172 



THE FLORISTS MANUAL. 



make fine decorative plants and they 

 thrive admirably in the dry air of a 

 living room. 



Livistona rotundifolia. This neat 

 little palm could be called a miniature 

 Latania borbonica. It makes a dwarf, 

 rounded plant, most charming for its 

 neatness. Small plants but eight or 

 nine inches high have a great number 

 of short, rounded leaves. This little 

 palm makes a splendid table plant, 

 and in many other positions in deco- 



fine decorative appearance anl are 

 not easily hurt by the vicissitudes of 

 our treatment, and are all good house 

 plants. 



Other genera that are w.ell known, 

 handsome palms and not scarce, are: 



Acanthophoenix crinita. Tall, spread- 

 ing, handsome fronds. The steins are 

 densely armed with black needle- 

 shaped spines. 



Astrocaryum. A genus from tropical 

 South America. There are several spe- 



Phoenix Pomila. 



rations it can be used with good ef- 

 fect. 



The above palms include the prin- 

 cipal species recommended to our 

 patrons for conservatory or house cul- 

 ture and used in decorating. There 

 may be other palms equalling them 

 in beauty and grandeur (Pritchardia 

 grandis is one of the most striking 

 and noblest of palms), but these spe- 

 cies have been selected and grown in 

 such enormous quantities because they 

 have the necessary qualities. They 

 are easily and quickly raised, have a 



cies. The Muru-Muru palm is best 

 known. They attain a height of forty 

 feet. The leaves are dark green above 

 and silvery white below. A. argen- 

 teum is described as one of the best 

 silvery palms. 



Carludovica. This is a useful genus. 

 Several of the species are used for 

 sub-tropical gardening. The fronds are 

 erect and stiff and the plant has the 

 appearance of a small latania. Two 

 fine species are C. palmata and C. atro- 

 virens. 



Caryota. This is a fine, noble genus. 



They would not add to our list of deco- 

 rative palms, but should be in every 

 collection. They have large, much di- 

 vided fronds, the leaves having their 

 ends resembling a fish's tail. Two fine 

 species easily procured are C. soboli- 

 fera and C. urens. 



Ceroxylon niveum. Often called the 

 Wax Palm. From the Andes. Hand- 

 some for sub-tropical gardening, and 

 thrives in a cool greenhouse in winter. 



Chamaerops. Low growing, com- 

 pact palms. C. humilis is one of the 

 very few palms found in Europe. It 

 has short stems, with a much divided 

 leaf, which is long, narrow and erect. 

 The whole bush, as it appears, makes 

 it splendid for a vase in a conspicuous 

 place, or the very ideal plant when 

 two or three feet high and as much 

 through, for a tropical bed. C. macro- 

 carpa is a very robust species, fine for 

 any purpose where humilis is useful. 

 C. excelsa is a grand, hardy palm. 



Cocos nucifera is the cocoanut palm. 

 It has fine fronds of a bright, glossy 

 green, but would be useful only as an 

 ornament to the palm house. Aus- 

 tralis and flexuosa are two ornamental 

 species. The handsome little Wed- 

 deliana has received notice. 



Corypha australis. A low growing, 

 compact, hardy palm. Makes a fine 

 plant. 



Euterpe. Tall growing, graceful 

 palms. Would not be as useful as the 

 kentias for decoration. E. edulis and 

 E. montana are the best. 



Geonoma. A very large genus of 

 low growing hot house palms. All the 

 species are handsome, but not to be 

 recommended as house plants. The 

 species gracilis has handsome slender 

 fronds, resembling those of Cocos 

 Weddeliana. 



Martinezia. Medium growing palms, 

 the segments of the leaf resembling 

 those of the caryota or fish tail palms. 

 Caryotaefolia and erosa are two of the 

 most useful species. 



Oreodoxa regia. From Cuba. Tall, 

 rather slender stem, with large spread- 

 ing fronds. Before the introduction of 

 the kentias this palm was in great 

 esteem. Useful in sheltered places for 

 tropical gardening. O. oleracea is the 

 cabbage palm of the West Indies, and 

 there are several other species. 



Phoenicophorium sechellarum or 

 Stevensonia grandifolia. This hand- 

 some palm is from the island of Mau- 

 ritius and should be always warm; it 

 thrives in a moisture charged atmos- 

 phere. It would not be either a house 

 or a decorative plant, but where there 

 are the proper conditions for its 

 growth it is one of the most handsome 

 of all. H. Siebrecht & Son say of it: 

 "It has grand dark green fluted foliage 

 of immense size, exceedingly glossy, 

 and dotted with many minute orange 

 colored spangles. The stems also are 

 of orange color and covered with long 

 black spines. Justly considered one of 

 the handsomest and most imposing of 

 the whole race." 



Pritchardia. This is a most impos- 

 ing genus, but should always be kept 

 in the palm house. The leaves are 



