AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



517 



Epiphyllum continued. 



baskets or in other positions where they are intended to 

 hang down. For growing in pots, the general system 

 adopted for Epiphyllums is to graft them on stocks, that 

 may be first grown from cuttings to almost any desired 

 height. The plants used as stocks are Pereskia aculeata 

 and P. Bleo. These strike readily in sandy soil, at any 

 season, and should afterwards bo potted and grown up- 

 right, until they reach the required height, which may 

 vary from 1ft. to 5ft. Grafting is easily performed, as 

 it consists in merely pulling out a short branch just as 

 growth commences, in spring, afterwards opening the 

 stock either on the top or at any part of the side that 

 is sufficiently hard, inserting the back part of the branch, 

 and then passing one of the sharp spines from the 

 Pereskia stock right through, to hold all firmly. No 

 other covering need be applied if the plants are in a 

 moist, warm atmosphere. P. Bleo growe stronger, and 

 is, on that account, suitable for tall specimens, while 

 P. aculeata is more common and is generally used for 

 dwarf or medium-sized standards. By grafting at short 

 distances up the stem, pyramid plants may be obtained 

 by a system of training, that have a fine effect when in 

 flower. Large pyramids have also been grown from 

 cuttings for exhibition purposes. 



CULTIVATION. Epiphyllums succeed in sandy loam, 

 with the addition of a little leaf soil and mortar rubbish. 

 Good drainage is necessary, and rather small pots, in 

 proportion to the size of head, will be sufficient. After 

 grafting, the plants should be grown on in heat until 

 autumn, when they should be kept drier, and allowed 

 to rest. Start them again in February, and grow in a 

 light position, allowing plenty of air in the latter part 

 of the summer, to thoroughly ripen the growths. The 

 plants will have formed nice heads by this time, and 

 may be introduced to warmer quarters, for flowering, a 

 few at a time, so as to prolong the season. A tempe- 

 rature of 45deg. will be high enough in the autumn, and 

 only sufficient water to prevent shrivelling should be 

 applied. The flowers will open in a temperature of 

 GOdeg., and may then be removed to a cooler position, j 

 After flowering, any necessary repotting should be per- 

 formed, and the same routine again followed. When 

 established in tolerably large pots, it is often best not 

 to disturb the roots, but apply a top-dressing of good 

 soil instead. Epiphyllums increase in size for several 

 years, if they can be kept in good health. They may 

 be used with fine effect to cover the back wall of a 

 stove. A trellis, far enough from the wall to allow of 

 soil being placed for planting, might be fixed, and the 

 soil inclosed and hidden by Selaginellas, or plants of 

 similar habit. For this purpose, plants struck from 

 cuttings are most suitable. The flowers are produced 

 at the ends of the flattened branches. 

 E. Russellianum (Russell's). Jl. delicate rose colour. May. 

 This is a form from Brazil, with doubtful specific claims, but 

 sufficiently distinct for horticultural purposes. (B. M. 3717.) 

 There are two or more varieties, including rubrum, with much 

 larger bright rosy -red flowers ; and superbum, with purple flowers, 

 having a white throat. 



E. truncatum (truncate).* /I. red or rose-coloured, hardly 3in. 

 long, oblique, rising from the truncate tops of the branches; 

 stamens white ; corolla reflexed, ringent ; tube very short. 

 Branchlets dichotomous, truncate at the apex. Joints of stem 

 compressed. 1818. (B. H. 1866, 15.). SYN. Cactus truncate 

 (B. M. 696). There are several varieties of this fine plant, of 

 which the following is a selection : tricolor, white, edged with 

 rose ; coccineum, rich deep scarlet ; elegant, bright orange-red, 

 centre rich purple ; inayni/icum, flowers large, white, tips bright 

 rose-coloured; roseum, bright rose; Ruckenanum, deep reddish- 

 purple, with a rich violet centre ; salmonewn, reddish-salmon ; 

 spectabile, white, with purple margin ; violaceum, flowers large, 

 pure white, with delicate purple margin ; molaceum tupertnim, 

 pure white, rich deep purple edge. 



EPIPHYTES. Plants growing upon the surface of 

 others without deriving any nutriment from them; as, 

 for example, many Orchids and Mosses. They are fre- 

 quently spoken of as Air Plants. 



EFIFREMNUM (from epi, upon, and premium, a 

 trunk; in allusion to the species rooting upon the 

 trunks of trees). ORD. Aroidece (Aracece). A genus of 

 about eight species of climbing stove plants, from the 

 Malayan Archipelago and the islands of the Pacific. 

 Spathe thick, boat-shaped; spadix included, thick, cy- 

 lindrical, dense-flowered. Leaves ovate, ovate-cordate or 

 lanceolate, often large, entire or piunatifid ; petiole 

 sheathing at the base. For culture, see Monitera. 

