COMMELINA 



SPIDER WOBT OBDEB 



TEADESCANTIA 807 



leaves, which float on the surface of the 

 water. Flowers from July to September, 

 over 2 in. across, with 3 bright yellow 

 romidish inner segments, and 3 smaller 

 green outer ones, and numerous orange- 

 yellow stamens in the centre. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 pretty plant flourishes in still or running 

 water, and to prevent its being frozen in 

 winter the creeping rhizomes should be 



planted in the mud about 9-12 in. below 

 the surface of the water. Or they may 

 be grown in pots or tubs, which can be 

 sunk from June to the end of September 

 out of doors, afterwards lifting them in 

 the event of frost and placing them in a 

 cold frame or greenhouse until the follow- 

 ing year. The easiest way to increase 

 the plants is by dividing the roots in 

 spring. 



CXIII. COMMELINACEiE— Spider Wort Order 



A rather large order of herbaceous plants with trailing, ascending, or erect 

 stems, and linear or lance-shaped flat and usually sheathing leaves. Flowers 

 regular or slightly irregular, hermaphrodite, in spikes or umbels. Perianth 

 inferior, consisting of 3 outer sepal-like and 3 inner petaloid segments. 

 Stamens 6, or fewer by abortion, hypogynous, or attached to the throat of 

 the corolla, sometimes only 3 perfect, the others reduced to staminodes. 

 Ovary superior, 3 or sometimes 2-celled. Fruit a few-seeded capsule. 



There are 25 genera containing about 300 species in this order, but most 

 of them are natives of the warmer parts of the globe, and unfit for outdoor 

 cultivation in the British Islands. The genera and species described below 

 are best known. 



COMMELINA. — A genus of herba- 

 ceous perennials with weak, creeping, 

 ascending or erect steins, and ovate 

 lance-shaped or linear leaves, sessile and 

 sheathing or shortly stalked. The blue, 

 yellowish or white flowers usually have 

 only 3 perfect stamens, the others being 

 reduced to staminodes. 



Culture and Propagation. — About 90 

 species are known, but the following are 

 the only ones at all hardy in our climate. 

 They flourish in light warm well-drained 

 soils, and in cold parts of the country 

 require a protection of leaves or ashes 

 &e. over the crowns in severe winters. 

 They may be increased by seeds sown in 

 gentle heat in spring, the seedlings being 

 planted out about June, to flower in 

 August and September. The tufts may 

 also be divided in early spring and re- 

 planted, or the fleshy roots may be lifted 

 in autumn and stored like Dahlias during 

 the winter, and divided at planting time 

 in spring. * 



C. ceelestis (C. tuberosa). — A beautiful 

 herbaceous perennial about 18 in. high, 

 native of Mexico, with fleshy roots and 

 oblong lance-shaped leaves having ciliated 

 sheaths. The bright blue flowers appear 

 in June and July, borne on downy stalks. 



issuing from heart-shaped taper-pointed 

 spathes folded together. The variety 

 alba differs only in its white flowers. 

 This plant and its white variety look well 

 planted in masses in warm borders. The 

 variegated form has flowers striped with 

 blue and white. 



Culture do. as above. 



TRADESCANTIA (Spider Wort). 

 A closely related genus of tufted or creep- 

 ing herbaceous perennials, with simple 

 or branched stems, variable leaves, and 

 flowers in terminal sessile or stalked 

 umbels. The perianth consists of 3 outer 

 distinct concave, green or coloured sepal- 

 like segments, and three inner obovate or 

 roundish petal-like ones. Stamens 6, all 

 usually perfect, with bearded or naked 

 filaments. Capsule 3-celled. 



T. virginiana. — A beautiful herbaceous 

 perennial native of the United States, 

 with stems 6-24 in. high, and linear 

 purple-veined leaves, broadest at the base, 

 and somewhat cfliated on the margios. 

 The deep violet-blue flowers, with con- 

 spicuous yellow anthers in the centre, 

 appear from March to May, in umbels at 

 thCj tops of the branched stems. There 

 are several forms of this species distin- 



