224 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENlNa. 



any desired size, but in a natural way it attains a 

 height of from twenty to thirty feet. This plant en- 

 joys a strong moist heat, and should be potted in 

 loam and leaf -mould. It is a native of the Moluccas. 



Centradenia. — A small genus of Melastomads, 

 very ornamental in the plant-stove, but their flowers 

 are not useful for cutting, as they so soon fall. The 

 name is derived from kentron^ "a spur," and adcn, "a 

 gland," and refers to the small j)rojection on the 

 anthers. Centradenias are of the easiest culture, but 

 they enjoy an abundant supply of water and strong- 

 heat. Pot in a compost of equal parts of peat, loam, 

 and leaf -mould, adding a little sharp sand. 



Red spider is a great enemy to these plants, if 

 the atmosphere is allowed to become dry. 



C. florihanda. — A slender- growing twiggy plant. 

 As its name implies, the flowers are very abundant, 

 although small, pale red and white in colour. Winter 

 and spring months. Central America. 



C. grandifolia. — This is a very bold-growing plant 

 for the genus. Stems winged, bearing large ovate- 

 lanceolate acuminate leaves, which are distinctly 

 Bve-nerved, bright shining green above, and rich 

 port-wine colour beneath. Flowers on branching- 

 spikes, very numerous, white, suffused wuth rosy- 

 l)ink. Winter and spring months. Mexico, in the 

 neighbourhood of Chiconquiaco. 



C. rosea. — It greatly resembles C, Jloribunda, more 

 dense and compact in habit, and the under side of 

 the leaves is rosy-red. Wiuter and spring months. 

 Mexico. 



Cyrtoceras (formerly Centrostemma) — A 



genus of Asclepiadacecs, nearly allied to Hoy a ; indeed, 

 the chief difference lies in the species of this family 

 liaving a hairy ring in the corolla. The soil best 

 adapted for the culture of Cyrtoceras is good fibrous 

 peat, with a small portion of loam added ; drain the 

 ])Ots well and supply liberally with water during the 

 t;ummer, but more sparingly in winter. These plants 

 onjoy strong heat, and an atmosphere well charged 

 with moisture. 



C. muliijlorum. — This plant is frequently to be 

 found under the name of Centrostemma multiflormn. 

 It is a very beautiful species, with glabrous coriaceous 

 leaves; flowers reflexed, white, tipped with straw- 

 colour. Summer months. Luzon. 



Cephalotus. — A genus containing but a single 

 species, and its affinities are very puzzling. It was 

 originally placed in the order Rosacece, and then 

 removed to Saxifragacece, whilst by some it is con- 

 sidered the type of an entirely new order, dis- 

 tinguished by the name of Cephalotacece. 



The soil for Cephalotus should be peat and chopped 



sphagnum, with a little sharp sand, and the sur- 

 face should be kept covered with growing sphag- 

 num. It is a native of marshy places, and con- 

 sequently the roots require to be continually moist. 

 The usual plan in cultivating this plant is to cov^er 

 it with a bell-glass, but in a moist atmosphere this 

 will not be necessary. Intermediate House. 



C. follicularis is popularly known as the " New 

 Holland Pitcher Plant." It is a singular and 

 most interesting object ; dwarf in habit, it sits upon 

 the ground in the shape of little rosettes, seldom 

 exceeding four to six inches across. The leaves 

 are narrow and spathulato, interspersed with sepa- 

 rate foot-stalks, bearing a single small flagon-shapeu 

 pitcher, w^hich is green, tinged with brown; these 

 vary in size from one to three inches, furnished in 

 front with a double- row of soft hairs. Native 

 of swampy places about King George's Sound, 

 Australia. 



Ceratozamia. — A genus of Cycads, chiefly dis- 

 tinguished by the two horns on each scale of its 

 fruits; the foot-stalks of the leaves are also armed 

 with spines. 



They are bold-growing plants of great beauty. 

 For general treatment see Cycas. 



C. mexicana. — A pinnate species, which differs 

 somewhat in appearance in the sexes ; in the male 

 plant the leaves are larger and more erect than in 

 the female. Mexico. 



C. Jl'iqueliana. — This is a slender- growing plant, 

 bearing beautifully arched, pinnate leaves ; one of 

 the most important families of succulents. Mexico. 



Cereus. — A large family of Cactaccce, popularly 

 known as " Torch Thistles." All are natives of 

 America, and are remarkable for their singular style 

 of growth; many of them produce large and gor- 

 geous flowers, but thej are all leafless. 



There are several distinct sections of this genus ; in 

 some the stems are erect and arborescent, fluted the 

 entire length, the edges clothed with rosettes of 

 spines, more or less distant. The most remarkable 

 species of this set is C. giganteus, which is indigenous 

 to the mountainous parts of New Mexico. Its stout, 

 cylindrical fluted stems often attain, a height of fifty 

 feet or more. In most cases they are simple giant- 

 like columns, but with age branches are often pro- 

 duced near the apex. These, when young, grow 

 straight out from the side, eventually assuming an 

 erect position ; under cultivation this species appears 

 to be very slow in growth. Beside this, there are 

 numerous smaller-growing species, with an erect 

 columnar habit. Another section are trailers, and 

 are usually styled " Creeping Cereus." These have 

 cylindrical fleshy stems, which are profusely clothed 



