184 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



a uniform deep green, over which are spread 

 numerous lines of dots of a deep rose - colour ; 

 flowers of all the species small and uninteresting. 

 Brazil. 



B. margaritacea. — The leaves of this plant are 

 similar in shape to the preceding, but a little larger, 

 ground-colour above intense deep green with a 

 purplish shade ; this is beautifully relieved by dotted 

 lines of pearly-white ; the reverse side a uniform 

 rosy-pink. Brazil. 



B. Marmorata. — Leaves oblong - ovate, bi'ight 

 green on the upper side, streaked and blotched with 

 •creamy - white, 

 port-wine colour 

 beneath. Brazil. 



B.puhesccns. — 

 A small-growing 

 species, with pale 

 green leaves, 

 which are veined 

 with deep brown. 

 Ecuador. 



B. stcperbis- 

 sima. — Leaves 

 large, deep olive- 

 green on the up- 

 per side, veined 

 with emerald- 

 green, the spaces 

 between the 

 veins being or- 

 namented with' 

 spots and dots of 

 rich vivid pur- 

 plish-rose, under 

 side of a uniform 

 rosy - purple. 

 Garden hybrid. 



B. Van SotUtei. — Similar in size and habit to the 

 preceding; upper surface deep olive-green, veined 

 and spotted with bright carmine. Garden hybrid. 



Billbergia. — A genus belonging to the Brome- 

 liacece, or Pine-apple family, named in honour of J. 

 M. Billberg, a Swedish botanist. The genus consists 

 of many very handsome flowering plants, the beauty 

 in a great measure being due to the large highly- 

 coloured bracts ; naturally thej^ grow upon the stems 

 and branches of the forest trees, but alwa^^s in 

 an erect position ; their leaves are produced in a 

 rosulate manner, the bases closely imbricating, so 

 that they form a hollow centre ; this should alwaj^s 

 be kept supplied with water, and but little given to 

 the roots. Pot in loam, peat, and leaf-mould, in 

 about equal parts. 



B. Baraquiniana. — Leaves broadly strap-shaped, 



Begonia Rex 



tapering, and recurved at the apex, armed on the 

 edges with numerous reddish spines ; bright green, 

 transversely barred at regular intervals with a white 

 farina ; spikes pendulous after rising above the 

 leaves ; flowers green, the calyx and stem clothed 

 with a white tomentum ; at the base of the flowers 

 there abound very large and persistent, oblong- 

 acuminate, scarlet bracts. Spring months. Brazil. 



B. Liboniana. — Leaves ligulate, about twelve inches 

 long, toothed with spines at the edges, dark gi^een 

 above, paler below ; scape erect, slightly longer than 

 the leaves ; flowers numerous ; sepals red, streaked 



with orange; 

 petals very long, 

 deep bluish-pur- 

 ple, pale towards 

 the base. Sum- 

 mer and autumn 

 months. Rip de 

 Janeiro. 



B. macrocalyx. 

 — Leaves broadh- 

 strap-shapedjup- 

 wards of a foot 

 long, distantly 

 armed at the 

 edges with small 

 spines, intense 

 deep green, bear- 

 ing numerous 

 spots of a pale 

 green upon the 

 upper side ; 

 spike erect ; 

 flowers yellow- 

 ish-green, edged 

 with pale blue; 

 bracts very large 



and persistent, and of a deep rosy-crimson colour. 

 Summer months. Bahia. 



B. marmorata. — Leaves broadly-ligulate, armed on 

 the edges with regularly-placed spines, deep green, 

 curiously blotched and banded with brown ; flower- 

 spikes erect ; flowers numerous, green, with blue 

 points ; bracts very large and, like the stem, brilliant 

 scarlet. Summer months. Brazil. 



B. miniata-rosea. — Leaves narrow, slightly re- 

 curved, spiny on the edges ; the flower- spike erect, 

 white ; flowers numerous, deep rose ; bracts large, 

 bright red, over which is a tinge of blue, clothed 

 with a white scurf. Summer months. Brazil. 



B. Moreliana. — Leaves deep green, transversely 

 barred with white, sparingly armed on the edges 

 with a few spines ; flowers numerous, ricJi violet-blue ; 

 bracts brilliant rose. Summer and autumn. Brazil. 



B. pallescens. — Similar in habit to the last species ; 



