MANAGEMENT OF THE GENUS 2ESCHYNANTHUS. 



129 



XVIII. — On the Genus sEschpianthus, and its Management. 

 By Mr. William Wood, Pine Apple Place. 

 (Communicated Feb. 10, 1847.) 

 There is perhaps no genus of plants of recent introduction pos- 

 sessing stronger claims on the attention of cultivators than that 

 which forms the subject of the following remarks, whether con- 

 sidered in regard to the ornamental character or comparatively- 

 easy culture of its species — enduring opposite extremes of tem- 

 perature and exposure, not easily injured by excess of moisture, 

 resisting the most intense sunlight with impunity, thriving in al- 

 most every possible mixture of vegetable matter, accommodating 

 themselves to situations in which many other plants would perish ; 

 and withal, repaying the attention bestowed on them with a pro- 

 fusion and long continuance of beautiful flowers. Less formal 

 in its features than Kalosanthes, and more lasting in its beauty 

 than the Cactus, it affords a finer combination of rich and gor- 

 geous effect throughout the spring, summer, and autumn months, 

 than probably any other genus with which we are acquainted. 

 It is indeed difficult to assign a reason for the almost total 

 absence of iEschynanthus from our metropolitan exhibitions 

 until within a very recent period, since the merit of the last in- 

 troduced species over that of their predecessors does not so 

 much consist in their greater beauty (beautiful as they are) as 

 in their smaller and neater habit of growth. The difficulty of 

 obtaining uniform and successive bloom may perhaps, however, 

 be regarded as the principal reason for the gradual disappearance 

 of such fine objects from public competition. 



The following remarks are intended to explain the cause of 

 abortive growth in the species of JEschynanthus generally, 

 founded upon an inquiry into their natural conditions of growth, 

 with a view to ascertain how far such conditions can be adopted 

 with advantage under artificial culture. 



The species of JEschynanthus may be popularly described as 

 a class of semi-epiphytal shrubs, of a neat decumbent habit, w ith 

 slender succulent stems and leaves, readily emitting, by the aid 

 of atmospheric moisture alone, numerous aerial roots, by which 

 the plants adhere to vegetable substances. The flowers are 

 principally produced in clusters from the extremities of the 

 branches, and in some instances from the side or lateral growths, 

 approaching in form that of the common Foxglove, and varying 

 in size and colour from bright orange-scarlet to all the interme- 

 diate shades of vermilion and rich crimson. The absence of 

 uniform bloom under the ordinary methods of growth may in 

 part be ascribed to a mistaken notion being entertained on their 

 first introduction as to the best means of obtaining it. For a 



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