 E. mirabile (wonderful). Tonga Plant. This is an " ornamental 

 climber, of rapid growth, with bold dark green pinnatisect leaves 

 in the adult stage, and large inflorescences, resembling those of a 

 Monstera. It is a very suitable plant for trailing up pillars, 

 trunks of Palms, Tree-ferns, 4c., or the back wall of a stove ; and, 

 besides its ornamental character, it is specially interesting for the 

 manner in which the plant changes in appearance as it develops 

 from its juvenile state with small entire leaves to its adult 

 flowering stage with large pinnatisect leaves ; as well as for its 

 medicinal qualities, which appear to have been long known to 

 the natives of the countries the plant inhabits" (N. E. Brown). 

 Fiji. See page 516, Fig. 716, for which we are indebted to 

 Mr. Wm. BulL 



EFISCIA (from episkioi, shaded ; occurring, in their 



native habitats, in shady places). As now understood, 



this genus includes Alsobia, Centrosolenia, Cyrtodeira, 



Nautilocalyx, Physodeira, and Slciophila. ORD. Gesne- 



racece. Very beautiful stove herbaceous perennials. About 



thirty species have been described, all New World 



plants, dispersed over Central America and the West 



Indies. Flowers axillary, solitary, or in little cymes ; 



corolla funnel-shaped. Leaves opposite, petiolate, alike 



or dissimilar. For cultivation, see Genera. 



E. blcolor (two-coloured).* .X. white, bordered with purple, erect 



or inclined ; calyx hairy, deeply five-cleft into five nearly erect 



linear-lanceolate sepals, recurved at the apex ; corolla white, 



gibbous on one side at the base, dilated above, tumid beneath, 



within spotted with purple ; tube rather short ; peduncles slender, 



hairy, from the axils of the leaves. 1. large, hairy, between ovate 



and cordate, spreading, somewhat glossy, acute, penninerved and 



coarsely reticulated ; petioles short, hairy, h. Sin. New Grenada. 



A somewhat creeping, procumbent plant. (B. M. 4390.) 



E. chontalensis (Chontalese).* rt. lilac, with a yellow centre, and 



a whitish tube, nearly 2in. across. November and December. 



I. ovate, or ovate-oblong, acute, sub-cordate at the base, purple 



on the under side, and fight green on the upper surface. A. 6in. 



Nicaragua, 1867. (B. M. 5925.) 



E. cupreata (coppery).* This is the correct name of plant 



descnbed under Achimenet cupreata. 



E. c. viridifolia (green-leaved). This closely resembles the type, 

 differing from it only in the much larger flowers, and in the ab- 

 sence of the coppery tinge to the foliage. New Grenada, 1860. An 

 elegant plant. (B. M. 5195, under name of Cyrtodeira cupreata.) 

 E. erythropus (red-stalked), fl. fascicled in the axils of the 

 leaves, on slender, single-flowered peduncles, about lin. to 2in. 

 long ; calyx divisions subulate lanceolate, quite entire, green ; 

 corolla pale flesh-coloured, with orange-purple spots within the 

 yellow throat and tube; limb oblique, nearly flat; lobes or- 

 bicular. I. sub-radical, oblanceolate, cordate-acuminate, decur- 

 rent on the stout petiole, irregularly toothed, bright green above, 

 suffused with red beneath; midrib and petiole very stout blood-red; 

 nerves many, arching, very red. New Grenada, 1874. (B. M. 6219.) 

 E fulgida (shining).* JL, corolla bright and almost vermilion- 

 'redTtube hirsute, liin. long, cylindric, nearly straight; limb lin. 

 in diameter, nearly equal; lobes rounded, irregularly toothed; 

 peduncles axillary, solitary, stout, lin. to2in. long. July. I. 3in. 

 to 5in long, elliptic, or elliptic-ovate, acute, crenulate serrate, 

 convex, bufiately reticulated on the upper surface, dark emerald 

 green, paler along the midrib, and inclined to coppery. A. 6m. 

 New Grenada, 1873. (B. M. 6136.) 



E melittifolla (Melittis- leaved). JL, corolla crimson ; tube longer 

 than the calyx, curved downwards, with an obtuse spur at the 

 base above; limb of five, nearly equal, rounded, spreading lobes; 

 peduncles few, rarely single-flowered. April, May. L upon long 

 petioles, large, nearly elliptical, obtuse aC the base, acute at the 

 apex- margin coarsely doubly crenate, dark green, glossy, 

 wrinkled above, with the sunk reticulated veins ; pale beneath. 

 h. 1ft Dominica, 1853. (B. M. 4720.) 



gibbous at the base above, curved, compressed, the moutn sprea 

 EC within on the lower side marked with purple rounded ^obes. 

 May and June. 1. opposite, petioled, ovate, acute or acuminate, 

 coarsely serrated, vulous with spreading hair, strongly reticu- 

 lated and rugose, the nerves prominent beneath, and then 

 t-.rnentose ; petioles thick, woolly, and villow. Branches erect, 

 obtusely tetragonal, thickly hairy and woolly. & V 

 urinam. A distinct and handsome species. (B. M. 4866, under 



Surinam. A distinct and ha 

 name of Drymonia nUo*a.) 



