80 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Gomphrena continued. 



seventy species) of half-hardy, annual, biennial or 

 perennial herbs, abounding in tropical America and 

 Australia, one species being widely dispersed through 

 Asia and tropical Africa. Flower-heads generally sessile 

 and solitary at the tips of the branches. Leaves oppo- 

 site, sessile or shortly-stalked, entire. The common 

 globe-flowered species is one of the prettiest hardy 

 plants grown. It is admirably adapted for the summer 

 decoration of greenhouses and conservatories, forming a 

 neat, erect-branched growth of about 2ft., and a pro- 

 fusion of richly - coloured flower-heads. In order to 

 retain the beauty of these for a considerable period, 

 they should be cut previous to full maturity. For 

 culture, see Celosia. 



G. globosa (globe-flowered).* fl-heads various. July. I. pu- 

 bescent, oblong, h. IJft. India, 1714. Annual. See Fig. 123. 

 (B. M. 2815.) Of the many varieties, nana is perhaps the 

 prettiest, with flowers of a fine dark red ; it rarely exceeds Sin. 

 in height, and is usually 7in. to Sin. in diameter. Other 

 varieties are : alba, aurea superba, cornea, Isabellina, pur- 

 purea, and striata. 



G. perennis (perennial), ji. -heads pale yellow, two-leaved ; 

 florets distinguished by a peculiar perianth. July to October. 

 1. lanceolate, h. 2ft. South America, 1732. (B. M. 2614.) 



G. pnlohella (neat), n. -heads rosy, globose, smooth ; involucre 

 many-leaved ; segments of staminous tube bicuspidate ; peduncles 

 elongated. July. I. lanceolate. A. lift. Brazil, 1843. Annual (?). 

 (B. M. 4064.) 



GONATANTHUS (from gonu, gonatos, a knee, and 

 antkos, a flower ; referring to the bent spathe). ORD. 

 Aroideae (Aracece). A distinct and interesting stove 

 perennial, allied to Colocasia. For culture, see Cala- 

 dinm. 



G. sarmentosus (twiggy). /. very fragrant ; spathe rich golden- 

 yellow, 6in. long, crane-neck shaped; spadix about 4in. in 

 length. May. I. pale green, marbled with a dark shade, very 

 handsome. Himalaya. (B.M. 5275.) 



GONATOPUS. Included, by the authors of the 

 "Genera Plantarnm," under Zamioculcas (which see). 



GONGORA (named after D. Antonio Cabellero, of 

 Gongora, once Viceroy of New Granada, and a zealous 

 patron of Mntis). Including Acropera. ORD. Orchideoe. 

 A singular genus, comprising more than a score species of 

 ornamental, evergreen, stove epiphytal orchids, natives of 

 tropical America. Flowers drooping, in racemes, some- 

 times 2ft. long ; lateral sepals free and spreading ; upper 

 one remote and connate with the column; petals small, 

 adnate to the middle of the column ; lip clawed, continuous 

 with the base of the column. Leaves broadly lanceo- 

 late, plaited, 1ft. or more long. Pseudo-bulbs oblong, 

 two - leaved. Gongoras should be grown in baskets of 

 peat and moss, and with the temperature of a cool end 

 of the Cattleya house. A liberal supply of water, both 

 to leaves and roots, may be applied during summer. 

 During winter, little will be required, but the pseudo- 

 bulbs must not be allowed to shrivel. This genus, 

 although somewhat neglected of late, possesses several 

 free-flowering and handsome species, of which the follow- 

 ing are a selection : 



G. armenlaca (Apricot-coloured), fl. rich yellow, slightly spotted 

 with red ; raceme rather lax, twelve to twenty-flowered, pendu- 

 lous, 1ft. or more long. Summer. I twin, broad, light green, pro- 

 duced on the top of the oval pseudo-bulbs. Nicaragua, 1850. 

 G. atropnrpnrea (dark-purple), fl. dark purple, borne in great 

 profusion ; racemes long. Summer. {. light green. Pseudo- 

 bulbs ribbed. Trinidad, 1824. An old but very pretty species 

 of compact growth. (B. M. 3220.) 



G. bnfonla major (large frog-like), fl. elegantly variegated 

 with purple and white. Brazil, 1837. This species much re- 

 sembles G. atropurpurea in habit, leaves, and pseudo-bulbs. 

 G. Galeottiana (Galeotti's). fl. red, yellow. April. Mexico, 



G. maonlata (spotted).* fl. yellow, spotted with rosy -red; 

 racemes more than 1ft. long, pendulous. May. I. dark green. 

 Pseudo-bulbs ribbed, h. 14ft. Demerara, 1832. (B. M. 3687.) 

 There are, or were, numerous varieties of this species, one of 

 the best being grandiflora, in which the flowers are pure white, 

 with a few rosy spots on the lip, and the pseudo-bulbs more 

 deeply ribbed than in the type. Guiana, 1336 



Gongora continued. 

 G. portentosa (monstrous), fl. l}in. to 2in. long ; sepals pale 



flesh-coloured ; petals and lip speckled with small violet-purple 



spots ; raceme elongated, many-flowered. April. Ecuador, 1869. 



A pretty compact-growing species. (B. M. 6284.) 

 G. speciosa (showy). A synonym of Cvryanthes speciosa. 



GONIOPHLEBIUM. See Folypodinm. 



GONIOPTERIS. See Polypodinm. 



GOXOCALYX (from gonos, an angle, and calyx; in 

 allusion to the angled calyx). ORD. Vacciniacece. The 

 only species of this genus is the one described below ; it 

 is a charming cool-house bushy evergreen, from New 

 Grenada. For culture, see Thibandia. 



FlO. 124. GONOCALYX PULCHER. 



G. pnlcher (beautiful), fl. deep bright red, white ; corolla tubu- 

 lar. Spring. I, shortly stalked, nearly round, small, obtuse, 

 tinted with rose-purple when young, bright green when old. See 

 Fig. 124. 



GONOLOBUS (from gonia, an angle, and lolos, a 

 pod ; in reference to one of the original species having 

 costate-angled follicles). ORD. Asclepiadece. A genus 

 containing about seventy species of stove, greenhouse or 

 hardy, twining or prostrate, shrubs or sub-shrubs, natives 

 of tropical and North America. Flowers dull or dark- 

 coloured, in racemes or corymbs ; peduncles interpetiolar ; 

 corolla rotate or reflexed, spreading; limb five-parted. 

 Leaves opposite, very often cordate. The greenhouse 

 and stove species thrive, with ordinary treatment, in a 

 compost of loam and peat. Cuttings will root readily 

 in sand, under a glass. The hardy sorts require a light 

 sandy soil, and a warm dryish situation ; and may be 

 increased by divisions or by seeds. 



