268 



PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS goedonia 



imbricate, somewhat connate at the base. 

 Petals 5, rather twisted, imbricate. 

 Stamens numerous, with versatile anthers. 

 Culture and Propagation. — Aotinidias 

 thrive in a light, rich, loamy soil in warm 

 situations, and are excellent for trailing 

 over walls, trellises, arbours &c. They 

 may be increased by seeds sown in gentle 

 heat under glass, or the shoots may be 

 layered during the summer and autumn 

 months. Cuttings of the ripened shoots 

 may also be rooted in the autumn in 

 sandy soil under a bell glass and grown 

 on during the winter months under the 

 protection of a cold frame or greenhouse. 



A. Kolomikta. — A beautiful species 

 from N.E. Asia, with ovate-oblong, 

 stalked serrate leaves, rounded or some- 

 what cordate at the base, and tapering to 

 a long point, very beautiful in autimm, 

 changing to red and white. Flowers in 

 summer, white, J in. across, solitary, 

 axillary or cymose, the stalks being 

 covered with fluffy white down. 



Culture do. as above. 



A. polygama. — A Japanese species, 

 with heart-shaped, serrate, reddish-stalked 

 leaves about 3 in. long, and fragrant white 

 flowers in June and July, drooping from 

 the leaf axils and succeeded by edible 

 berries in the autumn months. 



Culture So. as above. 



A. volubilis. — A free-growing Japanese 

 climber, with oval and elliptic leaves, 

 and small white flowers in June. 



Culture dc. as above. 



STACHYURUS.— AgenuB contain- 

 ing only 2 species of smooth shrubs or 

 small trees with membranous serrate 

 leaves and small flowers in lateral spikes 

 or racemes. Sepals and petals 4 each. 

 Stamens 8, free. Fruit a 4-ceUed berry. 



S. prsecox. — A Chinese and Japanese 

 shrub with flexible stems 9-10 ft. high, 

 furnished with bright more or less oval- 

 lance-shaped tapering leaves 4-6 in. long, 

 with serrulate edges. The small greenish- 

 yellow flowers are freely borne in short 

 axUlary clusters early in March, before the 

 leaves are developed. 



Culture and Propagation.- — This plant 

 flourishes in ordinary good and well- 

 drained garden soil, and may be utilised 

 like the Aotinidias for clothing a south 

 wall which will give it the necessary 

 protection from cold winds. It may be 

 easily increased by cuttings of the ripened 



or half-ripened shoots in August and 

 September, placed in sandy soil under a 

 handlight and protected until the follow- 

 ing spring from the severities of vnnter. 



STUARTI A. — A genus containing 

 3 species of beautiful shrubs, with mem- 

 branous deciduous leaves, and shortly 

 stalked, solitary, axillary flowers. Sepals 

 and petals 5, rarely 6, the latter imbri- 

 cate, cohering at the base. Stamens 

 numerous, adhering to the base of the 

 petals; anthers versatile. Styles 5, dis- 

 tinct, or connate. 



Culture and Propagation. — Stu- 

 artias thrive in a peaty and loamy 

 soil, and in the milder parts of the 

 country make handsome shrubs. In less 

 favoured parts they should be protected 

 from the north and east winds by hardier 

 trees and shrubs, as the young shoots are 

 apt to be injured by severe frosts. A 

 warm and sunny position is essential for 

 the thorough ripening of the growths. 



The plants may be increased by 

 layering the lower branches, or by putting 

 cuttings of ripened wood in sandy soil 

 under a beU glass during the late summer 

 and autumn months. 



S. pentagyna (Malachodendron ova- 

 twm). — A somewhat slow-growing species 

 about 10 ft. high, native of N. America, 

 with ovate-acute leaves. Flowers from 

 May to July, creamy-white, with 5-6 

 sepals and petals, the latter being obovate 

 with jagged edges and a purplish downy 

 outer surface. 



Ctilture dc. as above. 



S. Pseudo-camellia (S. grandiflora). 

 A beautiful Japanese shrub, about 12 

 feet high. Leaves ovate-eUiptie, shortly 

 toothed, pointed, narrowed into a reddish 

 stalk. Flowers in summer, creamy- 

 white, with finely serrulate dull reddish- 

 brown sepals. 



Culture do. as above. 



S. virginica. — A rounded and spread- 

 ing bush 6-10 ft. high, native of N. 

 America, with oblong-ovate, serrulate 

 leaves, softly downy beneath. Flowers in 

 early summer, white, about 3 in. across, 

 with crimson-red stamens. Sepals ovate ; 

 petals 5, roundish-obovate. 



Culture d-c. as above. 



GORDONIA (Loblolly Bay). — A 

 genus containing 10 species of evergreen 

 trees or shrubs with entire or crenate 

 leaves. Peduncles solitary, 1 -flowered. 



