Gorteria
It thrives in any well-drained garden soil, and may be increased by seeds, or by cuttings, inserted under a bell glass, in a cold frame. G. stenophylla (slender-leaved). fl.-heads 3in. across, on long, leafless stalks; ray florets bronzy-green in the centre externally, of the richest golden-yellow internally; disk florets of the same colour; involucral bracts numerous, running together at the base into a cup, the free ends leafy, about 1in. long, linear, ciliate at the edges. l. deep green above, long, linear, grassy, snowy-white beneath. South Africa. The flowers have the same habit of closing in the after part of the day as those of Gazania. GENISTA. To the species described on p. 58, Vol. II., the following should now be added:
G. sibirica (Siberian). fl. yellow. June to August. fr. brown. Stems erect. h. 6ft. Siberia, 1785. Plant slenderer than G. tinctoria (of which it is only a variety).
G. s. filifer (thread-bearing). fl. pale yellow, numerous. 1886. SYN. Cytisus filifer.
GENTIANA. To the species described on pp. 59-61, Vol. II., the following should now be added:
G. arvernensis (Auvergne). A beautiful little alpine Gentian, allied to G. Pneumonanthe, but more robust and tufted in habit, with much deeper blue flowers, and firmer and broader leaves. It lasts many weeks in blossom. 1882. Probably a new form of G. Pneumonanthe.
G. Bigelovii (Bigelow's). fl. violet, sessile, axillary, arranged in a leafy spike; calyx tube purplish, cylindric, with long-linear, green teeth; corolla about 1in. long, two subulate teeth alternating with the ovate, sub-acute lobes. August. l. linear or linear-oblong, 2in. long. h. 1ft. to 1 1/4ft. New Mexico, 1886. (B. M. 6874.) G. decumbens (decumbent). fl. blue, in a racemiform cyme; corolla narrow, obconical, with five short, ovate lobes. l. linear-lanceolate, scabrous on the margins. Stems ascending. Siberia. (R. G. 1087, f. 1-2.) G. Fetisowi (Fetisow's). fl. deep blue, sessile, in terminal, compact clusters, and solitary or clustered in the axils; corolla tubular-campanulate, the segments slightly acute. July and August. l. narrow-lanceolate, five-nerved, entire; cauline ones connate; radical ones rosulate. Stem solitary, tall, erect. Turkestan, 1883. Plant highly glabrous. (R. G. 1069, f. 1-5.) G. Kesselringi (Kesselring's). fl. whitish, dotted outside with violet, sub-sessile in glomerate, terminal racemes; corolla tubular-ventricose, the limb of five ovate, spreading lobes, shortly apiculate at apex. July and August. l., radical ones numerous, linear-lanceolate, acute; cauline ones opposite, oblong-lanceolate. Stems about 8in. high. Turkestan, 1883. (R. G. 1087, f. 3-4.) G. Moorcroftiana (Moorcroft's). fl. solitary at the ends of the branches or in leafy cymes; calyx tube 1/4in. long; corolla pale blue, 3/4in. to 1 1/4in. long, funnel-shaped, the throat naked and without folds, the lobes ovate, 1/3in. long. Summer. l. 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, sessile, linear-oblong or elliptic, obtuse or sub-acute, nerveless. Stem simple or branched from the root. h. 4in. to 10in. Western Himalayas. Annual. (B. M. 6727.) G. Olivieri glomerata (Olivier's compact). fl. deep blue, usually very numerous, sessile or nearly so, densely cymose-subcapitate or in an uninterruptedly glomerate raceme. July. l. as in G. Fetisowi, but narrower. Turkestan, 1883. (R. G. 1069, f. 6-7.) G. sceptrum (sceptre). fl. deep blue, large, borne in terminal clusters. Stems fleshy, 1ft. to 2ft. high.
G. triflora (three-flowered). fl. blue, large and handsome, somewhat like those of G. Pneumonanthe. Late autumn. l. linear-lanceolate, smooth, glossy dark green. h. 1ft. Mountains of Central Asia. (R. G. 1189.) G. verna aestiva (summer). A form with larger flowers than the type. G. Wallichiana (Wallich's). fl. light blue, in axillary, terminal clusters. July and August. Stems 9in. to 12in. long, nearly prostrate. G. Walujewi (Walujew's). fl. whitish, dotted pale blue, sessile, densely crowded in a head-like, terminal cyme; corolla 1/2in. in diameter, the lobes elliptic-lanceolate, acute. Late summer. l., radical ones numerous, coriaceous, lanceolate, narrowed into short petioles; cauline ones sessile, elliptic or lanceolate, opposite. Stems solitary or twin, growing erect from the rosette of radical leaves. Turkestan, 1884. (R. G. 1140.) GEODORUM. SYNS. Cistella, Otandra. Of this genus about nine species have been enumerated: they inhabit the East Indies, the Malayan Archipelago, and Australia. To those described on pp. 61-2, Vol. II., the following should now be added:
G. Duperreanum (Baron Duperre's). fl. nine to fifteen in a spike; sepals and petals white, linear-oblong; lip white, with purple veins, concave. l. three or four, oblong-lanceolate. Cochin China, 1883. A pretty Orchid. GERANIUM. To the species and varieties described on pp. 62-4, Vol. II., the following should now be added:
G. Lowii (Low's). fl. pink, in large clusters; stalks fleshy, 1ft. to 2ft. high. l. 3in. to 12in. in diameter, in five divisions, each division again deeply divided.
