ON STOVE PLANTS. 



645 



corrugated, and shining as though varnished ; the spadix 

 is usually from 3in. to 4in. long, and yellowish. A. A. album 

 is an effective white variety, with a less corrugated spathe than 

 the type. A. Scherzerianum (Flamingo Flower), from Guatemala, 

 is a popular and striking plant, the gorgeous coral-red spathes 

 and curved spadices lasting a long time in perfection. There is 

 a white variety called Diwivierianum, whilst parisiense has fine 

 rose-pink spathes, and Rothschildianum white, spotted and freckled 

 with red. Wardii is the largest and best of the red-spathed 

 varieties, being 6in. long and 4in. wide, and of the most brilliant 

 scarlet. 



Aphelandra aurantiaca Roezlii, a native of Mexico, has 

 handsome foliage and terminal spikes of bright scarlet flowers 

 produced in winter. 

 Soil : peat, loam, and 

 sand. Syringe fre- 

 quently when growing, 

 to nourish the foliage 

 and keep down 

 insects. 



A R D I s I A 



C R E N U L ATA 



(Fig. 415) is 

 a handsome 

 evergreen 

 shrub from 

 Mexico, pro- 

 ducing reddish- 

 violet flowers 

 and panicles 

 and coral-red 

 berries. Propa- 

 gate from seed 

 or cuttings, and 



grow in equal parts peat, loam, leaf-mould, and sand. Sponge the 

 leaves and stems to keep down Scale, which are apt to be trouble- 

 some if neglected. A. c. alba is a variety producing white berries. 



Ataccia {Tacca) cristata, when in flower, is a most curious 

 looking plant, native of the Malayan Archipelago. It has an 

 underground rhizome, from which a few leaves are produced. 

 The flower-scape is erect, terminating in a one-sided umbel in an 

 involucre of four unequal bracts ; the flowers are crowded 

 together, of a dark violet-purple, and though not handsome, 

 never fail to attract attention by the quaintness of their grouping. 

 It may be propagated by division, and grown in peat, loam, and 

 sand, with a few lumps of charcoal interspersed. 



Begonia. — There is probably no class of plants that 

 stand so high in popular favour, or that are more deserving 



Ardisia crenulata. 



I 



