34 



CASSELL'S POPUIiAK GARDENING. 



Nymphseas, except N. gigantea. The type is a fine 

 plant, with sweet-scented flowers, the petals azure- 

 blue, passing into darker colour near the tips. Of 

 the varieties, N. carulea is the common Cape Water- 

 lily, and one of the hest. Its flowers are deep hlue 

 and fragant, the filaments of the stamens are yellow, 

 and the anthers dull hlue. The leaves are shining 

 green above, and are blotched with purple below. 

 N. cyaned is a variety less fragrant than most 

 ■Water-HHes. N. Dauheneyana is a very free-blooming 

 variety of garden origin ; it grows rapidly, and has the 

 peculiarity of producing young plants from the leaves 

 at the base of the blade. The fiowers are pale blue 

 and sweet-scented. N. versicolor has flowers of blue, 

 white, purple, or fiesh-coloured. Others belonging to 

 this species are N. eapenais, N. scutifolia, N. mierantha, 

 N. madagascaremis, and N. zanzibarensis. The latter 

 is one of the finest of aU "Water-Hlies in cultivation ; 

 it has purple-blue flowers which remain open during 

 daylight, a longer time than those of other forms of 

 stellata. Its flowers are sweetly scented, and they 

 are said to be nine inches across. This group is 

 found from India to South Africa. 



N. thermalis. — A fine species^ with close resem- 

 blance to If. lotus, from which species it may be 

 distinguished by the absence of hairs- beneath the 

 leaves. The fiowers are large, white, and sweet- 

 scented ; they open in the afternoon, and remain 

 open all night. Native of Hungary. 



Ottelia ovalifoUa. — A new introduction at Kew, 

 received by seeds from Australia. The general ap- 

 pearance of the plant, and the leaves and flowers, 

 have resemblance with Limnocharis nympheeoides ; the 

 leaves are six inches long by two inches broad, with 

 petioles nine inches to a foot in length, and the 

 flowers are described as pure white, vrith reticulate 

 nervation, blotched with deep crimson at the base of 

 each inner segment, which measiires one and a haU 

 inches long, by two inches broad. It is a handsome 

 plant, well deserving of culture. There is another 

 species with this (0. tenera), endemic in Australia. 

 The genus belongs to the Hydrocharidaceie, and is 

 allied to the Frog-bit. 



Ouvirandra fenestralis (the Water-yam, Lattice, or 

 Lace Leaf). — A singularly beautiful plant, the leaves 

 of which, it may be said, are formed only of veins, 

 tissue between them being so reduced as to leave 

 holes. The leaves radiate from the crown, and float 

 just below the water; they are oblong in form, 

 rounded at each end, and vary from niae to fifteen 

 inches in length, and from two to six inches in 

 breadth. The lattice is formed of several veins 

 parallel with the midrib, and connected by numerous 

 cross-veins like the steps of a ladder. The length 

 of the petiole is regulated by the depth of water. 

 The inflorescence is forked, as in its near ally, Apono- 



geton, and the flowers are small and scarcely coloured. 

 This and 0. Bernkriana were introduced from Mada- 

 gascar by the Eev. W. EUis, and he gives in his 

 "Three Visits to Madagascar," an interesting ac- 

 count of the first, with a good plate. Success in 

 growing this plant may be expected if, with care- 

 ful attention, two essential points are attended to. 

 These are, dense shade and pure water. It does well 

 in rather a wide range of temperature, and success 

 has been attained in peat and in loam. It is best 

 grown in a tub or pan (about two feet wide and one 

 foot deep), so that the purity of the water may be 

 easily secured. The tub may be placed on the north 

 side of a house where the sun's rays can never reach 

 it -it has done splendidly at Kew under a bench on 

 the north side of a partition in the stove — ^but I have 

 never seen this plant flower well except when near 

 the glass, shade at the same time being provided for. 

 Dense shade almost prevents the growth of conferva, 

 which is so injurious. The best and most natural 

 soil is loam, with an addition of sand, and a little 

 leaf -mould ; pot-culture is best, and the crown of 

 the plant should be a Uttle above the rim, and two 

 or three inches below the water. Every day rain- 

 water should be poured in from the rose of a pot, 

 and if the water is drawn off at any time, exposure 

 of the plant must be avoided. Seedlings come up 

 freely when the plant flowers well, and it is safer not 

 to divide the old plants, though this may be done 

 successfully. 0. Bernieriana appears to be lost to 

 cultivation. It differs from 0. fenestralis in having 

 the meshes nearly or quite filled up and smaller, the 

 leaves being longer, narrower, and brighter green in 

 colour. It is less ornamental. The fiowers are rose- 

 coloured. Both these are figured in the Botanical 

 Magazine. The so-called 0. Sildebrandtii, which we 

 have not seen, introduced to Berlin six years ago, is 

 an Aponogeton. (See Gardeners' Chronicle, vo\. Tii. , 

 N.S., pp. 110, 149.) Naiadacea. 



Papyrus antiquorum — Cyperus papyrus. 



Pistia Stratiotes (the Water-lettuce). — A favourite 

 fioating weed which extends rapidly by means of 

 runners ; it is sometimes found difficult to preserve 

 during vrinter, but the reason is usually want of 

 sufficient light and heat. It sends down masses of 

 feathery roots, which do not require soil, but if they 

 reach it the plants grow much larger, though they 

 become less attractive. The plants form rosettes of 

 wedge-shaped, pea-green, hairy leaves. Common in 

 the tropics. Aroideee. 



Pontederia azurea = Mchornia. 



Pontederia crassipes = Mchornia. 



Sagittaria montevidensis. — A free-flowering and 

 beaxitiful plant of recent introduction. The leaves 

 are as large as those of the Arum Lily, and it 

 produces spikes of large white flowers with a maroon 



