GENTIANA 



50. ptimila, Jacq. Stem 3-4-angled : calyx lobes linear: 

 corolla lubes ovate, acute. June, July. Tyrolese and 

 Carinthian Alps. 



51. aoaulis, Linn. Gentianella. Stemless Gen- 

 tian. By the botanists of continental Europe this is 

 often split up into the 4 or 5 following species. The 

 plants that Linnasus had in mind were probably mostly 

 Clusii and Kochiana. For pictures of G. acunlis in its 

 widest sense, see B.M. 52. G.C. III. 15:23G. Gn. 48, p. 

 HG, and 54, p. 39, and F.S. 23 :2421 , where a more detailed 

 account of the 4 followini; sp.-ri./s is given. 



52. angruatiffilia, Vil!., wt Jlirlix. Stoloniferous: Ivs. 

 linear-oblong, naiT.iwinc; t..\var>!s the base, glisteniug 

 above : fls. spott.-d with si.ri-litly green; calyx lobes 

 more or less spreading, oval, abruptly contracted at the 

 base. May, June. Limestone rocks, Alps.— Considered 

 by Correvon the handsomest species of the whole genus. 



53. Kochiana, Perr. & Song. Lvs. large, flat, thin, 

 spreading, oval or broadly oblong, light green : calyx 

 lobes oblong, limp, more or less contracted at the base 

 and separated by truncate sinuses; corolla with 5 black- 

 ish green spots on the throat. May, June. Common in 

 pastures on granitic Alps. — Dislikes lime. 



54. Cliisii, Perr. and Song. Lvs. lanceolate-acute, 

 leathery : fls. dark blue ; calyx lobes pressed close 

 against corolla, not contracted at base, and separated by 

 acute sinuses. May, June. Limestone rocks, Alps. 



55. alplna, Vill. Stem almost wanting : lvs. small, 

 glistening, curving inwards and imbricated, forming ro- 

 settes which incurve at about the middle : fls. dark blue. 

 May, June. Granitic Alps.-This and G^Cochiana "re- 

 quire a compost of one-third crushed granite, one-third 

 heath soil, and one-third vegetable loam, and should be 

 planted on rockwork half exposed to the sun." 



56. Din4rica, B.i'k. I;vs. broad, thick, erect: lis. dark 

 blue. Alp- .1 >. ;u,a K. Austria. 



The foil' _• iiaiLies abroad of Gentians not suf- 



fieientlv <l- liiMU above: G. Arveniensis, Hort. 



Pfi-lia]".- a .iiih.a Fls. Napoleon l.hie. See G. 



r TI ■:> ;■ ' • T' ■■: Naturally hyhri.I, inter- 



whitish, ilottt'd palu blue. Turkestiiu. Gt. lUO. \v. M. 



GENUS, pi. GENEEA (i. e., kind], is a term used in 

 natural history to designate a group of species. As with 

 species, so the Genus is an indefinite conception, varying 

 with the author. The chief value of the conception is 

 its use in aiding us conveniently to arrange and name 

 plants and animals. The name of the Genus is the first 

 of the two words in the name of the plant : thus, in Bras- 

 sica oleracea, Brassica designates the Genus, and 

 oleracea the particular Brassica of which we are speak- 

 ing. It is impossible to trace the origin of the genus- 

 conception in natural history, but it is usually as- 

 cribed to Konrad Gesner (Zurich, 151G-15G5). l^ jj^ g^ 



GEONOMA CWittstein gives this ponderous explana- 

 tion: "Greek, ^cohowos, skilled in agriculture: for this 

 tree puts forth buds at the apex of its stem which be- 

 came new trees"). Palmdcete, tribe Areeew. Slender 

 spineless palms with ringed, reed-like stems: lvs. termi- 

 nal or alternate; blade entire, 2-lol)ed at the apex, or 



more or less pinnatisect: segm 

 with the margins broadly re^ti 

 acute above, convex on the !■; 

 drical, concave at the l.)a-i- 

 spadices ascending or recurvi d 

 ulately branched, slendir .i 

 spathes 2, often decidu'.us b.f. 

 the lower one p.artial, truii.-atr 

 pressed or fusifiirm: tl^. I".ri 

 spadix, at length partially o 

 upper one pistillate: cells of the anthers twisted: f 

 small, globose, black. Species about 100. Tropic 

 America. For G. GhiesbreghtiAna, see CaUjptrogyne. 

 Jahed G. Smith. 



, 1-nerved, 

 r-d at the base; rachis 



; ]...ti.ili- nearly cylin- 

 Mv, : .-lirath tubular; 

 iiiil'l'-. forked or panic- 

 -Tniit, often colored ; 



[lowering, or obsolete, 

 iiioave, the upper com- 

 iii the furrows of the 

 rted, when in 3's the 



geonoma 637 



Several of the members of this extensive genus of 

 small-growing palms are useful for the greenhouse, 

 though most attractive while in a small state, from the 

 fact that Geonomas soon begin to form a stem, and 

 when aged become rather scantily furnished specimens. 

 These palms are by no means difficult to grow, and do not 

 require a very high temperature, their natural habitat 

 being the mountains of Central and South America, 

 some of the species being found at an altitude of over 

 4,000 feet above sea level. Geonomas form part of the 

 undergrowth on their native mountains, and are said 

 never to appear in the open country unsheltered by trees 

 of larger gromh ; therefore, shads is necessary for them 

 when cult, under glass. 



The old practice of growing Geonomas in a very light, 

 peaty soil does not seem to be the only method, for ex- 

 cellent results have been secured by growing them in a 

 good loam, well manured and well drained, giving an 

 abundance of water and a night temperature of 60°. 

 Red spiders and thrips are the most troublesome insects 

 to which these plants are subject, and both of these 

 pests multiply much more rapidly if the plants are kept 

 too warm and dry. 



The most useful species from a commercial point of 

 view is G. Bierleliana (G. gracilis), viXneh reminds one 

 of Coeos WeJth'Uiana, but has longer leaflets. Those 

 marked thus (*) are cult, under glass in the North ; 

 those marked thus (t) are cult, in S. Calif, only; the 

 others are cult, indoors North and also in S. Calif., ex- 

 cept G. Spiiiiina, which is cult, only in S. Fla. The 

 picture of G. Spixiana below is adapted from Martius' 

 work on palms. 



AtaU 



A. Zvs. simple, 2-lobed at the apex. 



B. Cuneate-oblanceolate, rusty, tomentose. 



Bpiziiina, Mart. Fig. 899. Stem slender, solitary, 6-9 



ft. high : blades 3 ft. long, bifurcate one-fourth of their 



length, each lobe lanceolate-acuminate, divergent. 



Western Brazil. 



BB. Cuneate-ovate, plicate. 

 Sefemanni, Hort. Low, 1-3 ft. high : lvs. all alike, the 

 first 2 in. long, the later ones 10 in. long, short-petioled, 

 triangular, with broad, scarious margins • blade feather- 

 veined Central America. 



