iSyi.] AMERICAN WILD - FLOWERS. 269 



of well-marked species. In short, no lover of good hardy herbaceous 

 plants can afford to be without this. The same may be said of Yiola 

 pubescens, which is produced sparingly hereabouts, and may be known 

 immediately from any other American Viola by its yellow corolla, re- 

 minding one of a small form of Viola lutea. The two species now 

 under consideration have not yet been found by me out of woods in 

 which the soil is a rich loam, as deep as you like, and without a stone. 



One evening, early in April, I went out on a short botanical excur- 

 sion, and was rewarded by finding any quantity of Trillium sessile, and 

 a considerable amount of Phlox divaricata, and both in full blossom, 

 and growing in a wood without much shade ; although I have observed 

 that the vitality was by far the greatest where protection most abounded, 

 and indeed I have not been able to meet with these plants on cleared 

 lands. 



Trillium sessile, like all the members of the curious and beautiful 

 genus to which it belongs, has first three leaves in a whorl, then three 

 sepals, next three pistils, afterwards come six stamens, and finally three 

 carpels forming the pistil. The flowers, the leaves, the sepals, and the 

 petals of this species are all sessile ; and hence the trivial name is sound, 

 inasmuch as it is descriptive. The leaves of this, in addition to being 

 sessile, are ovate, and very often marked with large black spots, such as 

 occur on Arum maculatum. The petals grow erect, or nearly so, are 

 lanceolate, about an inch long and of a dark purplish colour, and this 

 last is also true of the inner side of the sepals, the outer side of these 

 being nearly green. The specimens which I saw were never above 7 

 inches high. 



Well deserving of every attention as Trillium sessile is, it is not 

 nearly so lovely a plant as Phlox divaricata. This was a great favourite 

 with me, even when I knew it endeavouring to grow in a pot half full 

 of drainage, and having the soil dried off in the winter-time. It is, 

 however, an undeniable fact, that to be admired as it deserves, it should 

 be seen springing freely and faultless from its native soil, and sur- 

 rounded by, and mixed with, its appropriate associates. What a gem 

 this would make for a rockwork ! It should have a nook into which 

 the extremely intense rays of the mid-day sun never go, and it could 

 hardly fail to do admirably if set out in a plantation, and cared for 

 until it took root. It is not a tall plant, as I have not observed any 

 above 1 foot high. It may be known from any other perennial Amer- 

 ican Phlox by the corolla, the lobes of which are notched at the end, 

 and by the leaves being remote. The corolla is of a pale lilac or bluish 

 purple colour, and about as large as that of the common Texan annual 

 Phlox Drummondii. John Duncan. 



Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. 



