FFF627 - STOKESIA

Stokesia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae, containing the single species Stokesia laevis. Common names include Stokes' aster and stokesia. The species is native to the southeastern United States.

The flowers appear in the summer and are purple, blue, or white in nature.The plant is cultivated as a garden flower. Several cultivars are available, including the cornflower blue 'Klaus Jelitto', 'Colorwheel', which is white, turning purple over time, and 'Blue Danube', which has a blue flower head with a white centre. More unusual cultivars include the pink-flowered 'Rosea' and yellow-flowered 'Mary Gregory'.

Like a few other plants (such as some species of Vernonia), it contains vernolic acid, a vegetable oil with commercial applications. The genus is named after Jonathan Stokes (1755–1831), English botanist and physician.

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FFF626 - LIMONIUM

Limonium peregrinum, perennial pink statice (or sea lavender), is a relatively rare, hardy perennial with brilliant pink papery flowers on erect stems, which bloom for months above a rounded mound of evergreen leathery green leaves. Ideal for dry and exposed gardens where water is scarce.

Plant in well drained soil, fertilising is not necessary, and it will tolerate sandy soils. Allow soil to dry between thorough watering. It is tolerant of seaside conditions.

Limonium peregrinum is the largest and most showy of the sea lavenders. The flower petals are magenta with the calyx (outer envelope of the flower) dull pink and paper-like when dry. They remain present for a long time and are highly decorative.

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FFF625 - CATTLEYA ORCHID HYBRID

Cattleya is a genus of orchids from Costa Rica, and south to Argentina. The genus is abbreviated C in trade journals. They are epiphytic or terrestrial orchids with cylindrical rhizome from which the fleshy noodle-like roots grow. Pseudobulbs can be conical, spindle-shaped or cylindrical; with upright growth; one or two leaves growing from the top of them.

The leaves can be oblong, lanceolate or elliptical, somewhat fleshy, with smooth margin. The inflorescence is a terminal raceme with few or several flowers. Flowers have sepals and petals free from each other; the lip or labellum (lowermost petal), usually has a different coloration and shape from the rest of the flower and covers in part the flower column forming a tube. There are four polliniums (bag-like organs that contain pollen). The fruit is a capsule with many small seeds'.

Many hybrids have been developed, with some spectacular colours and flower shapes, but all conforming with the idea of "orchid" in most people's minds.

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FFF624 - PINCUSHION PROTEA

Leucospermum is a genus of evergreen upright, sometimes creeping shrubs that is assigned to the Proteaceae, with currently forty-eight known species. Almost all species are easily recognised as Leucospermum because of the long protruding styles with a thickened pollen-presenter, which jointly give the flower head the appearance of a pincushion, its common name. Pincushions can be found in South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Currently, the genus is subdivided in nine sections based on morphological commonalities and differences, each section having several species. The classification becomes more complex when garden hybrids are considered.

Leucospermum pluridens 'Gold Fever' is shown here and is a large upright evergreen shrub of up to 3 m high. It has leathery, oblong to wedge-shaped leaves about 7½ cm long and 2½ cm wide, deeply incised near the tip with seven to ten teeth. It has initially yellow, later carmine coloured flower heads. The 2 cm long bracts have slender, recurved tips. From the centre of the perianth emerge long styles that jointly give the impression of a pincushion. It is called Robinson pincushion in English and Robinson-kreupelhout in Afrikaans. Flowers can be found between September and December. It naturally occurs in the south of South Africa.

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