536 



BOUSSINGAULTIA 



BOUVARDIA 



vine, prized for porches and arbors. The roots are 

 stored in the winter, and planted out after danger of 

 frost is past. The plant will not endure frost. Some- 

 times grown in the conservatory and window-garden. 

 It has run wild in Fla. and Texas. L. H. B. 



BOUVARDIA (Charles Bouvard, 1572-1658, physi- 

 cian to Louis XIII, and Superintendent of Royal 

 Gardens in Paris). Rubiacex. Handsome greenhouse 



flowering shrubs, once 

 popular as florists' 

 plants. 



Small shrubs (rarely 

 perennial herbs), with 

 simple, sometimes ver- 

 ticillate, Ivs. and sub- 

 ulate stipules: fls. in 

 terminal cymes, showy. 

 in red, yellow and 

 white; calyx 4-lobed, 

 the lobes persistent; 

 corolla long - tubular 

 or salver form, with 

 4 spreading lobes; 

 stamens 4, alternate 

 with corolla-lobes and 

 attached in the tube 

 or throat; styles in- 

 serted or exserted in 

 different fls., the stig- 

 mas 2; ovary 2-celled: 

 a loculicidal caps. About 30 species, from Texas 



618. The common garden form of 

 Bouvardia. Cluster from a side 

 growth. 



and Ariz, to Colom6ia and southward, chiefly in Mex. 

 and Cent. Amer. 



Bouvardias were once very important florists' flowers, 

 but they have now given place, along with camellias 

 and others, to chrysanthemums, carnations and other 

 plants. The plants have such merit in themselves, how- 

 ever, and are so likely to return to favor in this coun- 

 try, that a rather full cultural treatment is here given. 

 The bouvardias of florists do not represent any of the 

 type species. They are sports, hybrids, and other types 

 of variations. The Latin-form names in American 

 trade catalogues nearly all belong to these garden forms. 

 The species which are of most importance to the hor- 

 ticulturist are mentioned below: 



A. Fls. in shades of red. 



B. Lvs. normally in S's (except, perhaps, on the 

 branchlets) . 



triphylla, Salisb. (B. Jdcquinii, HBK.). Small pubes- 

 cent shrub, 2-6 ft. high: Ivs. in 3's or 4's (or opposite 

 on the branchlets). lanceolate to lance-ovate, gLbrous 

 above: fls. an inch long, pubescent, bright scarlet. Mex. 

 and reaching north to Ariz. B.M. 1854;3781 (as B. 

 splendens, Graham) . The genus Bouvardia was founded 

 upon this species, which was intro. into England more 

 than 100 years ago. It is evidently the most important 

 parent strain, although it is probably not in cult, in its 

 original form. Figs, 618 and 619 partake very strongly 

 of this species. In fact, Fig. 618 compares well in 

 botanical characters (except less long-pointed Ivs.) with 

 the early pictures of B. triphyUa. 



leiantha, Benth. Much like B. triphylla,; more bushy 

 and better grower: sts. hairy: Ivs. hairy above: fls. 

 glabrous. Mex. R.H. 1851:81. Perhaps only a form 

 of the preceding. It is said that the first recorded 

 hybrid bouvardia appeared about 1857, with Mr. 

 Parsons' nurseries at Brighton, England, being between 

 B. leiantha and B. longiflora. Many secondary forms 

 have come from this cross, some of them being white, 

 as B. Davidsanii or B. Vreelandii (G. 27:632). 



Other red-fld. 3-lvd. species are: B. angustifolia, 

 HBK. Lvs. lanceolate, revolute, glabrous above and 

 fine-pubescent below: branches nearly glabrous. Mex. 

 B. hirtella, HBK. Very similar: Ivs. pubescent on both 



surfaces. Mex. B. scabra, Hook. & Arn. Lvs. ovate, 

 short-stalked: fls. large, in dense clusters, pink: at. 

 hairy. Mex. 



BB. Lvs. opposite. 



Cavanillesii, DC. (B. multiflora, Schult.). Hairy: 

 Ivs. ovate-acuminate, broad at base, short-stalked, edges 

 hairy: fls. 1J^ in. long, very slender, glabrous. Mex. 



AA. Fls. yellow. 



flava, Decne. Lvs. opposite, pvate-lanceclate or 

 lance-elliptic, very short^stalked, ciliate: fls. very long 

 drooping, in 3-5-fld. racemes, bright yellow. Mex 

 F.S. 1:43. 



AAA. Fls. white. 



longifl&ra, HBK. Glabrous, branching shrub: Ivs. 

 opposite, ovate-acuminate, stalked: fls. 1^-2 in. long, 

 with a very slender tube and a wide-spreading, large 

 limb, 2 or 3 together and aggregated into a terminal 

 cyme. Mex. B.M. 4223. F.S. 2:123. 



Humboldtii, Hort. Lvs. opposite, ovate--acuminate: 

 fls. very large, fragrant, in a large, terminal cluster. 

 G.C. 1873:717. G. 27:331 (var. grandiflora) . This is 

 a choice conservatory plant. It is usually catalogued 

 as B. Humboldtii corymbiflora. Blooms from summer 

 to winter. Probably a derivative of B. longiflora. B. 

 candidissima, Hort., white-fld., is said to be a hybrid, 

 with B. Humboldtii as one of its parents. 



jasminifldra, Hort. Compact and dwarf, very florif- 

 erous, the fls. in close, terminal clusters. G.C. 1872:215. 

 Probably a derivative of B. longiflora. j_,_ jj. B. 



All the cultivated species and varieties of bouvardia 

 are evergreen greenhouse plants. They thrive best in a 

 mixture of equal parts of rich turfy loam, leaf-mold and 

 sand, which should be rammed moderately firm but 

 not too hard. They require an abundance of water dur- 

 ing the growing season, and, once they have started 

 into growth in the spring, should never be allowed to 

 suffer for the want of water at the roots. A house in 

 which the temperature can be maintained at 55 F. 

 with fire-heat, suits them best, but the temperature 

 may, with advantage, be allowed to run up to 80 or 



619. The double-flowered form of the garden Bouvardia. 

 Terminal truss. 



90 F. with sunheat, providing they are given an 

 abundance of ventilation at the same time. The plants 

 should be frequently syringed during the growing sea- 

 son to keep down insect pests and to help to main- 

 tain a healthful growing atmosphere. All the bouvardia 

 revel in a fair amount of sunshine, and may be described 

 as sun-loving plants, but under glass during the hottest 

 part of the day, it is an advantage to shade them 

 lightly to break the direct rays of the sun. Under this 



