GENTIAN'A 



THE RFLB BOOK 



GKRANIT-M 



species grows about 6 ins. high, and 

 has oval-oblong, more or less jointed 

 leaves distinctly spotted with black. 

 The white flowers appear in April 

 and May, in a loose spike on a 

 flexuose stem. {Bot. Mag. t. 584.) 



G. grandls. — This species grows 

 about 1 ft high, and has narrow 

 sword - shaped leaves, deeply chan- 

 nelled at the base. The pale yellow 

 flowers, with a blood-red vein down 

 the centre of the segments, appear in 

 May, drooping from a strong leafy 

 stem. {Bot. Maa. t. 5877.) 



G. humilis. — This species has conns 

 about ]■. in. in diameter, stiffish awl- 

 shaped leaves, and loose spikes of 

 bright yellow flowers. There are 

 several forms of it. {Bot. Mag. t. 

 1255.) 



G. inflexa (G. xyiginato). — This is 

 perhaps the most ornamental species, 

 about IS ins. high, with curved 

 sword-shaped leaves and large bright 

 yellow flowers with a velvety heart- 

 shaped purple blotch at the base of 

 each segment {Sic. Brit. Fl. Gard. 

 138). 



G. obtusata. — This species has 

 linear sword-like leaves and yellow 

 flowers suffused -with rose on the 

 outer segments, borne on stems 

 about a foot high {Bot. Mag. t. 672). 



G. rochensls {Ixiri roclt^nsis). — A 

 handsome species with narrow 

 pointed leaves and indigo - blue 

 flowers having bands of white and 

 purple crimson in the centre {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 598). 



G. setacea. — This species has linear 

 setaceous leaves, and produces in June 

 and July its whitish or sulphur- 

 yellow flowers striped externally with 

 red. The plant figured under this 

 name in the Bot. Mag. t. 1255 is G. 



h UTIt Uis. 



GEamANA (after Gentim, king 

 of lllyria, who first experienced the 



virtue of Gentian). Xat. Ord. Gen- 

 tianeae. — There are nearly 200 species 

 of Gentians, but that here mentioned 

 is the only one worth noting as 

 having a swollen root-stock. For the 

 fibrous - rooted species the reader is 

 referred to the author's Practical 

 Guide to Garden Plants, pp. G52 to 

 657. 



G. lutea. — This vigorous European 

 perennial has large spindle-shaped or 

 turnip -like roots, blackish outside, 

 yello%vish and spong>- within, from 

 which the true Gentian root of the 

 druggists is obtained. Like all the 

 Gentians, this species has opposite 

 leaves, broadly ovate or oblong, and 

 strongly and deeply veined, gradually 

 becoming smaller as they pass up the 

 stems, which reach a height of from 4 

 to 6 ft. In June and July the yellow 

 flowers appear in dense Avhorls, each 

 subtended by a pair of boat-shaped 

 leaves. 



This species flourishes in rich loamy 

 soil in simny or partially shaded 

 situations, and is efl'ective in bold 

 groups. Increased bj' dividing the 

 roots in spring. 



GERANIUM {geranos, a crane ; 

 referring to the beak -like projection 

 beyond the seeds), Ceaxe's-bill. 

 Nat. Ord. Geraniaceae. — The true 

 Geraniums differ from the Zonal 

 Pelargoniums (which are popularly 

 known as Geraniums) in having 

 regular flowers without a spur, and 

 ten stamens, while the Pelargoniums 

 have mostly irregular flowers with a 

 spurred posterior sepal, and five 

 stamens or less. There are about a 

 hundred species (the most ornamental 

 of which are described in the author's 

 Practical Guide to Garden Plants, 

 pp. 295, 286), but the only one with 

 a swollen root-stock is — 



G. tuberosum. — A native of S. 

 Europe, with tuberous root-stock, 



240 



