ACANTHACEAE. 



freely without any special treatment as to rest, &c. Their 

 flowering time depends very much upon the time the cuttings 

 are taken and the amount of heat given, &c. 



acanthifolia, Hook. (fig. "Ic. PI." t. 113).— Peru, Chacapoyas dis- 

 trict. Pubescent ; leaves up to 10 inches long by 3J inches broad, 

 grossly serrate, petioles spinescent at the base ; spikes terminal, 

 aggregate, many-flowered, the ovate bracts and lanceolate calyx- 

 segments spinous at apex ; corolla 2J inches long, tubular, sericeous. 



acutifolia, DC, " Prod." xi. 299 ; (fig. " Bot. Mag." t. 5789).— Peru, 

 Colombia, Mexico. Leaves broad, oblong-ovate, 6-8 inches long, 

 acuminate ; spike terminal, sessile, erect, 6 inches long ; bracts 

 imbricate, §- 1| inch long, ovate-oblong, sharply serrate ; flowers 

 1^ inch long, deep vermilion, the corolla lobes spreading, the lower 

 one very broad. In the way of aurantiaca ; a very handsome 

 species. 



amoena, Bull, "Cat. New Plants," 1885, p. 7=Blanchetiana. 



atrovirens, N. E. Brown in "111. Hort." (fig. " 111. Hort." xxxi. 

 (1884), p. 107, t. 527). — Brazil. Leaves elliptic, blackish-green to 

 violet-purple, often white-mottled on midrib and veins, purple 

 underneath ; spikes cone-like, small, terminal, sessile, subcylindric ; 

 flowers very small, yellow ; bracts decussate, adpressed, green, 

 6 lines long, elliptic, acute, and serrate towards the apex ; calyx 

 small ; corolla about | inch long, tube erect. Handsome foliage, 

 but not of much value as to flowers. 



aurantiaca, Lindl., - Bot. Reg." 31, t. 12; (fig. "Bot. Mag." t. 

 4224); "Floral Mag." 517. — Mexico. Leaves rather large, dark 

 green, ovate, wavy at margins ; spikes terminal, 6 inches long ; 

 flowers large, dazzling orange- scarlet, produced from the ovate- 

 acuminate, serrate, imbricated bracts ; tube of the corolla almost 

 entirely hidden in the bracts ; upper lip erect, concave, 2-fid, lower 

 one spreading, 3-lobed. Often represented in our hothouses. 



var. Roezlii (fig. "Gartenfl." t. 608); "Flore des Serres," t. 

 1741-2. — Leaves dark green, shaded with white between the main 

 veins, curiously twisted. Scarcely differing from the type. 



Blanchetiana, Hook. f. (fig. "Bot. Mag." t. 7179).— Brazil. The 

 largest species, erect, tall, very woody in age. Leaves 6-8 inches 

 long, 2-2^ inches broad, narrowed below into a winged petiole, 

 silvery grey on each side of the midrib and main veins ; spikes 

 terminal, sessile, broad-oblong, about 8 inches long ; bracts linear- 

 oblong, 1^ inch long, erect, patent, mucronate, slightly serrated 

 near the apex or entire, red ; flowers yellow, tube about length of 

 bracts, slightly inflated just below the limb. Syn. A. amoena. 

 Bull, "Cat." 1888, p. 7; Strobilorhachis Blanchetiana. Common 

 in cultivation. 



bullata, H. Wendl. in " Hamb. Gartens," xix. 1863, 30.— Central 

 America. Leaves ovate-oblong, acuminate, entire, of thick 

 texture, bullate, main veins whitish, purple beneath ; spike 

 terminal, sessile, simple, tetragonous ; bracts ovate-oblong, serrate, 

 puberulous ; corolla scarlet, puberulous. 



carduifolia, Hook. = formosa, Nees. 



