GYNERIUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN, 



GYNERIUM. 



579 



Truro, Mr. W. Sangwin says : " It never 

 attains the extraordinary dimensions it is 

 capable of, unless planted in deep rich ! 

 soil with its roots in the water by the side 

 of a pond or stream. Our plant covers 

 a space fully 30 ft. across, and consists of 

 from twenty-five to thirty leaves, some of 

 them over 9 ft. in diameter, upon clear stems 

 8 ft. high. The crowns are as large as a 

 man's body, of a delicate pink colour. 

 Flower-spikes are produced freely, which ; 

 should be cut as soon as seen, or they j 

 will check the growth of the leaves. 

 When they die down in autumn, the 

 leaves should be placed loosely over the 

 crowns, with their stems on top to prevent 

 them being blown away by the wind. 

 Protected in this way the plants have 



noble Grass, G. argenteum, 6 to 14 ft. high, 

 according to soil or district, is most 

 precious for our gardens, but in many 

 districts suffers from our severe winters, 

 and we seldom now see the fine plants of it 

 that were not uncommon soon after its 

 introduction. Some varieties are better 

 in habit than others, and flower earlier, 

 and it would be better to patiently 

 divide such than to trust to seedlings. 

 There are a number of varieties, some of 

 a delicate rosy colour, and one variegated. 

 The soils of many gardens are insufficient 

 to give it the highest vigour, and no plant 

 better repays a thorough preparation, and 

 we rarely see such fine specimens as in 

 quiet nooks where it is sheltered by the 

 surrounding vegetation. It should be 











* ^w r 



Gunner.i manicata at Narrow Water Park. Engraved from a photograph sent by Mr. F. W. Burbidge. 



stood the winter with a thermometer 

 ranging on several occasions below zero. 

 It grows freely from seed, but it can be 

 divided as easily as Rhubarb. The 

 individual flowers are very minute, 

 more curious than beautiful, the chief 

 attraction being in the truly magnificent 

 leaves." 



The known species of Gunnera are : G. Ber- 

 teroi, Chili, bracteata, do. brephogea, N. Granada. 

 chilensis, Chili, comnnttata^ do. cordifolta, Tas- 

 man. densiflora, N. Zeal, scabra, J. Fernand. 

 Hamiltoni, N. Zeal, insignis, Chili, lobata. 

 Magellans. macrophylla, Java, magellanzca, 

 Magellans. manicata, Brazil, monoica, N. Zeal. 

 tie It at a, J. Fernand. perpensa, E. Africa, peta- 

 loides, Sandwich Isles, broretiens, N. Zeal, stri- 

 gosa, do. 



GYNERIUM (Pampas Grass}. This 



I planted about the beginning of April 

 I in deep open soil mulched with rotten 

 i manure, and watered copiously in hot 

 j dry weather. G. jubatum is very well 

 j spoken of, but as yet has not been tried 

 much except in favoured spots. The 

 ! leaves resemble those of G. argenteum, 

 but are of deeper green, and droop 

 elegantly at the extremities. From the 

 centre of the tuft, and exceeding it by 2 

 or 3 ft., arise numerous stems, each bear- 

 ing an immense loose panicle of long 

 filamentous silvery flowers, of a rosy tint 

 with silvery sheen. It is a native of 

 Ecuador, and is earlier in bloom than G. 

 argenteum. The sexes are borne on 

 separate plants in all the species, and the 

 plumes of male flowers are neither so 

 P P 2 



