254: ORNAMENTAL TOLIAGE PLANTS. 



allusion to the animal sensibility displayed more or less by 

 all the species, and upon this account we have introduced 

 the most remarkable kind in this place. The soil best 

 adapted for this genus is loam and peat in about equal 

 parts, with a small portion of sand. 



M. pudiaa. — This is usually called the Sensitive Plant; 

 Mimosa sensitiva is, however, the true plant, although far 

 less sensitive than this species. The plant is of a branching 

 habit, with a prickly stem ; leaves digitately pinnate, each 

 pinnBB bearing many pairs of light green leaflets, which 

 close up and the whole leaf drops by the lightest touch. 

 It is supposed by many to be an annual, and not to be 

 increased by cuttings ; these ideas, are, however, erroneous, 

 but by far the best plants are obtained from seeds in 

 spring. Native of Brazil. 



MoiiEXIA. 



A genus of elegant Palms, comprising two or three 

 species only. These are well adapted for the decoration 

 of the dinner table, and for the drawing, room, while they 

 also form graceful ornaments in the stove. The soil best 

 adapted for their culture is peat, loam, and sand, in the 

 proportion of two parts of the former to one each of the 

 latter. They should be supplied liberally with water, and 

 grown in the shadiest part of the house. Morenias are 

 increased from seeds, which, like all others of this order, 

 should be sown immediately they are received from their 

 native country, irrespective of the season. . 



M. eorallina. — This is an exceedingly handsome plant, 

 and is admirably adapted for dinner-table or drawing-room 

 decoration. The stem is moderately stout, quite smooth, 

 almost ivory white, and reaches to some twenty feet in 

 height. Leaves pinnate, from two to four feet in length, 



