COLOURED DRACANAS 585 
COLOURED DRACANAS 
Natural Order Liniackx. Genus Cordyline 
CorDYLINE (Greek, kordyle, a club: in allusion to the large fleshy roots 
of some species). A genus of about twenty species of stove or green- 
house plants, usually with erect and unbranched stems, bearing heads 
of long, slender, more or less drooping leaves, and branched panicles of 
small white flowers. The perianth is tubular, bell-shaped, with six 
slender segments in two series. The six stamens are inserted in the 
mouth of the tube. Ovary, three-celled, with a thread-like style, ending 
in a three-lobed stigma. The fruit is three-celled, each cell containing 
from eight to fourteen seeds. They are natives of Tropical Africa, Asia, 
Australia, Madagascar, the Malay Archipelago, ete. 
The species of this genus are much confused with 
those of Dracena; in gardens they are all known as 
Dracenas, and in truth the differences between the genera are not 
nearly so striking as the general resemblance, and such as are not likely 
to make a deep impression upon horticulturists, however important 
the botanist may consider them. In Dracena the cells of the fruit 
contain only one seed each. OC. terminalis was introduced from the 
East Indies in 1820. It is a native of the South Sea Islands, but is 
cultivated almost everywhere in tropical countries, and in our own 
land has given origin to nearly all the plants which we grow in our 
stove under the name of Dracenas. C. cannefolia came from 
Queensland, also in 1820. C. australis was introduced from New 
Zealand in 1823, and within a year or two of that date C. indivisa 
came from the same islands. These are the principal of the cultivated 
species ; most of the others grown being mere garden varieties, originat- 
ing as colour sports. 
CORDYLINE AUSTRALIS (Southern). Stem stout, branch- 
aearetibie: ing, 10 to 40 feet high. Leaves oblong, lance-shaped, 2 to 
3 feet long, marked with numerous fine parallel lines. Flowers fragrant, 
white, } inch across, in dense panicles. Hardy in South-West —— 
and similar parts of Ireland. 
C. CANNEFOLIA (Canna-leaved). Stem tall. Leaves oblong, 1 to 
2 feet long, with a blunt tip, which is frequently split. Greenhouse. 
C. INDIVISA (undivided). Stem 15 to 20 feet high. ‘Leaves dark 
green, lance-shaped, 2 to 4 feet long. Greenhouse. 
C. TERMINALIS (terminal). Stem branching, 10 to 12 feet ne 
IV. aes 
History. 
