17S FLORA HTSTORICA. 



power, because the flower is furnished with four 

 stamens, two of which are always considerably 

 longer than the other two, and converging close 

 to the upper lip of the corolla, each pair of an- 

 thers approaching, which renders the distinction 

 of this class very striking. 



This plant produces its flowers on a spike, but 

 the whole of them fronting one way, which is 

 generally to the sun; and as it gives out nu- 

 merous branches from two to three feet in height, 

 it becomes highly ornamental, particularly amongst 

 dwarf shrubs. The colours of these flowers are 

 numerous, consisting of all the shades of a rich 

 orange and yellow down to white, with the same 

 varieties in reds and purple, with an endless 

 change of party-colours, the most esteemed of 

 which is that with a gold-coloured throat, and a 

 dark crimson mouth and lips. 



The Snap-Dragon grows naturally in the south 

 of Europe ; and, as it is frequently found on the 

 cliffs of Dover, it is now classed as one of the 

 native plants of England, although it is generally 

 supposed not to have been originally belonging 

 to our soil. 



These plants love a light soil and an open 

 sunny situation, but when transplanted into a 

 rich and moist earth they produce larger flowers. 



