AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



543 



Oxylobium continued. 



clusters, either all axillary or also terminal. March. I. very 

 broadly cuneate, truncate, mostly about l^in. long. h. 2ft. 1840. 

 (B. B. 1843, 36, and P. M. B. x. 243, under name of 0. ob- 

 ovatum.) 



O. cllipticum (elliptic-leaved).* fl. yellow, in crowded, corymbose 

 racemes. May to September. I. from oval-oblong to oblong- 

 linear or lanceolate, mucronate, arranged in irregular whorls of 

 three, h. 2ft. to 3ft. 1805. (B. M. 3249). SYN. O. Pultenece 

 (L. B. C. 1947). 



O. e. angustifolium (narrow-leaved). I. long, and narrow. 

 1805. A handsome variety when well grown. (B. M. 2442, B. B. 

 392, and L. B. C. 163, under name of O. arborescens.) 



O. lineare (linear-leaved), fl. yellow, or of a dull red, in rather 

 loose, terminal racemes, or sometimes in the upper axils. October. 

 I. mostly alternate, linear or linear-lanceolate, 2in. to 6in. long, 

 obtuse or mucronate, silky beneath when young, h. 2ft 1838. 

 (B. M. 3882, under name of Callistachiis linearis.) 



O. obovatum (obovate-leaved). A synonym of 0. euneatum 

 obovatum. 



O. obtusifolium (blunt-leaved).* fl. with keel and wings Ci-im- 

 son, and the standard deep orange-coloured, and yellow at the 

 base, disposed in terminal, often one-sided, racemes of lin. to 

 2in., on very short pedicels. April. L alternate or irregularly 

 whorled in threes, linear, obtuse, smooth above, but clothed with 

 silky tomentum beneath, with revolute edges, h. 1ft. to 3ft. 

 1825. A handsome, compact-growing plant. (S. F. A. 5.) 



O. ovalifolium (oval-leaved). A synonym of 0. retusum. 



O. Pultenese (Pulteney's), of Loddiges. A synonym of O. elttpti- 



O. retusum (retuse). fl. reddish-yellow, in dense, almost sessile, 

 terminal clusters or corymbose racemes, or rarely also in the upper 



Oxypetaluin continued. 



O. appendiculatum (appendiculate). /. pale yellow, fragrant 

 petals narrow-lanceolate, acute, erectly spreading; peduncles 

 cymose, usually four-flowered. I. ovate, acuminated, cordate 

 downy. Brazil, 1823. Stove twiner. 



axils. May. I. mostly opposite, petiolate, ovate or oblong- 

 elliptic, obtuse, truncate or emarginate, lin. to 2in. long. h. 2ft. 

 1823. SYN. 0. ovalifolium. (B. B. 913.) 



O. scandens (climbing). fl. yellow, few, in loose, terminal or 

 axillary racemes. April. I. mostly opposite, from obovate or 

 ovate-elliptical to ovate-lanceolate or nai-row-oblong, IJin. to 2in. 

 long. Branches procumbent or half climbing. A. 2ft. 1825. 

 (B. R. 1434, under name of Mirbelia Baxteri.) 



O. staurophyllum (cross-leaved), fl.. yellow, in loose, axillary 

 racemes, rarely exceeding the leaves. April I. alternate or oppo- 

 site, iin. to lin. long, with pungent points and a cuneate base, 

 and deeply divided into three lanceolate, pungent lobes ; the 

 lateral ones divaricate, and sometimes again bilobed. h. 2ft 

 1822. (B. B. 959, L. B. C. 1177, and P. M. B. iv. 171, under name 

 of Podolobium staurophyllum.) 



O. trilobatum (three-lobed).* fl. yellow, in loose, axillary or 

 terminal racemes, often exceeding the leaves. April. I. mostly 

 opposite, from broadly ovate to lanceolate, lin. to 2in. long, with 



5)imgent points, and bordered by a few distant, pungent teeth or 

 obes, of which one or two on each side near the base are usually 

 larger than the others, h. 2ft. 1791. (A. B. B. 320, under name 

 of PuUeruea Uicifolia ; B. M. 1477 and B. B. 1333, under name of 

 Podolobium trilobatum.) 



O. vlrgatum (twiggy), fl. orange, scarlet, in terminal, sessile, 

 corymbose racemes or clusters, and occasionally in the upper 

 axils. Ma>. 1. in threes or opposite, narrow-oblong, or almost 

 linear, rarely ovate-oblong, very obtuse and emarginate, |in. to 

 liin. long. 1830. (B. M. S328, and B. B. 1647, under name of 

 Gastrotobium retusum.) 



OXYPETALUM (from oxys, sharp, and petalum, a 

 petal ; petals sharp-pointed). SYNS. Gothofreda, Schizo- 

 stemma, and Tweedia. OBD. Asclepiadeae. A genus 

 comprising about fifty species of erect or twining, stove 

 or greenhouse, perennial herbs or snb-shrubs, natives of 

 South America, mostly Brazil, one species being found 

 in Mexico and the West Indies. Flowers blue, white, 

 yellowish-white, or purplish; calyx five-parted; corolla 

 tube short, campanulate or almost globular, and with five 

 often narrow lobes ; cymes sometimes umbelliform, loosely 

 few-flowered, sometimes capitate, rarely corymbosely 

 branched, terminal or (in one species) axillary, peduncu- 

 late. Leaves opposite. The species mentioned below 

 (probably the only ones introduced) like a rich, well- 

 drained, loamy soil, and do best if planted out inside the 

 stove or greenhouse, and their shoots trained near the 

 glass. 0. casruleum is a charming climber, remarkable 

 for the changes in colour exhibited by the flower at 

 various stages of its existence. When first open, it is 

 pale blue, with a slight tinge of green; then purplish, 

 and, when withered, lilac. All are propagated by cuttings 

 of the young growths, inserted under a bell glass, in 

 bottom heat. 



