146 VALERIAN ACE^. 



flowers, which are succeeded by small red berries. It is a 

 pleasing and characteristic plant on rockwork, and suitable 

 only for that position. Flourishes best in moist sandy loam, 

 in moderate shade. Height 3 or 4 inches. Native of North 

 America. 



Nertera depressa {Flattened N.) — This extremely curious 

 and pretty plant — pretty as regards its fruit only — is of recent 

 introduction. I have no experience of its culture, and can 

 only say that it is recommended for culture amongst alpines 

 on rockwork, in moist sandy loam. It forms densely-matted, 

 dwarf, flattened tufts of creeping and freely -rooting stems, 

 clothed with small, egg-shaped, somewhat succulent leaves, in 

 the axils of which appear the small greenish flowers, which are 

 followed by handsome small orange-coloured berries. Native 

 of the mountains of New Zealand and Tasmania, and the Andes 

 at high elevations throughout the greater part of the range. 



VALERIANACEvE. 



This is an entirely herbaceous tribe, but does not comprise 

 much that is floriculturally beautiful. Centraiithus ruber, and 

 one or two species of Valeriajia, are handsome ornaments of 

 herbaceous borders or the marginal borders of shrubberies, and 

 several of the latter genus are proper subjects for naturalising 

 in wild places about woods. Some that are specially adapted 

 for the latter purpose, but suitable for no higher class of orna- 

 mentation, are : V. offici?ialis, with corymbose panicles of pink 

 flowers, and growing about 3 feet high, and of which there is a 

 white-flowered variety ; V. Phu, which is the spikenard of the 

 Cretans, and grows to about 3 feet high, with white flowers; and 



V. pyre7iaica, having pink flowers and about the same stature. 



V. sambucifoUa, w^hich appears in some catalogues, is not very 

 distinct from officinalis, and is by some held to be only a variety 

 of that species: it has the same style and colour of inflores- 

 cence, and differs mainly in having the leaves divided into fewer 

 and broader segments. They are bold, vigorous, encroaching 

 plants that will hold their own against all neighbours, and that 

 should be planted near nothing more valuable than themselves. 

 The kinds enumerated all flower about the same time in early 

 summer ; the flowers last a considerable time, and are followed 

 by the pappus-like processes of the numerous calyces, which 

 are interesting and graceful. 



Centranthus ruber {Red C.) — This is a very handsome hardy 



