1869.] HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 459 



individual flowers, which are bright lilac, with a clear pale eye. A 

 moist but well-drained position on rock-work is the most suitable for it, 

 and peat and loam, with plenty of gritty sand, the most congenial com- 

 post. Flowers in March, April, and May. Native of the Caucasus. 



P. erosa, syn. Fortunei.—TYn.^ is another near relative of P. denti- 

 culata, but quite distinct. It is about equal in stature, but the flower- 

 stalks, which are rather stouter, are invariably mealy, except in starved 

 individuals suffering from drought and continuous exposure to the 

 sun. The flowers, which are somew^hat larger than those of P. denticu- 

 lata, are purplish lilac, with a conspicuous yellow eye. It is a charm- 

 ing rock-plant, requiring the same soil and treatment as the others in 

 this section. Flowers in March and April. 



P. farinosa is a species of altogether another type from any of the 

 foregoing, but not less attractive and beautiful. It is compact, dwarf, 

 and somewhat tufted in habit. The leaves are small, covered all over 

 — on the under side densely — with mealy down of musky odour ; the 

 flower-stems rise 5 or 6 inches above the leaves, bearing many-flowered 

 umbels of deep rose-lilac or purple yellow-eyed flowers. It is a beauti- 

 ful rock-plant, and should be provided with a well-drained but moist 

 and moderately shady spot ', in the growing season it can hardly be 

 kept too moist. The compost most congenial to it is mostly peat, a 

 little loam, and abundance of sharp sand. Flowers in May, June, and 

 July. Native of Britain and other parts of Europe. 



P. Scotica, confined, in Britain at least, to one or two localities in the 

 north of Scotland, with broader leaves, shorter and stouter flow^er_ 

 stems, and broader and shorter lobes to the corolla, which is purple 

 with a yellow eye, but in all other respects resembling P. farinosa, is 

 by botanists considered as only a well-marked variety of that species. 



P. farinosa var. acauUs is a remarkable and interesting variety, being 

 almost destitute of flower-stem, and forming the small umbels of flower 

 scarcely in relief of the mealy white foliage. 



P. longijiora is closely related to P. farinosa, but is scarcely so showy. 

 The style of growth and mealy foliage are similar, but the little umbels 

 are less compact, and the flower-tubes, as implied in the specific name, 

 are very long ; it is, in fact, more interesting and pretty than showy. 

 The soil and treatment recommended for P. farinosa are what this 

 Species requires also. Flowers bright red in May, June, and July. 

 Native of the Alps. 



P. 7ninima. — This is quite a little gem, very diminutive, with small 

 wedge-shaped, smooth leaves, rather boldly notched or toothed at the 

 tops. The flower-stems are short, bearing usually only one bright rose- 

 coloured, white-eyed flower, an inch or more in diameter. It is best 

 adapted for rock-work, and should have the same soil and treatment as 



