936 



CYDISTA 



CYDISTA (Greek, kydistos, most glorious; alluding 

 to the beautiful flowers). Bignoniacese. Ornamental 

 vines, grown for their beautiful flowers. 



Evergreen shrubs, climbing by If .-tendrils : Ivs. 

 opposite, with 2 Ifts., the rachis elongated into a simple 

 slender tendril, sometimes wanting: fls. in terminal or 

 axillary panicles, sometimes 2; calyx campanulate- 

 turbinate, truncate or with 5 short teeth ; corolla funnel- 

 form-campanulate, with imbricate lobes; stamens 4, 

 inclosed, with spreading anther-cells; disk wanting; 

 ovary linear, with numerous ovules in 2 rows: caps. 

 linear, septicid, with numerous, nearly orbicular, winged 

 seeds. One or 2 species in the W. Indies and S. Amer. 

 Closely allied to Bignonia, but easily distinguished by 

 its simple slender tendrils, by the paniculate fls., the 

 usually truncate calyx and the wanting disk. Suited 

 for cult, in tropical and subtropical regions only and 

 as a stove plant in the N. For cult, and prop., see 

 Bignonia. 



aequinoctialis, Miers (Bignonia aequinoctialis, Linn.). 

 High climbing: Ifts. ovate to ovate-oblong, obtuse- 

 acuminate, undulate, lustrous, reticulate, 3-4 in. long; 

 petioles %-%m. long: calyx campanulate-turbinate, 

 truncate; corolla white or pink, with dark pink or pur- 

 plish veins, 2J^ in. long. W. Indies, Brazil. The B. 

 sequinoctialis var. (B. R. 9 : 741) with yellow fls. in elonga- 

 ted racemes is Anemopxgma Chamberlaynii, Bur. & 

 Schum. (Bignonia Chamberlaynii, Sims B. M. 2148. F.S. 

 3:235. P.M. 14:3.). Seepage502. ALFRED REHDER. 



CYDONIA (the fruits known to the Romans as Mala 

 Cydonia, apples from Cydon, now Canea, in Crete). 

 Rosacex, subfamily Pomese. QUINCE. Shrub or small 

 tree, grown for its fruit, which is much used for preserves 

 and sometimes baked. 



Branches unarmed: Ivs. deciduous, alternate, peti- 

 oled, stipulate, entire: fls. white or light pink, rather 

 large, terminal on short leafy branchlets; petals 5; 

 stamens numerous; styles 5, free; ovary 5-celled, cells 

 with many ovules: fr. a 5-celled, many-seeded pome. 

 One species from Persia to Turkestan. The genus 

 Chaenomeles, often included under Cydonia, is easily 

 distinguished by the serrate or crenate chartaceous 

 Ivs. and the connate styles. 



1184. Twig of common quince 

 Cydonia oblonga. Showing where the 

 fruit was borne at a and b. ( X H) 



The quince, though not without orna- 

 mental merit, particularly in spring 

 when studded with its large pinkish flow- 

 ers and again in autumn when loaded 

 with its golden fragrant fruits, is rarely planted as an 

 ornamental shrub, but chiefly, though not very exten- 

 sively, grown for its fruit which is made into preserves. 

 It is of slow growth and prefers heavy and rather moist 

 soil. It may be propagated by seeds stratified and sown 

 m spring, but is usually increased by cuttings of one- 

 to four-year-old wood, taken in fall and stored until 

 spring in sand or moss in a cellar or frame; also by layers 

 and budding, or by grafting on vigorous growing varie- 

 ties. See Quince. 



ob!6nga, Mill. (C. Cydbnia, Pers. C. vulgaris, Pers. 

 Pyrus Cydbnia, Linn.). QUINCE. Fig. 1184. Shrub or 

 small tree to 15, rarely to 25 ft., with slender, spineless 



branches: Ivs. oval or oblong, rounded or slightly cor- 

 date at the base, acute, entire, villous-pubescent be- 

 neath, 2-4 in. long: fls. white or light pink, 2 in. across: 

 fr. large, yellow, villous, pyriform or globular. May; 

 fr. in Sept. and Oct. Cent, and E. Asia. Gn. 33, p. 

