44 CRUCIFER^E. 



A. deltoidea, syn. Farsetia deltoidea. — This is an old in- 

 habitant of gardens, and though decidedly inferior in showy 

 quahties to the preceding and other varieties, is no mean plant 

 in its season. It is less luxuriant than Campbell's A., and the 

 flowers are smaller and pale purplish blue, but very abundant, 

 appearing about the same time. The varieties A. d.grandiflora 

 and A. d. grcBca are distinguished only by greater size and 

 brilliancy of colouring, and are simply more valuable where 

 these qualities are essential in the highest degree. They are 

 all valuable plants for town gardens ; for, except that their 

 natural brightness does not appear to the greatest advantage in 

 a smoky atmosphere and amid smutty surroundings, there are 

 few alpine plants that can accommodate themselves with more 

 facility to conditions so opposite to those of their native homes. 

 A. deltoidea is a native of the Levant. 



Barbarea. — In the natural state none of the species of this 

 genus are fit for ornamental purposes, but there are two varie- 

 ties of B. vidgai'is — an indigenous species — which are worthy 

 of cultivation in any garden. 



B. vulgaris fiore - pleno, syn. Erysimum barbarea flore- 

 pleno [Double-Jlowered lVi?iter- Cress, or Yellow Rocket). — This 

 is a beautiful and curious plant. The process of doubling is 

 very peculiar in the flowers ; I am not aware of any parallel to 

 it in other double flowers. There appears to be no attempt 

 made at any time to fonn either stamens or pistils. But the 

 axis of the flower has the power of extending itself and pro- 

 ducing numerous whorls of petals as it grows in length, and 

 assumes the appearance of a narrow cylindrical spike. A very 

 lengthened succession of flower is kept up both by this peculiar 

 extension of the axis, and by the natural process of develop- 

 ment of the inflorescence, which is open, but rather rigidly 

 panicled. Height about i8 inches. Flowers bright yellow, 

 appearing from June till late summer, and often into autumn. 

 B. vulgaris is a native of many parts of Britain, and this pecu- 

 liar variety is probably an accidental production of nature or 

 of cultivation. It is an excellent ornament of the mixed bor- 

 der, succeeds in almost any kind of soil, but prefers a rich 

 moderately -light loam. Propagate by division of the root- 

 stock. 



B. vulgaris variegata {Blotch-leaved Winter- Cress). — This is 

 the simple form of the species with yellow blotched leaves. 

 The leaves are pinnate, the leaflets small on each side of the 

 stalk, but the terminal one is generally very large, and in this 

 variegated form is very conspicuous. The plant is interesting 

 only as a variegated subject; the flowers are worthless, and 



