HABLITZIA 



BEETROOT OBDEB 



CHBNOPODIUM 765 



They are usually increased by cuttings 

 of the young shoots in spring inserted in 

 light rich sandy soil in close frames or 

 hotbeds in the same way as the Alternan- 

 theras. So as to have a stock of plants 

 for producing cuttings it is necessary to 

 grow some of the old plants in a green- 

 house during the winter ; or cuttings may 

 be rooted in pots about August and 

 September, and kept for the purpose 

 until spring. By placing the plants in 

 heat and moisture young growths soon 

 appear, and these may be detached and 



used as cuttings as mentioned above. 

 Red Spider and Greenfly are sometimes 

 troublesome to the plants in winter, but 

 they may be checked by fumigating, or 

 by syringing with soft-soapy water. 



I. Lindeni. — A very ornamental and 

 compact-growing species 1-lJ ft. high, 

 native of Ecuador. It has narrow oblong 

 lance-shaped leaves richly coloured with 

 deep orimson-red, the central zone along 

 the midrib being of a brighter hue. 



Culture dc. as above for I. Herbsti. 



XCIII. CHENOPODIACEiE— Beetroot Order 



An order of herbs or undershrubs with alternate, or sometimes opposite, 

 leaves, without stipules. Flowers small, hermaphrodite, sometimes poly- 

 gamous. Calyx deeply divided, inferior. Stamens equal in number to the 

 calyx segments, hypogynous or perigynous, filaments usually free. Ovary 

 superior 1-celled ; style simple or 2-3-lobed ; or styles 2-5. Utricle 

 indehiscent. 



HABLITZIA.— A genus with only 

 one species : — 



H. tamnoides. — A tall climbing 

 Caucasian herb, with long-stalked, alter- 

 nate triangular heart-shaped pointed, 

 entire membranous leaves. Flowers from 

 July to October, small green, in great 

 profusion on branched cymes. Perianth 

 herbaceous, cut into 5 bluntly oblong seg- 

 ments. Stamens 5. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — This plant 

 likes a good, rich, loamy soil, and plenty 

 of water during the summer months, but 

 comparative dryness in winter. It may 

 be trained up piUars or posts, over rocks, 

 old tree stumps &c., and looks effective in 

 open exposed situations. It is increased 

 by division in autumn, and by sowing 

 seeds in spring in gentle heat, afterwards 

 transferring the pricked-out seedlmgs to 

 the open ground in mild weather. 



CHENOPODIUM (Goosefoot).— A 

 genus of annual or perennial powdery or 

 glandular downy, sometimes strong-smel- 

 ling or aromatic herbs, rarely woody at 

 the base. Leaves alternate, sessile or 

 stalked, linear, oblong-ovate, deltoid or 

 hastate, entire sinuate-toothed, lobed or 

 almost pinnately cut. Flowers usually 

 hermaphrodite, minute in axillary clusters, 

 and in simple or branched terminal spikes. 

 Perianth 5, very rarely 1-3-4- parted or 



lobed. • Stamens 5 or fewer, hypogynous 

 or somewhat perigynous, filaments some- 

 times united at the base. Style none, 

 rarely elongated ; stigmas 2-5, free or 

 united at the base. Utricle ovoid and 

 erect, or globose and depressed. 



There are about 50 species mostly 

 weeds. The herb called ' Good King 

 Henry ' or ' All Good ' (see p. 1153) belongs 

 to this genus. 



C. Atriplicis (C purpurascens) is a 

 vigorous Chinese annual, about 3 ft. high, 

 with angular reddish stems, the young 

 shoots and leaves being covered with a 

 fine rose-violet powder. Leaves numerous, 

 stalked, heart-shaped, deltoid. Flowers 

 bright reddish-purple in clustered heads. 



Culture and Propagation. — Owing to 

 its colour this species is more or less useful 

 in beds or groups on grass. By pinching 

 out the tips of the young shoots, the 

 plants assume a very bushy habit. It 

 flourishes in ordinary soil, and may be 

 raised from seed sown in the open border 

 in April or May, thinning or pricking the 

 plants out to 16-24 in. apart. When 

 grown in bold masses it is very ornamental. 



C. capitatum {Blitum, capitaturn). — 

 Strawberry BUte. — A S. European annual 

 12-18 in. high or more, with alternate 

 triangular leaves and insignificant flowers, 

 succeeded by highly red-coloured calyces. 



