GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



255 



conservatory. The flowers of some of the varieties are very fine, but 

 after all they are not comparable with the wild flowers of the garden. 



I have a very curious plant, the Cuscuta reflexa (fig. 517^) given to 

 me by Mr. Terry. It is allied to the dodder, which destroys the clover. 

 It is commonly a parasite on the ivy, but it is by no means nice as to 

 the plant it patronizes, as it will grow on vines, peach-trees, geraniums, 



Fig. 517 — Impadens Balsamina. 



Fig. 5I7«. — Cuscuta reflexa. 



Fig. 518. — Rondeletia speciosa. 



and in fact on whatever it can reach. When its stem touches a plant, 

 it seems to form a union with the leaf or with the stem ; so no doubt, 

 leech-like, it sucks out its juices by dialysis. The flower is white, but 

 the whole plant is not so handsome as the 

 common dodder. It has no roots, but the 

 stems simply twine round the plants from 

 which it derives its nourishment. I have tried 

 to acclimatize it on my ivy, without success. 



We grow the Rondeletia speciosa (fig. 518), 

 from the Havanas, but we do not look upon 

 it as a very valuable acquisition. 



There are many bulbous plants of great 

 merit, such as the Belladonna Lily {Amaryllis f,g. 5i9.-Beiiadoiina LUy. 

 Belladonna, fig. 519). It is said to be called Belladonna from the 

 beautiful pale pink colour of the blossom. Like all the Cape bulbs, it 

 must be grown in full light, and carefully ripened afterwards. 



"Where, here and there, on sandy beaches, 

 A milky-bell'd amaryllis blew." — Tennyson. 



