SWISS FLOWERS. 31 



12. Iberis. — Candytuft. 



(PLATE IX.) 

 This is a well-known plant of our gardens, as, of the 

 many seeds hopefully sown in spring, it is one of the most 

 likely to come up. The purple kind is our most common 

 annual, but the I. amara (Fig. 13) of Switzerland is very 

 often white, with purplish calyx and buds. The flower 

 grows in a sort of umbel-head in the shape of a flat circle, 

 which becomes lengthened. The unequal petals is what 

 especially marks the Candytufts, the two outer being much 

 larger than the two inner. As they are so arranged that the 

 longer are outside, the flower has a rayed appearance. The 

 leaves are rather thick-toothed, especially the lower ones ; 

 seed siliculose ; plant from six to nine inches high. Not 

 unfrequent in sandy places iu West Switzerland. In the 

 cantons of Geneva, Berne, St, Gall, and Tessin. 



13. Alyssum. 



(PLATE X.) 



None of the species of Alyssum can claim to be more 



than doubtful natives with us, but they are too common 



and too well known in gardens not to have escaped here 



and there. There are few who do not recognise the bright 



