FIG. 63. ALPINIA VITTATA.
A. aspera (rough).* cau. slender, 10ft. to 30ft. high. sti. and rachises strongly aculeated; main and partial rachis above strigillose, slightly scaly beneath and on the costa, the rest glabrous, often glossy. fronds bipinnate; pinnules shortly petiolate, oblong; apex acuminated, pinnatifid half or two-thirds of the way down to the costa; lobes oblong-ovate, often acutely serrulate; costa bearing small, deciduous, bullate scales beneath. sori very deciduous. West Indies, &c. Stove species.
A. australis (southern).* sti. with very long, firm, subulate scales, 1½ft. long, and as well as the main rachises, muricato-asperous, stramineous. fronds ample, subglaucous beneath, more or less villous on the costæ and costule above, and very minutely bullato-paleaceous beneath, often quite naked, from 6ft. to 30ft. long; primary pinnæ 1½ft. long, 6in. to 10in. wide; pinnules 3in. to 4in. long, ½in. to ¾in. wide, oblong, acuminate, deeply pinnatifid, or towards the base even pinnate; ultimate pinnules or lobes oblong, acute, serrated, subfalcate. sori copious, rather small. New Holland, &c., 1833. A very handsome greenhouse species.
A. comosa (hairy). Synonymous with A. Scottiana.
A. contaminans (contaminating).* cau. slender, growing from 20ft. to 50ft. high. sti. and rachises purplish brown, glossy, aculeate. fronds 6ft. to 10ft. long, ample, glabrous, deep green above, glaucous beneath; primary pinnæ 2ft. or more in length, oblong-ovate, acuminate; pinnules sessile, 4in. to 5in. long, ½in. to 1in. wide, deeply pinnatifid, linear-oblong, sub-falcate, entire. sori nearer the costule than the margin. Java and Malaya. Stove species. SYN. A. glauca.
A. Cooperi (Cooper's).* fronds ample, tripinnate. rachises stramineous, muricated, glabrous beneath; basal scales large, linear, pale, spreading; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, 1½ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules ligulate, 4in. to 5in. long, ¾in. to 1in. broad, lowest long-stalked; segments ligulate, blunt, toothed, one and a half to two and a half lines broad. sori small. Queensland, &c. Greenhouse.
A. excelsa (tall).* trunk about 30ft. high. sti. and main rachises muricated. fronds ample, dark green above, paler beneath; primary pinnæ 1½ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 10in. wide; pinnules numerous, oblong-lanceolate, acuminated, deeply pinnatifid, often quite pinnate; ultimate divisions ¼in. to ¾in. long, oblong, acute or obtuse, falcate, the margins sub-recurved, serrated. sori copious near the costules. Norfolk Island. This rapid-growing and splendid species proves nearly hardy in the neighbourhood of Cornwall; and is a most effective plant for sub-tropical gardening purposes generally. Greenhouse species.
A. ferox (fierce). Synonymous with A. aculeata.
A. Gardneri (Gardner's). Synonymous with A. paleolata.
A. gigantea (gigantic). cau. growing from 20ft. to 40ft. high. sti. asperous; fronds, primary pinnæ 1½ft. to 2ft. and more long, deeply pinnatifid at the apex; pinnules, upper ones sessile, lower ones petiolate, oblong-acuminate, 3in. to 6in. long, five to nine lines wide, deeply pinnatifid; lobes triangular or rounded, serrated. sori copious. India, &c. Stove species. SYN. A. glabra.
A. glabra (glabrous). Synonymous with A. gigantea.
A. glauca (grey). Synonymous with A. contaminans.
A. infesta (troublesome). fronds ample, tripinnatifid; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. to 1½ft. long; pinnules ligulate, 3in. long, ½in. to 1in. broad, cut down to a narrow wing; segments ⅛in. broad, ligulate, blunt, nearly entire; texture sub-coriaceous; colour deep green on both sides. Tropical America; widely distributed. Stove species.
