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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS luzuriaga 



seasons the female plants produce scarlet 

 berries. 



Culture dc. as above. 



RUSCUS (BuTCHKE's Beoom).— A 

 genus containing 2 or 3 species of peren- 

 nial plants with erect branched and rather 

 woody stems, bearing alternate or scattered 

 stiff leathery leaf -like bodies called ' clad- 

 odes ' — really flattened branches. Flowers 

 small, dioecious, usually on the upper sur- 

 face of the cladodes ; segments distinct, 

 the 3 outer ovate ones much larger than 

 the 3 inner ones. Fruit a round, pulpy, 

 indehiscent berry. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants thrive in ordinary garden soU, and 

 are useful for planting under trees or the 

 margins of shrubberies where little else 

 wiU grow. They may be increased by 

 detaching and replanting suckers from the 

 roots. Also by layering the shoots and by 

 seeds when obtainable. 



R. aculeatus (Common Butcher's 

 Broom). — A native of the British Islands, 

 occasionally found in copses and woods, 

 having tufted, branched, erect angled 

 stems 1-2 ft. high, and ' cladodes ' |-1 J 

 in. long, twisted at the base, ovate and 

 rather spiny. The small greenish-white 

 flowers appear from February to April 

 (the male ones being on the narrower 

 cladodes), and are succeeded by bright red, 

 rarely yellow berries, about the size of peas. 



Culture dc. as above. 



R. Hypophyllum (Double Tongue). — 

 A native of S. Europe 1-lJ ft. high, with 

 more or less oblong lance-shaped cladodes 

 3-5 in. long, the upper ones alternate, the 

 lower ones opposite, or 3 or more in a 

 whorl, distinctly ribbed. Flowers in May 

 and June, 5-6 in a cluster in the middle 

 of the lower cladodes. Berries bright 

 red, ^1 in. in diameter. B. Hypoglossum, 

 is a form of this species. 



Cultu/re dc. as above. 



DANiEA. — A genus containing only 

 one species : — ■ 



D. Laurus (Buacus racemosus). — Alex- 

 amd/rian Laurel. — A graceful Portuguese 

 evergreen shrub, about 4 ft. high, with 

 smooth shining green, broadly lance- 

 shaped, leathery cladodes about 2 in. long. 

 The greenish - yellow flowers which 

 appear in May differ from those of the 

 Butcher's Brooms in being hermaphrodite, 

 and produced at the ends of the cladodes. 

 The round, red, leathery berries have a 

 white disc at the base. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species does best in deep loamy soil, and 

 liies a little sunshine, although it is a 

 good plant for shady places. It may be 

 increased by suckers, layers, or seeds, in 

 the same way as Buscus. 



PHILESIA. — A genus with only one 

 species : — 



P. buxifolia. — A charming Chilian 

 shrub, about 4 ft. high, with alternate, 

 shortly stalked, oblong, leathery leaves, 

 revolute on the margins. The beautiful 

 drooping Lapageria-like blossoms are 

 about 2 in. long, narrowly funnel- or bell- 

 shaped, and of a deep rosy-red. The three 

 inner segments of the perianth are much 

 longer than the three outer ones. Sta- 

 mens 6, hypogynous. 



Culture and Propagation. — In the 

 favoured parts of the south of England 

 and Ireland this remarkable plant may 

 be grown out of doors, but it should 

 always have a chosen and sheltered spot. 

 It grows very slowly, and seems to 

 succeed best in well-drained sandy peat. 

 It may be increased by separating the 

 suckers from the base, but it is not wise 

 to do this unless the plants have made 

 good clumps. 



In connection with this species may 

 be mentioned a remarkable hybrid called 

 Philageria Veitchi. It was raised in 

 1872 by fertilising Lapageria alba with 

 the pollen of Philesia buxifoUa. The result 

 was a plant almost intermediate in cha- 

 racter, with rambling shrubby stems, and 

 drooping rosy flowers, in which the 3 outer 

 boat-shaped, fleshy segments are about 

 half as long as the 3 inner broadly 

 ovate ones. Unfortunately this hybrid 

 flowers very rarely, and as it is extremely 

 slow-growing is not likely to become 

 generally grown for many years at least. 

 I have seen it in flower about three times. 

 It would probably grow under the same 

 conditions as Philesia in the open air in 

 the mildest parts of the kingdom, but is 

 safer grown in a cold greenhouse. The 

 same remarks apply to the beautiful 

 Lapageria alba and rosea, which in warm 

 sheltered gardens by the sea coast in 

 Cornwall often produce their white or red 

 tubular blooms freely at Christmas. 



LUZURIAGA.— A genus with 2 or 

 8 species of undershrubs with almost 

 staUdess alternate oblong or eUiptio leaves, 

 with 8 or more prominent nerves. 

 Flowers white, solitary or few. Perianth 



