COLCH1CUM 



COLEUS 



351 



BB. Perianth not tessellated. 



C. Size of fls. large, S in. or more across. 



D. Lvs. broad, 3-4 in. wide. 



E. .To. of fls. 1-4. 



8. speciosum, Steven. Corm 2 in. thick, the largest of 

 the genus: stein 1 ft. high: Ivs. 4-5, 12-15 in. long, 3-4 

 in. wide, narrowed from the middle to the base, shining 

 green: fls. 1-4 from each spathe, violet, with a white 

 eye, but varying almost to pure pink, often 6 in. across. 

 Caucasus B. M. 6078. F. 8.23:2385. F. M. 1876: 235. 

 On. 11 : 80. Generally considered the finest species of 

 the genus. 



EE. No. of fls. 12-20. 



9. Byzantinum, Ker-Gawl. Closely allied to the above, 

 but with wider Ivs., smaller and paler fls., and broad, 

 short anthers : stem 6 in. high : Ivs. 5-6, oblong, dark 

 green, striate, 9-12 in. long, 3-4 in. wide: fls. smaller 

 than in No. 8, usually 3-4 in. across, lilac-purple, and 

 often 12-20 from each spathe. Transylvania and Con- 

 stantinople. B.M. 1122. C. Cilicicum, Hort., has rosy 

 fls., somewhat tessellated. G.C. III. 23: 35. 



DD. Lvs. narrow, 1-2 in. wide. 



10. autumnale, Linn. Fig. 516. Stem 3-4 in. high: 

 Ivs. 3-4, rarely 5-6, 9-12 in. long, l%-2 in. wide: fls. 1-4, 

 rarely 5-6, from each spathe, purple, with a white va- 



516. Colchicum autumnale (X 



riety, about 4 in. across: perianth veined. Europe and 

 N. Africa. B.M. 2673, as C. crociflorum. Possibly the 

 commonest in the American trade. It has beautiful 

 double forms in purple and pure white. F.S. 19: 1936. 



cc. Size of fls. small, about 2 in. across. 



D. No. of fls. from each spathe more than 1 or 2. 



E. Perianth segments acute. 



11. Troddi, Kotschy. Corm medium-sized: Ivs. 3-4, 

 6-12 in. long, 9-12 lines wide, dark green above: fls. 

 4-5 or even 12, lilac-purple, about 2 in. across; perianth 

 segments lanceolate-acute. Cyprus. B.M. 6901 shows a 

 pure white variety. 



EE. Perianth segments obtuse. 



12. umbrdsum, Steven. Corm small: Ivs. 4-5, 6-9 in. 

 long, 9-12 lines wide: fls. 1-5 from each spathe, lilac, 

 about 2 in. across; perianth segments oblanceolate, ob- 

 tuse, with 8-12 veins. Caucasus. 



DD. No. of fls. from each spathe 1 or 2. 



13. aipinum, DC. Lvs. -, rarely 3, nearly erect or 

 preading, 4-8 in. long, 3-6 lines wide, obtuse, chan- 



517. Coleus cutting. 



neled, shining green, narrowed from the middle to the 

 base: fls. 1 or 2 from each spathe, about 2 in. across, 

 lilac ; segments oblanceolate, obtuse, 3-4 lines wide, with 

 10-15 veins. Mts. of France and Switzerland. -^ ]\j 



COLEUS (Greek for slieulh, referring to the mona- 

 delphous stamens). Labiatw. Nearly 50 species in 

 Trop. Afr. and Asia, some of which are cult, for the 

 very showy colored foli- 

 age. The culti va t e d 

 kinds are herbs, but 

 some of the wild species 

 are shrubs. Lvs. oppo- 

 site, dentate or serrate: 

 stem 4-angled : fls. in a 

 terminal spike-like ra- 

 ceme, small and usually 

 bluish, the 5 -toothed 

 calyx deflexed in fr. ; co- 

 rolla bilabiate, the lower 

 lobes longer and con- 

 cave, and inclosing the 

 essential organs. 



Coleuses are of most easy culture. They root readily 

 from short cuttings, cut either to a joint or in the middle 

 of an internode (Fig. 517). No plant is more easy to 

 root than this. They may be rooted at any time of the 

 year when new wood is to be obtained. Formerly 

 Coleuses were much used for bedding, but the introduc- 

 tion of better plants for this purpose has lessened their 

 popularity. They require a long season; they are apt 

 to burn in the hot summers of the interior country ; 

 they have a weedy habit. However, they withstand 

 shearing and are, therefore, useful for carpet-bedding. 

 The leading variety for this purpose is still the old 

 Golden Bedder, whose golden yellow foliage is used as 

 filling for fancy designs. Coleus 

 plants make excellent speci- 

 mens for the window-garden 

 and conservatory. Best results 

 are obtained when new plants 

 are started from cuttings each 

 spring. The old plants become 

 leggy, lose their Ivs., and lack 

 brightness of color. They are 

 very subject to mealy - bug. 

 They are also liable to root- 

 gall (the work of a nematode 

 worm), as shown in Fig. 518. 

 When plants are thus affected, 

 take cuttings and burn the old 

 plants, and either bake or 

 freeze the soil in which they 

 grew. 



The garden varieties of 

 leus are legion. These 

 are the issue of C. 

 Blumei, Benth., of Java 

 (B.M. 4754. l.H. 27:377; 

 35: 46; 39: 164. F. S. 

 22: 2287-8). This is a 

 soft perennial herb 

 growing 2-3 ft. high, little 

 branched: Ivs. ovate, narrowed 

 or broad at base and long- 

 acuminate, sharply and nearly 

 regularly toothed, variously 

 colored with yellow, dull red 

 and purplish. An extreme form 

 of this is var. Verschaffeltii, 

 Lena. (C. Verschaffeltii, Lem.), 

 Fig. 519, which is more robust 

 and branchy, the Ivs. more 

 brilliantly colored, acute but 

 not acuminate, truncate or even 

 cordate at base, and irregularly 

 cut-dentate, with rounded teeth, 

 giving the margin a crispy ef- 

 fect (I. H. 8:293). In some 518 - A Coleus attacked 

 forms, the Ivs. are laciniate. by root-galls. 



C. thyrsoideus. Hook., is a recent novelty, but is upt yet in the 

 Amer. trade. Unlike the other well known species, its foliage is 

 not brilliantly colored and its flowers are conspicuous. Tender 



