OLEANDERS 373 



hot-bed or greenhouse in March or April ; but the siniplcMt plan is to 

 make cuttings from the new shoots in spring. The soil most suitable 

 for it is a compost of fibrous loam and decayed manure. 



Vhica rosea, or Old Maid. Fig. 1, section through 

 u enlarged ilower. 



OLEANDERS 



Natural Order ApocYNACEJi. Genus Neriitm 



Nerium (the old Greek name, from neros, wet, in allusion to its habitat). 

 A genus comprising only two or three species of erect greenliouse shrubs 

 with narrow-lance-shaped, leathery leaves in whorls of three or four. 

 The flowers are showy, of glowing pink, white, or yellowish hue ; the 

 corolla funnel-shaped, with five lobes, and the mouth of the tube 

 surmounted by a crown of jagged appendages. The five stamens are 

 attached to the corolla-tube half-way down. Leaves, flowers, and w^ood 

 are highly poisonous. The species are found in the Mediterranean 

 Region, and Sub-tropical Asia. 



Nerium odorum (strong-scented). Stems 6 to 8 feet 

 high, leaves slender, the edges rolled back, three in a whorl. 

 Flowers pale red, exhaliiig a musky odour ; June to August. Introduced 

 from the East Indies, 1683. There is a partially double variety (Jioi^e 

 pleno), and one with flesh-coloured flowers (var. carDevrn). 



N. Oleander. Connnon Oleander. Stems (> to U feet high. 

 Leaves lance-shaped, three in a whorl. Flowei-s large, bright reil : June 

 to October. Introduced from :\fediterranean Region about 1596. There 

 i garden varieties, from which the following arc selected : — 





GAUDEN ^ 



^MUETIKS. 



urn, pure white; 



Album i>lenuu,, 



Mo»s. B„h>fi>,h'r, lar^^c, delicate salmon- 



double wliite. 





pink ; free bloomer. 



opurpureiun plena 



>, dark purple, 



Pauline Gregoire, large, bright ro«e. 







Prof. Duchartre, medium size, deep rosy 



ili(I,n„, Nvliito. 





purple, double. 





rvA. 



Prof. Durand, pale yellow, bo.e-in-l,o.e. 







5«MrA7ne*, pure white. 



riuvim, .l.ml'.lo l>iulv. 





ro-c, <luuble. 





> ].ink. 





