228 ORNAMENTAL FOLIAGE PLANTS. 



J. setigera, — This is an elegant plant, witli a slender 

 stem some twelve or eighteen feet high, but seldom ex- 

 ceeding an inch in thickness. Prom the stem of this Palm 

 the Indians form the blow-pipe (or Gravatana) from which 

 they discharge their poisoned arrows. The plant is rare 

 in cultivation, and is very similar in appearance to a 

 miniature Iriartea giganiea. 



Ieesinb. 



A genus of Amaranthaceoe, containing many plants pos- 

 sessing no horticultural merit; some few, however, are 

 highly ornamental on account of the colouring of their 

 leaves. For flower-garden purposes these plants take first 

 rank, and for the decoration of the dinner-table they are 

 also particularly serviceable. They are plants of rapid 

 growth, and can therefore be readily increased by cuttings.. 

 The soil should be peat, leaf mould,, and loam, in equal 

 proportions, with a little sand. 



I. Herbsiii. — This is one of the most omamental-foliaged 

 plants for bedding purposes that have ever been introduced. 

 It grows from twelve to eighteen inches high, or more, 

 but can be easily kept to any size by frequent pinchings. 

 The leaves are opposite, somewhat cordate in shape, deeply 

 bilobed at the apex, and concave ; the stem and branches 

 are bright carmine, almost transparent ; the upper side of 

 the leaf is dark maroon, the mid-rib and pi-imary veins 

 beiug broadly margined with carmine, the under side is a 

 tmiform deep crimson. It has the advantage of never 

 flowering when used for greenhouse or out-door decora- 

 tion, and withstands the cold and damp of our summer and 

 autumn climate well. To grow Iresine Merhstii properly 

 for table decoration, it must be kept in the stove, where 

 the beautiful transparent carmine veins come out much 



