212 



CALANTHE 



CALATHEA 



corymbose racemes ; petals obovate-spatulate, sepals 

 obovate-oblong ; labellum 4-parted, the anterior lobes 

 usually broader than the posterior or basal lobes. 

 Blooms from May to July. Malaya. B.M. 2615. 



VMtehii, Lindl. Fig. 313. A hybrid between O. rosea 

 and G. vestita : fls. rose-colored ; labellum with white 

 spot near the base. Winter-flowering. There is also a 

 white variety. This hybrid was raised by Veitch, in 

 1856. B. M. 5375. Forms of this are var. bfilla, Hort., 

 with pink fls.; var. Sandhursti^na, Hort., with crimson 

 fls.; var. S6deui, Hort., with deep rose fls. O. ijyer- 

 manii, Hort. (G.P. i: 17), is a hybrid of C. Veitchii and 

 C. vestita. Var. sup^rba, Hort., has richer color. 



Masilca, Lindl. Scape 2 ft. long, with large, many- 

 ribbed, dark Ivs. : fls. 1 in. across, the segments over- 

 lapping ; deep violet, fading to lilac, the lip deep violet- 

 purple. Summer and autumn. N. India. B.M. 4541. 

 Var. grandiildra, Hort., is of greater size throughout. 



C. discolor, Lindl., and G. Japdnica, Blume, both of Japan, 

 have been offered by dealers in Japanese plants; but they are 

 unknown to genera] cultivation. Oakes Ames. 



CALATHfiA (Greek for basket, the application not 

 agreed upon). ScitaminAeece. Perennial foliage plants 

 which are commonly cult, as Marantas. From Maranta 

 the genus differs chiefly in technical characters. In 

 Maranta the fruit is 1-seeded, in Calathea usually 3- 

 seeded; in the former the fl. -clusters are branched and 

 few-fld., in Calathea usually capitate or cone-like. Of 

 Calatheas there are 70 or 80 species, mostly of trop. 

 Amer., but a few of trop. Afr. The Ivs., for which the 

 plant is grown, are variously marked with shades of 

 green, red, brown, yellow, and white. The Ivs. spring 

 from the very base of the short stem, just above the rhi- 

 zome. Sepals 3, free and equal : corolla tubular, with 3 

 spreading lobes : stamens 3, petal-like, 2 sterile and 1 

 bearing an anther on its side (compare Oanna). L.H.B 



Calatheas are among the handsomest of ornamental- 

 leaved stove plants. They may be propagated by divi- 

 sion of the crowns, or in those species which make sec- 

 ondary growths, by cuttings taken just below the node 

 and inserted in sharp silver sand in thumb-pots and 

 plunged in a propagating box with bottom heat. About 

 the beginning of April, or just before active growth 

 commences, is the best time for propagating and also 

 for repotting. The soil best suited to them is one-third 

 good, fibrous loam in small lumps, one-third fibrous peat 

 or chopped fern-root, and one-third leaf -mold and clean 

 silver sand, to which may be added a few nodules of 

 charcoal to keep the mixture sweet. In repotting, the 

 old soil should be shaken from the roots, and the plants 

 potted loosely in the new mixture, using clean, well- 

 drained pots, or for the creeping and shallow-rooting 

 species, pans are preferable. All matured leaves should 

 be removed at this time, and after repotting they should 

 be placed in a close, warm, moist atmosphere and kept 

 shaded, to induce active root growth. As the leaves de- 

 velop they require an abundant supply of water at the 

 roots, frequent spraying with a fine syringe, and to be well 

 shaded from direct sunlight. These conditions should 

 be reduced on the approach of winter, but at no season 

 must the plants be allowed to become dry. The tempera- 

 ture during winter should not fall below 60°. Strong- 

 growing species, as O. eebrina, do best planted out in a 

 palm house under the shade of palm trees, while the 

 low-growing or creeping species are excellent subjects 

 for inside rockeries, where a warm, humid atmosphere 

 can be maintained. Cult. by Edwaed J. Canning. 



There are many species of Calathea in fancy collec- 

 tions, but the following list includes those which are 

 known to be in the Amer. trade. Since the plants are 

 often named and described before the fiowers are 

 known, it is not always possible to determine the proper 

 genus. Consult Maranta, Phrxjnitim, and Stromanthe. 

 For horticultural purposes, botanical characters cannot 

 be used in classification of the species ; the following 

 scheme, therefore, is based on evident leaf characters. 



Index : C. albo-lineata, 3; Bachemiana, 9; Chimbora- 

 censis, 10; crotalifera, 20; eximia, 21; fasciata, 4; La- 

 geriana, 7; Lagrelliana, 19; Lietzei, 11; Lindeniana, 12 ; 

 majestica, 3; Makoyana, 13; Marcelli, 25; medio-picta, 

 22; micans,23; mtens,14; oKvaris, 13; ornata,3; Prin- 



oeps, 15; pulohella, 2; regalis,S; rosea-Uneata,6; rosea 

 picta, 6; smaragdina, 5 ; tubispatha, 8 ; Vandenheckii, 

 24 ; Veitchiana, 16 ; virginalis, 25 ; Wagneri, 6 ; War- 

 scewiczii, 17; Wiotiana, 18; zebrina, 1. 



