358 GARDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



MABANTACE^E. 



Maranta. 



There seems every reason to believe that the introduction of 

 all the beautiful-leaved plants of this genus would be attended 

 with perfect success. They would require a light soil, moisture, 

 and shade. M. rosea, Lindeni, virginalis, zebrina, and Van Den 

 Heckei have been exhibited at Calcutta. As remarkable for 

 their beauty may be mentioned M. regalis ; M. Warscewiczii ; 

 M. fasciata; M. Porteana; M. pardina, producing showy yellow 

 flowers ; M. abo-lineata ; and M. villata, very lovely, perhaps the 

 handsomest. 



Phrynium. 



P. dichotomum. Native of Bengal : a shrub four or five feet 

 high ; bears in the Hot season very pretty and delicate white 

 flowers of moderate size by twos on a stem, but not in sufficient 

 number to relieve the dense mass of foliage. P. villosatum is 

 also met with at Calcutta. 



Calathea. 



A genus so closely allied to Maranta that the several species 

 of each are often confounded. It contains many beautiful- 

 leaved plants, which no doubt would succeed admirably in this 

 country if introduced. In the Jardin des Plantes at Paris I 

 noticed the following as especially beautiful : C. picturata ; C. 

 micans ; C. ornata picta ; C. argyraea ; C. eximia ; and C. pulchella. 



1. C. zebrina. ZEBRA-PLANT. Native of Brazil : has been 

 described as " one of the handsomest stove-plants in existence 

 in respect to its foliage, which is large, velvety, and beautifully 

 variegated with dark green and a paler tint." * Plants are to 

 be met with in some of the gardens about Calcutta, but they 

 certainly do not realise so favourable a description, the green 

 upper surface of the leaf being of a dead hue, and the stripes, 

 though distinct, not sharp and vivid. The lower surface of the 

 leaf, which curls over partially from the base a short way 

 upwards, is of a dull purple. It bears clumps of pale purple 

 flowers, situated close upon the ground, about the beginning of 

 the Hot season. 



2. C. bicolar and C. Warscewiczii are met with in Calcutta. 



* Glenny's ' Handbook to the Flower Garden/ p. 61. 



