8 RANUXCULACE.^. 



and in spring. Some notice should be taken of their dangerous 

 poisonous properties. There are many cases on record of the 

 melancholy and fatal results of eating them through ignorance 

 or inadvertently. This fatal quality abounds in every part of 

 the plant, but is most concentrated in the roots, and every one 

 should be infonned of the danger of tampering with them. 



A. chinense {China A.)- — This species grows about 4 

 feet high, with bold racemes of dark-blue flowers. The stems 

 are very robust, the leaves large and deeply cut, stalked below, 

 and stalkless on the upper part of the stems. Flowers in the 

 autumn months. Native of China and Japan. It is the 

 A. autinimale of some, and by others is accounted only a 

 variety of A. Napdlus. 



A. japonicum {Japan A.) — This, like the last, is by some 

 authors accounted only a variety of A. Napellns, but it is a 

 very distinct one indeed, and in the present state of disorder 

 in the family may fairly enough be allowed to hold its specific 

 distinction unquestioned, in gardens at least. It grows 3 or 4 

 feet high, with stout erect stems, and large intense dark-green 

 shining leaves. The spikes are bold and usually simple and 

 embranched, the flowers large deep blue or violet, and appear 

 from June to September. One of the best of the dark-blues. 



A. lycoctonum ( IVolfs-Bane). — This is a distinct and gigan- 

 tic species. In rich soils it grows to the height of 6 or 7 

 feet, with strong, almost woody stems, and enormous leaves, 

 boldly cut and jagged. The panicles of flower are also very 

 large, much branched and spreading, but the individual flowers 

 are smaller than those of most of the Napellus type. They are 

 creamy yellow, and appear in July, August, and September. 

 Native of south of Europe. 



A. Napellus {Monkshood). — Under this name I would speak 

 of varieties of the species that have been circulated as distinct 

 species. They are bicolor, variegatum, and versicolor. They 

 differ from the ordinary condition of the species in having the 

 flowers variegated instead of simple blue. Under the same 

 cultural conditions they appear to be very much alike ; but in 

 catalogues slight distinctions of colour and height are ascribed, 

 which may be the effect of differences of soil, aspect, or other 

 conditions. But in any case the plant known under either of 

 these three names is the most beautiful of all Mo?ikshoods at 

 present in cultivation. It is a bold-growing erect plant, about 

 4 feet high, with finely-cut leaves, the stout stems terminat- 

 ing in fine branching racemes of pretty shaded blue and white 

 flowers. They appear in June, and continue throughout July, 

 August, and part of September. 



