SILENE. 



S. dianthoeides is a species from the grassy alps of Caucasus, where 

 it forms dense perennial mats of foliage, and sends up its flowers in 

 dense heads, like those of some clustered Pink, on stems of 6 inches 

 or so. 



8. Elizabethae has gone away into Melandryum, q.v. 



8. elongata, Bell, is a close cousin of 8. acaulis, but differs so 

 magnificently from that poor cousin as to have earned specific rank. It 

 is almost confined to the districts of the Western Graians, extending into 

 Dauphine\ and eastward as far as the Simplon, growing at times almost 

 to the exclusion of the type, from which it stands aloof hi making 

 larger, looser, handsomer mats, covered with much larger and brighter 

 flowers of much richer outline, and emerging from the tuffots on quite 

 definite little stems of 2 inches or more, instead of sitting almost close 

 in a carpet. It is a plant of singular opulence and beauty of effect, 

 and in cultivation is neither better nor worse to grow than the type, 

 though incomparably more desirable. There is a double-flowered 

 form called 8. e. Correvoniana, and the wild type may be seen abound- 

 ing in the rocks by the roadside on the top of the Mont Cenis Pass, and 

 there recognised by eyes that would otherwise be bewildered to see 

 S. acaulis so very much finer, ampler, and more splendid than usual — 

 almost like mats of glowing little single Carnations depending from the 

 shaly cliff. 



S. eriophorum (Heliosperma) is the correct name of 8. Veselskyi 

 (which is also called 8. Heuffleri and S. glutinosum). It is quite a good 

 thing all the same, like a combination of 8. alpestris and S. quadrifida, 

 making an upstanding fine bush of 6 or 9 inches, all in a tangle of very 

 thin sticky-stemmed sticky-leaved branching sprays, with innumerable 

 stars of white blossom all the summer through, in the way of 8. quadri- 

 fida, but more numerous, and hi a much more mtricate fine mass. It 

 grows easily in any cool open soil. 



S. exscapa. See under 8. acaulis. 



S. glutinosum=S. eriophorum, q.v. 



S. Graejferi=8. ciliata, q.v. 



8. Griffithii is not of great merit. 



S. Hayekiana is exactly after the habit and scant beauties of 

 8. 8axifraga, q.v. 



8. Heuffl,eri=S. eriophorum. 



8. Hookeri is a specially beautiful species, on the contrary, even 

 taking rank above Melandryum ElizabetJiae. It comes from Cali- 

 fornia, and appreciates light open soil or moraine, in a sunny, warm, 

 and well-drained position. Here it forms a tuft or clumped tuft from 

 a central taproot, after the fashion of Archduchess Elizabeth's Melan- 



361 



