Crossandra
(from krossos, a fringe, and aner, andros, a male; the anthers are fringed). SYNS. Harrachia and Polythrix. ORD. Acanthaceae. Beautiful evergreen free-flowering stove shrubs. Flowers large, in terminal four-cornered spikes, with broad bracts and narrow bracteoles; corolla with a long tube, and a flat five-cleft limb. Leaves sub-entire, verticillate. There are five species, one of which is a native of the East Indies; the others are from tropical Africa and Madagascar. All are of easy culture in peat and loam. They may be readily propagated by cuttings, which root freely, at almost any time of the year, if planted in sand, and placed in bottom heat.
C. guineensis (Guinea).* fl. pale lilac; spike solitary, sessile, 3in. to 4in. high, striate; apex pungent, many-flowered; bracts many pairs, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, imbricated, lanceolate, green. October. l. two to four pairs, shortly petioled, 3in. to 5in. long, elliptic, sometimes obovate or oblong, deep green above, with golden reticulated nerves, reddish beneath, with pubescent midrib and nerves. Stem 2in. to 6in. high, erect, rarely branched, light red, covered with a furfuraceous pubescence. Western tropical Africa, 1877. (B. M. 6346.) C. infundibuliformis (funnel-shaped). A synonym of C. undulaefolia. C. undulaefolia (waved-leaved). fl. of a rich reddish-orange, very distinct and attractive, disposed in freely-produced compact spikes. l. stalked, ovate-acuminate, much narrowed to the base; margin wavy. h. 1ft. to 3ft. East Indies, 1881. A very ornamental erect-growing stove plant. SYN. C. infundibuliformis. for which we are indebted to Mr. Bull.