1875. 
THE GLEICHENIA. 
219 
in California, and is a distinct and handsome form. Mr. Wilson’s plant, from 
which our figure is derived, grew from 4 ft. to 5 ft. high. The stem was green, 
bearing the leaves alternate below, and whorled in the upper parts, the whorls being 
seven to ten-leaved. The leaves were sessile, spathulate-oblong or elliptic-oblong, 
the upper ones lanceolate and undulated. The flowers grew two or three from the 
upper whorl of leaf-like bracts, and two or three others from the axils of the upper¬ 
most leaves. The flowers were much like those of pardalinum, but richer-coloured, 
the perianth segments being of a rich tawny-yellow on the lower half, thickly 
marked with blood-red spots, while the upper half was of a clear reddish-crimson, 
a few of the upper spots within the range of the crimson ground-colour being 
surrounded by a ring of yellow. The anthers bore pollen of a brownish orange. 
Our plate abundantly shows that in these three Californian Lilies we have 
some of the most showy of modern introductions amongst our bulbous-rooted 
garden flowers.—T. Moore. 
THE GLEICHENIA. 
HE Gleichenia is a most beautiful genus of Ferns, and it may be added, 
most useful one too, for the different sorts are not only a welcome addition 
in making up cut flowers—especially when large vases have to be filled, 
their fine fronds having then an opportunity of displaying themselves to 
much advantage—but they are also most effective for decoration and exhibition 
purposes when well grown. A good specimen tells well either in a collection of 
ferns or of foliage plants. We sometimes hear that they are thought to be diffi¬ 
cult to cultivate, but in my own experience I do not find this to be the case. 
They are, it is true, liable to failure, as, indeed, are any other plants, especially 
if the start is not made with good healthy stock ; in fact, in that case a good 
specimen cannot be produced unless it be by mere chance. 
Mr. Shuttleworth, of Preston, is one of the most successful growers of this 
group of Ferns, his specimens being very large ; and I believe he finds no diffi¬ 
culty 7- in cultivating most of the kinds. Those that are natives of Australia, 
Tasmania, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, he grows in a cool house, and they 
are potted in a compost consisting of little else than fibrous loam. I must say 
that I never saw plants looking more vigorous than these, and at the exhibitions 
of this year they have been models of perfection. They are exceedingly well 
adapted for carrying to an exhibition, as they seldom suffer from the cold. To 
grow them successfully they must be kept during winter in an intermediate 
house, where the temperature ranges from 45° to 50°, and in summer in a cool 
house, or conservatory, shaded from the sun. The soil to be used is good fibrous 
peat and loam mixed with sand, and they should be potted in shallow pots or 
pans, well drained; if put in deep pots, they do not root deeply, as they prefer a 
good surface of soil for their creeping rhizomes to spread over. It is a good plan 
to raise the soil in the centre, so that the rhizomes may have a chance of descend- 
Thcy require a liberal supply of water when in a growing state, but 
u 2 
ing over it. 
