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POPULAR GARDEN BOTANY. 



ERYTHBINA. (Coral Tree.) 



Gen, Char. (Diadelpliia Decandria.) Calyx bilabiate ; standard 

 very long, lanceolate ; pod slightly twisted. 



Named from the Greek for red, from the brilliant red 

 colour of the flowers, which are particularly handsome in 

 this genus ; the plants are small shrubs, usually grown in 

 the stove, but a few will do well in the greenhouse. & 

 Crista- galli has fine scarlet flowers in spikes, the stalks prickly 

 and glandular, and the leaves in threes ; this and laurifolia 

 are natives of Brazil, and will bear the frame very w r ell in 

 the winter ; lithosperma has scarlet flowers and stony seeds, 

 Bidwillii, crimson flowers, both natives of Australia; 

 Humeana, nana, and Caffra are from the Cape, the latter 

 has purple flowers ; herlacea and carnea are American spe- 

 cies, the former with scarlet, and the latter with flesh-co- 

 loured flowers. 



In winter these plants should be placed in a dry situation 

 in the greenhouse and have little or no water ; when they 

 show flower-buds in the spring, it is a good plan to plunge 

 them in moist heat, when the flowers will be finer : cuttings 

 strike readily. 



