AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



451 



Delphinium continued. 



D. formosnm (beautiful).* /. sky-blue, shaded with indigo ; spur 

 rather long, two-cleft, of a violet hue ; sepals longer than the 

 petals ; spikes long. Summer. I. alternate, greyish-green, un- 

 equally palmate, lower segments stalked, upper ones sessile and 

 tripartite. A. IJft to 3ft Orient. (F. d. S. 1185.) 



D. grandlflorum (large-flowered).* ft. blue, and the intermediate 

 shades to white, either double or single, large ; petals shorter 

 than the calyx, two lower ones somewhat orbicular, with obliquely 

 inflexed entire borders ; racemes spreading, few-flowered, di- 

 verging. June. I. palmately many-parted into distant linear 

 lobes. A. 1ft to 2ft. Siberia, 1816. (B. M. 1686.) A very hand- 

 some plant, with several varieties, the best of which is perhaps 

 ehinengis, in which the racemes are many-flowered, lateral ones 

 diverging. Other forms are : album (white), album-plena (double- 

 white), jlore-pleno (double-blue-flowered), paUidum, and rubrum. 



D. hybridum (hybrid), ft. blue, with the two lower petals 

 bearded with white ; racemes crowded ; spur straight, longer than 

 the flowers. June to August I. many-parted, with linear lobes ; 

 petioles dilated and sheathing at the base. A. 3ft to 4ft 

 Tauria, 1794. Lower part of the plant smooth, upper part vel- 

 vety-pubescent. 



D. h. ocbroleucum (yellowish-white), ft. white, smooth on the 

 outside ; racemes elongated, crowded ; bracts membranaceous, 

 broad-lanceolate ; spur straight, blunt, rather longer than the 

 pedicel. July and August 1. many-parted, with linear lobes ; 

 petioles dilated and sheathing at the base. A. 3ft Armenia, 

 1823. SYN. D. aUnflerum. 



D. laxlflonun Goose-flowered), ft. blue ; racemes loose, branched. 

 June. I. three to seven-lobed, with the lobes oblong, acute, 

 deeply pinnatifld; upper ones somewhat three-parted, with 

 narrow, entire lobes ; petioles not dilated at the base. A. 4ft to 

 6ft Siberia. (B. B. 24, 30.) 



D. mesoleuctun (white-centred), ft. blue, with pale yellow or 

 whitish petals. June. I rather dilated at the base, with wedge- 

 shaped segments, which are deeply serrated at the top. Upper 

 part of the stem, as well as jhe peduncles, pubescent A. 3ft 

 Native country unknowi 



FIG. 633. DELPHINIUM NUDICAULE, showing Habit 

 and Single Flower. 



D. nndloanle (naked-stemmed).* ft. red ; petals clear yellow, 

 lower ones spathulate, with a two-cleft, fringed limb upper ones 

 elongated, prominent hairy at the ends ; spur nearly twice the 

 length of the calyx ; raceme loose. Summer. I. fleshy, somewhat 

 peltate, tripartite ; sub-divisions of lower leaves obcordate with 

 notched lobes, which, in the upper ones, are oblong and entire. 

 A. lOin. to 18in. California, 186. See Fig. 633. (B. M. 5819.) 



D. pictnm (spotted). A synonym of D. Requimii. 



D. Requienii (Requien's). ft. bluish, hispid ; bracts inserted on 

 the middle of the pedicels ; spur almost as long as the calyx. 

 June. I. on long stalks, lower ones cleft into five >oad cuneated 

 three to five-toothed lobes, upper ones divided into five-linear 

 entire lobes. A. lift Lower part of herb smooth, or scarcely 

 pubescent, upper part hispid with long crowded spreading hairs. 

 South-west Europe, 1824. Biennial. SYN. D. pictum. 



D. Staphysagria (Stavesacre). ft. blue, loose, r^j^ery 



vetonine- 



A large erect biennial 

 herb. (B. M. PL 4.) 



Delphinium continued. 



