CUNNINGHAMIA 



CUPHEA 



411 



linear-lanceolate, rigid, densely spirally arranged and 

 2-rowed in direction: fls. monoecious; staminate oblong, 

 pistillate globose, in small clusters at the end of the 

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



600. Fruit of Cucurbita moschata Tonasu, a Japanese variety. 



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 Urasiliensis. 

 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. 



Sinensis, R. Br. (C. lanceoldta, 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 REHDER. 



CUPANIA (after Francis Cupani, Italian monk, author 

 of Hortus Catholicus, died 1710) . Sapindacece . A rather 

 large and ill-defined 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., but can endure a 

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

 now referred to Blighia by reason of its long-exserted 

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

 oldes, a rapid-growing tree with edible fruit, has been 

 introduced into S. Calif, by Franceschi. 



s&fida.,Voigt(Snghiasdpida,Kon.). AKEE TREE. Leaf- 

 lets 3 or 4 pairs, ovate-lanceolate, veined: fls. whitish. 



C. elegantissima, Hort., was once advertised by 

 Pitcher & Manda as an ornamental warmhouse plant 

 "with handsome leaves and racemes of white flowers." 



C0PHEA (Greek, curved; referring to the prominent 

 protuberance at the base of the calyx tube). Lythrdcece. 



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- 

 folid with G 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. procumbens) has 2 large and 4 small petals: the 

 other, (C. Llavea), 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. cyanea, in which there 

 are only 2 petals, and these minute, and C. micropetala, 

 in which there are 12 barely visible petals, alternating 

 with and shorter than the calyx teeth. The genus is 

 badly in need of thorough botanical revision. 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, 



602. Staminate flower of Cucurbita maxima 

 Hubbard Squash (X %). 



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. Hookeridna. Walp., 

 is cult, as C. Rcezlii, Carr. It has lanceolate Ivs., with 

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



A. Petals 6, but very minute and inconspicuous. 



microp6tala, HBK. (C.eminens, 

 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- 

 tinct 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- 



