VELLA SPINOSA. 



of a waxy pearly pinkness and the most entrancing fragrance, em- 

 balming the air as one passes. This beautiful and blessed little mass 

 thrives happily in the moraine, and quickly spreads ; it should, 

 however, in hot dry climates, be well supplied with water, and set in 

 a rather cooler aspect ; also, for the advantage of one's own eye and 

 nose, it is as well to have it close in reach of both on a high ledge. It 

 is the only Valerian that counts in tho rock-garden (V. olenea, from 

 Daghestan, however, has similar stature, and so may have similar 

 charm) ; after this all the others that are sometimes advertised — 

 V. tripteris, V. saxatilis, V. alpestris, V. saxicola, V. montana, V. 

 tuberosa need only be thought of as names to be avoided, unless, 

 indeed, one wants to encumber one's garden with weeds no better 

 than the common V. dioiea of England. 



Vancouveria hexandra is a most beautiful Epimedium, with 

 the ample leafletted leafage of the race, soft bright -green in colour, and 

 much more graceful, wide, any, and light in habit than any of the 

 others. The flowers, which are small and creamy, come up on stems 

 of 10 inches or a foot in summer, in the most delicate and dainty loose 

 showers, so that each little star seems to float pendulous on the air 

 by itself. It is a perfectly eas}* grower, under the conditions that suit 

 Epimedium, and soon its creeping root -stock fills a cool shady ledge 

 with its vivid spraying foliage. There is now also a form, or sub- 

 species, which differs in having the leafage rather more condensed 

 and leathery, especially beaut if ully goffered round the leaflets, and 

 turning to shining red and russet on the upper surface, while the 

 under side is of a contrasting glaucous-blue. To add to these attrac- 

 tions, this form is evergreen, instead of dying down in whiter like the 

 typical Vancouveria. It is, perhaps, a new species. 



Vella spinosa is a strange angry small Crucifer, which, on the 

 limy cliffs of Granada, especially above the sea, makes tiny spiny 

 bushes of 6 inches high or so, intricately branching, and having hardly 

 a leaf to its name, but perhaps a very few very narrow fleshy little 

 ones here and there. The plant, like so many others of the hot places, 

 makes up for this lack of amenities by its exuberance in defence ; 

 being a hedgehog of thorns, and with a sharp spine terminating every 

 twig, along which, in summer, sit yellow flowers veined with violet : 

 it is the Piomo di C meet Mas. There is also another species, rather 

 less fierce, of a foot high or more, and set with round small leaves of 

 deepest green to enhance the brilliant yellow of the blossom : this is 

 V. pseudo-cytisus. Both species should be kept for the hottest and 

 driest places in the most well-drained and warm-soiled slope, and 

 should have hostages taken in autumn, by means of cuttings. 



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