VOLUME 14 :: January—October, 1952 Illustrations shown in ...

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14 THE CACTUS AND SUCCULENT January, 1952 Aptenia cordifolia Mesembryanthemum grandifolium Derenbergiella luisae Hydrodea sarcocalycantha Four photos from Professor Schwantes' "The Cultivation of the Mesembryanthemaceae
January, 1952 JOURNAL OF GREAT BRITAIN 15 As the flowers fail, the leaves wither and drop and very little water should be given in order that the plants may have the rest so essential to good growth. Cuttings can be taken at any time of the year, but preferably in early spring, and I find it best to break them off cleanly at the joints rather than cut across a stem. These can be placed in very sandy peat until roots have formed, only a little water being given from underneath. Large pots are the best medium for holding cuttings which can be arranged round the edge. Watering after a week or so, by standing the pots in water for a few minutes, is then much easier, and the stems will not bend or fall. The easiest grown species, and one of the best, is P. tetragonum which has long, four sided, rounded stems and very bright pink flowers on long stalks. This plant looks well if the branches are kept down to three joints and supported on thin canes, when a fine bushy specimen will result. P. echinatum is a smaller growing species with spiny stems and pretty leaves. The flowers are lilac coloured with purple veins, and in bloom for long periods. P. carnosum and P. crassicaule have thickened woody stems, rounded and notched, with hairy leaves on very long, upright stalks. The flowers are pink and white respectively, needing as much sun as possible to encourage free blooming. All the above, with their distinct flower formation and bright colourings, are well worth a place in the collection. Zygophyllum fontanesii used to be a very popular plant before the war, but it is most difficult to find in a collection today. This easy grown succulent seems to have lost favour, as so many plants do, and has had to give place to the more popular species at present in vogue. It is, however, a charming plant with shining green to golden yellow leaves, short and narrow and flattened on the upper sides. These are borne in twos on the short stems and fall off during the resting period in winter. The root system is very strong on mature plants and larger pots are necessary, with a rich, gritty compost containing a fair amount of leafmould. The small, star-shaped flowers, produced in great profusion during early summer, are pale pink in colour, and are followed, later on in the season, by the rounded fruits that turn colour from green to orange. The colour and appearance of the plant, together with the brightly coloured berries, gives a twofold attraction that is most charming, and it is remarkable that so few can be found. The propagation from seed takes rather a long time as they are slow to germinate, but cuttings may be taken in May and rooted successfully. There have been rumours that the new edition of Borg's " Cacti " is now out of print. We are glad to say that this rumour is incorrect, and members can still obtain copies from the publishers as given in the advertisement on the outside of the back cover. It is with the deepest regret that we have to record the passing of Mrs. Caroline Schmoll. Mrs. Schmoll, with her husband, the late Ferdinand Schmoll, contributed very largely to our knowledge of our plants and their passing will be of considerable loss to us. We are informed that their nephew, Willi Wagner, will continue the business, but, unfortunately, is not able to give the same amount of help with identification as was so much the principle of the business in the past. THE SYSTEMATICS OF CONOPHYTUM N.E. Br. (Continued from Page 9) a plant of this species myself. The habit described by N. E. Brown reminds one strongly of types of Ophthalmophyllum, It will be necessary to go into this question thoroughly. If C. edithae N. E. Br. is to be left in the genus Conophytum, it is to be included in the sub-genus Fenestrata N. E. Br., as already suggested by N. E. Brown himself. According to its habit and its colouring, it belongs to the series Sub-fenestrata Tisch. The species described by N. E. Brown as C. rufescens N. E. Br. and C. longum N. E. Br., must be included in the genus Ophthalmophyllum. Of both species I have received type plants from Brown. To judge by their habit, the translucency, the colouring and the nature of the substance, they are indubitably true Ophthalmophylla. Unfortunately, I was unable to observe the flower. Already, previously, I have re-named C. rufescens N. E. Br. as Ophth. rufescens (N. E. Br.) Tisch. Also C. longum N. E. Br. must be re-named Ophth. longum (N. E. Br.) Tisch. (To be continued)
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VOLUME 14 :: January—October, 1952 Illustrations shown in ...

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