Ipsea

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

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Read about Ipsea in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Ipsea (fancied resemblance to ips, a cynip insect or a worm). Orchidaceae. Two or 3 terrestrial E. Indian pseudobulbous orchids, allied to Pachystoma, with which it has been united: lvs. long, narrow and plicate: scape sheathed; fls. few, large, highly colored. I. speciosa, Lindl. (Pachystoma speciosum, Reichb.). Deciduous, tuberous-rooted, with erect scapes to 18 in. high: lvs. 5-8, long-petioled, 6-10 in. long: fls. several, bright yellow, fragrant, 2-3 in. diam., the lip oblong, with side lobes triangular and middle lobe obovate: pseudobulbs tufted. Ceylon. B.M. 5701. G. 26:189. —Blooms in winter. To be potted in fibrous loam, peat and leaf-mold, and rested alter growth. L. H.B. Iresine (Greek name for a harvest garland wound with wool: the flowers and seeds of these plants are woolly). Amarantaceae. Achyranthes. Ornamental- leaved bedding plants. Low, spreading, climbing or erect herbs or subshrubs: lvs. stalked, opposite, the margins not toothed in the domestic species: fls. very small, bracteate, in axillary or terminal panicles, perfect or imperfect (plants sometimes dioecious), the perianth of one series terete, 5- parted, with ovate-oblong segms.; stamens 5; style short or none, the stigmas 2 or 3: fr. a utriculus.—Species 20-25 in Trop. and Subtrop. Amer. Two or 3 species are in common cult, as bedding-plants, because of their highly colored lvs. and sts. The first of these to be intro. was described before the fls. were known and it was referred to Achyranthes (A. verschaffeltii), but in that genus the anthers are 2- loculed, whereas in Iresine they are 1- loculed. To gardeners they are still known as Achyranthes. Because of ease of propagation, ability to withstand sun and shearing, and the bright colors, the iresines are amongst the most popular bedding - plants. Few plants are easier to grow. Stock plants are kept over winter in a cool temperature (as in a carnation house), and in February and March they are given more heat and moisture, and cut back, to get cutting wood. Cuttings root quickly in any good cutting-bed. For mass bedding, plants are usually set 6 to 10 inches apart. They will not withstand frost. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

? Ipsea
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Subfamily: Epidendroideae Tribe: Arethuseae Subtribe: Bletiinae Genus: Ipsea Lindl.
Species
*Ipsea malabarica Ipsea speciosa Ipsea thailandica etc.

Ipsea is a genus of the family (Orchidaceae, endemic to India and Sri Lanka.