CURCUMA. 91 



ornaments of our plant stoves. They should be potted in 

 good loam and peat, about two parts of the former to one 

 of the latter, a little silver sand being added. As plants 

 for training up pillars or rafters in the stove, the kinds 

 enumerated here are invaluable, and they are also splendid 

 exhibition plants, although they are rather difficult to manage 

 for this purpose. 



C. micropetaluiii. — This is a fine and exceedingly rare 

 climber, well a,dapted for training up the pillars or trellis 

 ■work in the stove. It flowers during August and September, 

 and consequently is rather late for exhibiting. The leaves 

 are opposite, four or five inches long, somewhat oblong, and 

 of a dark green colour. The flowers are produced in racemes 

 about as long as the leaves, and are densely crowded ; the 

 petals are very small, the display being made by its numerous 

 long bright yellow stamens and orange tipped anthers. Native 

 of Brazil. 



C. purpureum. — A magnificent plant for stove decoration, 

 and as an exhibition plant it is not to be surpassed. It is of 

 scandent habit. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, and of a 

 shining dark green colour. The panicles are branched, bear- 

 ing many rich vivid scarlet flowers. The plant often blooms 

 twice in the year, but its usual season is June. It is also 

 known by the name of Poivrca coccinea. Native of Mada- 

 gascar. 



CUBCUMA. 



This genus is an extensive one belonging to the Ginger- 

 worts, and the species are great ornaments to our hot- 

 houses ; they cannot, indeed, be made much use of as 

 exhibition plants, yet this is no reason why they should be 

 discarded, for they make fine ornamental plants towards 

 autumn, when other things are falling ofi", and they are easy 



