AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



447 



Nerine continued. 



leaves die, store the plants away in a cool place, and 



keep the soil quite dry, until signs of growth are again 



apparent. 



N. curvifolia (curved-leaved).* fl. bright glittering scarlet, scent- 

 less, in a many-flowered convex umbel ; perianth regular, with 

 the segments slightly cohering at base. Blossoms at various 

 seasons. I. glaucous, oblong-linear, or thong-shaped, depressed 

 along the middle. 1788. (A. B. R. 163, under name of Amaryllis 

 Fothergillia ; B. M. 725, under name of A. curvifolia.) 



N. filifolia (thread-leaved), fl., perianth rose-red, lin. long ; 

 umbel centripetal, eight to ten-flowered ; pedicels densely glan- 

 dular, pubescent ; scape 1ft. long. October. I. six to ten from 

 a bulb, slender, 6in. to 8in. long. (B. M. 6547.) 



N. flexuosa (zigzag).* fl. of a vivid crimson-scarlet, slightly 

 tinged with orange, umbellate. I. lighter green, and less glaucous 

 than in JV. sarniensis corusca. h. 1ft. 1795. (B. B. 172, under 

 name of Amaryllis flexuosa.) 



N. t. excellens (excelling).* fl. bright rosy-pink, with a carmine- 

 crimson rib down the centre of each reflexed segment ; umbels 

 many-flowered. 1883. A beautiful variety, of very free-flowering 

 habit. 



N. f. pulchella (pretty).* fl. about seven ; perianth pale pink, 

 striped with red ; style and filaments white ; spathe reddish ; 

 scape over 2ft. high. July. I. over Jin. wide, glaucous. 1820. 

 (B.M. 2407.) 



N. humilis (dwarf), fl. purplish - rose, variegated with paler 

 tints, scentless, in a six to twenty-flowered umbel ; perianth seg- 

 ments scarcely cohering ; scape longer than the leaves. Late 

 summer. 1. oblong - linear, somewhat channelled, rounded at 

 the points. (B. M. 726, under name of Amaryllis humilis.) 



N. Japonlca. See Lycorls radlata. 



N. Plantii (Plant's). A synonym of N. sarniensis Plantii. 



N. pudica (chaste), fl. six to eight, liin. to 2in. long ; perianth 

 pure white, streaked with red ; scape exce_eding the leaves. 

 October. I. 6in. to Sin. long, about iin. wide, narrow-linear, 

 obtuse, not keeled or ribbed. (B. M. 5901.) 



N. sarniensis (Guernsey).* Guernsey Lily. /. pale salmon- 

 coloured ; perianth segments recurved at the extremity ; scape 

 from 2ft. to 2ft. high, many-flowered. Autumn. I. appearing 

 after the flowers. 1680. (B. M. 294, under name of Amari/llis 

 sarniensis.) 



N. 8. cornsca (glittering).* /. brilliant orange-scarlet, very large, 

 about thirty on a strong scape. 1. broad, oblong, entire, h. 1ft. 

 1809. (B. M. 1089, under name of Amaryllis corusca.) A sub- 

 variety, known in gardens as major, has pale orange-scarlet 

 coloured flowers, and much narrower segments, which are 

 scarcely so much recurved at the extremities as in the type. 



N. B. Plantii (Plant's). This differs from the type in the colour 

 of the flower being a duller crimson, in the longer peduncle, and 

 in the more distinctly unguiculated perianth segments. Possibly 

 a hybrid between N. sarniensis and N. flexuosa. (Gn. March 25, 

 1882, under name of N. Plantii.) 



N. 8. venusta (charming).* fl. fiery scarlet, in large umbels. 

 June. 1806. A beautiful variety, flowering at the same time 

 as the type. (B. M. 1090, under name of Amaryllis venusta.) 



FIG. 684. INFLORESCENCE OF NERINE UNDULATA. 



N. nndulata (wavy -flowered).* fl. soft flesh -colour, with the 

 segments of a wavy or undulating outline ; scape about 1ft. high, 

 many-flowered. May. I. narrow-ligulate or strap-shaped, pale 

 green, generally preceding the flowers. 1767. See Fig. 684. 

 (B. M. 369, under name of Amaryllis undulata.) 



NERISSA. Included under Hcemanthus. 



NERIUM (the old Greek name used by Dies- 

 corides, from neros, humid ; referring to the habit of 

 the species). Oleander. OED. Apocynacece. A small 

 genus (two or three species) of very ornamental, erect, 

 greenhouse shrubs, natives of the Mediterranean region 

 and sub-tropical Asia, extending to Japan. Flowers 

 showy, in terminal, shortly pedicellate racemose cymes; 

 corolla pink, white, or yellowish, funnel-shaped; throat 

 crowned by toothed or lacerated segments; lobes five. 

 Leaves three, or rarely four, in a whorl, very rarely 

 opposite, narrow, coriaceous. The leaves are fatal to 

 animals (horses, &c.) ; the flowers have caused death to 

 those who carelessly picked and ate them, and if is on 

 record that the branches, divested of their bark, and 

 used as skewers, have poisoned the meat roasted on 

 them, and killed seven of twelve people who partook of it. 

 Good plants of Neriums are not unattractive, even when 

 out of flower, on account of their pointed evergreen 

 foliage. The flowers are only produced on mature, well- 

 ripened shoots; consequently, the plants must be well 

 exposed to sun and air throughout their period of 

 growth, which is spring and early summer; the flowers 

 appear later in the season. After flowering, a rest 

 should be allowed for a time, by withholding water, which, 

 at other times, should be freely given. The plants may 

 then be cut back, and encouraged to make a little 

 growth before winter. Eepot in early spring, according 

 as the different sized plants require, using a compost 

 of loam and decayed manure, in about equal propor- 

 tions. Neriums are propagated by cuttings of matured 



FIG. 685. LEADING BRANCHLET OF NERIUM OLEANDER. 



leading shoots (see Fig. 685), inserted in single pots, and 

 placed in a close, warm frame ; or they may be rooted 

 successfully in bottles of water, and afterwards potted 

 carefully in soil. Established plants may be placed in a 

 warm position in the open air, in summer, or kept in a 

 light, airy greenhouse. They are subject to several in- 

 sect pests, especially Red Spider and Mealy Bug. Fre- 

 quent sponging will be necessary, in order to keep the 

 leaves clean and healthy. 



N. odorum (sweet-scented), fl. pale red, with an agreeable 

 musky scent ; segments of the crown multifld, filamentose at the 

 apex. June to August. I. linear-lanceolate, three in a whorl, 

 coriaceous, with revolute edges, 6in. to lOin. long. h. 6ft. to 8ft. 

 East Indies, 1683. Of this species, the following are varieties : 

 carneum, with flesh-coloured flowers (B. M. 2032) ; flare-plena, 

 with flowers nearly double (B. M. 1799). 



N. Oleander.* Common Oleander, fl. bright red, rather large ; 

 segments of corona trifld or cuspidate. June to October. 

 I. lanceolate, three in a whorl, 4in. to 5in. long, dark green. 

 h. 6ft. to 14ft. Mediterranean region, &c., 1596. (S. F. G. 248.) 



Varieties. The following is a list of the most desirable 

 varieties of the common Oleander; many of them are of 

 Continental origin : 



Album plenum. Flowers white, large ; corolla double. Very 



pretty. See Fig. 686. 



