448 FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 



roughly-toothed edges. Flowers rosy pink blotched with red, throat 

 yellow dotted with red ; June to September, A garden hybrid of which 

 there are many varieties, with flowers varying from white through pink 

 and lilac to plum-colour. 



G. PYRAMiDALis (pyramidal). Leaves nearly circular, 7 inches 

 across, dark velvety green. Flowers deep orange-red, throat and lip 

 lighter, spotted. Winter-flowering garden hybrid. 



Gesneras require stove temperature, but the details 

 of their treatment, propagation, etc., are the same as for 

 Gloxinia (which see). The stronger-growing species should have a 

 loamy compost. 



ACHIMENES 



Natural Order GESNERACEiE. Genus Achimenes 



AcHiMENES (Greek, chemaino, to distress by cold). A large genus of 

 stove or greenhouse perennial herbs, more or less hairy, with under- 

 ground, catkin-like tubercles. They have opposite toothed leaves and 

 solitary funnel-shaped flowers, the corolla-tube being somewhat oblique, 

 and the spreading liinb having live nearly equal lobes. The flowers are 

 produced in the axils of the leaves, and at their base little bulbils are 

 often developed similar to those underground. They are natives of 

 Central America and Jamaica. Each separate scale of the tubers is 

 capable of giving rise to a new plant. 



Principals ecies ACHIMENES COCCINEA (scarlet). Stem llj foot high. 



' Leaves oval, three in a whorl. Flowers scarlet ; August. 

 Introduced from Jamaica, 1778. 



A. GRANDIFLOR A (large-flowered). Stem 1^ foot high. Leaves oval, 

 oblique at base, with few teeth. Flowers very large, violet-purple ; June. 

 Introduced from Mexico, 1842. 



A. LONGIFLOBA (long-flowered). Stem 1 foot high. Leaves oval or 

 oblong, coarsely toothed, three or four in a whorl. Flowers long-tubed, 

 violet; July and August. Introduced from Guatemala, 1841. 



A. TUBiFLORA (tube-flowered). Difl*ers from the other species in 

 having a large, woody tuber from which the stems are developed annu- 

 ally. They are from 2 to 3 feet high, with oblong wrinkled leaves 

 2 to 3 inches long, and elegant, terminal panicles of long-stalked, pure 

 v.- 1 \ ite fragrant flow ers. Brazil . 



These are merely typical species. It appears inadvisable to increase 

 the list, for the reason that very few of the natural species are now 



