RANUNCULACE^. IJ 



than the upper ones. The flowers are large, dark purple 

 changing to green. Flowers in March, April, and May. Na- 

 tive of Hungary. 



H. colcliicus {^Eastern H.) — This fine and distinct species 

 grows about a foot or 1 5 inches high, producing dense panicles 

 of large red flowers in March and April. A very scarce 

 species, and the best of the red or purplish-red sorts. Native 

 of Asia Minor. 



H. cupreus {Coppery H^ grows about 9 inches or i foot high, 

 producing numerous large copper}^-red flowers in January and 

 February ; one of the earliest to appear, and very distinct. 

 Native of Hungary. 



H. niger {Christmas Rose). — This fine old plant is so univer- 

 sally known that any description would be superfluous. Its 

 beautiful white or pinkish- white flowers are ever welcome at 

 the dreary flowerless season in which they appear. There are 

 three distinct and permanent varieties of it in cultivation. The 

 ordinary form, or that most commonly met with, divides and 

 connects the other two. H. niger, var. angustifolia, is a starve- 

 ling plant, and not worth growing beside the other two except 

 for curiosity's sake. H. niger, var. major, named also atro- 

 vii'ens and grandiflorus, is the reverse of this, and exceeds the 

 typical form in beauty and vigour as much as the other falls 

 below it. It is distinguished by larger flowers of a purer white, 

 and larger intense dark-green leaves. Native of Austria. 



H. olympicus {Olympic H.) — This species is nearly related 

 to the first mentioned, that form being accounted by some 

 only a variety of the present subject, and appearing in many 

 trade catalogues as H. olympicus, var. ruber. They difl"er, 

 however, very essentially in the colour of the flowers, which in 

 the present species are greenish white, and appear about a 

 month earlier than those of airoruhens; but they have the same 

 habit, and the same delicate pale-green, lobed, leather)^ leaves. 

 Native of Bithynia. 



Hepatica. — This small genus is nearly related to Anemone, 

 and the few species it contains are by some authors included 

 in that family. They are, however, practically distinct from 

 any anemone with which we are familiar in cultivation, especi- 

 ally in the evergreen peculiarly-lobed leaves, and in the floral 

 leaves, which are so close under the flowers as to assume the 

 appearance of the calyx. Though few in species, it is one of 

 the most important and valuable of spring-flowering genera. 

 The species are all spring-flowering; all are beautiful and 

 bright, and most profuse and continuous in the production of 

 their flowers. They are invaluable for the embellishment of 



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