.AETHIONEMA. 
uninteresting vegetables, whereas the Aethionemas—even if they have 
not the whole-hearted ostentatiousness of Aubrietia—stand high among 
the most precious and exquisite queens of the rock-garden. They all, 
it must be remembered, are Levantines and Southerners ;' all, therefore, 
appreciate full sunshine, and a light, rich, well-drained soil in chinks 
or on ledges (or in moraines), admixed, as a rule, with lime. But, 
given so much preliminary consideration, it is amazing that these 
gaicties should prove so perfectly hardy and happy and persistent in 
our gardens, where they are long since established in high favour, and 
can quite easily be multiplied either from seed or cuttings. Indeed, 
they even interbreed. In gardens and catalogues reigns the direst 
contusion with regard to Aethionema, and though, for instance, Ae. 
grandiflorum appears in every list, it is at least very doubtful if or 
where the genuine species is to be found in cultivation at all. The 
following list comprises the finest species : anything not here included 
should have an honest and remarkably alluring description, if enthu- 
siasts are to be safe in buying it. 
Ae. armenum, which carries its provenance clearly written in its 
name, is a tiny thing of 3 or 4 inches, with many crowded blue-grey 
leaves, short and pointed. The charming veined pinky flowers are 
in close elongated domes, and smaller than in Ae. pulchellum, which 
otherwise the growth resembles. 
Ae. Bourgaei, sometimes transferred into another race as Hunomia, 
is a dwarf and most attractive tuft, exactly like beloved Thlaspi 
rotundifolium, from the highest screes and summits of Cappadocia, 
with leaves opposite to each other on the little creeping stems, large 
pink flowers, and fruit in flattened heads. 
Ae. caespitosum, from the Armenian Alps, forms a wee dense tuffet, 
with minute finely narrow leaves, densely huddled, and domes of 
medium-sized pink blossom. 
Ae. capitatum is close twin to Ae. coridifolium, but may be distin- 
guished by its tight flower-heads, the size and shape of a hazel-nut. 
(Alps of Cappadocia.) 
Ae. cappadocicum is a worthless annual weed, also known as Ae. 
Buxbaumit. 
Ae. cardiophyllum inhabits Pisidia, Cappadocia, and Armenia. It 
is a 6-inch, leafy plant, with heart-shaped leaves, and rather small 
flowers. 
Ae. chloraefolium (Eunomia) is a dwarf tuft of trailing frail 
floppy twigs beset with fleshy little round foliage, giving the stem- 
embracing effect of Chlora perfoliata. 'The flowers are large and pink ; 
the fruit is carried in a flat head or umbel. 
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