GKEEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



359 



part of the season, bearing large branched panicles 

 of flowers, which, however, individually are not 

 showy, but as the calyx and corolla are both 

 cojoured the mass is very conspicuous. 



Statices belong to the order Pltimhaginacece, and 

 are characterised by their peculiar dry, papery, 

 funnel-shaped calyx, which is not divided into 

 lobes, but is entire, and usually blue or yellow, and 

 the corolla white. The soil should consist of peat 

 and light sandy loam ; the pots must be well 

 drained, as they enjoy a liberal supply of water 

 when growing. 



S. hrassiccefolia is a very beautiful species, with 

 large, deepiy-lobed, dark green leaves, which aie 

 slightly hairy ; panicles much branched ; calyx deep 

 blue ; corolla white. Summer months. The Canary 

 Isles. 



S. Halfordii. — A bold-growdng plant with entire, 

 somewhat cordate leaves, dark green ; flowers bright 

 blue and white, and borne on large much-branched 

 panicles. Summer months. Of garden origin. 



S. prof ma, also known by the name 8. Eattrayana, 

 is a dwarf and compact-growing plant of garden 

 origin; leaves obovate, bluntly lobed, and dark 

 green ; panicles much branched and dense ; calyx 

 deep purple ; corolla white. It is almost a perpetual 

 bloomer. 



Stenoearpus. — A small genus of Froteacecc, 

 natives of the troj)ical j)arts of Australia and New 

 Caledonia. They require the same treatment as 

 Banksia and Dryandra. 



S. Ctcnninghamii, sometimes called ^yj/os^is sinuata, 

 becomes a lofty tree, but grows and blooms freely in 

 a young .state in cultivation. The leaves are entire, 

 deeply sinuate, from nine to tw^elve inches long, 

 thick and leathery in texture, and dark green; 

 flowers in axillary racemes, arranged in the form of 

 a corona, rich orange-yellow, very showy and hand- 

 some. Queensland. 



Taesonia. — A very beautiful family of climbing- 

 plants, so closely resembling Passifloras that there 

 seems very little to distinguish them saving the 

 length of the tube in the flowers, and even this is 

 not a character to be depended upon ; they are 

 gorgeously beautiful when in bloom, and some of 

 the kinds should find a home in every collection of 

 plants. For treatment see Passijlora. 



T. ericmtha. — This, like all the species, has throc- 

 lobed leaves ; the tube of the flower is very long, 

 the whole being rich rosy-pink in colour. Summer 

 months. 



T. exoniensis. — Flowers large, freely produced, 

 colour rich crimson, 



T. iynea. — Floweis bright fiei"y-red. 



T. maiiicata. — Flowers rich crimson- scarlet. 

 Summer and autumn. INau. 



T. moUlasiina. — Not a fr<,(;-tlowering plant in a 

 young state, but verj- profuse; with age; flowers 

 large, deep lose. Quitcj. 



T. sa)iyaiuca.—Yio\wvr^ Jjiiim;, deep blood-red. 

 Summer months. 



T. J'aa Volxeiin. — A very ].rofuse bloomer during 

 the autumn months; tubes Jong, flowers hirgc, 

 rich crimson-lake. New Gienuda. 



Tecoma.— A family of cliihbing j^lants belonging 

 to the order Blgnonlacca:, and nearly related to the 

 genus Bignonia. They require about the same treat- 

 ment, for which see Vol. I., page 278. 



T. capcnsis is a very fine bloomer, producing in 

 abundance its panicles of large rich orange-yellow 

 flowers ; the leaves are pinnate, with small ovate 

 segments, serrated at the edges, deep green. Sum- 

 mer and autumn months. Cape of Good Hope. 



T. fulva. — ^An exceedingly beautiful species, 

 bearing a profusion of large rich-coloured flowers, 

 Avhich are red and yellow during the summei- and 

 autumn months. Bolivia. 



T. jasminoides is a rapid-growing kind, producing 

 its charming soft pink and white flowers during the 

 late summer months. Austi'alia. 



Testudinaria. — A genus of climbing plants 

 nearly related to Bioscorea, and grown principally 

 in the gardens of the curious on account of its 

 weird and old-world appearance. There are a few 

 species only, and all are very similar in general 

 appearance. Pot in good rich loam. 



T. clepliantipes. — This curious plant has a thick 

 w^oody root-stock, peculiarly ribbed and plated, 

 which has given rise to the names of Tortoise-plant 

 and Elephant's Foot ; the root-stock attains to very 

 large dimensions, often measuring three to four 

 feet in diameter, and nearly or as much in height ; 

 it produces from the top several herbaceous twining 

 stems, which are furnished with alternate, cordate, 

 bright green leaves ; the flowers are yellow, but very 

 small and insignificant. There is another species, 

 T. ftyhatica, which resembles it very closely ; the 

 root-stock, however, is usually flatter than T. 

 clephantijoes. Both are natives of the Cape of Good 

 Hope. 



Tetratheca. — These plants belong to the sm;;]l 

 order Trcmandracece, and are frequently, though 

 erroneously, called Tremandras. All are natives of 

 Australia. 



Tetratheca s are handsome, small- growing. Heath- 

 like shrubs, with soft linear leaves and axillary 

 flowers, which only open on fine days ; they always 



