ON PALMS, CYCADS, AND BAMBOOS. 



853 



V. splendida {Regelia magnified, R. majestica, and R. princeps) 

 deserves to. be more largely grown on account of its decorative 

 properties (Fig. 571). It possesses a slender stem, supported on 

 an inverted , cone of roots. The petioles, which are sheathing, 

 are, like, the stem, clothed with sharp black spines. The leaves, 

 which vary from 





■ 4ft. to 7 ft. long, 

 are cuneate - ob- 

 ovate, and of a 

 bright green. 

 This, plant often 

 attains in its 

 native country a 

 height of 80ft. 



Wallichia.- — A 

 ^genus represented 

 in cultivation by 

 only three typical 

 species, which are 

 all stove plants 

 possessing a cer- 

 tain amount of 

 similarity to 

 Caryota, but they 

 do not reach such 

 enormous heights. 

 All are extremely 

 decorative and 

 very easily grown. 

 Wallichias require 

 a strong soil, as 

 well as an abun- 

 dant supply of 

 water through the 

 growing period. 

 They may be utilised for greenhouse decoration during 

 the summer months. Propagated by suckers -provided with 

 roots, or by seeds. W. caryotoides (Fig. 572) is a very 

 ornamental species, flowering pretty freely, and producing a few 

 alternate and petiolate leaves 3ft. to 8ft. long, with sessile 

 leaflets often i8in. long, the lower ones mostly opposite, 

 and the upper ones alternate ; all are more or less wedge- 

 shaped, green on the upper surface and whitish beneath. 

 W. densiflora is another decorative, stemless species, rarely 

 exceeding 12ft. in height; its pinnate leaves have numerous 

 pinnae, the lower one being binately fascicled and whitish 

 "beneath, the rest solitary or toothed ; it is a very attractive 

 plant. 



Fig. 571. — Verschaffeltia splendida. 