A. Leichardtiana (Leichardt's).* cau. 10ft. to 20ft. high. sti. jointed upon the caudex; main and secondary rachises purple, deciduously powdery, spiny. fronds 6ft. to 10ft. long, firm, dark green above, sub-glaucous beneath, naked and glaucous (or nearly so), tripinnate; primary pinnæ 1½ft. to 2ft. long, 8in. wide, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate; pinnules oblong-acuminate, sessile, pinnatifid only at the apex; ultimate divisions linear-oblong, acute, spinulose-serrate. sori copious, close to the costa. Australia, 1867. Greenhouse species. SYNS. A. Macarthurii, A. Moorei.
A. lunulata (moon-shaped pinnuled). fronds ample, tripinnate. rachises stramineous, glabrous below, densely muricated; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, 1½ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules close, ligulate, sessile, 4in. to 5in. long, ¾in. to 1in. broad; segments close, ligulate, falcate, blunt, one line broad, obscurely crenulate. sori minute. h. 25ft. Polynesia. Greenhouse species.
A. Macarthurii (MacArthur's). Synonymous with A. Leichardtiana.
A. Moorei (Moore's). Synonymous with A. Leichardtiana.
A. paleolata (scaly).* cau. slender, 10ft. to 20ft. high. fronds ample, tripinnatifid. rachises stramineous, smooth, pubescent below; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, 1½ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules ligulate, sessile or shortly stalked, 3in. to 4in. long, ½in. to ¾in. broad, deeply cut, the segments blunt and nearly entire; texture sub-coriaceous; colour deep green, both surfaces deeply pilose, the lower scaly on the ribs. sori large, medial. Columbia, &c. Stove species. SYN. A. Gardneri.
A. procera (tall). sti. aculeated and paleaceous below, with large glossy, dark brown scales. fronds bipinnate, glabrous, pinnatifid at the apex; primary pinnæ 1ft. or more long, the rachis winged above; pinnules 2in. to 3in. long, oblong-acuminate or obtuse, pinnatifid half way down to the costa; lobes short, sub-rotundate, often acute, mostly entire. sori small on all the lobes, between the costule and the margin. Tropical America. Stove species.
A. pruinata (as if hoar-frosted).* sti. densely woolly at the base. fronds glaucous, bi-tripinnate; primary pinnæ petiolate, 12in. to 18in. long, ovate-lanceolate; pinnules 3in. to 4in. long, 1in. wide, petiolulate, from a broad base, oblong-acuminate, deeply pinnatifid, or again pinnate; ultimate divisions ½in. long, lanceolate, very acute, deeply and sharply serrated. sori solitary. Tropical America, extending to Chili. Stove or greenhouse species.
A. radens (rasping). cau. 3ft. high, 3in. diameter. sti. 2ft. to 3ft. long, clothed with ovate, pale brown scales. fronds 6ft. to 8ft. long, lanceolate-ovate, bipinnatisect; primary segments 1½ft. long, elongato-oblong, acuminate; secondary ones 2in. to 3in. long, petiolulate, linear-lanceolate, pinnati-partite; segments oblong, denticulate. sori between the costule and the margin. Brazil. Stove species.
A. Rebeccæ (Rebecca's).* cau. slender, 8ft. high. fronds ample, bipinnate; pinnules twenty to thirty on each side, the lower ones stalked, linear, 2in. to 3in. long, more or less inciso-crenate, apex acuminate. sori principally in two rows between the midrib and edge. Queensland. Greenhouse species. See Fig. 65, for which we are indebted to Mr. Bull.
A. sagittifolia (arrow-leaved).* fronds oblong-deltoid, 4ft. to 6ft. long, bipinnate. rachises stramineous, muricated; pinnæ lanceolate, ¾ft. to 1ft. long, the lower shorter, deflexed; pinnules sessile, ligulate, crenulate, cordate on both sides at the base, 1in. to 1½in. long, nearly ¼in. broad. sori large. Trinidad, 1872. Very handsome and distinct stove species.
FIG. 64. ALSOPHILA ACULEATA.
A. Scottiana (Scott's).* fronds ample, tripinnatifid. rachises castaneous, naked and smooth beneath; pinnæ oblong-lanceolate, 1½ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules sessile, 3in. to 4in. long, about ½in. broad, ligulate, cut down to a narrow wing on the rachis; segments ligulate, blunt, dentate, sub-falcate, not ⅛in. broad. sori sub-costular. Sikkim, 1872. Greenhouse species. SYN. A. comosa.
