a fe ee Oe 
Tas. 6799. 
CARYOPTERIS MASTACANTHUS. 
Native of Japan. 
Nat. Ord. VERBENACEX.— Tribe CARYOPTERIDER. 
Genus Caryorteris, Bunge; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1157.) 
CaryorTeris Mastacanthus; fruticulus pubescens, ramulis teretibus erectis v. 
adscendentibus, foliis oppositis petiolatis ovato-oblongis grosse serratis obtusis 
v. acutis, cymis pedunculatis axillaribus densifloris, calycis campanulati lobis 
lanceolatis acutis, corolle lobis 4 breviter ovatis apiculatis, quinto majore 
concavo fimbriato. 
C. Mastacanthus, Schauer in DC. Prodr, vol. xi. p. 625; Bocq. Rev. Verb. p. 110, 
t. 19; Gard. Chron. vol. xxi. (1884), p. 148, tig. 30 ; Franch. et Sav. Enum. 
Pl, Jap. vol. i. p. 257; Benth. Fl. Hongk. p. 268. 
C. incana, Miquel Prolus. Fl. Jap. p. 29. 
are ry ig sinensis, Endl. in Walp. Rep. vol. iv. p. 3; Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 
’ t. y . ° 
Barsvta sinensis, Lour. Fl. Coch. p. 444. 
Nepeta incana, Thunb. Fl, Jap. p. 244. 
N. japonica, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iii. p. 62. 
Though introduced upwards of forty years ago, and so 
well worthy of cultivation, this beautiful plant has been 
unknown in our gardens for many years, having been 
chasséed from the greenhouse in favour of more gaudy 
things. Lindley figured and described it in 1846 as ‘‘an 
autumn-flowering herbaceous plant, of some importance, 
because it furnishes an abundance of rich violet blossoms 
at a season when that colour, never abundant, is peculiarly 
rare in gardens.’ He advises its being kept in a green- 
house, watered abundantly, and syringed over head twice a 
day in summer, but that in consequence of the autumn 
flowering, the syringing should be discontinued as soon as 
the flower-buds are formed, otherwise these will be liable 
to “damp off.’’ In winter very little watering is required, 
nor is fire heat required, except to keep off frost. 
At Kew, during the last two seasons, this Caryopteris 
has flowered freely in the open air, and against a south 
FEBRUARY Ist, 1885. 
