290 LILIACE^. 



dark reddish-brown, without any markings. They open in May. 

 Native of the Caucasus. Other dwarf species of Fritillary 

 worthy of cuhivating in large collections or small, where they 

 are admired, are F. obliqiia^ with purplish-brown flowers, open- 

 ing in April; F. grcsca, very dwarf, wdth brown and reddish 

 marbled flowers, appearing in June and July ; and F. tristis, 

 also very dwarf, with reddish-brown unmarked flowers, yellow- 

 ish internally, and opening in April and May. 



Funkia. — A handsome genus of bundled fibrous - rooted 

 plants from Japan; but the species are hardy in all parts of the 

 countr}^ They are nearly allied to Hcmerocallis, and some of 

 the earlier -discovered species were included in that genus. 

 They are more remarkable for their neat habit and the fine 

 character of their foliage than for the showaness of their flowers, 

 although they also are handsome, and in some cases also 

 fragrant. They grow best in light, rich, sandy loam, and are 

 fond of peat, but succeed well in a variety of soils, and are 

 easily increased by division of the roots in early spring. They 

 are best adapted for border decoration. 



F. grandiflora {Large-flowered F.) — This species produces 

 wide-spreading masses of large pale-green leaves, egg-shaped, 

 and slightly heart-shaped at the base, the ribs or veins being 

 numerous and prominent. The flower-stems are about 18 

 inches high, terminating in a short raceme of pure-white flowers, 

 which open about July. 



F. lancifolia {Lance-shaped-leaved F.) — A smaller species than 

 the last. It produces tufts of broadly-lance- shaped leaves, nar- 

 rowing towards both ends from the middle. Flower-stems 

 about 9 inches high, terminating in an open raceme of few 

 pale-blue or lilac flowers : they appear in the end of summer 

 and in autumn. There are some interesting varieties of this 

 species, chief amongst which are the white-flowered F. I. var. 

 alba, F /. var. albo marginata, having a narrow line of white 

 along the margin of the leaf, and F. I. var. undiilata variegata, 

 in which the leaves are undulated on the margin and variegated 

 on the greater part of the surface. 



F. ovata {Egg-shaped-leaved F) — A large-growing species, 

 producing ample tufts of broadly- egg -shaped, Iicute- pointed 

 leaves. Flower-stems i foot or 18 inches high, terminating in 

 a short raceme of lilac-blue flowers, which appear in late sum- 

 mxcr and autumn. There is a handsome variegated - leaved 

 form of this species. 



F. Sieboldiana {Siebold's F.) — A very distinct species with 

 ample roundly-egg-shaped, abruptly-pointed, deeply-glaucous 

 leaves. The flower-stems grow about i foot high, supporting 



