ALONSOAS 



Natural Order Scrophularine^:. Genus AUmsoa 



Alonsoa (named in honour of Zanoni Alonso, a Spanisli .statesman). 

 A small genus comprising half-hardy shrubs and perennial or annual 

 herbs, with leaves opposite or in whorls of three, and loose leafy racemes 

 of small flowers. These consist of a live-parted calyx, and a tubular 

 corolla with a somewhat wheel-shaped flve-lobed limb. One of these 

 lobes corresponds with the lower lip in Calceolaria, but in Aloiisoa, 

 owing to a twist of the footstalk, the flower is turned upside down 

 (botanically resv^nnate). The stamens are four in number, two longer 

 than the others (didynammts). The ovary is two-celle<l. The species 

 are natives of Peru and Chili. 



Principal species. Alonsoa albiflora (white-flowered). Stem 18 inches 

 to 2 feet high. Leaves oval, saw-toothed. Flowei-s white 

 with yellow centre ; August to October. Blooms all through the winter 

 HI a greenhouse. Introduced from Mexico, 1877. 



A. incisifolia (cut-leaved). Stem shrubby, 1 to 2 feet high. 

 Leaves oval, saw-toothed, opposite. Flowers scarlet: May to October. 

 Xative of Peru, introduced 1795. Plate 206. A. Warscewiczii (see below) 

 is probably a herbaceous variety of this. 



A. LixiFOLiA (Flax-leaved). Stem 12 to 18 inches high. Leaves 

 slender, like those of Flax. Flowers scarlet. Annual. Native of New 

 Holland. 



A. Warscewiczii (Warscewicz's). Stem erect, branched, IJ foot 

 high. Leaves oval-lance-shaped. Flowers rosy scarlet ; Slay to October. 

 Introduced from Chili, 1858. 



Alonsoa.s like a rich, light soil, and make admirable 

 conservatory or greenhouse plants on account of the 

 abundance and brightness of their flowers. For this purpose they are 

 propagated by means of cuttings, which are taken in March or August, 

 inserted in sandy soil, and struck in gentle heat. They may also be 

 raised from seed sown in spring in a warm frame or greenhouse. The 

 herbaceous species are usually treated as annuals, sown in gentle heat 

 ill March, pricked into pans and hardened, and about the beginning of 

 May they are planted in the beds outside, where they keep up a bright 

 display until the autumn. 

 Description of Alcmsoa inclsifoUa, natural size. Fig. 1 is a front 



view of an enlarged flower, and 2 is a section of the same. 



