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Europe (Britain Biennial Sy En B E)

(Britain). Biennial. (Sy. En. B. 908.) E. Muhlenbergi (Muhlenberg's).* fl. of a deep pink colour, with a greenish-white star in the centre. Spring. l. oblong-obtuse, the floral ones lanceolate. Branches numerous, slender. h. 8in. California. An excellent plant for growing on rockwork, or for margins of a loamy border. E. venusta (charming). fl. usually pink, star-like; corolla 1in. in diameter; tube slender; lobes of the limb elliptic, obtuse, deep rose-coloured, yellow at the base, as long as the tube. August. l. in pairs, scattered, sessile, 1/2in. to 1in. long, oblong or ovate-oblong, rounded at the apex; base rounded or cordate; upper and floral leaves narrower and acute or acuminate. Stem simple or cymosely branched above, few-flowered. h. 6in. to 10in. California, 1878. A slender erect hardy annual. (B. M. 6396.) ERYTHRINA (from erythros, red; referring to the colour of the flowers). Coral-tree. ORD. Leguminosae. A genus of about thirty species of trees and shrubs, principally natives of tropical regions in both the New World and the Old, and at the Cape. Flowers coral-red, large, in dense racemes, produced usually before the development of the large leaves (in a few species, on the ends of the annual shoots); calyx split, spathaceous, bilabiate; petals very unequal; standard large; upper stamen free to the base, or sometimes connate with the others half-way up the filaments; anthers uniform. Pod linear, turgid, torulose. Leaves constantly trifoliolate.

Cultivation. All the Erythrinas like a strong loamy soil, an abundance of water when not at rest, and exposure to bright sunlight. The tree and shrubby-stemmed species should be kept growing all summer in a warm house, and treated liberally, so as to induce vigorous growth. In September, water should be gradually withheld, so that the wood may ripen, the leaves fall off, and the plants go to rest for the winter. Early in spring, they should be repotted or top-dressed, placed in a hot, moist temperature, and supplied with plenty of water at the roots. This treatment should cause them to produce their large racemes of gorgeous flowers. If it be necessary to cut away any of the branches, it should not be done till after the flowers are over, as these are developed on the ripened wood of the previous year. The herbaceous-stemmed species, E. crista-galli and E. herbacea, form a stout rootstock, from which shoots are annually produced, and upon these the flowers are borne in autumn. Both these kinds should be started in heat, in spring, unless when planted out of doors, in which case they may be left to start themselves on the approach of warm weather. For pot specimens, however, a little extra heat assists the rootstocks, and is conducive to the free production of shoots. As these increase in strength, a lower temperature will be sufficient, till, finally, the plants may be placed out of doors for the summer. By taking off the young shoots with a heel, in spring, and inserting them in sandy soil, on a little bottom heat, a stock is easily obtained. After flowering, the shoots die down, when the plants may be placed under stages in cool houses, where they can be kept dry and at rest till the following spring. Erythrinas, planted out of doors, require a covering of leaves or cocoa-nut fibre, to protect the boles from frost.

E. Corallodendron (Coral-tree). fl. deep scarlet, large, in long racemes, appearing when the leaves have fallen. May and June. l., leaflets broad, rhomboid-ovate, acute; petioles unarmed. Stem arboreous, prickly. h. 6ft. to 12ft. West Indies, 1690. SYN. E. spinosa.

E. crista-galli (Cockscomb).* Common Coral-tree. fl. bright deep scarlet, disposed in large terminal racemes. May to July. l., leaflets oval or ovate, glaucescent, coriaceous, bluntish; petioles prickly, glandular. Stems woody. h. 6ft. to 8ft. Brazil, 1771. This fine species is by far the most frequently cultivated one. In the southern counties, it is almost hardy. SYN. E. laurifolia. (B. M. 2161.) E. glauca (glaucous). fl. copper-coloured. Summer. l., leaflets ovate, glaucous beneath; petioles almost unarmed. Stem arboreous, prickly. h. 10ft. South America, 1819.

E. herbacea (herbaceous). fl. deep scarlet, distant; racemes elongated. June to September. l., leaflets ovate or somewhat hastate. Branches herbaceous, annual, and, as well as the leaves, unarmed and glabrous. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Carolina, 1724. (B. M. 877.) E. Bidwilli is a hybrid between E. herbacea and E. cristagalli, with annual shoots, and axillary and terminal spicate flowers. E. Humei (Hume's). fl. brilliant scarlet, fading to purple, in a sub-verticillate spike; peduncles axillary, longer than the leaves, erect, rounded, studded with white, linear warts. l. ternate, rhomb-shaped, acuminate, with an obtuse point; petioles alternate, horizontal, longer than the leaves, armed with a few distant prickles. Stem erect, woody. h. 30ft. to 60ft. South Africa. A very elegant stove tree. (B. M. 2431, under name of E. caffra.) E. indica (Indian).* fl. of a splendid scarlet colour. l., leaflets broad-ovate, acute, glabrous; petioles unarmed. Stem arboreous, prickly; spines black. h. 20ft. to 30ft. East Indies, 1814. There is a handsome white-flowered form of this species.

