TBOPiBOLUM 



GERANIUM ORDER 



TBOP^OLUM 291 



red-brown. There are several varieties 

 of this species, with crimson, scarlet, 

 orange, and striped flowers. The Tom 

 Thumb section is valuable for beddiag 

 or for the edges of borders &c. A few of 

 the best dwarf kinds are Em/press of 

 India, bright crimson ; Golden King, 

 golden-yellow ; King of Tom Thumbs, 

 scarlet ; King Theodore, deep crimson ; 

 Pearl, creamy- white ; Buby King, rosy- 

 scarlet ; Vesuvius, brilliant scarlet. 



Among the double-flowered kinds 

 Orandiflorum plenissimum,, double 

 yellow, with a deep maroon blotch at the 

 base, and Hertnine Qrashoff, scarlet, are 

 the best. 



Culture Sc. as above for T. Lobbi- 

 an ii7n. 



T. minus. — This resembles T. inajus 

 but is smaller and weaker growing. The 

 flowers are deep yellow, streaked with 

 orange and red ; the petals end in a 

 bristly point. The plant is also a native 

 of Peru. There is a variety called cocci- 

 neus, which has a yellow calyx spotted 

 with carmine, and deep scarlet-crimson 

 petals with a scarlet beard. 



Culture Sc. as above for T .Lobbianum. 

 This small growing species is valuable for 

 making edgings to beds and borders, or 

 for furnishing the base of tall naked- 

 stemmed trees &c. 



T. pentaphyllum {Chymoca/rpus 

 pentaphyllus). — A vigorous tuber-rooted 

 climber, native of Buenos Ayres, with 

 slender purple stems, slightly twisted and 

 branched. Leaves about 2 in. across, 

 ■cut into 5 oblong entire, smooth leaflets. 

 Flowers in summer. Calyx dull purple, 

 1^ in. long, greenish, marked with deep 

 purple within ; petals bright vermilion, 

 ■small, ro^mdish, somewhat clawed. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 ■species likes warm sunny spots and good 

 soil, and may be used for covering pillars, 

 bowers &e. in the same way as T. Lobbia- 

 num, T. majus &c. The tuberous roots 

 are best planted in April or May in light 

 a,nd well-drained sandy soil, with which a 

 little well-rotted leaf mould or manure has 

 been incorporated. Seeds may be sown 

 under glass soon after ripening, and the 

 young plants are best protected in green- 

 houses until about the end of May when 

 the weather will be favourable enough as 

 a rule for planting them out. During the 

 winter months, especially if severe frosts 

 j)revail, the tubers should be protected 



■with a covering of dry leaves, ashes, or 

 sand, which will also serve to ward off 

 heavy rains. 



T. peregrinum {T. aduncum; T. cana- 

 riense — of gardens). — Canary Creeper. 

 A well-known graceful climbing annual 

 (or greenhouse perennial), native of Peru 

 and Mexico. Leaves somewhat kidney- 

 shaped, 3-5-lobed. Flowers from June 

 to October, bright canary-yellow, rather 

 small, but very numerous ; petals narrow, 

 the 3 lower ones fringed ; spur hooked. 



Culture do. as above for T. Lobbia- 

 num. This species is grown in thousands 

 every year, and is to be seen all over the 

 country, hanging down from cottage 

 windows, or climbing a trellis by the door, 

 and utilised in various other ways. It 

 likes partially shaded situations and plenty 

 of moisture at the root, although it is 

 essential to have the soil well drained. 



T. polyphyllum {Yellow Boch Indian 

 Cress). — A prostrate Chilian species, very 

 free in growth. The trailing stems 3-4 ft. 

 long are densely covered with stalked 

 glaucous leaves each cut into about 8 

 obovate-lanoeolate segments. Flowers 

 in June, singly from the axils of the 

 leaves, bright yellow, the 2 broader petals 

 spotted with red. The variety Leichtlini 

 (said to be a hybrid between T. poly- 

 phyllum, and T. edule) differs chiefly in 

 having deep orange-yellow flowers and 

 less glaucous leaves. 



This plant dies do^wn in autumn, but 

 its tuberous roots are best left undisturbed 

 for a few seasons. The young shoots 

 appear in early spring. 



Culture do. as above for T. penta^ 

 phylluin. 



T. speciosum {Flame Nasturtium). — 

 A splendid Chilian climber, with downy, 

 hairy stems, and 6-lobed almost peltate 

 leaves, downy beneath. Flowers from 

 June to September and October, beautiful 

 scarlet ; petals obcordate, the upper ones 

 narrowly wedge-shaped, the lower ones 

 roundish. Spurl ong. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — This 

 species does not grow or flower, equally 

 well in all places. It does best in light 

 deep loam, with the addition of peat, leaf 

 soil and sand. In summer a mulching 

 of well-rotted manure is beneficial. It 

 dislikes a position where it is likely to be 

 scorching hot, and should therefore be 

 planted in a somewhat shaded place 

 where there is plenty of moisture in the 



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