America and Mexico
To those described on pp. 48-9, Vol. I., the following should now be added:
A. amblyophyllum (obtuse-leaved). fl. lilac; perianth segments lanceolate, acute; umbel about 1 1/2in. in diameter, globose. Summer. l. five or six, broad, linear, obtuse, flat, spaced along the stem. Bulb small. Turkestan, 1885. A rather distinct species, of dwarf habit. (R. G. 1190.) A. Backhousianum (Backhouse's). fl. white, in a dense, globose head; perianth segments narrow-linear and totally reflexed; stamens united into a cup at the base. l. radical, bluish-white. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Himalayas, 1885. A tall species, resembling A. giganteum. (R. G. 1885, 215.) A. elatum (tall). fl. purple, numerous, disposed in a large, globose head; perianth segments spreading, oblong, obtuse; scape stout, 3ft. or more high. l. oblong, obtuse, 8in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad. Central Asia, 1887. (R. G. 1251.) A. giganteum (gigantic). fl. numerous, forming a dense, globose umbel 4in. in diameter; perianth bright lilac, 1/5in. long, the segments widely spreading; peduncle erect, 3ft. to 4ft. long. June. l. six to nine, springing from the base of the peduncle, lorate, flaccid, glaucescent, 1 1/2ft. long, 2in. broad in the middle. Bulb globose, 2in. to 3in. in diameter. Merv, 1883. (B. M. 6828; R. G. 1113.) A. Holtzeri (Holtzer's). fl. many, in a capitate, hemispherical umbel 1 1/4in. in diameter; perianth white, the segments elliptic-oblong, acute, with a green middle nerve; anthers red; ovary green, prominent; scape flexuous, 5in. to 7in. long. l. filiform, more or less terete, equalling or exceeding the scape, glabrous. Bulb fascicled-tufted, oblong-cylindrical. Turkestan, 1884. (R. G. 1169, a-c.) A. Macleanii (Maclean's). fl. in a dense, globose umbel 3in. to 4in. in diameter; perianth mauve-purple, 1/4in. long, the segments oblong-lanceolate, acute; spathe valves two, membranous; peduncle flexuous, 2ft. to 3ft. long. Summer. l. four or five, evanescent, lanceolate, about 1ft. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad, glabrous. Cabul, 1882. (B. M. 6707.) A. macranthum (large-flowered). fl. fifty or more in a loose, globose umbel 3in. to 4in. in diameter; perianth bright mauve-purple, nearly 1/2in. long, permanently campanulate; pedicels 1 1/2in. to 2in. long; scapes several in a tuft, 2ft. to 3ft. long. July. l. numerous, linear, thin, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, tapering gradually to a long point. Rootstock indistinctly bulbous, with a dense tuft of fleshy root-fibres. Eastern Himalayas, 1883. (B. M. 6789.) A. Ostrowskianum (Ostrowsky's). fl. rose-coloured, disposed in a many-flowered umbel; scape 8in. to 12in. high. l. two or three, linear, flat, flaccid, acute, glaucous. Turkestan, 1883. (R. G. 1089.) A. oviflorum (ovate-flowered). fl. deep violet-purple, ovate-conical, nodding; sepals connivent; umbel lax, roundish; scape acutely four to six-angled. l. produced at the apex of the short, ebulbous stems, sub-biseriate, lax, keeled, glabrous. Chumbi Valley, India, 1883. A pretty and interesting plant. (R. G. 1134.) A. Semenovi (Semenow's). fl. yellow, on very short pedicels; outer perianth segments longer than the inner ones; stamens very short, united in a tube round the ovary; umbel small, dense; scape usually shorter than the leaves. l. glaucous, fistular, flat on the face, rounded at back. Alatau Mountains, 1884. (R. G. 1156.) A. Suworowi (Suworow's). fl., perianth dark mauve-purple, 1/4in. long, the segments keeled with green; umbel very dense, globose, 2in. to 3in. in diameter; scape stout, erect, 2ft. long. May and summer. l. six or seven in a basal rosette, ensiform, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 1in. broad, glaucous-green, flaccid. Central Asia. (B. M. 6994.) ALNUS. About fourteen species--broadly dispersed over Europe, Central and North Asia, North America, and the Andes of South America, are here included. The only British species is A. glutinosa. To those described on p. 50, Vol. I., the following should now be added:
A. japonica (Japanese). fl., catkins ellipsoid, obtuse, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, nearly or quite 1/2in. thick. l. elliptic or elliptic-ovate, acuminate, serrated, acute at base, 2in. to 4in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad. Japan, 1886. Tree.
