Solandra
(named in honour of Daniel Charles Solander, LL.D., F.R.S., 1736-1782, a Swede, disciple of Linnaeus, and fellow-traveller with Sir Joseph Banks and Captain Cook). ORD. Solanaceae. A small genus (about four species) of tall-climbing, stove shrubs, natives of tropical America. Flowers large; calyx long-tubular, two to five-cleft at apex; corolla funnel-shaped, with an ample, campanulate throat, and a limb of four broad lobes; stamens five, declinate above the middle; pedicels solitary, thick. Berries globose, pulpy. Leaves entire, coriaceous, shining. The species are very handsome subjects when in flower. If allowed abundance of space and moisture, they grow rapidly, but produce no blossoms. In order to avoid this, insert the plants in loamy soil, and encourage them to grow rapidly at first by giving plenty of water; then withhold water altogether until the leaves begin to drop off from drought, and an abundance of flowers will be the result. Propagation may be readily effected by cuttings, inserted in mould or tan. If small flowering plants are desired, the cuttings should be taken from flowering shoots.
S. grandiflora (large-flowered).* Peach-coloured Trumpet Flower. fl., calyx 2in. to 3 1/2in. long, three or four-cleft; corolla greenish-white, 7in. to 10in. long, the lobes undulate-crenate. March and April. fr. greenish, ovoid-globose, of a sweet, sub-acid flavour. l. elliptic or elliptic-oblong, 2 1/2in. to 5in. long. h. 15ft. Jamaica, 1781. (B. M. 1874.)
S. guttata (spotted). fl. erect, terminal; corolla pale yellow, marked with purple spots in the throat, large, funnel-shaped, the lobes crispately crenated, spreading. March. l. broadly elliptic-oblong, 3in. to 6in. long, acute, downy beneath. h. 10ft. Mexico, 1830. (B. R. 1551.)
S. laevis (smooth). fl. fragrant; calyx 4in. long, tubular, two-lipped at the extremity; corolla greenish-cream-colour, white at the limb, nearly 1ft. long, slender below, bell-shaped above, the limb spreading, of five singularly crisped and waved lobes; peduncles thick, 1/2in. long. November. l. alternate, oblong-oval or somewhat obovate, acute, paler beneath, small in proportion. Branches spreading, 2ft. long. South America, 1846. (B. M. 4345.) S. longiflora (long-flowered). fl., calyx about 3in. long; corolla white, with a purplish tinge, 1ft. long, the lobes undulately toothed. November. fr. 1 1/2in. in diameter. l. elliptic-, lanceolate-, or obovate-oblong, 2 1/2in. to 4in. long. h. 6ft. Jamaica, 1846.
S. viridiflora (green-flowered).* fl. green, terminal, solitary, pedunculate; calyx segments five, acute; corolla drooping, the segments elongated and revolute. May to July. l. elliptic-oblong, attenuated at both ends, acuminate, glabrous, h. 2ft. to 3ft. Brazil, 1815. Deciduous. (B. M. 1948.) Dyssochroma viridiflora is now the correct name of this plant.