VARIETIES OF A CHIMENES — MCHMEAS. 



269 



Although the original species of Achimenes from Jamaica, Guatemala, and Mexico 

 are very beautiful, they are gradually going out of cultivation, as they are eclipsed by 

 the many hybrid varieties raised in this country and on the Continent. Some of the best 

 of these are named below, a selection of twelve being prefixed by an asterisk : — 

 Varieties for Cultivation. 



Admiration. — Deep rose, white throat, spotted with 

 carmine. 



* Ambroise Versciiaffelt. — Large pure white flowers, 



with a dark-rayed centre. 



* Argus. — Rich plum, deep orange eye, flowers large 



and freely produced. 

 Carl Woolfarth. — Deep crimson ; very free. 



* carminata splendens. — Bright rose yellow, spotted 



in the centre ; very attractive. 

 Dazzle. — Flowers small, brilliant scarlet, pale yellow 



eye ; floriferous. 

 Diadem. — Crimson lake, shaded carmine, with deep 



yellow eye. 



Excelsior. — Rich violet-purple, large and free ; habit 

 compact. 



* Firefly. — Deep carmine red, golden eye ; popular. 

 Gibsoni. — Flowers very large, clear mauve, with the 



tube white outside. 

 gloxinvEFLORA. — Large gloxinia-like flowers, whitish ; 



lobes dotted with purple. 

 grandiflora. — Very large flowers, violet purple ; 



habit good. 



* Harry Williams. — Bright cerise-red, yellow, 



maroon spotted, edge prettily fringed. 



* longiflora alba. — Large white flowers, good 



habit ; one of the best. 



* longiflora major. — Very large rich blue flowers, 



the finest of the colour. 

 Loveliness. — Rich magenta crimson. 



* Madame A. Verschaffelt.— Flowers large, pure 



white ground, veined with purple. 



* Magnet. — Deep orange, spotted with crimson, with 



a carmine zone ; very free. 



* Matjve Queen. — Large flowers, mauve, with a 



brownish eyeshade ; good habit. 

 Margaretta. — Medium-sized flowers, pure white. 

 multiflora. — Pale lilac, very free. 

 purpurea elegans. — Deep claret purple ; dark spots. 

 Rollisoni. — Deep lavender blue, large flowers. 



* rosea magnifica. — Bright rose, with a yellow eye ; 



very beautiful. 



Rose Queen. — Rich rosy lake-shaded purple, with 

 orange throat. 



Scarlet Perfection. — Rich carmine scarlet. 



Sir T. Thomas. — Deep crimson-lake, very free flower- 

 ing ; of good habit. 



Unique.— Rosy-pink, deep yellow eye, spotted crim- 

 son ; attractive. 



vivicans. — Dark crimson -purple, with crimson eye ; 

 floriferous. 



* "Williamsi. — Large flowers, brilliant scarlet, orange 



throat ; habit good. 



jechmea. — These are included among what may be termed old-fashioned stove 

 plants, and are not often met with in good condition. Eighteen species are described 

 in encyclopaedias, but these may be usefully narrowed down to three for general 

 cultivation, namely, M. discolor (Brazil), which produces loose branching panicles of 

 scarlet flowers early in the summer, these attaining a height of 2 feet ; M. fulgens 

 (Cayenne) produces in the same way deep rich red flowers in August; while JE. 

 Maria3 Eeginse (Costa Eica) is the most distinct and beautiful. In this instance the 

 flowers are tipped with blue, changing to salmon colour with age, and are arranged in 

 a compact spike on a long flower scape, half the length of which is clothed with 

 boat-shaped bracts of a rich rosy-pink colour. After strong young plants have 

 flowered they produce small sucker growths from the base, and these should be 

 taken off and rooted for flowering the following season. They ought to be cleared of 