ALOCASIA. In addition to the score of species, natives of tropical America and the Malayan Archipelago, there is now a good selection of hybrid Alocasias. To those described on pp. 50-1, Vol. I., the following should now be added: A. Augustiana (Auguste Linden's). l. peltate, repand, green, the primary nerves paler, as is also the under surface; petioles 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 3/4in. to 1 1/4in. thick at base, terete, rosy, with brown hieroglyphic spots. 1886. (I. H. 1886, 593.) A. Chantrieri (Chantrier's). l. about 1ft. long and 6in. broad, oblong-sagittate, peltate, with undulated margins, deep olive-green above, the veins narrowly bordered with silvery white; under surface deep violet-red; petioles slightly dilated, with sheathing base, cylindrical, green, lightly barred with olive. A hybrid between A. metallica and A. Sanderiana. (R.H. 1887, p. 465.) A. eminens (eminent). fl., spathe tube light green, 1 1/2in. long, the lamina greenish-white, veiny, 3 1/2in. to 4in. long, reflexed; spadix light green and creamy-white, 3 1/2in. to 4 1/4in. long; peduncles in pairs (? always), 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long. l. peltate, ovate-sagittate, 20in. to 22in. long, 9in. to 10 1/2in. broad, dark green above, the under surface purple, with very pale midrib and primary veins; petioles 3 1/2ft. to 4 1/2ft. long, terete, 1in. thick at base, olive-green, with a coppery hue, and barred blackish-green. East Indies, 1887.
A. grandis (large). fl., spathe white, marked with carmine lines on the outside, having a short, mottled green tube; peduncles about 10in. long. l. ovate-sagittate, 1 2/3ft. to 2ft. long, 1ft. broad, bright green above, blackish-green beneath; petioles blackish, 3ft. to 3 1/2ft. long. East Indian Archipelago, 1886. A noble and ornamental plant.
A. guttata imperialis (imperial). fl., spathe white, spotted red on the tube. l. elliptic-sagittate, acute, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 3/4ft. to 1 1/4ft. broad, dark green above, with slightly paler spaces between the nerves, purplish beneath. Borneo, 1885. A fine, stove, foliage plant. (I.H. 1884, 541.) A. Lindeni (Auguste Linden's). l. 8in. long, 4 1/2in. to 6in. broad, glabrous, green above, with yellowish-white midrib and principal veins, paler beneath, cordate-ovate, very long-acuminate at base, the sinus large, triangular; petioles white or greenish-white, 10in. to 12in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. thick, erect, terete, channelled, amplexicaul, with decurrent sheaths half their length. Malaya, 1886. (I.H.1886, 603.) A. Luciani (Lucien Linden's). l. peltate, ovate, cuspidate at apex, obcordate at base, dark green above, with pale cinereous veins and margins, purple beneath; basal lobes ovate-deltoid; petioles very long, thick, pale, dotted and spotted brown. 1887. A hybrid between A. Thibautiana and A. Putzeysi. (I.H. ser.v.27.) A. Margaritae (Marguerite's) l. large, obcordate, peltate, repand, rather thick, bullate, highly glabrous above, except on the blackish midrib and primary veins; sinus triangular, the apex at the junction of the petiole; petioles terete, puberulous, brownish-purple, sheathing at base, the sheaths rosy-margined. Java, 1886. (I.H.1886, 611.) A. marginata (margined). fl., spathe tube green, 1in. to 1 1/4in. long, the lamina pale greenish-white, usually striped and spotted dull purple at back; spadix white, 6in. to 7in. long. l. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 11in. to 14in. broad, broadly cordate-ovate, slightly sinuate-margined, rounded into a shortly-pointed apex; petioles 2ft. to 3 1/2ft. long, with zigzag marks of blackish-brown, the sheaths broadly margined with blackish-brown. Brazil, 1887.
A. princeps (princely). l. sagittate, the hinder lobes narrow and spreading, forming a triangular, open sinus, the margins deeply sinuate, the upper surface of a metallic olive-green, with darkened midribs and primary veins, the under surface greyish-green, with dark chocolate-brown veins and margin; petioles slender, greyish-green, heavily marbled chocolate-brown. Malayan Archipelago, 1888.
