Cercocarpus 



( 194 ) 



Ceropegia 



CERCOCARPUS. 



A small genus of cool greenhouse evergreen 

 shrubs (ord. Itosacese). They grow best in a com- 

 post of peat and loam, witli coarse sand, and may 

 be increased by cuttings in sand under a bell-glass 

 in a moderate heat. 



Principal Species : 



fothergilloides, 10', My., parvifolius, hlf-hdy., Je., 

 pur. shr. 



CEREUS. (TORCH THISTLES.) 

 Description. A very large genus (ord. Cac- 

 taceje). The plants are found exclusively in the New 

 World, and vary in height from the giant Snguarro 

 (giganteus), which often attains to 8(X or more, to 

 the diminutive Cereus flagelliformis, the Rat-tail 

 Cactus. Many species produce edible buds or 

 fruits, notably splendens, repandus, and triangu- 

 laris. The latter is named the Strawberry Pear, 

 and its fruits are much appreciated in 

 the West Indies, where it is cultivated. 

 One section of Cereus, represented by 

 grandiflorus,Macdonaklia3, and nycticalus, 

 produce their flowers only during the 

 evening hours, generally expanding from 

 seven o'clock until twelve, and closing 

 them to open no more before the morning. 

 The flowers of grandiflorus are among 

 the largest produced by any known plant, 

 being often 1' in diameter, pure white, 

 and possessed of a most powerful and 

 delicious fragrance. ThisandMacdonaldife 

 are well worth the attention of anyone 

 possessing a warm house, and as they 

 may be trained to a wall, or round a pil- 

 lar, little space will be sacrificed to their 

 accommodation. Among dwarfer grow- 

 ing species speciosissimus and fulgidus 

 should on no account be overlooked, for 

 the bright scarlet flowers, with their 

 myriads of white anthers, are very beau- 

 tiful. The section of which flagelliformis 

 is the type make excellent basket plants, 

 or may be suspended in pots, and will thrive in any 

 cool plant house ; in fact, it is no uncommon thing 

 to see really good specimens flowering bravely 

 in cottage windows, where they are objects of 

 considerable interest. 



Propagation is easily effected in early summer 

 by inserting portions of the ripened leaves or 

 stems in sandy soil, and giving them a warm, moist 

 atmosphere to root in. 



Other Cultural Points. The cultivation of Cer- 

 euses is simple in the extreme, and consists in supply- 

 ing abundance of water during the growing season ; 

 the plants being well exposed to light, air, and 

 sunshine ; and the gradual reduction of the supply 

 during autumn when growth is finished ; until, with 

 the cold, dull days of winter, watering is discon- 

 tinued entirely, and the soil allowed to become 

 almost dust dry. Thoroughly drain the pots 

 employed with broken crocks and pieces of char- 

 coal, pot the plants firmly in a mixture of sandy 

 loam, old mortar rubbish, and broken bricks, 

 adding more sand and small lumps of charcoal if 

 any doubts are entertained as to the soil's com- 

 plete porosity. The plants may remain in the 

 same pots for several years, with benefit to 

 themselves and their grower. Frequent dis- 

 turbance, and potting in loose, rich, highly- 

 manured soil, are fatal to free flowering, and 

 must be avoided. 



Principal Species : 



aggregatus, Sep., sc. 

 coccineus (see aggregatus) . 

 flagelliformis, McL. to 



My., pk. 

 fulgidus, Je., sc. 

 gramliuorus, Jy., wh., 



night flowering, 

 grandispimis, sum., ro. 

 lividus, 30', wh. 

 Macdoualdia?, Jy., wh., 



red sepals (see figure). 



nycticalus, wh., night 



bloomer. 



peutagonus, 3', Jy., wh. 

 pleiogouus, 6', reddish 



pur. (correctly Echino- 



cereus leeanus). 

 serpentiuus, 3', pur., wh. ; 



creeping, 

 speciosissimus, 3' to 6', 



Jy., sc. 

 triaugularis, 1' to '2', Jy., 



grh., wh. 



CERINTHE. (HoNEYWOM.) 



A genus of hardy plants, principally annuals 

 (ord. Boragineac), of little value for the garden, 

 though major is sometimes grown as a bee plant. 

 They grow in common soil and in sunny positions. 

 Seeds are sown in spring. 



,S. Fish, Edinburgh 



CEREUS MACDONALDITE. 



Principal Species : 

 major, 1', Jy., yel. 



minor, 1', Jy., yel. 



CEROPEGIA. 



This genus (ord. Asclepiartea;) comprises stove 

 and greenhouse climbers, twiners, and shrubs, and 

 is not of any great horticultural merit. Prop- 

 agation may be effected in spring by cuttings 

 inserted in sand beneath a bell-glass in bottom 

 heat. A good compost will consist of loam, leaf 

 mould, fibrous peat, and sand. 



Principal Species : 

 elegaus, 4', Aug., wh., 



br., pur. 

 Mouteiroa 1 , 3', Jy., grii., 



pur. br. 



Other Species : 



Stove : 



acuminata, 2', Je., pur. 

 africana, 6', Jy., yel. (ev. 



twiner) . 



bulbosa, 2', My., grn., red. 

 cumingiana, 4', Aug., 



yel., br. 

 Gardneri, 4', My., wh., 



br. (ev.). 



Greenhouse : 

 australis, 3', Je., wh. 

 Barklyi, 3', Je., wh., pk. 



Sandersoni, 3', Oct., grh., 



grn. 

 Woodii, 3', Jy., st., wh., 



pur., ev. 



iuncea, 1', Aug., yel. 

 Lushii (< bulbosa). 

 nculata, (')', Aug., spotted. 

 Thwaitesii, 3', Sep., gru., 



red. 



tubcrosa,8', My.,grn.,red. 

 Wightii, a', Aug., gru., 



pur. 



Bowkeri, 2', My., gru.,. 

 yel. 



