CATANANCHE cceiulea. 

 Blue Catananche. 



Class and Order. — Syngenesia Polygamia J^Iqcalis. 

 Syn. Catananche Coerulea. Curtis Bot. Mag. pi. 293. 



Root fibrous — Stem radical, branching — growing to the height of two feet — 

 Radical leaves, long, lanceolate, margins deeply toothed — back of the 

 leaf downy, and strongly nerved — Cauline leaves, sessile, linear, acute. 

 Flowers terminal on very long peduncles on which are scattered mem- 

 branaceous bracteas — Calyx imbricate, squamose, membranaceous, stri- 

 ate — Corolla blue — Florets ligulate, apex three toothed, purple at 

 the base, fertile— Stamens five, Anthers united— style one, stigma 

 bifid. 



There are only two species known of this g-euus, the one here 

 figured is a native of the South of Europe, and is said to have been 

 cultivated by Parkinson as far back as the year 1640, it is however by 

 no means a common plant, owing perhaps to the difficulty of keeping- 

 it through the winter, when it is very apt to be destroyed by frost ; it 

 is easily raised from seeds which may be sown in the autumn, and if 

 protected during- the winter, will make strong- plants to flower through 

 the ensuing summer, continuing in beauty until the approach of winter 

 — it likes a dry, sandy soil, and will not bear frequent removal,- the 

 other species, Catananche lutea, is an annual not deserving of cultivation. 



PI. 34. 



