42 
PLANTS OF DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA 
Fittonia argyroneura and F. ver- 
schaffeltii are lovely little trailers, the 
leaves of the former netted with silver, 
of the latter with coppery red. They 
need shade and moisture but are very 
tender. 
Ferns. Many of the species can be 
grown in slat houses but I have had poor 
success with most of them when planted 
out. I have a deep artificial pool in the 
hammock and on its rocky sides I have 
planted many ferns and Selaginellas. The 
native species mostly live; nearly all of 
the exotic ones die sooner or later. Land 
crabs destroy them often. 
Furcraea. I have a dozen species of 
these fine, stately plants and all grow in 
the poorest land without fertilizer. They 
closely resemble the Agaves but generally 
do not have such sharp thorns, and the 
flowers are more ornamental. F. lindeni 
is a magnificent plant with striped leaves. 
The descriptions in the encyclopedias are 
so imperfect that I am unable to identify 
most of my plants. With the Agaves 
they are most strikingly tropical looking 
ornaments of the garden and they all do 
well here. 
Gynura aurantiaca, Velvet Plant. 
Quite an attractive plant with velvety, 
purplish leaves and orange, tassel-like 
flowers. Planted 'anywhere, it will flour¬ 
ish, but does best in shade. 
Hedychium coronarium, Garland 
Flower, belonging to the ginger family, is 
a handsome plant with attractive white, 
fragrant blossoms and does best on damp, 
rich soil. 
Iieliconia. Several species of noble, 
tropical plants with exceedingly odd 
handsome flowers, but none have done 
very well for me. 
Hippeastrum. Commonly known as 
Amaryllis. Beautiful bulbous plants of 
numerous species which do fairly well 
here. H. reginse has large, red, showy 
flowers with a greenish center. H. john- 
soni has deep red flowers with a white 
stripe in the center of each petal. H. 
equestre is an old, well known plant with 
flowers somewhat like those of H. 
reginae. I have never succeeded with H, 
aulica. The lubber grasshopper is the 
sworn enemy of the Hippeastrums and 
Crinums and many a beautiful plant falls 
a victim to its voracity. In early spring 
I watch for the young which remain to¬ 
gether when hatched, often 50 or more 
in a lot, and I kill every one at that time. 
By doing this I prevent infinite damage 
later. Prof. Henry Nehrling, of Gotha, 
Fla., a veteran horticulturist, has origi¬ 
nated a marvelously fine strain of hybrid 
Hippeastrums. 
Iris. Some of the members of this 
lovely genus do well here in low, rich 
ground. At Cocoanut Grove along “The 
Trail,” one of the species has become 
naturalized in the edge of the brackish 
swamp. I have plants of I. germanica, 
the German, and I. kaempferi, the Jap¬ 
anese Iris, growing and promising well. 
Jacobinia coccinea is one of our stand¬ 
ard herbaceous plants and is quite com¬ 
mon in this vicinity. It grows and does 
well in sandy pine land and flaunts its 
gay spikes of scarlet, tubular, varnished 
flowers nearly all the year. 
Lantana. Coarse, rough plants, but 
always covered with their bright heads 
of flowers, white, lilac, yellow and orange 
being the prevailing tints. They do well 
here when not troubled with root knot 
and are improved by being fertilized. 
Leonotis leonurus. One of the very 
best herbaceous plants for this region. 
It will take care of itself when once it is 
established, sending up rank growths 
which carry whorls of orange, tubular 
flowers. 
Musa. Some of the ornamental musas 
have succeeded with me and others have 
failed. M. rhodochlamys, from Congo, 
is a glorious species, very vigorous and 
healthy, with rather upright leaves and 
handsome bloom. M. martini and M. 
gillettii are fine. M. rosacea is a pretty 
plant and these have sometimes suc¬ 
ceeded. I have had poor success with 
M. ensete, the great Abyssinian species, 
and several others. 
Pandanus. Quite a number of species 
belong here which might be called shrubs 
or small trees as well as herbaceous 
plants. P. veitchii is a favorite at the 
north, and is a noble plant here, forming 
