Biennials 



( 122 



Bignonia 



cuttings, placed under a glass at the beginning of 

 summer. A dry soil is required for this plant. 



BIENNIALS. 



Plants which take two years in which to 

 germinate, produce flowers, mature, and die. 

 Under favourable conditions Biennials sometimes 

 become converted into perennials, notably those 

 cultivated in warm bouses. Again, Biennials 

 may be treated as annuals by sowing early in 

 the year, as is the case with Coreopsis grandi- 

 flora, sown in heat in February. Many of our 

 most valuable vegetables are Biennials, but by 

 treating them as annuals we take advantage 

 for our own sustenance of the food supply which 

 the careful plant had been husbanding for its own 

 nutrition during its flowering period. 



BIFRENARIA. 



Epiphytal Orchids (ord. Orchidacese), requiring 

 the temperature and moisture of the East Indian 

 house. Most of them were referred to Maxillaria 

 at one time, but their flowers are in racemes, not 

 solitary as in that genus. They are propagated by 

 offsets and division. Fibrous peat and sphagnum, 

 mixed with finely broken crocks or charcoal, will 

 form a suitable compost. Elevate the pseudo- 

 bulbs above the pots or baskets, and drain well. 



Principal Species : 



atropurpurea, 1', dark 



pur. (syii. Maxillaria 



atropurpurea) . - 

 aurantiaca, 9", Sep., or. 



ur. (aurantiaca of gar- 

 ens, sec inodora). 

 Charlesworthii, 9", with 

 red br. spots. Allied to 



racemosa. 

 Harrisonise, 1', Sep., wh., 

 yel. _ tips (si/ns. Max- 

 illaria Harrisouise and 



Other Species : 

 aureo-fulva, 1', Oct., or. 

 leucorrhoda, wh., ro. 



veins. 



longicornis, or. br. 

 melicolor, honey colour, 



red. 



M. pungens). Has 

 held its ground for a 

 century. 



alba, 1', Sep., wh., tip 

 red. 



buchaniana, 1', Sep., 

 vio., pur., grn. , yel. 



inodora, 9', My., grn. 

 spotted (-\'/tf. aurantiaca 

 of gardens). 



xauthina, 9', My., yel. 

 vitelliua, 1', Jy., yel., pur. 



parvula, tawny yel., lip 



pur. 

 racemosa, str<*w colour, lip 



wh. 

 tyrianthiua, vio. pur. 



BIGKLOVIA. 



Hardy, shrubby, sub-shrubby, or herbaceous 

 plants (prd. Composite), formerly referred to Chryi - 

 othamnus, Linosyris, etc., by different, authorities. 

 The habit and small yellow flower heads show a 

 transition towards Solidago. They are propagated 

 by cuttings of half-ripened, leafy shoots in pots of 

 sand or sandy soil under hand-lights, or in a 

 frame during the latter part of summer. Any well 

 drained friable garden soil will suit them. 



Principal Species : 



clracunculoides, 3', Sep., yel., hdy. sub-shr. 

 albicaulis, 2', stems wh. 

 Howardii, low shr. ($yn. Linosyris Howardii). 

 nudata, 1' to 2', Sep. A hdy. per. herb, 

 paniculata. A shr. with flower heads less than 

 ' long. 



BIGNONIA. 



Description. A genus of stove climbers (ord. 

 Bignoniacese). When allowed to climb to the 



JUfflandularia (see Sinningia). 



roof of a tall house and become well established 

 they form some of the most gorgeous of plants. 

 Leaves divided into three leaflets, or the middle 

 one may form a tendril or hook for climbing ; 

 usually they are compound, and rarely reduced 

 to one leaflet. The (lowers vary greatly in colour, 

 from white to purple, red, scarlet, yellow, and 

 orange. 



Propagation. By imported seeds sown in stove 

 heat. Also by cuttings of short side shoots taken 

 off when they are getting firm, and inserted in 

 sand in a propagating case, or in pots under a bell- 

 glass. Also by layers. Capreolata may be in- 

 creased by root cuttings. 





BIGNONIA TWEEUIANA. 



Soil.- -Equal parts of fibrous loam and peat will 

 meet the requirements of most of them, using 

 sufficient sand to render the compost porous and 

 friable. 



Other Cultural Points.- -Like many other t nil- 

 growing climbers, most of the Bignonias succeed 

 best when planted out in prepared borders and the 

 stems trained up the -pillars or rafters of high 

 houses, where they will be exposed to plenty of 

 sunshine. The cultivator must have patience till 

 the plants make strong, woody stems. Though 

 most of them require stove heat with a minimum 

 of 60 to 05 in winter, several succeed better in a 

 warm, airy greenhouse, and this number might be 

 increased by trials of different species. Capreolata 

 is the only one that can claim to be hardy in 

 warm situations against a wall, and this only ap- 

 plies to the South of England. 



