226 LABIAT.E. 



of interrupted whorls of red flowers. They open in Sep- 

 tember and October, too late to be of much use in any 

 district north of London. May be kept in the same way as 

 the last. 



Dracocephalum {Drago?i's-IIead). — This is a beautiful group 

 of easily-cultivated plants. They succeed in any good garden- 

 soil, and are increased by division, and adapted for either bor- 

 der or rockwork. 



D. austriacum {AusU-ian Drag07i' s-Hcad). — A diffuse plant, 

 with firm, slightly woody stems, about a foot high. The flowers 

 are blue in terminal spikes. The leaves are stalkless, narrow, 

 lance-shaped on the under part of the stem ; those approaching 

 the flowers and amongst them divided deeply into several nar- 

 row lobes. Flowers in June and July. Native of mountain 

 pastures and stony places in southern Germany, the Pyrenees, 

 and Tyrol. 



D. grandiflonim {Lai-ge-Flowered Di'ago7i's-Head). — A very 

 distinct and handsome plant, growing from 6 inches to i foot 

 high. The plant forms compact tufts of oblong, heart-shaped, 

 slightly-toothed leaves, on short stalks. The flower-stems are 

 erect or ascending, the leaves on them becoming wedge-shaped 

 and coarsely toothed at the point, and stalkless. The flowers 

 are large, produced in whorled spikes, and blue, appearing about 

 July. Native of Siberia. More impatient of cold wet soil than 

 any of the other species. 



D. peregrinum {Diffuse Dragon' s-Head). — Nearly allied to 

 the Austrian D., but dwarf er and more diffuse. The leaves are 

 lance-shaped, stalkless, and very slightly and distantly toothed. 

 The flowers are borne in whorled spikes, each whorl being at- 

 tended by a pair of spiny-toothed bracts. Flowers in July and 

 August, and, like the last species, impatient of wet cold soil. 

 Native of Siberia. 



D. Ruyschianum {Riiysch's Dragon' s-Head). — This is perhaps 

 the most showy and useful of the group, being a profuse-flower- 

 ing, hardy plant. It grows about i8 inches high. The leaves 

 are narrow lance-shaped, as are also the bracts, and undivided. 

 The flowers are in closely-whorled spikes, and fine purplish 

 blue. Native of mountain pastures in the south of Europe. 

 Flowers in July and August. 



Horminum pyrenaicum {Pyrenean H.) — A pretty and inte- 

 resting species, inhabiting moist pastures at high elevations on 

 the Pyrenees and Tyrol. The leaves are mostly confined to 

 radical tufts, are egg-shaped, toothed, on short stalks. The 

 flowers are purplish blue, in open whorled spikes, on stems 

 about 9 inches high, appearing in July and August. Best 



