C01{AT)ALIS 



Till-: muA\ BOOK 



COSTUS 



XXXV. 30G, f. 131 ; (,'anL VM4, Ixv. 

 110.) Quite hardy. 



C. bracteata — A Siberian perennial 

 about 9 ins. high, Avitli twice ternate 

 leaves cut into linear-lobed segments. 

 The sulphur-yellow flowers appear in 

 May and June. 



C. cava (C. tuherosa). — A European 

 perennial about 6 ins. high, with 

 twice ternate leaves cut into wedge- 

 shaped segments. The purple flowers 

 appear from February to May, in 

 loose racemes at the ends of the shoots. 

 The variety alhijlora has white flowers. 

 {Bot. Mag. tt. 232, 2340.) 



C. cheilanthifolia. — A Chinese 

 species, with elegant fern-like leaves 

 and erect racemes of yellow flowers. 

 Hardy in favoured spots. 



C. Gortschakowi. — A glaucous green 

 perennial 1 to U ft. high, native of 

 Turkestan. The leaves are twice 

 pinnately divided or cut, the lower 

 ones being 5 to 6 ins. long. The 

 golden - yellow flowers appear in 

 summer in close racemes. {Gartenfl. 

 t. 1183.) 



C. Kolpakowskiana. — A tuberous- 

 rooted i)erennial from Turkestan, 6 

 ins. high, with smooth deeply divided 

 leaves, and long -spurred pink or 

 purple flowers borne in summer in 

 loose racemes {(lartenfl. t. 948). 



C. Ledebouriana. — A pretty herba- 

 ceous perennial about 1 ft. high, 

 native of the Altai Mountains. It 

 has tuberous root-stocks and leaves 

 twice ternately cut into obovate 

 glaucous segments. The purple 

 flowers appear in summer, and have 

 rather a thick pale purple spur. 



C. Marschalllana. — A perennial 

 about 9 ins. high, native of Tauria. 

 Leaves twice ternate, with oval entire 

 or bifid lobes, and sulphur -yellow 

 flowers produced in April and May. 

 {Gartenjl. t. 501.) 



C. nobllls {Fumaria nohilis). — A 

 lovely Siberian perennial about 9 ins. 



high. Leaves twice pinnate, Avith 

 wedge-shaped segments cut at apex. 

 Flowers in May, pale yellow, tipped 

 with green, and having a long blunt 

 spur. {Bot. Reg. t. 395 ; Bot. Mag. 

 t. 1983.) 



C. pallida.— A juicy herb 1 to U ft. 

 high, native of China and Japan. 

 The pale green leaves are thrice 

 pinnately cut or divided, and the 

 bright yellow flowers tipped with 

 brown appear in summer. {Bot. Mag. 

 t. 6826.) 



C. Seworowii. — A pretty species 12 

 to 18 ins. high, native of Turkestan, 

 with finely divided grey-green leaves, 

 and deep yellow flowers in April and 

 May. Spur short, saccate. {Gartenfl. 

 t. 1077.) 



C. solida {C. hnlhosa). — A tuberous 

 perennial, 6 ins. high, native of Europe, 

 and naturalised in woods and dampish 

 places in Britain. The twice ternate 

 leaves are cut into oblong or wedge- 

 shaped segments, and the large 

 purplish flowers about 1 in. long are 

 produced in April and May. {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 231.) 



The above Fumitories are amongst 

 the best of the tuberous-rooted kinds 

 for garden purposes. They are easily 

 grown in ordinary well-drained garden 

 soil, and prefer jiartial shade and 

 moist places either in the ordinary 

 border or in nooks in the rock-garden. 

 They are easily increased in spring or 

 early autunm by separating the ofl'sets 

 from the older tuberous roots. Seeds 

 may also be sown, but some species 

 do not ripen them freely. 



COSTUS (ancient name of an Indian 

 perfume). Nat. Ord. Scitaminea;.— 

 A genus containing about thirty 

 species of hothouse plants, from 

 America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. 

 They have tuberous root-stocks, fleshy 

 leaves, and flowers borne in spikes 

 furnished with imbricating bracts. 



152 