A. Pucciana (signor Pucci's). l. peltate, oval-sagittate, 1 1/2ft. long, about 9in. broad, deep green above, the pure white veins surrounded by a silvery-white zone; under surface glossy purplish; petioles fleshy, smooth, cylindrical, pale purplish, marked with wavy, irregular zones of dull crimson-red; in the upper portion these markings disappear. 1887. Garden hybrid.
A. Putzeysi (Putzeys'). l. similar in shape to those of A. longiloba, dark green, the midrib, primary and secondary veins, and margins bordered with white; under surface dark purple. Sumatra, 1882. (I.H.445.) A. Reginae (queen's). fl., spathe tube ovoid, 1in. long, 3in. to 4in. in diameter, ivory-white, spotted purple, the blade white, 2in. to 2 1/2in. long, reflexed; spadix sessile, rather shorter than the spathe. l. ovate-cordate, repand, somewhat fleshy, glabrous above, except the pubescent midrib and veins, dull brownish-purple beneath; petioles terete, spotted fuscous-purple. Borneo, 1885. (I.H. 1885, 544.) A. Sanderiana (Sander's). l. deflexed, glossy, arrow-shaped, with three lateral lobes on each side, peltately affixed, the midrib and borders ivory-white, the surface bright green, with metallic-blue reflections; petioles erect, brownish-green, striately mottled. Eastern Archipelago, 1884. A. sinuata (sinuate). fl., spathe light green, 3in. long; spadix shorter than the spathe; peduncle as long as, or longer than, the petioles. l. sagittate, with sinuate margins; upper side of the young ones very dark green along the principal veins, with a lighter green between; older ones dark green above, the under side whitish-green. Philippines, 1885.
A. Villeneuvei (Comte de Villeneuve's). l., blades very unequal; petioles wholly spotted with brown. Borneo, 1887. Closely allied to A. longiloba. (I. II. ser. v. 21.) ALOE. To the species described on pp. 51-3, Vol. I., the following should now be added:
A. heteracantha (variable-spined). fl. bright coral-red, 1 1/2in. long; spike elongated, dense; flower-stem branching. l. in a rosette, lanceolate, acuminate, 6in. to 12in. long, 1 1/2in. to 2 1/2in. broad, unarmed, or with a few teeth on the margins, and with one or two raised lines down the face. Native country unknown. 1886. (B.M. 6863.) A. Hildebrandtii (Hildebrandt's). fl., perianth cylindrical, less than 1in. long, the outer segments red, the inner ones reddish yellow, with a green keel; panicle lax, 1 1/2ft. long; peduncle short, compressed. l. loosely disposed, spreading, lanceolate, 6in. to 10in. long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad at the clasping base, gradually tapering to an acuminate point, rounded at back, the margins toothed. Stem simple, erect, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long. Eastern tropical Africa, 1882. (B.M.6981.) A. insignis (remarkable). fl. racemose, numerous; perianth whitish, lined green towards the apex, straight, fifteen to sixteen lines long; stamens exserted; peduncle 18in. to 20in. high, clothed with whitish bracts. l. thirty to forty, ascending, often incurved and slightly falcate, glaucous-green, 7in. to 11in. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad at base, tapering to a fine point, with tubercular points on the convex back. Stem about 3in. high. 1885. Hybrid. (G.C.n.s.,xxiv., p. 41.) A. pratensis (meadow-loving). fl., perianth bright red, tipped green, cylindrical, 1 1/4in. long; segments lanceolate, united only at base; pedicels ascending; raceme dense, cylindrical, 6in. to 12in. long; peduncle stout, simple, 1ft. or more long, with copious, empty bracts. l. sixty to eighty in a dense rosette, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, the outer ones 5in. to 6in. long, the inner ones smaller, 1 1/2in. broad at base, margined with red-brown spines. Plant stemless. (B.M.6705.) ALPINIA. Of this genus nearly forty species have been noted; they are found in tropical and sub-tropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. To those described on p. 54, Vol. I., the following should now be added: A. officinarum (officinal). fl. white, sessile in a simple spike; lip oblong, obtuse, entire or emarginate, the disk nerved with blood-red. Winter. l. narrow-lanceolate, caudate-acuminate, highly glabrous, narrowed to a sessile sheath at base; sheath elongated, produced in an erect ligule. Stem tuberous at base, erect, leafy. South China. (B.M. 6995.) A. pumila (dwarf). fl. about 1in. long, in a short, rather dense spike, about two to each bract, sessile, sub-erect; calyx bright red; corolla pink, the lip recurved or almost revolute; scape or flowering stem radical, about 2in. long.