154 BRITISH PLANTS. 



thickets, and woods, &c., and is abundant in most places where tliese 

 occur. It is a perennial, and flowers in July, and may, no doubt, be 

 successfully dealt with as we recommend for //. humifusum, to wliich 

 we beg to refer the reader. 



Parnassia palustris, or Grass of Parnassus. This is a pretty 

 little perennial plant, with large white flowers that continue to be pro- 

 duced throughout the months of July, August, September, and October. 

 It loves to grow in moist situations, by the margins of lakes and the 

 sea-shore ; but notwithstanding this it is probable that it may tlirive in 

 the drier soil of a garden. It should, however, have as wet a spot as 

 can be selected, and at the same time be so situated that it may get 

 only the morning sun ; for strong noonday or afternoon sun would burn 

 it up. It is really a deserving flower, and ought to be cultivated. 



SiLENE inflata, or Bladder Campion ; known better in Scotland 

 by the appellation of Cow-bell. This is a beautiful common thing, 

 and we fear that its profuseness may be the cause of its having been 

 entirely neglected by the florist. It grows on old walls, loose banks, 

 stony places, in hedges, &c., and is a very lovely as well as a very 

 graceful and showy plant. It is one that will require no great degree 

 of care to cultivate, for it grows well in any soil where its lot may be 

 cast. And we should hope that this circumstance may be an induce- 

 ment to its cultivation. It will, however, be all the better with kind 

 treatment, coarse soil, and plenty of sun. It will grow well on a bank 

 overhung by trees, that may be too dry and too barren for many other 

 flowers. The S. inaritiina of Withering can .scarcely be considered in 

 the light of a distinct species ; but only as a well-marked variety ; it 

 grows on the sea-coasts, and sometimes by " alpine torrents," as we are 

 told by Withering, and it bears the English name of Sea Campion, or 

 Catchfly. A variety which seems to be somewhat permanent is given 

 in the last edition of Sir W. J. Hooker's "British Flora," as var. " B," 

 with tiie varielic character : — " Calyx, stem and leaves downy." This 

 variety is a rare one ; the only stations given by Hooker are, " near 

 Cromer, Norfolk ; banks of the Clyde." However we have specimens 

 of the same variety from the Isle of Wight. A variety apparently in- 

 termediate betwixt tiiis and the normal form was last summer found by 

 Mr. George Lawson on the banks of the river Eden, in Fifeshire, 

 *' with the stem and leaves (on both sides) covered witii a rough pu- 

 bescence, while the peduncle and calyx are perfectly glabrous. All 

 these varieties are botanically interesting, and are well worth culti- 

 vating. 



SiLENE ACAULis, or Moss Campion. A lovely little alpine gem, 

 with beautiful purple flowers; and declared by a very eminent botani- 

 cal writer to be " one of the greatest ornaments of our alps." It occa- 

 sionall}"- occurs with pale flowers, and we have this form, gathered on 

 Ben Lawers some years ago by Mr. W. Anderson. Little clumps of 

 each variety intermixed in the border with other flowers would look 

 well ; but the border would require to be a shady one, and somewhat 

 cool and moist. There can be no fear of its success on the nortii side 

 of a rockery, and indeed it is quite a nice thing for artificial rockwork. 

 Perhaps it would do well to grow in pots and under the same treatment 

 as the Auricula and Primrose. It is quite dwarf, consequently not 

 very showy, but exceedingly beautiful. 