A. Jyus. marked only by transverse bars. 



1. zebrina, Lindl. {Maranta sebrlna, Sims). Large, 

 free-growing plant : Ivs. 2-3 ft. long, purple beneath, 

 satiny green above, with alternating bars of deep and 

 pale green : fls. dull purple, on a very short scape. 

 Braz. B.M. 1926. L.B.C. 5:494. B.H. 1865:90. S.H. 

 1:164. L. 1. — The commonest species, occurring in 

 nearly all collections of warm greenhouse plants. 



2. pulchdlla, Kcern. Weaker grower than C. zebrina, ' 

 the Ivs. lighter colored, with two series (large and 

 small) of broad green bars. Braz. — By some considered 

 to be a form of O. sebrina. 



3. omita, Koern. (Mardnta regdlis, Hort.). Dwarf: 

 Ivs. oblong-acuminate, the stalks 1 ft. long and blades 

 usually shorter, red beneath, green above and marked 

 with two bars between each of the transverse veins. 

 Colombia. — The transverse markings are usually bright 

 red, and this form is taken as the type of the species 

 (I.H. 2:74. L. 20). In var. 41bo-liue4ta, Hort. (Oaia- 

 thea and Mardnta dlbo-linedta, Hort.), the lines are 

 white (F.S. 4:413. L. 55). Var. mai^stica, Hort. (M. 

 majistica, Lindl.), attains a height of 4-5 ft. Ithas red- 

 striped Ivs. I.H. 41: 1. 



4. fasci&ta, Begel & KcBrn. Dwarf: Ivs. long-cordate, 

 the blade 10-12 in. long, pale green and purple-tinged 

 below, green above, with wh:i te bands running off to the 

 margin. Braz. Gn. 2, p. 3. L. 23. 



5. smaragdina, Lind. & Andr4. Two ft. : Ivs. wide- 

 spreading, oblong-lanceolate and acuminate, silvery 

 green below, dark green above, with prominent bands 

 of different shades of j^reen, the midrib prominent. 

 S. Amer. I.H. 17: 16. 



AA. I/US. variously marked and blotched, often mar- 

 gined, or only the midrib colored. 

 B. Markings red, parallel with the margin. 



6. rdsea-picta, Eegel {C. rdsea-linedta, Hort.? M. 

 Wdgneri, Hort.}. Dwarf: Ivs. nearly orbicular, purple 

 beneath, the upper side dark green, the midrib red, and 

 an irregular red zone (sometimes two zones) two-thirds 

 of the distance from the midrib towards the margin. 

 Amazon, F.S. 16:1675-6. Gn. 2, p. 3 



BB. Markings in shades of brown or bronze, 



7. Lageriflna, Hort. Lvs. large, dark red beneath, 

 the prominent veins rich bronze. 



8. tubispatha, Hook. f. Two feet or less high : lvs. 

 obovate-elliptiCj short-acuminate oi' cuspidate, thin, 

 greenish bene.atb, lively green above, and marked mid- 

 way between the rib and the margin with lighter green 

 and squarish patches of brown. W. Afr. B.M. 5542. 



BBB, Mar/cings in shades of yellow and green. 



9. Bachemi&na, Morr. Lvs. unequilateral, cordate at 

 the base, long, smooth, ■ finely striate, with parallel 

 greenish or whitish markings along the primary nerves, 

 purplish beneath. Brazil. 



10. CMmborac6nsis, Lind. Dwarf : lvs. oblong-ovate, 

 8-12 in. long, acuminate, green above and below, with a 

 very dark green white-margined band running length- 

 wise the blade midway between the rib and each mar- 

 gin. Neighborhood of Mt. Chimborazo. I.H, 17:6. 



11. Lietzei, Morr. Lvs. oval-lanceolate, truncate or 

 shallow-cordate at base, undulate, purple beneath, deep 

 green and shining above, with feather-like blotches of 

 deeper green. Brazil. 



12. Lindeniina, Wallis (0. Idndeni, WaXlis & Andr«). 

 Lvs. elliptic-oblong, short-acuminate (12 in. or less 

 long), deep gieeu above with an olive-green zone either 

 side of the midrib, and beyond which is a darker zone 

 of green, the under side counterfeiting tie upper side, 

 but with purplish zones. Peru. I.H. 18:82. —By some 

 considered to be a form of O. rosea-picta. 



13. Makoyana, Morr. (Mardnta olivdris, Hort.). 

 One to 4 ft. : lvs. broad-oblong, obtuse or somewhat 

 short-pointed, the stalks red, the leaf olive-green or 

 cream-colored above but marked against the midrib 