 491. F.S.R. 2, p. 379: 3, p. 283. Seeds have muci- 

 laginous and demulcent properties. Var. pyriformis, 

 Rehd. (C. vulgaris var. pyriformis, Kirchn.) Fr. 

 pear-shaped, the typical form. Var. lusitanica, Schneid. 

 (C. lusitanica, Mill.). Fr. pear-shaped and ribbed: Ivs. 

 larger; of more vigorous growth. Var. maliformis, 

 Schneid. (C. maliformis, Mill.). Fr. apple-shaped. 

 Var. pyramidalis, Schneid. Of pyramidal habit. Var. 

 marmorata, Schneid. Lvs. whitish and yellow vari- 

 egated. For pomological varieties, see Quince. 



For Cydonia japonica, Pers., C. Maitlei, Moore, and C. sinensis, 

 Thouin, see Chamomeles. ALFRED REHDER. 



CYMBIDIUM (boat, from the Greek, referring to the 

 shape of the lip). Orchidacese. Handsome epiphytal, 

 rarely terrestrial orchids, requiring warmhouse con- 

 ditions. 



Stems pseudobulbous or not so: Ivs. coriaceous, long, 

 rarely short, persistent: sepals and petals sub-equal, 

 labellum usually tri-lobed, adnate to the base of the 

 column; column erect; pollinia 2. Species 30 and 

 more, tropical or subtropical, found on mountains at 

 high elevations in Asia, and a few species in Afr. 

 and Austral. 



These are among the most decorative of orchids 

 when in bloom, and are attractive all the time owing 

 to the graceful foliage seen on well-grown specimens. 

 There are now many handsome species and varieties 

 and these in their turn have produced, at the hands 

 of the hybridizer, many fine decorative plants, so that 

 a house of cymbidiums produces flowers most of the 

 time, and these last many weeks in full beauty. There 

 are few orchids whose flowers last so long, and the 

 spikes of bloom, often 2 to 3 feet in length, are useful 

 for decorative purposes of all kinds, either on the plants 

 or cut. The recent species, C. insigne, is the most 

 beautiful of all and has already lent itself to hybridiza- 

 tion, so that to the very many known hybrids C. 

 insigne will soon add its influence and coloring. Cul- 

 tivated cymbidiums are terrestrial, with thick fleshy 

 roots best contained in pots. A portion of tough fibrous 

 loam should be added to the osmundine, about half of 

 each with plenty of broken charcoal to keep the whole 

 porous. The plants will do well for years without dis- 

 turbance at the roots, but when this is necessary, great 

 care must be taken not to injure them. Division is, in 

 fact, very difficult to accomplish when the pots are 

 full of roots, and it is best practice to pot the plant in 

 a larger receptacle if the roots are healthy, washing out 

 loose earth and removing dead portions of roots first. 

 Cymbidiums may be grown in a temperature of 50 

 as a minimum in winter, must not be subjected to 

 strong sunlight after March, and never allowed to 

 become dry at the roots, as these are more or less active, 

 even in winter. Being terrestrial, weak manure-water 

 may be applied during active growth. Many species 

 thrive well when planted out in large palm and fern 

 houses among rocks arranged in a natural manner, and 

 when the plants are placed so that the flower-spikes 

 are on a level with the vision, they have a charming 

 effect for many weeks when in bloom, and the environ- 

 ment suits them well. Of the few well-marked species, 

 there are many forms that have been collected and when 

 flowered in cultivation, proved distinct. These in 

 some cases have been called new species, but are now 

 being better understood ; some prove to be natural hy- 

 brids, others are varieties. (E. O. Orpet.) 



A. Fls. white. 



eburneum, Lindl. Sts. tufted: Ivs. distichous at 

 base, 1 or 2 ft. long, linear or lorate, bifid at apices: 



