AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



443 



Dasylirion continued. 



D. gracile (graceful). A synonym of D. aerotriehum. 



D. gramlnifolium (grass-leaved), fl. white ; inflorescence 8ft. to 

 9ft. long ; panicle narrow. I. in a dense rosette, linear, 3ft to 4ft. 

 long six to seven lines broad, green ; marginal prickles half to one 

 line long. Trunk short, h. 8ft. Mexicofl835. 



D. Hartwegianum (Hartweg-s). A synonym of D. Eookeri. 



D. Hooker! (Hooker's), fl. purplish ; inflorescence about IJft. 

 long ; peduncles short ; panicle dense. 1. narrow, linear, lift to 

 2ft long, two to three fines broad, pale glaucous green ; margin 

 serrate. Caudex a gigantic tuber, with the leaves springing in 

 fascicles from tubercles on its suiface. A, 3ft Mexico 1846. 

 SYN. D. Hartieegianum. (B. M. 5099.) 



D. laxifiornm Goose-flowered). A synonym of D. serratifolium. 



D. serratifolium (saw-leaved). fl. white ; panicle dense, 1ft 

 wly lin. broad ; marginal teeth hall 



^ued. 



long. I. 2ft. long. : 



half lines long. Stem stout. 'Mexico. SYN. D. laxiflorum. 



teeth half to one- 



long, l. at. long 

 and-a-half lines li 



DATE PALM. See Phoenix dactylifera. 

 DATE PLUM. See Diospyros Kaki. 



DATISCA (derivation unknown). OBD. Datiscece. 

 A very graceful herbaceous perennial, well suited for 

 a collection of hardy, fine-leaved plants, and also as an 

 isolated specimen. It thrives in a deep, good soil, and 

 may be propagated by dividing plants that have become 

 well established ; also by seeds. 



D. cannablna (Hemp-like).* fl. yellow, dis- 

 posed in long, loose, axillary racemes. Sep- 

 tember. 1. pinnate, alternate ; leaflets in 

 three pairs and an odd one, about 2in. long, 

 and Jin. broad, deeply serrate, h. 3ft to 6ft 

 Crete and Western Asia, 1739. The male and 

 female forms should be grown, as, though both are graceful, 

 the fertilised female plant is the most so, and continues much 

 longer in a green state. See Fig. 617. (S. F. G. 960.) 

 The only other species of the genus is D. glamerata, a native 



of California and Mexico ; it is probably not in cultivation in this 



country. 



DATISCE2ES. A small order of dicotyledonous plants, 

 closely allied to the Begonias. Herbs or trees, glabrous, 

 pubescent, or almost scaly. Flowers dioecious, regular, 

 rarely hermaphrodite or polygamous ; corolla small or 

 altogether wanting ; calyx tube adhering to the ovary. 

 Fruit a one-seeded capsule, opening at the top. Leaves 

 alternate, simple or pinnate. There are only three known 

 genera : Datisca, Octomeles, and Tetrameles. 



DATURA (derivation obscure ; said to come from the 

 Arabic name, datora). OBD. Solanacece. Including Brug- 

 mansia, CeratocauUs, Dutra, and Stramonium. Orna- 

 mental and pretty a-nnnala, shrubs or trees. Flowers extra- 

 axillary, pedunculate, or from the forks of the branches; 

 corolla funnel-shaped. The annual species are generally 

 known as Daturas, and the shrubby ones as Brugmamias. 

 From an horticultural point of view, the latter section is 

 by far the most important. 



PBOPAGATION. This may be easily effected by cuttings 

 of about 6in. in length, placed in sandy soil, and plunged in 

 t bottom heat of 60deg. Young shoots, heeled off the old 



wood, when they have grown about 6ia. long, in spring, 

 root freely. The annual species may be readily raised 

 from seed. 



CULTIVATION. Shrubby Specie*. These thrive well 

 against pillars, or planted in beds or borders in conserva- 

 tories, and allowed to grow into large bushes or dwarf 

 trees. The plants bear severe pruning remarkably well, 

 and may be cut to keep them in any form or size desired. 

 The best time to prune is at the close of the flowering 

 season, or later in the autumn. This section of the genus 

 is naturally an evergreen one, but does well treated as 

 deciduous. Daturas enjoy a moderate amount of warmth 

 when in full growth, but require to be kept dry and quite 

 cool in winter. The best way of growing them in mode- 

 rate-sized houses is in 12in. pots, as standards. These 

 may have stems ranging in height from 4ft. to 7ft. The 

 head should be formed of three or more branches, which 

 will quickly be produced on stopping the main stem. After 

 it is once obtained, the annual growths may be cut back 

 to where the leading branches originate. Old plants 

 flower far more freely than younger ones. Standard plants 

 of D. sanguinea and D. suaveolens are well suited as per- 

 manent features for centres of beds or groups. D. Knightii 

 does well in sheltered positions outside, in 

 summer, and forms a rich and pleasing addition 

 to the usual sub-tropical large-leaved plants. 

 During the flowering period, manure water is 

 most useful in increasing the vigour of the 

 plants and the number and size of the flowers. 

 Daturas are rather subject to White Scale on 

 the leaves and stems. 



Annual Species. These are of very easy culti- 

 vation. Seeds may be readily raised in a hotbed ; 

 and the seedlings, when large enough to handle, 

 should be placed singly in small pots, and finally 

 transferred to their flowering quarters in the open 

 border. They delight in a light sandy soil, and 

 require plenty of space for full development. 



FIG. 618. FLOWEBIMG BRANCH OP DATURA CKRATOCAULA. 



