Callicarpa
(from kallos, beauty, and karpos, fruit; referring to the beautiful berries). SYN. Porphyra. ORD. Verbenaceoe. A genus of stove, greenhouse, or nearly hardy evergreen shrubs, closely allied to Petroea. Flowers inconspicuous, disposed in axillary cymes; corolla-tube short, with the limb four-lobed. Fruit a very ornamental small juicy berry or drupe. The following mode of culture has been recommended; "After the old plants have been cut back in the spring, and started into growth, the young shoots will strike as readily as a Fuchsia, and with exactly the same treatment. In order to make good plants, short-jointed cuttings should be selected; and, as soon as these are struck, they should be potted into 2 1/2in. pots, using a compost of equal parts loam and peat, with a little charcoal and river sand. When they commence to grow, after being potted, remove to a pit or house with a temperature ranging from 60deg. to 75deg. Pinch out the tops of the plants as soon as they have three pairs of leaves, and whenever each of the laterals has made two pairs of leaves, pinch out their points, and continue this operation with all the rest of the shoots till the beginning of August, at the same time keeping off all the flower-buds. The next shift will be into 4in. or 5in. pots. They should always have plenty of light and air, but more especially after they come into flower."
C. americana (American). fl. red, small, in axillary cymes. Berries violet-coloured. l. ovate-oblong, toothed, silvery beneath, with a scurf of tomentum. h. 6ft. South America, 1724. Greenhouse.
C. japonica (Japanese). fl. pink. August. l. stalked, ovate, oblong, acuminate, serrate. h. 3ft. Japan, 1850. Stove. (L. & P. F. G. ii., p. 165.) C. lanata (woolly). fl. purplish. June. Berries purple. l. sessile, ovate, acuminate, serrate, hairy beneath. h. 3ft. India, 1788. Stove. (S. F. d. J. 1861, p. 96.) C. purpurea (purple). fl. insignificant, borne in cymose clusters, upon axillary footstalks. Berries very numerous, bright glossy deep violet coloured. l. opposite, ovate, acuminate; edges serrated; profusely clothed, as well as the stem, with hairs. h. 3ft. India, 1822. Stove (Garden, June, 1833.) C. rubella (reddish) fl. red. May. l. sessile, obovate, acuminate, cordate at the base, hairy on both surfaces. h. 2ft. China, 1822. Half-hardy (B. R. 883.)