624 



GALAX 



leaves supply a color long needed in this class of work. 

 The sizes of the leaves vary, also, from % inch or less to 

 5 inches in diameter, further extending their usefulness. 

 Small green Galax leaves are now used extensively for 

 bunching with violets, taking the place of the violet 

 leaves. One of the features of the holiday season in 

 Boston is the fakir with his stand of violets bunched 

 with green Galax. They come in again and are used the 

 same way at the first touch of spring, when the early 

 trailing arbutus or M Mayflower " appears on the street. 

 They can be arranged to cover much more space than 

 the ivy leaves, and do not have to be wired, as is the 

 case with the latter. The keeping qualities of Galax are 

 remarkable, and they are now used the year round from 

 cold storage. Outdoor designs, as in cemeteries, will 

 keep fresh and bright for months if not dried out, but 

 otherwise require no care. A favorite arrangement of 

 Galax leaves is to place them loosely in a small vase, 

 where they will retain their bright colors and shape for 

 weeks even in a close, warm room, though most of the 

 leaves are used, commonly with flowers, in designs 

 made up by the florist. As a Christmas decoration 

 they stand preeminent, and their general good quali- 

 ties mentioned above cause them to be used throughout 

 the year, more, perhaps, than any other decorative green, 

 ferns possibly excepted. 



In Philadelphia a few seasons ago an enterprising 

 young woman introduced a novel and taking innovation 

 in the shape of potted Galax plants for society dinners. 

 Small, brilliantly colored green and bronze Ivs. were ar- 

 ranged in tiny pots, specially designed by Messrs. 

 Sackett & Company, and placed at each plate, to be car- 

 ried away by the guests as souvenirs. They were also 

 sold through one of Philadelphia's leading merchants 

 by thousands. The larger cities, Boston, New York, 

 Philadelphia and Chicago, use the largest quantities, 

 though many of these are retailed again to smaller cities 

 and towns all over the United States and Canada, and 

 there is a large export trade now established in them, 

 mostly to Germany and the Netherlands. In 1899-1900, 

 about 70 tons were sold. 



The area over which Galax is collected extends from 

 Virginia to Georgia, and is so vast that there is no dan- 

 ger of exterminating the plant by collecting the leaves, 

 even if it were injured thereby, which does not seem 

 to be the case. It is not practicable to grow the plants 

 for the harvest of leaves, at least in America, the pro- 

 cess being too expensive. Under cultivation they would 

 perhaps not average one perfect salable leaf per plant, 

 as a speck or wormhole renders the leaf unfit for deco- 

 rative purposes. In Europe Galax has been tried with 

 varying success under glass, the leaves bringing a very 

 high price. 



Galax aphylla is a beautiful ground-covering plant, 

 specially, adapted to the Rhododendron border, where 

 the soil and situation alike are suitable to its growth, 

 an delights in shade and a cool, moist, peaty loam. Its 

 charms are far better known in England, however, than 

 at home. The leaves, when full grown, are always 

 bright green, the brilliant bronze shades appearing 

 later when the plant ripens and the frosts begin. Then 

 when they are exposed to the direct rays of the sun the 

 alternating freezing and sun action cause the leaves to 

 turn in a short time, though sometimes this occurs to an 

 extent before any freezing weather. In dense shade they 

 always remain green. In spring, when the sap begins to 

 start, the leaves often turn green or dingy again, and 

 eventually die down the second season. 



HARLAN P. KELSEY. 



GALEANDRA (Greek for helmet and stamen). Orchid 

 acew, tribe Vdndece. A genus of deciduous epiphytes. 

 Lvs. distichous, membranaceous : labellum infundibuli- 

 form: sepals and petals equal, spreading: column erect, 

 winged: pollinia 2. Culture as for Eulophia. 



Devoniana, Lindl. Stem erect: Ivs. linear-lanceolate, 

 sheathing at base: sepals and petals lanceolate, reddish 

 brown, with green margins; labellum whitish, veined in 

 from with crimson. From the banks of the Rio Nigro. 

 B.M. 4610. I.H. 21:176. A.F. 6:609. 



Baueri, Lindl. Stems subcylindric, nearly fusiform: 

 Ivs. lanceolate: racemes terminal, drooping: fls. large; 



GALIUM 



sepals and petals similar, lanceolate, yellowish; label 

 lum pale yellow in the throat, interior portion purplish. 

 Mex. S. B.R. 26:49. P.M, 14:49. 



D'Escagnolleana, Reichb. f. Stems terete, tapering 

 both ways: Ivs. lanceolate, pointed: racemes terminal 

 and drooping : sepals and petals similar, ascending, 

 narrow, yellowish; lip funnel-form or nearly bell-form, 

 fluted, with a rose-purple blotch on the lower limb. 

 Brazil, I.H. 34:22 (1887). OAKES AMES. 



GALEGA (Greek, gala, milk : supposed to increase 

 the flow of milk). LeguminoscB. Of 109 names of spe- 

 cies in this genus, only 6 are now retained, most of the 

 rest being referred to Tephrosia. The 2 plants men- 

 tioned below are hardy herbaceous perennials of the 

 easiest culture, about 3 ft. high, with odd-pinnate Ivs. 

 and pea-shaped fls. of purplish blue or white. They do 

 not require frequent division, make bushy plants, and 

 bear in July and Aug. many dense, axillary and termi- 

 nal racemes of fls., which are useful for cutting. Seeds, 

 of Goat's Rue are still offered abroad among miscel- 

 laneous agricultural seeds, but the plants are little 

 known in this country. 



A. Leaflets lanceolate : stipules broadly lanceolate. 



officinalis, Linn. GOAT'S RUE. Height 2-3 ft. : Ifts. 

 mucronate: fls. purplish blue. Eu., W.Asia. Var. alba 

 or albiilora is commoner in cult. Gn. 50, p. 269. A rose- 

 colored variety is sold abroad; also a dwarf , compact, 

 lilac-fld. variety. 



AA. Leaflets lanceolate : stipules broadly ovate. 



orientalis, Lam. Foliage and stipules larger: fls. pur- 

 plish blue, nodding: pods pendulous. Caucasus. B.M. 

 2192. B. R. 4:326. -"Height 2^-4 ft. : rootstock creep- 

 ing: stem simple." J. JB. Keller. 



J. B. KELLER and W. M. 



GALIUM (Galion was the name of a plant mentioned 

 by Dioscorides as used in curdling milk. G. verum is 

 used locally abroad for this purpose). JRubidcece. BED- 

 STRAW or LADY'S BEDSTRAW, because of the legend that 

 one of these plants was in the hay on which the mother 

 oi Christ rested. This genus contains 150-250 species, 

 widely scattered in temperate regions, mostly weeds, 

 often harsh to the touch, but frequently beautiful in 

 their regular, mathematical habit, caused by the whorled 



890. Whorled foliage of a Badstraw the native 

 Galium Aparinc. Natural size. 



arrangement of the Ivs. A few plants are slightly usec 

 abroad in carpeting rockeries, but G-. Mollugo is i 

 standard plant with many florists who have a hardj 

 border Their delicate sprays of minute white flowers 