D. tricorne (three-horned), ft. very beautiful bine; petals 

 shorter than the calyx. May. J. five-parted, with three to flve- 

 cleft lobes, and linear lobules ; petioles smooth, hardly dilated 

 at the base. A. 9in. North America, 1806. (L. B. C. 306.) 



D. triste (sad), ft. dark-brown, suffused with a little red at the 



. , 



edges of the sepals, and with a somewhat violaceous spar ; 

 loose. July to September. I. three to five-parted ; lobes narrow, 

 somewhat pinnatifld, acute; upper leaves three-parted, with 

 entire lobes ; petioles not dilated at base. A. 2ft Siberia, 1819. 

 DELTOID. Shaped like the Greek A- 

 DEMIDOVIA. A synonym of Tetragonia. 

 DEMOCHJTEA. A synonym of Serissa, 

 DElfDItOBIUM (from dendron, a tree, and biot life ; 

 the species are epiphytal in their native habitats). SYN. 

 PedHonum. OED. Orchidece. A large and elegant genus 

 of stove and greenhouse orchids. A few species are very 

 fragrant; but the scent of some is objectionable. Lip 

 more or less contracted at base into a claw, lying upon, 

 or adnate to, the foot of the column ; pollinia four. " The 

 genus," says Dr. Lindley, " varies extremely in the habit 

 of its species, some being little larger than the mosses 

 among which they grow, while others are surpassed in 

 stature by few of their order ..... There are some 

 species of which thj foliage is ancipitous, others having 

 it terete, while, in the majority, it is in the usual flat 

 condition. A few have no other stems than a wiry creep- 

 ing rhizome; others have small conical pseudo-bulbs; 

 many form clavate horny stems, leafy only at the sum- 

 mit; but the greater part produce long leafy branches." 

 Cultivation. With but few exceptions, Dendrobinms 

 are very easily managed ; but it should be borne in mind 

 by those !who undertake their culture, that they require 

 a decided period tof rest, or " drying off," as the process 

 is frequently termed. There is considerable diversity in 

 the habit and style of growth of the various members of 

 this genus ; and, as many of the kinds not only thrive beat, 

 but display their beauties to a greater advantage, when 

 suspended from the roof either in baskets or upon blocks 

 of wood, it will at once be obvious that by this means a 

 large saving of space may be effected. When placed in 

 baskets, they should be surrounded with a little rough 

 peat and sphagnum; but, when grown upon blocks, sphag- 

 num only should be used, and this must be fastened with 

 some fine copper wire, which will also serve to fix the 

 plant firmly. In putting orchids upon blocks, it is of 

 the highest importance that they ehould be firmly fixed; 

 if this is not done, they are, apt to get their first roots 

 damaged ; but, as a rule, after they are once established, 

 the roots will hold them tightly enough. Plants cul- 

 tivated upon blocks require greater attention in the 

 matter of water than those grown in pots. During the 

 growing season, Dendrobiums should be sprinkled with 

 the syringe twice each day, morning and evening being 

 the best times to perform the operation ; in addition, it 

 will also be necessary to lift them down twice or three 

 times a week, and give them a dipping in a tub of 

 water. This requires care, in order to preserve the 

 roots and young immature growths from injury; for, at 

 this period, both roots and shoots are very tender and 

 brittle. It must be remembered, in syringing, dipping, 

 or otherwise, that cold water is highly injurious; there- 

 fore, it should be warmed to the same temperature as 

 that of the house. As the growths reach maturity, 

 withhold the water supply, and remove the plants into 

 a cooler and drier atmosphere, with full exposure to light 

 and sunshine, to thoroughly ripen them. Water must 

 be very cautiously applied during the resting period, 

 as it is liable to start the plants prematurely. Sufficient 

 only must be given to prevent shrivelling. 



Dendrobinms in pots should be planted in equal parts 

 fibrous peat and sphagnum, with a liberal addition of 

 charcoal. They require to be elevated upon a cone of soil 

 above the rim of the pot, and should be pressed down, 

 or potted firmly. Perfect drainage is absolutely essential 



