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Miinu'.vr.o 



MEDINILLA 



pciluncleil clusters: jiod spinU, 2-3-see(io<l. S. 1mi. L.R. 

 C. 14:i;{70. — (Weroil :i.< an on\;inu'ntal i)liint in 8. 

 Ci^if- L. H. n. 



MEDINILLA (.after. Ji^s6 tie Medinilla y Pineda, 

 govenior of the l*'\>lr(>nes). Mtta-xtomucca'. Choice 

 Wiinnhovise |il;iiil,s with showy flowers and often with 

 sliowy braels anil foliajie. 



Moilinilla is ilistinj;uislieil from allied genera (none 

 of which h:us gardeii valvie) chiefly by the ciiiiovis 

 apjK^ndiiges of the stiunens. The stamens are S, 10 or 

 12 (twice as many as the jietals), the anterior connective 

 2-IoIhhI or 2-spnrred, the i)osterior one usually setose or 

 l-2-lob(Hl or 1-sinirreil: branching shrubs, erect or 

 climbing: Ivs. mostly ojipositc or whorled, entire, often 

 fleshy: fls. white or rose, with or without brads, in 

 p:uiicles or cjines: fr. a berry cro\u\cd by tlic calyx- 

 iinib. — Species 12") and more, in trojMcal parts of E. 

 Asia, Afr., and the Pacific region, many of them in the 

 Philippines. Those prominently described below have 

 opixjsitc Ivs. and mostly .")-merous fls. 



Medinillas are amongst the hamlsoniesl and most 

 striking of flowering plants, and being of free growth 

 should be given a jilace in all tropical collections. To 

 succeed with them, a jiosition attording all the light 

 possible should be given them. However, they will not 

 stand strong sunshine, and it is advisable that they 

 be shaded with cheese-cloth the greater part of the year. 

 If they are growii under a hea\'y shade, they are not 

 inchned to flower w'ell. Cuttings of half-ripened wood, 

 taken in spring, is the best means of proi)agation. These 

 may be potted singly, in suitable pots, in a mixture of 

 finely sifted i)eat and sand, with a little powdered 

 charcoal added. Place them in a tight case, and kee]> 

 fairly moist, care being taken that the air does not 

 become stagnant. The night temperature should not 

 be le&s than 70°. The cuttings will be rooted in about 

 a month, when they may griwlually be given more air 

 and finally transferred to a position in the tropical 

 hou.se. In the earlier stages of growth, the points of the 

 shoots may be stopped by pinching to encourage 

 breaks. Later on they will branch freely of themselves. 

 A good fibrous loam with a third of sharp sand, ad<ling 

 a little charcoal about the size of beans, is the best 

 potting material. Pot moderately firm, as this tends to 



2344. Medinilla magaifica. A young specimen. 



make a shorter-jointed growl li and firmer wood, which 

 is indispensable for .success in flowering. Three inches 

 of a shift may be given each time they arc iKUtcd, as 

 they root freely, but strict atlcnfion must be given to 

 drainage, as tliey rei|uire plenty of water during their 

 growing sea-son. .\ night Irinpcrature of not less than 

 OS" is necessary wlule lliey are in active growth. 

 Syringe freely on all briglil days, especially the under 

 side of the foliage, as rcd-sjiider is likely to get a foot- 

 hold. ,\s autunui approac^hes, gradually lower the 

 temperature to (10° by night, and gradually withhold 

 water, giving just enough to keep the leaves plumj). 

 This ri])ens the wood for flowering. While (he flowers 

 are forming, as dry an atmosphere as ])o.ssible should be 

 maintained. .Vfter Howeriiig, the ])lants may be jirimed 

 into shape, and any repotting done that is necessary. 

 Medinillas may be retained in the .same-sized pot for 

 years, after they have attained the desired size, by 

 shaking out a portion of the old soil each year, when 

 repotting, and fee<liiig liberally during the growing 

 pcriotl with maiuire w'aler. M. niiidiiijira is the hand- 

 somest form, but M . Tcj/smannii (A/, amabilis) is also a 

 fine variety, the ])anicles being erect instead of pendu- 

 lous, which is the habit of the former. M. Curlisii is 

 (luite distinct from the above. It grows well in a green- 

 house tem])erature of .')()° to .').')° and begins to flower in 

 the fall, lasting through the winter. The leaves are 

 much smaller than in the above two species. It makes 

 an excellent bush plant and should be better known. 

 Mealy-bug and s<'ale are liable to attack the plants and 

 they must be kept in check as soon as detected. (George 

 F. Stewart.) 



A. Fls. coral-red or rosy pink. 



magnifica, Lindl. Figs. 2:544, 2345. Evergreen shrub : 

 Ivs. with 9-13 nerves, which run from various points 

 along the midrib to the margin or apex, ovate or ovate- 

 oblong: bracts 1-4 in. long. Philippines. B.M. 4.533. 

 F.S. 6:.572; 9:968 (splendid). Gn. .51, p. 394. G.C. II. 

 2:421; III. 49:226. R.B. 33, p. 72;. 36, p. .54. G. 31:357. 

 J.F. 1:.56, .57; 3:298. G.W. 1, p. 6; 10, p. 431. R.H. 

 18.57, pp. 319, 343; 1890, pp. 102, 103. A.F. 7:1047.— 

 Other interesting features are the whorled branches, 

 each one 4-ridged or winged, and the dense ring of 

 short fleshy proces.ses at the joints between the Ivs. It 

 can be prop, by .seeds or cuttings of yoimg wood in heat. 

 M. magnifica is one of the most gorgeous tropical plants 

 in cult. It has handsome broad, shining, leathery 

 foliage and coral-red 5-petaled fls., each about 1 in. 

 across, which arc borne in pendulous pyramidal pani- 

 cles sometimes a foot long, and bearing 100-150 fls. The 

 axis and branches of the panicle are pinkish, and the 

 same color tinges the large showy bracts, which are 

 sometimes 4 in. long. Hooker says: "Its most beautiful 

 state is, perhaps, before the full perfection of the fls., 

 when the large imbricated bracts begin to separate and 

 allow the buds to be partially seen. As the expansion 

 of the blossoms advances, the upper bracts fall off, but 

 the lower ernes remain and become reflexed." This 

 remarkable j)lant flowers copiously when only 2 or 3 ft. 

 high, anfl a large well-kept specimen in bloom is a 

 worthy ambition of a gardener. The numerous long 

 bent i)ur|)le anthers, with their yellow filaments, form 

 an additional feature of interest. 



Teysmannii, Miq. (M. amdbilis, Dyer). Exceeds 

 M. magnifica in size of fls., but lacks the beautiful 

 colored bracts: glabrous: sts. with 4 crisped or crenulate 

 wings: Ivs. very larg(^ (12 in. long and 6-8 in. wide), 

 .sessile, obovate-oblong or elliptic-oblong, acute and 

 often cf)ncave, wavy-margine<l, 5-nerved: panicle 

 pyramidal, erect, bracts none; fls. rose-colored, l}^-2 

 in. diam. ; calyx tnmcate or obscurely lobed ; stamens 10, 

 Uficurved, with pale violet anthers. Celebes, New 

 Guinea. B.M. dfisl. G.C. II. 1:373; 17:,561. 



javanensis, Blurne. Erect shrub or tree with smooth 

 4-sidcd branclnw: Ivs. large, se.ssile, elliptic-ovate, 



