LYCHNIS. 181 



LYCHNIS. Li/chnis, 



Natural Order Caryophyllci : a Genus of the Deca7i^ 

 dria Pentagynia Class. 



** The decorated fields V 



With all their flowery tribe cannot equal 

 Those lovelier flow'rs, that with delight I view 

 In the fair garden." 



Milton. 



The Lychnis Chalcedonica may justly be ranked 

 amongst the most ornamental of our hardy flow- 

 ering plants, carrying its large tufts of brilliant 

 scarlet flowers on stems of from two to four feet 

 in height, as if to illuminate the parterre by the 

 glow of its vivid colour. The double-flowering 

 white variety is regarded by the Dutch as one of 

 their finest flowers, and we cannot withhold our 

 regret that this variety, as well as the pale red 

 or rosy-petaled, should remain so great a rarity 

 in our gardens, which their presence would so 

 much contribute to beautify. 



Pliny tells us that this flower was surnamed 

 Flammea, on account of its flaming colour, which 

 is frequently nearer the colour of fire than of 



