5 '4 THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



down the centre. This extends in a less marked manner 

 to the secondary veins. It requires a moist stove, and is 

 altogether a plant of rather difficult culture. 

 Maranta, also known as Calathea. The members of this 

 genus are numerous, and include among their number 

 some of the most beautiful of all stove foliage plants, the 

 leaves being marked in an almost indescribable manner 

 with various tints. They all need good open soil, such 

 as loam, leaf mould, and peat, in equal parts with half a 

 part of sand. Repotting should take place every spring, 

 and the old soil must be to a gieat extent removed. 

 Drainage must be ample, as the plants need a liberal 

 amount of water during the growing season. Bright 

 sunshine is very injurious to them. The tubers of M. 

 arundinacea furnish the arrowroot of commerce. A 

 selection from 

 the long list 

 \\ i mid include : 

 M. arundiivicea 

 variegata, 

 known also as 

 Phr )■ n i ti in 

 variegatum, M. 

 albo lineata, M. 

 Baraquini, M. 

 i 1 1 u s t r is , M . 

 Kerch oveana, 

 M. leopardina, 

 M . L i n d e n i , 

 M. Makoyana, 

 M. Massan- 

 g e a n a , M . 

 o r n a t a , M . 

 princeps, M. 

 roseo - lineata, 

 M. roseo-picta, 

 M. Warsce- 

 wiczi, and M. 

 zebrina. 



Monstera deli- 

 ciosa. — A 



stout - growing 

 Aroid with a 

 some w h a t 

 creeping stem. 

 The huge oval- 

 shaped d a r k 

 green leathery 

 leaves are 

 deeply cut and 

 perforated with 

 good-sized 

 holes, thus pre- 

 senting a most 

 singula rappear- 

 a n c e . It 

 grows quickly 

 in a in o i s t 

 stove, and will 

 m o u n t up 

 against a damp 

 wall, to which 



the aerial roots cling. This Monstera is sometimes used for 

 sub-tropical gardening during the summer, the leathery 

 nature of the leaves standing it in good stead when so 

 treated. Its fruit is very rich. 



Mlisa {Banana). — The Musas are all bold - growing 

 subjects of rapid growth with long leaves. They need 

 a rich soil, and ample water supply when growing freely. 

 The Abyssinian Banana (M. Ensete) is often placed out 

 of doors during the summer. 



PandailUS (Screw Pine). — Trees and shrubs with, for the 

 most part, long arching leaves, furnished more or less 

 with spines. In a small state many of them are valuable 

 decorative plants, the leaves being arranged in a very 

 symmetrical manner. They succeed in a mixture of two- 

 thirds loam to one-third leaf mould and sand. There 

 are three variegated leaved forms, the best being 



FINE FOLIAGE PLANTS AT KEU 



P. Veitchi, with arching leaves about 2ft. long and of a 

 bright shining green, deeply edged with white. P. Sanderi 

 is much in the same way with yellowish markings, while 

 P. javanicus variegatus is inferior to the other two. 

 Good green-leaved kinds are P. graminifolius, P. ornatus, 

 P. pacificus, P. utilis, and P. Vandermeerschi. 

 Peperomia. — A singular class of plants, some of which 

 are of trailing habit, while others stand up erect. In 

 most of them the foliage is mottled and marbled in a 

 distinct manner. They are all of easy culture, and need 

 a shady spot. Distinct kinds are : P. arifolia, P. 

 brevipes, P. eburnea, P. maculosa, P. marmorata, and 

 P. Saundersi. 



Philodendron. — An extensive group of Aroids, most of 

 which are of a climbing or creeping character. The 



leaves are more 

 or less heart- 

 shaped, and in 

 some kinds 

 prettily marked 

 with different 

 tints. They are 

 of easy culture, 

 heat and mois- 

 t u r e being 

 principal 1 y 

 needed. The 

 best are : P. 

 gloriosum, dark 

 green leaves 

 and whitish 

 veins, the 

 young leaves 

 silky; P . 

 Mamei, leaves 

 marked white ; 

 P. melanochry- 

 sum, dark green 

 varnished sur- 

 face ; and P. 

 verrucosum, 

 light green, 

 shaded with 

 bronze, with 

 maroon mark- 

 ings under- 

 neath, which 

 show through 

 to the upper 

 part. P. Carderi 

 and P. Lindeni 

 are the same as 

 P. verrucosum. 



Phyllanthus. 



— Fre e - g row- 

 ing shrubby 

 plants that 

 need no par- 

 ticular culture. 

 P. a t r o p u r - 

 pureus, the 

 leaves of w hich 



are tinged with purple ; P. Chantrieri, with long 

 spreading foliage ; P. nivosus, white variegated ; and P. 

 pallidifolius, are the best. 



Phyllota^nium Lindeni. — A bold-growing plant with 



large arrow-head-shaped leaves, supported on long stalks. 

 The leaves are green, with the midrib and principal veins 

 marked white. It succeeds with ordinary treatment. 

 Sonerila. — All these are for the most part compact- 

 growing plants with handsome foliage, the leaves being 

 generally striped, spotted, or freckled with white on a 

 green ground. A selection of the best would include : 

 S. margaritacea, S. m. Hendersoni, S. marmorata, 

 S. metallica, S. superba, S. Madame Wallers, and 

 S. Madame Alfred Maine. A compost of peat, Sphagnum 

 Moss, and sand is suitable for them. They can be increased 

 by cuttings, and sometimes by division. 



