DOESTENIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



DEACONTIUM 



about 5 ft. tigh, and with flower- 

 lieads 3 to 4 ins. across. 



The Doronicums make splendid 

 border plants if given plenty of space 

 to develop. As a rule, however, they 

 are planted too closely together, or 

 become choked with other vegetation. 

 As they produce creeping and tuber- 

 ous root-stocks freely, they spread 

 with great freedom and will cover a 

 large area in a few years if allowed 

 to do so. It is better to give each 

 plant at least a square yard or so to 

 itself, and then it will display its 

 beauty to the best advantage. Any 

 ordinary garden soil will suit the 

 plants, which are easily increased in 

 autumn by dividing the root-stocks. 



DORSTENIA (after T. Dorsten, a 

 German botanist). Nat. Ord. Urti- 

 cacse. — A genus containing about 

 fifty species of hothouse plants, 

 remarkable for the very curious 

 inflorescence. The small greenish 

 flowers are seated on a flattish 

 receptacle, somewhat resembling the 

 fruit of a fig cut open. 



The Dorstenias are chiefly of 

 botanical interest, and are easily 

 grown in a house with plenty of heat 

 and moisture in a rich sandy loam. 

 They may be increased by seeds or 

 division. The following species have 

 more or less tuberous root-stocks : — 



D. Manni. — A native of W. Tropical 

 Africa, with elliptic or oboval leaves 

 lobed at the base, obscurely lobed, 

 and deep green above (Bot. Mag. t. 

 5908). 



D. tublcina. — A very rare and 

 curious species from the Trinity 

 Islands, about 3 ins. high, having 

 spindle-shaped, aromatic root-stocks, 

 oblong heart-shaped leaves, veined 

 and toothed on the margins (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 2804). 



D. Waiieri. — A species from Nyassa- 

 land, closely related to D. Mammi. It 



has a tuberous root-stock, perennial 

 stems about a foot high, and ovate 

 fleshy leaves 2 to 5 ins. long. The 

 green star-shaped inflorescence is 

 nearly 1 in. across, with five taUs 

 about 2 ins. long. {Gard. Chron. 

 1893, xiv. 128.) 



DRACONTIUM (dracon, a dragon; 

 referring to the serpent-like spots 

 and streaks). Nat. Ord. Aroideae. — 

 This genus contains about a dozen 

 species, all natives of Tropical 

 America, of large-growing, tuberous- 

 rooted herbs remarkable for produc- 

 ing large, solitary, long-stalked leaves, 

 the blade of which is deeply divided 

 into numerous lobes and segments. 



The genus Echidnium (echidnion, a 

 young viper) is now merged in 

 Dracontium, the best-known species 

 of which is S. Regelianum, which 

 comes from Brazil, and grows 1^ to 3 

 ft. high. The leaves are three-parted, 

 bright green, and the spatlies are 

 purple-brown, {Gartenfl. t. 503.) 



The Dracontiums are similar in 

 appearance to the Amorphophalli, 

 and require the same cultural treat- 

 ment, namely, plenty of heat and 

 moisture during growth, and a com- 

 post of fibrous loam, well-decayed 

 manure, and leaf-mould. When at 

 rest practically no water is given, for 

 fear of rotting the thick fleshy root- 

 stocks. These are divided in spring 

 if it is desired to increase the plants. 

 It is very rarely these curious but 

 interesting plants are grown outside 

 botanical collections. The following 

 species may be noted : — 



D . albostipes. — This grows about 3 

 ft. high, the solitary leaf being 

 divided into three main parts, the 

 divisio ns of which are winged and 

 bear \rregularly forked leaflets of a 

 bright green colour. The stout leaf- 

 stalk is roughish at the base, and 

 tapers upwards. It is greyish-white 



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