E. i. marmorata (marbled). l. large, broad, blotched and spotted with white in a very effective manner. Polynesia, 1879. An elegant variegated plant. E. i. Parcelli (Parcell's). l. alternate; leaflets three, with a yellow variegation, sometimes forming a feather-like stripe along the costa and main veins, sometimes more diffused, and forming a band 1in. wide. Stem stout, woody. South Sea Islands. for which we are indebted to Mr. Wm. Bull. E. laurifolia (laurel-leaved). A synonym of E. crista-galli. E. speciosa (showy). fl. deep crimson; racemes and calyces velvety. August to October. l., leaflets broad, slightly three-lobed, acuminated, glabrous; petioles and ribs of leaves prickly. Stems shrubby, prickly. h. 6ft. to 10ft. West Indies, 1805. (A. B. R. 443.) E. spinosa (spinous). A synonym of E. Corallodendron. Other very good garden forms, chiefly of E. crista-galli, are: Cottyana, flowers deep rich red; floribunda, flowers rosy-crimson; Madame Belanger, flowers velvety, rich dark reddish-crimson; ornata, flowers dark vermilion; ruberrima, flowers large, brilliant crimson, rosy-tinted; spectabilis, leaves with fine bold variegation, markings chiefly yellow. ERYTHROCHITON (from erythros, red, and chiton, a tunic; calyx red). ORD. Rutaceae. A genus of four species of very ornamental stove evergreen trees, natives of Brazil, Guiana, and New Grenada. They thrive well in a compost of loam and leaf mould. Increased by seeds, or by cuttings. E. braziliensis (Brazilian). fl. large, in the axillae of the bract-like leaves, two to four, or more in a cluster, on short, bracteolate pedicels; calyx red; corolla white. July. l. alternate, simple, stalked, lanceolate, very long, quite entire, smooth. Axillary branches almost leafless, bearing the flowers at their ends. h. 10ft. Brazil, 1842. (B. M. 4742.) E. hypophyllanthus (leaf-flowering). fl. white; cymes short, one to three-flowered, developed on the costa beneath. l. bold, cuneate-oblong, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long. Columbia, 1853. Habit erect, unbranched. (B. M. 5824.) ERYTHRONIUM (from erythros, red, the colour of the flowers in the European species; Erythronion is the name given by Dioscorides to a kind of Orchis). Dog's-tooth Violet. ORD. Liliaceae. A genus of seven species of very ornamental dwarf, stemless, hardy, bulbous plants, of which one species is dispersed through Europe, Asiatic Russia to Japan, and the rest are North American. Flowers on a scape, solitary, pendulous; perianth segments six, erect or reflexed. Leaves radical, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate. They succeed in almost any light soil, but prefer a mixture of loam and peat. Propagated by offsets, which are produced freely when the plants do well. The best time for obtaining them, or for replanting, is immediately the leaves die away, after flowering. Erythroniums have a better effect when planted in groups than if placed in very small quantities separately; the bulbs should be inserted about 3in. deep. If left untouched afterwards, an annual top-dressing of good soil will be advantageous. Erythroniums succeed best in a sheltered position on a rockery, but are also suitable for the front line of mixed borders, or for shrubberies. They may also be grown in pots, in a cold frame, for greenhouse decoration when in flower. The flowers appear in March and April, and are attractive outside at that early season.

E. americanum (American).* fl. bright yellow, about 1in. across; perianth segments spreading, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse. l. elliptical-lanceolate, recurved at top, dotted and marbled with violet and white. h. 3in. to 6in. North America. (B. M. 1113.) E. dens-canis.* Dog's-tooth Violet. fl. purplish-rose or whitish, about 2in. in diameter, solitary, drooping. l. blotched with purple-brown and white, radical, stalked, broadly-oval, rounded at the base, acuminated. h. 6in. Europe, 1596. (B. M. 5.) There are several forms, varying in the colour of the flowers.

E. grandiflorum (large-flowered). fl. yellow or cream-colour, with a more or less orange base, solitary or often in a raceme of two to six or more; segments lanceolate and somewhat acuminate, strongly recurved, 1in. to 2in. long. l. not mottled, always closely approximate, oblong-lanceolate, 3in. to 6in. long, with broad, usually short petioles. North-west America. (B. R. 1786.) E. g. giganteum (gigantic). fl. white, with a yellow and orange base, large. l. mottled. Washington Territory. (B. M. 5714.) ERYTHROPHLOEUM (from erythros, red, and phloios, bark; referring to the red juice which flows from the tree when cut). Red-water Tree. ORD. Leguminosae. A small genus, containing three or four species of unarmed stove evergreen trees. Flowers small, almost sessile, in long, cylindrical spikes, forming a terminal panicle; petals five, small, slightly imbricate; stamens ten, inserted with the petals, free. Leaves bipinnate. For culture, see Acacia. E. guineense (Guinea). fl. pale yellow. l. bipinnate; leaflets opposite, oval, oblique, from roundish to lanceolate, repand, acuminated and entire. h. 40ft. to 100ft. Sierra Leone, 1823. The bark of this tree is very poisonous. E. Laboucherii (Labouchere's). fl., spikes rather dense, nearly sessile, 1in. to 3in. long; petals longer than the calyx, with woolly edges; stamens more than twice as long as the petals, inserted in two rows. l., pinnae opposite, in two or three pairs; leaflets four to nine, alternate, obliquely obovate or orbicular, very obtuse or retuse. Branches glabrous. North Australia. A lofty, hard-wooded tree.

ERYTHROXYLON (from erythros, red, and xylon, wood; some of the species have red wood). Including Sethia. ORD. Lineae. A very widely-distributed genus of about fifty species of stove or greenhouse evergreen trees, with small white or yellowish-green flowers, which arise from the axils of the stipulaceous scales. E. Coca thrives in fibry loam; and cuttings of half-ripe shoots will root in sand, under a hand glass, in heat.

E. Coca (Coca). fl. greenish, small, three or four together, axillary. l. alternate, lanceolate or oval, entire. h. 3ft. to 6ft. 1869. This is one of the most interesting species of the genus, and is extensively cultivated; its leaves are largely employed by the South Americans as a masticatory, under the name of Coca. Coca also constitutes an article of commerce with the Indians. Greenhouse. (B. M. Pl. 40.)