36 FUMARIACE^. 



FUMARIACE^. 



This order, though comparatively Hmited both as regards 

 genera and species, contains some very brilliant and elegant 

 ornaments of our flower-gardens. We need only to remind 

 ourselves that the peerless Dielyti-a spedabilis is a member of 

 the family, in order to invest it with the highest character for 

 grace and beauty. And it is not alone in its glory: lesser lights 

 they may be that shine around it, but there are plants among 

 its kindred only less charming than itself, that may fitly be 

 associated with it and other spring and early summer flowering 

 beauties in our gardens. Only the two genera, Corydalis and 

 Dielytra^ present hardy perennial species worthy of cultiva- 

 tion in select collections. The Diclytra spedabilis is the best 

 known of all the cultivated perennial plants in the order ; cer- 

 tain other handsome species of Dielytra, and the various forms 

 of Corydalis^ are not so commonly found in private collections 

 of hardy plants as might be expected, both on account of their 

 beauty and the early-flowering habit of most of them. They 

 are all admirably adapted for the gardens of amateurs, where 

 limited space and large desires have to be considered in the 

 selection of subjects for cultivation. They grow freely in any 

 good garden soil if not too wet and heavy ; but even in clayey 

 soils, if thoroughly well drained, Dielytra at least succeeds 

 very fairly. They may be used also for naturalising in open 

 woods. 



Corydalis. — This genus comprises about a score of species, 

 which are easily divided into two sections by peculiarities of 

 the root and stem. In one section the roots are fibrous, or 

 consisting of a fleshy root-stock, dividing itself ultimately into 

 fibres, and the stems are branching more or less, and these are 

 mainly annuals or biennials, and such perennials as are so dis- 

 tinguished are not so valuable for ornament as the larger por- 

 tion of the other section. In the other division the peculiarities 

 are tuberous roots, the leaves mostly radical or proceeding 

 direct from the roots, and the stems unbranched. These 

 peculiarities require diff"erent treatment in the matter of pro- 

 pagation. The fibrous-rooted are best produced from seed: 

 they may be propagated by division, too, in spring; but if left 

 alone they usually reproduce themselves, as they seed freely, 

 and germinate equally freely, without any special conditions. 

 The tuberous-rooted are not quite so free in seeding, but pro- 

 vide ample means for increase in the annual formation of tubers. 

 The genus is more partial to light gritty soils than to those of 



