PARACARYUM. 



the splayed -out rosette has an unearthly and almost artificial loveliness 

 which does not suffer when the filigree has caught a number of rain- 

 drops in its mesh, and the whole netting of leaf and water-globules 

 becomes a gbV g f diamond-work almost Etruscan in its fine- 



amid of blossom., however, seems hardly a 

 worthy conclusion to so much beauty, for the flowers are small, pale- 

 purple, and so ashamed of their bathos that they make the utmost 



• to shed their petals. All these Poppies like any open light soil, 

 but it is on the grey surface of the moraine that the silver of P. triniae- 

 folium looks its clearest. The only other perennial to be spoken of 

 (for all the remaining scores of Poppies are annuals) is P. anomabrm. 

 which comes quite close to some Chinese forms of P. nudkauk, but 

 earns definite specific rank by its astonishing possession of a seed- 

 capsule that is very nearly round and wholly bald, instead of 

 being long (as in all Iceland Poppies) and densely clad in coarse 

 black fur. 



Paracaryum, a beautiful Borragineous family standing near 

 Cynoglc>-:um and Omphaiodes, taller and stronger than the latter, but 

 vreening like the former. They bloom in June and Jul}*, 

 may easily be raised from seed, and in due course divided. 



P. anchueoeides attains 2 feet or so, and has big Forget-me-not 

 flowers of the most glorious azure-blue. 



P. angu-sti folium {P. azureum, Boiss. and Held.) is smaller in 

 habit, making tufts of huddled very narrow radical leaves, clothed 

 in long white silky hairs, and on long stems. The scantily-branching 

 stems are about 6 inches high, loosely set with most lovely wide sky- 

 coloured blossoms. From alpine and sub-alpine regions of Cappa- 

 docia. Armenia, Lycaonia, Cilician Taurus, &c, and worthy of the 

 choicest place in the foreground, in light well-drained soil and full 

 sun. 



folium has narrow foliage, but has not yet arrived at 

 manifesting further characters ; though it hardly seems likely to be 

 h great trouble, as it is biennial. The same may be said also of 

 P. glochidiatum, which is a yard high, large and lax. and set with minute 

 hooked hairs ; and perhaps of P. himalaiense, of which it seems sug- 

 gested that the flowers are too small. 



P. mcamm i ; about 18 inches high, very hoary, with flowers of 

 blue. 



P. lamproearpum is yet another name in a group of biennials hardly 

 to be bothered about, among which are PP. leptophyttum, pontic am. 



• . calycinum. longi- 

 'i.hijlorutn 



40 