A. Tænitis (Tænitis-like).* fronds 3ft. to 6ft. long, bipinnate; pinnules distant, 3in. to 5in. long, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, sub-entire, petioled; petiole articulated on the rachis. sori in a single series, equidistant between the costa and the margin, mixed with long, copious hairs. Brazil. An elegant stove species.
A. villosa (villous).* cau. 6ft. to 12ft. high. sti. 1ft. or more long, tubercular, densely clothed at the base with ferruginous scales. fronds from 6ft. to 8ft. long, bi- or sub-tripinnate, broadly lanceolate in outline; pinnules 1in. to 3in. long, oblong-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate, deeply pinnatifid; lobes oblong, obtuse, entire or coarsely serrated. sori copious. Tropical America. A very beautiful stove species.
ALSTONIA (in honour of Dr. Alston, once Professor of Botany at Edinburgh). ORD. Apocynaceæ. Usually tall, lactescent, or milk-bearing stove evergreen shrubs or trees, with small white flowers, which are disposed in terminal cymes. Leaves entire, opposite or often whorled. Of easy culture, thriving best in a mixture of peat, loam, and sand. Cuttings root readily in sand, in heat. Besides the one mentioned, there are eleven other species.
A. scholaris (school). fl., corolla salver-shaped, white; cymes on short peduncles. March to May. l. five to seven in a whorl, obovate-oblong, obtuse, ribbed; upper surface glossy, under white, and having the veins approximating the margin. h. 8ft. India, 1803. SYN. Echites scholaris.
FIG. 65. ALSOPHILA REBECCæ.
ALSTRÖMERIA (in honour of Baron Alströmer, a Swedish botanist and friend of Linnæus). ORD. Amaryllidaceæ. Tall handsome hardy or half-hardy tuberous rooted plants, with leafy stems and terminal umbels of richly-coloured flowers; perianth regular, six-parted, subcampanulate; inner segments narrower, two of which are somewhat tubulose at the base; stamens included within, and inserted with perianth; stigma trifid. Leaves linear, lanceolate, or ovate, and resupinate, or inverted in position by the twisting of the petiole. Cultivation: Few plants need less attention to grow them successfully, either in pots or planted out. The best position for those kinds which succeed outside is a deep and dry, sloping, sheltered border, in a compost of two-parts peat and leaf soil, and one loam with some sharp sand. Water freely if severe drought sets in; a surface covering of common moss, or cut fern in winter, will prove an advantage. They are very effective in masses. Propagation: They may be increased by seed or root division. Sow the former when ripe, or in early spring, thinly in pans, pots, or boxes, and place in a cool house or frame, so that they will receive some fostering in their early stages. The seedlings should be pricked out singly, when large enough to handle, and grown on till well established under glass. A mixture of peat, leaf mould, and sandy loam, is the best compost in which to sow the seeds and grow the young plants. When sufficiently established, they may be placed in a warm sheltered spot outside, and about 1ft. apart. The fasciculated masses of fleshy roots are readily separated into as many pieces as there are crowns; this operation may be performed during September or October, or February and March; but it must be done carefully. Except for the sake of increase, the less they are disturbed the better. They are excellent subjects for pot culture (some can only be managed thus, unless planted out in a house), and may be potted as early in the autumn as possible, in 8in., 10in., or 12in. pots. Thorough drainage is essential; arrange the crocks carefully, and place a layer of thin turfy loam over them. A compost of equal parts turfy loam, leaf mold, and fibrous peat, with an abundance of sand, will suit them admirably. Water sparingly at first, but when root-action is fully resumed, they must never be allowed to get dry. Support the stems by staking when they require it, and just previous to flowering, top-dress with some rotten manure and leaf soil. Occasional syringings will be necessary to keep down red spider, especially if the atmosphere is very dry. As the plants finish flowering, and the leaves fade, gradually diminish the supply of water until the stems are quite down, when they may be placed somewhere out of the way, free from frost, for the winter, but not kept dry enough to make them shrivel. In repotting, as much of the old soil as is practicable should be removed, without seriously disturbing the roots, and the plants shifted into larger or the same sized pots, according to their condition. Alströmerias were at one time much more largely grown than they are at present, and the genus was represented in nearly every garden.