MAIANTHEMUM 



THE BULB BOOK 



MARANTA 



This rare plant is only likely to 

 assume its proper proportions out of 

 doors in the most genial parts of the 

 Kingdom. For a few years it was 

 grown in the rock-garden at Kew in 

 boggy soil, but failed to thrive. 

 When transferred to the Himalayan 

 House, however, and planted in 



Fig. 249. — Lysichitum ca/mtschatense. 



swampy soil, it soon began to 

 flourish. The best way to increase 

 the plant is by division of the root- 

 stocks ; but it may be also raised 

 from seeds. 



MAIANTHEMUM (maios, May; 

 anthemon, a flower). Nat. Ord. Lili- 

 acese. — A genus with one species, 

 viz. — 



M. Convallaria (M. hifolium ; Ccm- 

 vaUaria hifolia ; Smilacina hifolia ; 

 S. canadensis). — A charming little 

 plant, native of the North temperate 

 regions, including Britain. It has 

 slender creeping root - stocks and 

 flexuous stems furnished with two 



broadly ovate heart-shaped leaves, 2 

 to 3 ins. long, deeply lobed at the 

 base. The small white sweet-scented 

 flowers appear in May and June on 

 dense erect racemes. They are re- 

 markable for having only four seg- 

 ments and four stamens. (Hot. Mag. 

 t. 510.) 



This is a good plant for the rock- 

 garden. It flourishes in ordinary 

 garden soil in semi-shaded places, 

 and may be increased by division in 

 early autumn. 



MARANTA (after iJ. Maranti, an 

 Italian botanist) Nat. Ord. Scita- 

 minese. — A genus containing about 

 a dozen species of ornamental herba- 

 ceous plants, having more or less 

 tuberous or creeping root-stocks and 

 broad ornamental leaves on zigzag 

 stems. The flowers are small and of 

 no great beauty. 



Being mostly natives of Tropical 

 America, the Marantas like plenty of 

 heat and moisture, and should there- 

 fore be grown in a stove in which the 

 night temperature in winter does not 

 sink below 65° or 60° F. During the 

 summer months the plants should be 

 placed in shaded spots. They flourish 

 in rich sandy soil (loam and peat), and 

 may be grown either in pots or 

 planted in borders or stove rockeries. 

 Plenty of water is required during 

 growth, and the plants should be 

 frequently syringed to keep the 

 foUage clean and bright. The best 

 time to divide the plants is in 

 spring. 



M. argentea has large oblong, 

 pointed, silvery grey leaves marked 

 with narrow curved lines of deep 

 green. Brazil. 



M. arundinacea. — This is the plant 

 that supplies the Indian Arrowroot. 

 It grows 5 to 6 ft. high, and has large 

 oval, lance -shaped leaves, slightly 

 hairy beneath. {Bot. Mag. t. 2307.) 



350 