G. tuberosum Charlesii (Dr. Charles'). fl. rose-coloured, 1in. to 1 1/2in. across, the petals enlarging till they fall off. l., radical ones none; lowest cauline ones long-petiolate, the uppermost ones sessile. Afghanistan, 1885. (B. M. 6910.) GERRARDANTHUS (called after W. T. Gerrard, a collector at Natal). ORD. Cucurbitaceae. A small genus (three species) of stove or greenhouse, tall, glabrous climbers, natives of Western and Eastern tropical Africa. Flowers greenish or fuscous, dioecious; calyx five-lobed; corolla rotate or campanulate, deeply five-parted; males racemose, with four stamens and an imperfect fifth; females solitary, with an elevated, trigonal ovary. Fruit small, elongated, terete, many-seeded. Leaves membranous, cordate or hastate-cordate. G. tomentosus, the only species known to cultivation, is a stove perennial, of botanical interest. Mr. Wood, now Superintendent of the Natal Botanical Gardens, is recorded to have found, on the top of and between large stones, tubers, one of which "measured 6ft. in circumference, and was nearly 2ft. thick; its surface was scarred; and from the centre arose a stem not more than 3/4in. in diameter, thickly covered with small, round tubercles, which ascended without a leaf to the top of trees 50ft. high. On turning over one of the tubers, it was found to have but one fibrous root, about 1/2in. thick.... The natives do not appear to put the plant to any use" ("Botanical Magazine," 6694). The plant may be increased by seeds. G. tomentosus (downy). fl. yellow, 1/2in. in diameter, the males in short racemes, the females one or two together. fr. 3in. long, obovoid, ten-ribbed, dry, opening by three lobes. l. large, cordate-reniform, five-lobed. (B. M. 6694.) GEUM. To the species described on pp. 66-7, Vol. II., the following should now be added:
G. rhaeticum (Rhaetian Alps). fl. golden-yellow, 1in. across. Summer. l., radical ones 3in. to 5in. long, lyrate, interruptedly pinnate; side pinnae with coarse, deep serrations; terminal leaflet large, heart-shaped, lobed. Stems numerous, 6in. to 8in. high, erect, with three or four small, pinnate leaves. An interesting natural hybrid between G. montanum and G. reptans, discovered on the south side of Monte Rosa, 1886. (R. G. 1229.) SYN. Sieversia rhaetica.
GLADIOLUS. To the species and varieties described on pp. 70-1, Vol. II., the following should now be added:
G. Kotschyanus (Kotschy's). fl. light violet, about 1 1/2in. long, with a nearly regular limb, the lower segments rather paler than the others, with a dark, median stripe; spike loosely few-flowered; scape 1ft. to 2ft. high, including the inflorescence. May. l. linear, 6in. to 8in. long. Afghanistan, Persia, 1886. (B.M. 6897.) G. Papilio atratus (dark). A fine variety, the ground-colour of the flowers being dark purple instead of yellow. 1885.
G. watsonioides (G. Watsonius-like). fl. four to ten in a very lax, unilateral spike; perianth bright scarlet, the tube curved, 1 1/2in. long, the segments oblong or ovate, acute, 1in. long; spathe valves curved, leafy, lanceolate. June. l., produced ones about four, linear, erect, firm, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long. Stem erect, 2ft. to 3ft. long, with usually a couple of much-reduced leaves below the inflorescence. Kilimanjaro, 1886. (B. M. 6919.) G. Watsonius (Watson's). fl. two or three, each standing on a peduncle-like tube, enclosed by a bifid spathe; corolla bright red, funnel-shaped, the segments ovate-lanceolate, spreading. February and March. l. three or four, 3in. long, upright, rigid, flat, linear-lanceolate. Stem 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. high. (B. M. 450.) A variety in which the segments are variegated with yellow from the base about half-way up, is figured in B. M. 569. Varieties. The subjoined are the best forms of G. gandavensis quite recently introduced, and are all worthy of culture in select collections. They have all received the first-class certificate of the Royal Horticultural or some other established society.
ADMIRAL WILLIS, red, flaked crimson and violet; APPIANUS, white, with large rose blotch on lower petal; CALLIPHON, rose flamed with deeper rose, light centre; CHARLES NOBLE, orange-scarlet, flaked and feathered rose; CROWN PRINCE, carmine, flaked and streaked crimson; DR. WOODMAN, salmon, flaked lake and rose; DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH, purplish-rose, flaked carmine; DUNI, crimson, shaded reddish-maroon; EGYPTIAN KING, maroon, flaked chestnut; HILDA, flesh, flaked and lined rose; JAMES DOUGLAS, rosy-lilac, flamed crimson; JAMES KELWAY, crimson and maroon, white lines; LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL, red, violet stripes; LORD SALISBURY, scarlet, crimson centre; LORD W. BERESFORD, amaranth, flaked lake; MELTON, salmon-red; MR. BAINES, orange-carmine, striped red; MR. MARSHALL, salmon-red, striped carmine; MR. STRIEDINGER, flesh, veined carmine; MRS. DOBREE, white and pale yellow; PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR, scarlet, flaked white; PRINCE GEORGE, crimson, scarlet, and white; PRINCESS BEATRICE, white, violet stripes; PRINCESS OLGA, white, flaked rose; ST. GATIEN, vermilion, flaked crimson; SAMUEL JENNINGS, scarlet and white blotches; SILENUS, crimson, with violet stripe; SIR MASSEY LOPES, orange-rose, with light centre; SIR TREVOR LAWRENCE, mulberry, flaked maroon; WILLIAM KELWAY, crimson-scarlet, blotched white.