB. 



Very pretty little half-hardy bulbous plants, comparatively 



rare in cultivation. Perianth segments free; outer ones 



obovate, spreading ; inner ones much narrower, erect, with 



recurved apices. Leaves plicate. Bulbs tunicated. They 



thrive in light soil, in a moderately sheltered position. 



If the roots are allowed to remain in the ground during 



winter, ample protection must be afforded; but it is 



generally more satisfactory to lift them, and plant again 



in spring. Propagated by offsets; or by seed, sown as 



soon as ripe, in a cool house. 



C. cserulca. See Marica crcrulca. 



C. Herbert! (Herbert's).* fl. yellow, varying from a light shade 

 to a deep chrome tint, sparingly produced on a stalk ; perianth 

 segments ovate at the tip, somewhat contracted in the middle, 

 and spotted or barred with a deeper colour at the base. July. 

 1. lanceolate, tapering, h. 1ft. Buenos Ayres, 1823. (B. M. 2599, 

 under the name of Tigridia Herberti.) 



C. peruvlana (Peruvian), fl. two to three in a solitary stalked 

 terminal cluster, fugacious, and appearing in succession from the 

 spathe ; limb bright yellow, spotted at the base with red-brown ; 

 stigma bright yellow, bifid, petaloid. I., stem ones glabrous, 

 linear, papyraceous, plicate; basal ones vanished by the time 

 the plant flowers. Bulb ovoid, tunicate. Andes of Peru, 1874. 

 A very handsome species. (B. M. 6213.) 



C. plumbea (leaden-coloured), fl. lead-coloured, tinged with 

 yellow in the centre, solitary, widely expanded, very fugacious, 

 lasting only a few hours ; stigma consisting of short, two-lobed, 

 transverse, tender lobes. Autumn. I. distant, sword-shaped, 

 plicate. Stem slender, 3ft. or more high. Mexico, 1838. A very 

 remarkable plant (B. M. 3710, under the name of Phalocalli* 

 plumbea.) 



CYPERACE2B. An extensive order of grass-like 

 tufted plants, with solid, usually jointed, and frequently 

 angular, stems. Leaves with their sheaths entire. The 

 order contains few genera of horticultural value ; but the 

 following include species worth notice : Carex, Cyperus, 

 Papyrus, and Scirpus. 



CYPERUS (from a Grecian appellation given to one 

 of the species of this genus). Including Trentepohlia. 

 ORD. Cyperaceoe. A genus of about 700 species of peren- 

 nial (rarely annual) rush or grass-like herbs, of various 

 habit. Flowers bisexual, glumaceous ; spikes two-ranked, 

 many-flowered; glumes of one valve, keeled, mostly all 

 fertile, equal ; bristles none ; stamens one to three. Leaves 

 narrow, grass-like. Of the enormous number of species 

 belonging to this genus, the following are amongst the only 

 ones generally cultivated ; these are valuable for decorative 

 purposes. They may be grown in small pots, in a compost 

 of loam and sand, with the addition of a little peat. 

 Plenty of moisture is essential. Propagation is effected 

 either by divisions, or by seed, sown in gentle heat. 

 C. altornifolius (alternate-leaved).* Stems erect, numerous, dark 



arranged in an urn 

 The habit of this 



green, jointless, supporting a quantity of long narrow leaves 

 in an umbellate manner, h. 1ft. to 2ift. Australia. 

 . of this elegant greenhouse plant is very compact. 

 It constitutes an excellent window subject. Perennial. 



C. a. variegatus (variegated).* A very pleasing form. Stems 

 and leaves elegantly streaked with white, and sometimes wholly 

 white. It is very useful for cutting, as well as for vase and table 

 decoration, h. IJft. Greenhouse perennial. 



C. laxtis (loose), fl., spikelets oblong, bluntish, greenish, or 

 greenish-brown, six to sixteen-flowered ; glumes roundish-ellip- 

 tical, mucronate, with a greenish spreading point. Stem triangular, 

 glabrous, h. 2ft. to 3ft. West Indies. This perennial plant is 

 well adapted for table decoration ; and, to grow it successfully, 

 requires to be placed in a damp greenhouse. (G. C. n. s., ii. 99.) 



C.longus (long).* fl., panicle umbellate-corymbose, lax; spikelets 

 linear, attenuated at each end; glumes three to five-nerved, 

 always erect, chestnut-red, with a green midrib. Autumn. I. 

 two or three, in the lower half of the stem, grooved above, or 

 sharply keeled beneath, scabrous at the edges, bright green and 

 shining above, pale beneath ; sheaths reddish-brown at the base. 

 Stem solitary, erect, triquetrous, stifi. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Europe and 

 North Africa. England (but rare), in marshes and wet meadows ; 

 abundant in the Channel Isles. An elegant perennial plant for 

 margins of lakes, <fcc. (Sy. En. B. 1578.) 



