ACANTHACE^. 235 



the Common Thyme, which is famihar to everybody. T. 

 lamiginosiis^ a pretty and attractive Uttle plant, with the habit 

 and leaves of T. SeT-pyllinn, the Wild Thpiie, but densely clothed 

 with woolly hair in nearly every part, is very desirable, and may 

 be grown easily in any dry sunny position. The Lemon Thyme 

 and the variegated garden Thyme are not uncommon, but 

 desirable sorts ; and of species less frequently seen in cultivation 

 the following are also worthy of use for the purposes indicated : 

 — T. angusiifoliiis^ corsiais^ Cephalotus^ and azoricus. 



VERBENACE^. 



Zapania nodiflora, sjms. Lippia nodiflora and Verbena 

 nodiflora (Kiiot-fiowered Z.) — This pretty little plant is worthy of 

 a place amongst alpine plants on rockwork, or in warm sunny 

 borders, in light, rich, sandy, well-drained soil. It is scarcely 

 hardy in the north. It increases freely by division of its creep- 

 ing stems. The plant forms closely-creeping patches of stems. 

 The leaves are wedge-shaped. The flowers are small indi- 

 vidually, and arranged in small conical button-like heads, and 

 are pale purple. Native of Amenca. 



ACANTHACE^. 



Acanthus {Bcaf^s-B?-eech). — These are fine-leaved plants, 

 and as such worthy of a place in ever}^ collection of hardy 

 plants. In wami sheltered places, in good, deep, well-drained 

 soil, they may be naturalised in many parts of the country, but 

 this will scarcely be advisable in cold northern localities. They 

 like a deep good loam to grow in, and are propagated by divi- 

 sion of the roots, and by seed. 



A. mollis {Soft Bear s- Breech). — This plant is supposed to 

 have furnished the idea of the acanthus leaf of Corinthian archi- 

 tecture. The plant produces large masses of soft wavy lobed 

 leaves. The flower-stems rise 2 or 3 feet high, bearing numer- 

 ous purple-and-white flowers in bracteated spikes. They appear 

 in July, and last a couple of months. Native of the coasts of 

 the Mediterranean. 



A. spinosissimus {White - sj>ined Bear's- Breech). — In this 



