CARLUDOVICA 



CARNATION 



247 



35-40 species and 4 genera (Stelestylis, Carludovica, 

 Liuiovia, Cyclanthus) ; it is often united with the Pan- 

 danacese or screw pine family. L^ jj_ B_ 



Carludovica palmata is the species most frequently 

 met with under cultivation. Under favorable conditions 

 it grows to a height of about 8 feet. AH of the kinds 

 need stove treatment during the winter months ; in 

 summer they may be used for subtropical bedding with 

 good results. They have a certain palm-like appear- 

 ance, but the leaves are of a softer texture than any of 

 the palms. They may be propagated by division, choos- 

 ing the early spring for the operation. C. palmata seeds 

 freely. The fruit, when ripe, has an ornamental appear- 

 ance for a short time after bursting open. The seeds 

 are very small, and should be carefully washed free from 



0W 



365. Carludovica palmata. 



the pulp, and sown on the surface of a pan of finely 

 chopped sphagnum moss. Germination takes place in 

 two weeks from sowing if kept iu a brisk, moist heat. 

 The species are not particular as to soil, but the drain- 

 age must be perfect, as the plants require an abundance 

 of water when growing. q ^. Oliver. 



A. Lvs. S-5-lobed. 



palmitta, Ruiz & Pav. Fig. 365. No trunk : petioles 

 .3-6 ft. long, glabrous, terete and unarmed ; blades 

 4-lobed, the lobes again cut into narrow segments, dark 

 green, gracefully spreading, and drooping at the mar- 

 gin. Peru. R.H. 1861, p. 10. — The common species, and 

 a very useful plant. Panama hats are made from this 

 plant. 



rotundiSdlia, H. Wendl. Much like the last, but more 

 compact under cult., owing to the shorter petioles, but 

 growing much larger: petiole distinctly pubescent: 

 leaf-blade large and orbicular, 3- or 4-lobed. Costa Rica. 

 B.M.7083. 



^legans, Williams. Blades with 4 or 5 lobes, which 

 are very deeply cut into straight strap-like divisions. 

 Probably of horticultural origin. 



AA. Lvs. S-lobed. 



atrbvirens, H. Wendl. Blades very deeply 2-lobed and 

 very deep, rich green (whence the name, dark green), 

 glabrous. Colombia. 



hilmilis, Poepp. & Endl. Dwarf : blades angular, 

 2-lobed at the summit, the segments more or less jagged 

 but not divided, a foot or less broad. Colombia. R.H, 

 1869, p. 327. -One of the best. 



Pltimerii, Kunth (C. palmmfblia, Sweet). Caudex 

 erect : blades with 2 lanceolate and plicate divisions, 

 bright green above and pale beneath: spadices pendu- 

 lous. Martinique. 



imperialis, Lind. & Andr^. Caudex short and pros- 

 trate : blades with 2 ovate-lanceolate entire segments, 

 with very prominent veins, the lobes about .5 in. wide 

 and shining green; petiole purplish, canaliculate, tumid 

 at the base. Equador. I. H. 21:166 (by error 165). 



L. H. B. 



CABNATION {Didnthus Caryophf/Uus, Linn.). Cary- 

 ophyllAceie. Figs. 366, 367. Half-hardy perennial, her- 

 baceous, suffrutescent at base: height 2 ft.: stem 

 branching, with tumid joints : lvs. linear, glaucous, 

 opposite : fls. terminal, solitary ; petals 5, tiesh-col- 

 ored, very broad, beardless margins toothed ; calyx 

 cylindrical, with scaly bracts at base. June-August. 

 Native of southern Eu.; occasionally met in the wild 

 state in England, where it was introduced through cul- 

 tivation. 



Theophrastus, who lived about 300 years B.C., gave 

 the name Dianthus (Greek Dios, divine; aiithos, flower) 

 to the genus, probably suggested by the delightful fra- 

 grance. The specific name Caryophyllus (Greek, Ca rtjon, 

 nut; and pliyllon, leaf) has been applied to the clove 

 tree {CaryophyUus aroviaticus), and because of the 

 clove-like fragrance of the Carnation, this name was 

 applied to the species ; otherwise it would have no sig- 

 nificance. The name Carn;ition (Latin, cnniatio, from 

 caro, carnis, flesh) has reference to the flesh-color of 

 the flowers of the original type. This plant has been in 

 cultivation more than 2,000 years, for Theophrastus 

 (History of Plants, 300 B.C.) says : "The Greeks cul- 

 tivate roses, gillyflowers, violets, narcissi, and iris," 

 gillyfiower being the old English name for the Carna- 

 tion. It was not, however, until the beginning of the 

 sixteenth century that the development of the Carnation 

 into numerous varieties made an impression upon its 

 history. The original flesh-color of its flowers was 

 already broken up into its component colors, red and 

 white. The gardeners of Italy, France, Germany, Hol- 

 land and England, with their respective ideals of beauty 

 in this flower, contributed so many varieties that in 

 15U7 Gerard wrote that "to describe each new variety of 

 carnation were to roll Sisyphus' stone or number the 

 sands." 



There were many attempts at classification, but most 

 of them, like the varieties they serve, have disappeared. 

 Two of them are as follows ; The French scheme ar- 

 ranged all varieties into three classes, thum — Ore ua dins 

 (Pig. 368), including those with strong perfumes, flow- 

 ers of medium size, either single or double, petals 

 fringed, and of but one color; Flamands, including 

 those with large flowers, round and double, rising in 

 the center to form a convex surface, petals entire, either 

 unicolored or striped with two or more colors ; J^ancies, 

 including those with colors arranged in bands on light 

 grounds, the petals toothed or not. The English classi- 

 fication of these varieties makes four categories : Selfs, 

 or those possessing only one color in the petals ; J^^Iakes, 

 or those having a pure ground of white or yellow and 

 flaked or striped with one color, as scarlet, purple or 

 rose ; Bizarres, or those having a pure ground marked 

 as in the Fhikes, but with two or three colors ; and 

 Pieotees, or those having a pure ground of white or 

 yellow, and each petal bordered with a band of color at 

 the margin. This last class has been regarded with the 

 distinction of a race. 



In the early part of the nineteenth century English 

 gardeners exercised very great care, in the growing of 

 Carnations, to mature only perfect flowers. Imperfect 

 and superfluous petals were extracted with forceps ; 

 petals appearing out of place were arranged in a per- 