CYFHIA (from kyphos, curved ; in reference to the 

 stigma being gibbous). ORD. Campanulacece. A. genus 

 containing about a score species of half-hardy perennial 

 herbaceous plants, natives (with the exception of one from 

 Abyssinia) of the Cape of Good Hope. Corolla bilabiate ; 

 segments easily separated to the base, spreading at the 

 apex. Leaves alternate, undivided, pinnate, and pinnatifid. 

 They thrive in an equal mixture of loam, peat, and sand. 

 Cuttings will root readily under a hand glass, in a cool 

 house. Some species have large tuberous roots, which 

 must be kept quite dry when not in a growing state, 

 or. they will rot. They may be increased just as the 

 stems begin to push out from the root, by cutting off as 

 many of the shoots as are required, and placing them 

 in a small pot, in the soil recommended above, with 

 plenty of sand. The young plants should be kept dry 

 till callnsed, but not covered with glass. They will soon 

 form tubers of themselves, and the old plants will make 

 fresh shoots. 

 C. bulbosa (bulbous), fl. pale blue. August. I. digitate ; lower 



ones pinnatifid, with unequal lanceolate lobes ; upper ones often 



simple. Stem rarely branched, h. 6in. 1791. 

 C. Cardamlnes (Cardamine-like). fl. racemose, on very short 



pedicels. July. I. pinnate, with ovate, toothed leaflets. Stem 



scape-formed, simple, h. 6in. 1823. 

 C. Phyteuma (Rampion). fl. pink ; scape erect. February. I 



oblong, crenated, ciliated, h. 3m. 1822. (B. R. 625.) 

 C. volubilis (twining), fl. axillary, solitary, pedicellate ; corolla 



pale blue, ringent or bilabiate, about lin. long. I. entire and 



toothed, linear. Stems filiform, twining contrary to the sun's 



apparent motion. 1795. 



CYPHOKENTIA (from kyphos, a tumour, and Kentia; 

 a Kentia-like Palm, having a lateral protuberance on the 

 fruit). ORD. Palmece. For cultivation, see Areca. 

 C. robusta (robust)* is described as a very elegant plant, with 



pinnately-divided spineless foliage. New Caledonia, 1878. 



CYPHOMANDRA (from kyphoma, a hump, and aner, 

 a man ; in allusion to the anthers forming a hump). SYN. 

 Pionandra. OBD. Solanacece. In this genus there are 

 about twenty-four species, all natives of South America. 

 The only one worthy of mention here is G. betacea, which 

 is a handsome greenhouse shrub, thriving in a compost 

 of loam and leaf mould. Propagated by seed ; or by cut- 

 tings, placed under a hand glass, in bottom heat. 

 C. betacea (esculent), fl. in long pendulous racemes, when in 

 bud purple, then greenish ; when fully expanded green, with a 

 dark streak on the back of each segment, fr. reddish when ripe, 

 egg-shaped ; an excellent substitute for tomatoes. I. somewhat 

 succulent, stalked, shortly acuminate, entire, glossy dark green. 

 Stem erect, arborescent, finally attaining a height of 12ft. to 14ft. 

 South Brazil, 1836. SYN. Solanum fragrans. (B. M. 3684.) 



CYFHOSFEBiMA (from kyphos, a hump, and sperma, 

 seed; in allusion to the form of the seed). ORD. Palmcb. 

 A genus containing a couple of species of unarmed stove 

 Palms, with stout annulated stems; both are natives of 

 New Caledonia. The second species has not yet been 

 introduced to cultivation, and that described below is 

 much better known under its garden name of Kentia 

 robusta. For culture, see Areca. 

 C. Viellardil (Viellard's). 1. piimatisect ; segments coriaceous, 



elongate-ensiform. New Caledonia. SYNS. Kentia robusta and 



K. Vie.llarO.ii. 



CYPRESS. See Cupressns. 



CYPRIPEDIUM (from Kypris, Venus, and podion, a 

 slipper). Lady's Slipper. OJBD. Orchidece. This is one of 

 the most interesting and important genera of the whole 

 Orchid family, whether viewed from a botanical or horti- 

 culturaL point of view. One characteristic of the vast 

 majority of orchids k the possession of only one perfect 

 stamen, the two lateral ones being abortive. To this rule 

 Cypripedium forms an exception, possessing, as it does, two 

 fertile lateral stamens, the central one (which is fertile in 

 other orchids) being represented by a singular shield-like 

 plate. The large inflated pouch which is formed by the 

 labellum suggested both English and Latin names. This 

 pouch plays a considerable part in securing the fertilisation 

 of the flower. 



