CUNNINGHAMIA 



linear-lanceolate, rigid, densely spirally arranged and 

 2-rowed in direction: lis. moncecious; staminate oblong, 

 pistillate globose, in small clusters at the end of the 

 branches : cones roundish-ovate, 1-2 in. long, with round- 



CUPHEA 



411 



600. Fruit of Cucurbita moschata— Tonasu, a Japanese 



ish-ovate, serrate and pointed, coriaceous scales, each 

 with 3 narrow-winged seeds at the base. One species, in 

 China. A very decorative Conifer for warmer temperate 

 regions, much resembling the Araucaria Brasiliensis. 

 It prefers a half-shaded position and sandy and loamy, 

 humid soil. Prop.' by seeds or cutting of half-hardy 

 wood in late summer under glass; short sprouts from 

 the old wood of the trunk or larger branches are the 

 best; cuttings from lateral branches grow into weak and 

 one-sided plants. 



Sintasis, R. Br. (C. laneeolAta, Lamb.). Tree, attain- 

 ing 80 ft.: Ivs. linear-lanceolate, with broad, decurrent 

 base, sharply pointed, finely serrulate, light green and 

 shining above and with two broad, whitish bands be- 

 neath, 1K-2K in. long: cones 1-2 in. high. China, cult, 

 in Japan. B.M.2743. S.Z.104,105. Alfred Eehder. 



CUPANIA (after Francis Cupani, Italian monk, author 

 of HortusCatholicus, died 1710). Sapinddceie. A rather 

 large and ill-deftned genus of trees and shrubs, the 

 most important of which is the Akee tree, naturalized in 

 the West Indies from western Africa, which has rich, 

 red edible fruits that are much improved by cooking. 

 The flowers are so fragrant as to deserve distilling. The 

 tree reaches a height of 30 ft., and is cultivated in Ja- 

 maica to a height of only 3,000 ft., Imt can endure a 

 slight frost. It is also cult, in So. Pla. C. sapida is 

 now referred to Blighia by reason of its long-exserted 

 stamens and scale longer than the petals. C. tniacardi- 

 o)dt's, a rapid-Ln-owiiiL' trco with edible fruit, has been 

 introdui.-i-d iiiic. S, (-.iltr. I'V Frauceschi. 



s6pida,\'..i j: / ./. I, Kon.). Akee Tree. Leaf- 



lets :.i (.1- 1 p., , , , - -late, veined: fls. whitish. 



C. I /t i/n ui /..-■/ N/'i , II-iT., was once advertised by 

 Pitcher it Jlamhi as an ornamental warmhouse plant 

 "with handsome leaves and racemes of white flowers." 



CtJPHEA ( Greek, curved; referring to the prominent 

 protuI)enn<.e it thebise of the calyx tube) Lijthrdcece 



An exceedingly interesting genus of tropical and sub- 

 tropical American herbs and shrubby plants, with re- 

 markable variations in the petals. In C. ignea, per- 

 haps the most attractive of the group, the petals are en- 

 tirely absent, and the showy part ,is the brilliantly- 

 colored calyx tube. At the other extreme is C. hyssopi- 

 folia with 6 petals (the normal number in the genus), 

 and all of equal size. Between these two extremes 

 (shown in Figs. 606 and 608) are at least two well 

 marked intermediate types. One of these (exemplified 

 in C. procHtnbens) has 2 large and 4 small petals; the 

 other, (C Llii rca ), has 2 conspicuous petals, and the 

 other 4 are completely abortive. These two types are 

 unique among garden plants. The series of intergra- 

 dient forms is completed by C. cijanea, in which there 

 are only 2 petals, and thest- niiiiut.-. and C inicropetalay 

 in which there are 12 banly vMMr ]i.t:ds, alternating 

 with and shorter than tin- cah \ tr.ili. The genus is 

 badly in need of thorough l>..tani.al r. vi>iuu. The plants 

 are often clammy: Ivs. opposite, rarely whorled or alter- 

 nate, ovate, lanceolate, or linear, entire. The flowers 

 are often borne in one-sided racemes, and some of the 

 species have a very odd look from the bold angle made by 

 the slender ascending pedicel and the descending calyx 

 tube, with its queer projection at the base. The purple 

 stamens add to the interest. Nearly all Cupheas are 



601, Cucurbita maxima, 



grown from seed and treated as tender annuals, but C. 

 ignea is chiefly prop, by cuttings. They are of easy cul- 

 ture, and the whole series is worth growing. In addition 

 to the species described below, C. Hooheridna. Walp., 

 IS cult as C Bcesln, Carr. It has lanceolate Ivs., with 

 vermilion and orange calyx. R.H. 1877:470. 



Is 6, but lery mimde and inconspicuous. 



microp^tala, HBK. {C.iminens, 

 Planch. & Linden). Stem shrub- 

 by, more or less branched : 1-2 

 ft. high: branches and calyx sca- 

 brous : Ivs. oblong - lanceolate, 

 acute at both ends, but without a dis- 

 petiole, rigid, scabrous: fls. borne 

 singly in succession at a point above 

 the axils, which distinguishes this spe- 

 cies from all others here described ; 

 petals 6, minute, borne between the calyx 

 teeth, and shorter than them ; calyx 12- 



