CORTUSA MATTHIOLI. 
inches high, especially profuse in flower ; C. juncea, fine and spindly 
of look, attaining to 24 feet, and with smaller blossoms ; C. minima, 
with its two varieties, of which genuina is perfectly dwarf, and aus- 
tralis rather taller ; C. globosa, a handsome and strange species, after 
the manner of C. varia—an evergreen from the evergreen zone on 
the Cretan mountains, with persistent ascending herbaceous stems, 
each carrying a head of large white blossoms with a dark purple keel ; 
C. valentina, which is very like C. glauca, but less blue in tone of leaf, 
and with smaller flowers which are sweet at night—a frail lax thing, 
struggling up to a couple of feet or so, with packed heads of yellow ; 
and finally the totally different C. varia, a green lush weed that may be 
seen on any railway cutting of the Southern and Eastern Alps, throwing 
about its tall bare foot-stalks of some 8 inches, each carrying a coronal 
of blossoms in a rather washy and pallid pink (though better forms 
may no doubt be found). This, in the garden, becomes no less of a 
weed in any rough and stony warm place; as for the others, all 
should be raised from seed, and then put out where they are to remain, 
in full sun and specially light and stony soil enriched with lime and 
rather on the thirsty side. 
Cortusa Maitthioli is a rare and precious cousin of Primula, 
occasionally but rarely found in some deep alpine coppice, wide 
sweeps of it unfolding among the alders which in their heyday will 
have completely hidden it from the sun. It is most like one of the 
new woodland Chinese Primulas, with soft crinkled foliage, lush and 
hairy and flimsy and lobed ; and taller stems carrying a loose shower, 
like the falling stars of a rocket, of pendent rosy-magenta bells. 
Some see more of the magenta, others more of the rose; Cortusa 
will always remain a thing of more subtle and delicate charm than 
such flaunting Primulas as P. lichiangensis and P. Veitchii.. There is 
a form called C. M. grandiflora ; and, though the copses of the Mont 
Cenis do not contain it, the wide woods of the world must surely some- 
where have news of an albino which would be of inimitable beauty. 
C. Matihioli, indeed, occupies all those woods, occurring at intervals 
through Europe, and Northern Asia. There are many forms accord- 
ingly, some of which falsely claim specific rank; such are C. M. 
pubens (with very deeply lobed leaves), Protherit with flowers of 
special magnitude from Himalaya, villoso-hirsuta (or hirsuta), and 
pekinensis. The only other true species in the group is the similar, 
similar-habited C. Semenoviit from Alatau, with smooth leaves and 
yellow flowers, with the style protruding far out. All Cortusas are 
of the happiest temper in any cool woodland soil and position, where 
they have a rare appropriateness and grace of aspect, and soon form 
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