COMANDRA 



COMMELINA 



835 



above the ovary; and the tube sometimes conspicu- 

 ously continued to a neck or top on the fr. ; petals want- 

 ing; stamens of same number as calyx-lobes, the anthers 

 connected by hairs to the calyx-lobes: fr. nut-like or 

 drupe-like. C. umbellata, Nutt. (Fig. 1041), 6-18 in. 



high, in dry mostly 

 open ground in the 

 eastern states, is 

 an attractive plant 

 when allowed to 

 } spread naturally in 

 patches in waste 

 p 1 ac e s : rootstock 

 not showing above 

 ground (C. Richard- 

 sidna, Fern., has 

 a superficial root- 

 stock) : Ivs. thin, ob- 

 long, pale beneath: 

 fls. whitish. 



L. H. B. 



COMARfiLLA: Po- 



tentilla. 



COMAROSTAPHY- 

 LIS: Arctostaphylos. 



COMARUM (an 

 old Greek name). 

 Rosacese. One spe- 

 cies allied to Poten- 

 tilla, and often re- 

 ferred to that genus 

 but differing in the 

 lateral style un- 

 known inPotentilla. 

 C. palustre, Linn. 

 (Potentilla palustris, 



Scop . ) , the marsh cinquef oil, is a decumbent herb growing 

 in swales in the northern states (also in the Old World). 

 with pinnate, 5-7-foliolate Ivs. (Ifts. dentate), and 

 solitary or cymose purple fls. Kin. across: petals shorter 

 than the calyx-lobes, acute; stamens numerous. An 

 odd and interesting but not showy plant, sometimes 

 planted in bogs. Mn. 3:97. The fr. somewhat 

 resembles a strawberry, but is spongy instead of juicy. 

 In some parts of Scotland, it is said to be called cow- 

 berry and is rubbed on the inside of milk-pails to thicken 

 the milk. C. Salesdvii, Bunge (Potentilla Salesoviana, 

 Steph.), of the Himalayan rigion 

 and Thibet, 11,000-14,000 ft. alti- 

 tude, is a suffruticose silky-hairy 

 plant worthy of cult., but little 

 known in gardens: Ivs. pinnate; 

 Ifts. 7-9, oblong, obtuse, crenate- 

 serrate: fls. white, in an ample 

 paniculate cyme. Probably better 

 placed in Potentilla. B.M. 7258. 



N. TATLOB.f 



1041. Comandra umbellata. (Xl-t) 



COMBRETUM (old Latin name). Com- 

 bretdcese. Tropical shrubs and trees, many 

 of which are climbers by means of the 

 persistent leaf-stalks. 



Leaves mostly opposite, in some species 

 verticillate in 3's or 4's, entire: fls. in 

 spikes or racemes, polygamous; calyx bell- 

 shaped; petals usually 4; stamens usually 

 8: fr. winged and indetiiscent, 1 -seeded. 

 A genus of 250 species from Asia, Afr. 

 and Amer., particularly S. Afr. The 

 combretums are warmhouse plants, little 

 known in this country. Prop, by cuttings 

 of firm wood. One climbing species is 

 in the American trade: C. coccineum, 

 Lam. (C. purpiireum, Vahl. Poivrea 

 coccinea, DC.), from Madagascar. Lvs. 



qblorig-lanceolate, acuminate, evergreen: fls. small, bril- 

 liant red, the long-exserted stamens forming the chief 

 feature of beauty; the handsome loose spikes often in 

 panicles; parts of the fl. in 10's. B.M. 2102. L.B.C. 

 6:563. Handsome. C. butryosum yields a butter-like 

 substance, used by the Kafirs as food. C. sundaicum 

 in recent years has attained some prominence as a 

 reputed anti-opium remedy. j,j. TAYLOR. f 



COMFREY: Symphytum. 



COMMELINA (bears the name of early Dutch 

 botanists). Also written Commelyna. Commelinacese. 

 DAY-FLOWER. Perennial or annual herbs, of which a 

 very few are cultivated in the open or under glass for 

 their interesting flowers. 



Upright, spreading or procumbent, usually more or 

 less succulent, often rooting at the joints: lys. alternate, 

 sessile or shprt-petioled, clasping the st., a If. subtend- 

 ing the sessile fl. -cluster and forming a clasping folded 

 spathe: fls. opening for a day, mostly blue (varying to 

 white and rose), irregular; outer perianth parts (calyx) 

 3, colored, 2 of them somewhat united; inner parts 

 (petals) 3, one of them small and 2 broad and with 

 long claws; stamens usually 6, but only 3 of them fer- 

 tile; filaments not hairy: fr. a 2-3-celled caps, on a 

 recurved pedicel. Nearly or quite 100 species, in 

 warm regions around the globe, a few of them reaching 

 cool-temperate climates. The cult, species are peren- 

 nials. The hothouse species appear not to be offered 

 in this country or to be much cult. Allied to Trades- 

 cantia and Zebrina. 



Commelinas are mostly of easy culture, thriving 

 well in any light rich soil. The evergreen stove and 

 greenhouse species are readily propagated in March or 

 April by cuttings inserted in an ordinary propagating- 

 bed and kept close for a few days, while the tuberous- 

 rooted half-hardy herbaceous species may be propa- 

 gated either by division of the tubers or by 

 seeds sown in a frame early in April and 

 afterwards transplanting the seedlings in 

 the herbaceous border. In the fall, they 

 should be lifted and the tubers stored away 

 in the same manner as dahlias. Of the 

 tuberous-rooted species, , C. cceles- 

 tfe is perhaps the best, its bright 

 klue floors being very effec- 

 tive, especially when planted in 

 masses. (Edward J. Canning.) 



A. Plant hardy in the open. 



nudifldra, Linn. (C. Sellomi, 

 Walp. C. Selloundna, Schlecht.). 

 Creeping, rooting at the joints, 

 glabrous or practically so: Ivs. 

 lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute or acuminate, the lf.- 

 sheaths often ciliate: spathe-lf. 

 acute or acuminate, broad at 

 base, petioled: fls. few in each 

 cluster, Kin. or less across, blue: 

 caps. 3-celled and 5-seeded. N. 

 J. southward and widely dis- 

 persed in other parts 

 of the world. Some- 

 times offered as an 

 outdoor plant. A rose- 

 colored form is re- 

 ported. 



communis, Linn. Much like 

 the last and often confused with 

 it : more erect and less rooting at 

 joints: fls. larger: caps. 2-celled 

 and 4-seeded. N. Y. southward, 

 and widely distributed; perhaps 

 an intro. from Asia. 



