28 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



killed at Cambridge, and is, therefore, not always 

 hardy. Like other floating aquatics, it seems to do 

 best if soil is placed in the bottom of the vessel in 

 ■which.it grows. It is often cultivated as A. pinnata, 

 but it is probably not that species ; the fructification 

 has not been observed in Britain or on the Conti- 

 nent, and if found, it should be brought to notice. 

 It is figured in the Gardeners^ Chronicle (vol. xv., 

 N.S., pp. 466, 467). This or another species found 

 in the State of New York should be hardy in spite of 

 the above experience. MarsiUacca. 



Brasenia peltata. — A rare plant in cultivation, and 

 not very easily grown. In the Cambridge Botanic 

 Garden it does best in an intermediate house, A 

 twenty-four-sized pot is made to hold water by stop- 

 ping the hole at the bottom with clay ; loamy soil 

 is filled in to about three inches from the rim, and 

 the space above is kept filled with water. The plant 

 is fixed in the soil, and the leaves float on the sur- 

 face. This is the only species, and it is found in 

 North America, the West Indies, and Australia. It 

 is also known as HydropcUis purpurea. The leaves 

 are roundish, peltate, and the flowers are small and 

 reddish. It flowers but rarely. Nymphceacem. 



Ceratopteris thalictroides.—K beautiful Fern of ele- 

 gant form and splendid deep green colour. It is of 

 annual duration, and though the fronds are proli- 

 ferous, so that small plants might be established for 

 preservation through the winter, it is much the best 

 to raise from the spores every spring. They are 

 produced in great abundance, and quickly germi- 

 nate. They may be sown in any soil, and the pot 

 shouJd stand to within half an inch of the top in 

 water at a temperature of from 70° to 85°. Very 

 soon the pot may be sunk a little below the water, 

 and as soon as the plants can be handled, they 

 should be removed in little clumps to six or eight- 

 inch pots, three or five in each. One shift into a 

 large pot may be given afterwards, and it may be 

 sunk by degrees several inches below the surface of 

 the water, in the tropical aquarium. Native of the 

 tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia, Africa, 

 America, and Australasia. 



Cyperus papyrus {Tajyyrus antiquornm) , i\e Paper 

 Reed. — The magnificent plume-like heads on stems 

 eight or ten feet high are remarkably handsome, 

 and many together have a fine effect. It is this 

 plant which yielded the substance used for writing 

 upon by the ancient Egyptians. The root-stock is 

 creeping, and for the most vigorous growth it should 

 be planted but little above the water, though it will 

 submit to some dryness, and fine plants may be grown 

 in ordinary pots C r beds, if water is given copiously 

 during the seasoa of growth. It may be increased 

 by division, but useful small plants are obtained 

 numerously from a root-stock, if it is taken up and 



laid on wet soil. Native of Sicily, Syria, and tropi- 

 cal Africa. An excellent account is given in the 

 Gardeners'' Chronicle, with an illustration (vol. iii., 

 N.S., pp. 78 — 81). CyperacecB. 



Eichornia azurea. — Among its crdtivated congeners 

 this is the showiest. It has the habit of our British 

 Bog-bean, and from the long and stout leafy stems 

 the flowers are produced in spikes forming pj-ramids 

 of delicately mauve-coloured blossoms, each with a 

 dark centre. The petals are exquisitely fringed, and 

 the upper petal has a bright yellow spot. The 

 leaves are of roundish outline, supported on slightly 

 swollen stalks, and reach a diameter of seven inches. 

 The stems root at the joints, and the plant is propa- 

 gated by separating moderately short pieces. Young 

 plants are most convenient for keeping thrcugh the 

 winter. At Oxford this kind has flowered well out 

 of doors in summer, but it does not always flower in 

 this situation, though it grows freely. In The Garde)), 

 vol. xvii., p. 220, a coloured plate of it is given as 

 Pontcderia azurea. It is figured in the Botanical 

 Magazine, tab. 6487. Native of tropical America. 

 Pontederiacea. 



Kerpestes rejle.va (Hovt.) = Ifyrioj^hylluni proser- 

 pinacoidcs. 



Eichornia crassipes. — This is a well-known inmate 

 of gardens, supposed formerly to be the species last 

 mentioned. It is very different in habit, and will 

 grow entirely without soil, floating on the sui'face of 

 the water by means of its immensely swollen leaf- 

 stalks. The leaves of each specimen are tufted, and 

 from these short-stemmed individuals long runners 

 are sent out, producing new plants in every direction, 

 and for some time they are connected loj living stems. 

 It is of greatest interest as a floating plant, but in 

 this condition it does not flower. It does sometimes 

 flower when growing on mud, but the petioles are 

 then lengthened, and they lose the characteristic 

 swelling which enables the plants to swim. An 

 indiAddual growing or placed in a jar is illustrated 

 in The Garden, vol. xvii., p. 220. It is known also 

 as P. speciosa and as Pontederia crassipes. Tropical 

 America. 



Puryale fcrox. — Though far from being comparable 

 with the Victoria in splendour, it is of somewhat the 

 same character, and is worth growing, as it occupies 

 much less space. The flowers are comparatively 

 small and uninteresting, but the leaves have a 

 decided individuality; they are nearly three feet in 

 diameter, purple below, where many strong spines 

 are situated, and above, dark green in colour, with 

 purple veins, the eirtire sm-face curiously puckered 

 into roimded elevations. The ciiltivation is precisely 

 that of the Victoria, except that the plant need only 

 be grown in a pot, and may be sown a few weeks 

 later. It is a native of Bengal and other parts of 