(Banks'), fl. purple ; corolla segments linear or 

 linear-lanceolate ; peduncles lax-flowered, longer than the pedicels 

 June. /. cordate or ovate-cordate, shortly acuminate incano- 

 puberulous beneath. Brazil, 1826. Stove twining sub-shrub. 

 O. cseruleum (blue).* /. blue ; segments of corolla oblong, spread- 

 ing ; peduncles shorter than the leaves, few-flowered, erect. July 

 1. cordate-oblong or cordate-lanceolate, rnucronate, tomentose on 

 both sides. Buenos Ayres, 1832. Greenhouse or stove twining 

 H^Pl 1 ^ S 5 J& M - j 3630 ' under name of Tweedia versicolor; 

 S. B. F. G. ser. u. 407, under name of T. ccerulea.) 



O. solanoides (Solanum-like). fl. bluish, tinged with rose- 

 colour ; corolla segments spreading ; peduncles terminal or extra- 

 axillary, corymbosely paniculate, many-flowered. June I lan- 

 ceolate or oblong-cordate, mucronate, acute, petiolate, tomen- 

 tose. Stem almost unbranched, erect, h. 6ft. Brazil, 1846. 

 Stove sub-shrub. (B. M. 4367.) 



OXYSFORA (from oxys, sharp, and spora, a seed ; 



in allusion to the seeds being awned at both ends). 



OBD. Melastomacece. A small genus (four species) of 



very handsome, slender, erect, or almost scandent, stove 



shrubs, natives of Eastern Bengal and the Malayan 



Archipelago. Flowers pink or red, disposed in terminal, 



elongated, many-flowered, loose, nodding panicles ; calyx 



lobes and petals four. Leaves long-stalked, large, oblong 



or lanceolate-ovate, long-acuminate, entire or sinuate- 



I toothed, five to seven-nerved. O. paniculata, the only 



| species introduced, thrives in a compost of sandy loam 



i and fibry peat, with the addition of some small pieces of 



i charcoal. Propagation may be effected by cuttings of 



I young shoots, inserted in sandy soil, under a glass, in 



bottom heat, in April. 



O. paniculata (panicled). fl. disposed in lax, drooping panicles, 

 often 1ft long; petals four, bright rose-colour, obovate, acute 

 Autumn. I. ovate or cordate-ovate, acuminate, five to seven- 

 neryed, glabrous above, and obsoletely downy, with short hairs, 

 or quite glabrous below, where also the nerves are very pro- 

 minent, and red. A. 3ft to 5ft. India, 1826. (B. M. 4553, under 

 name of 0. varrang.) 



O. vagans (wandering). A synonym of 0. paniculata. 



OXYSTELMA (from oxys, sharp, and stelma, a 

 girdle; in reference to the segments of the corona being 

 acute). OBD. Asclepiadece. A small genus (four species) 

 of stove, climbing, glabrous herbs or sub-shrubs, natives 

 of tropical Asia and Africa. Flowers rather large ; 

 corolla purple-spotted and veined, rather broad; cymes 

 loosely racemose or umbelliform, not unfrequently reduced 

 to one Sower. Leaves opposite, narrow. 0. esmlentum 

 is the only species in cultivation ; it thrives in a com- 

 post of loam, leaf mould, and sand. Good drainage is 

 essential. Like many other stove climbers, it perhaps 

 does best when planted out against a wall or rafter, and 

 its shoots trained near the glass. 



O. esculentum (esculent), fl. white, with a tinge of rose, large ; 

 corolla fringed with hairs ; racemes longer than the leaves. 

 1. linear-lanceolate, veiny, smooth, 4in. to 6in. long. India, 

 Java, &c., 1816. 



OXYTB.OFIS (from oxys, sharp, and tropis, a keel; 

 the keel ends in a sharp point). OBD. Leguminosce. 

 An extensive genus (nearly 100 species) of hardy, much- 

 branched herbs, sub-shrubs, or small shrubs, allied to 

 Astragalus. They are found in the mountainous or cold 

 regions of Asia, North America, and Europe. Flowers 

 violet, purple, white, or pale yellowish, in axillary 

 spikes or racemes, or springing from the stem; standard 

 erect, ovate or oblong; petals unguiculate. Pods sessile 

 or stipitate. Leaves impari-pinnate ; leaflets entire, 

 exstipellate. Several species are very handsome, but 

 many which were at one time much grown are now 

 lost to cultivation. They are of easy culture in any 

 ordinary soil, but prefer a dry sandy loam. Propagated 

 by seeds, sown in their permanent quarters; and by 

 dividing the plant in spring. All the species mentioned 

 below are pretty, dwarf-growing perennials. 



