90 CTPHEA COKDATA. 



C. lanceolata. — This is usually described as a greenhouse biennial, but as it 

 flowers the first season, it may be treated as a half-hardy annual, like the next 

 species. It grows a foot or more high, and has long pointed, wavy foliage, which, 

 as well as the whole plant, is clothed with soft clammy hairs. The flowers are 

 dark purple, the two upper petals being much larger than the four lower ones. 

 It flowers in summer and autumn, and may be used for grouping in the borders ; 

 generally ripens plenty of seed. First introduced many years since from Mexico. 



C. silenoides resembles the preceding, but has smaller foliage ; flowers, deep 

 crimson purple, the two upper and largest petals much paler at the margin. The 

 whole plant, especially the calyx, is thickly covered with glandular hairs. It is 

 an abundant flowerer, and it might be worth while endeavouring to brighten its 

 colour by crossing with the cordata or miniata. Preserved in the greenhouse it 

 becomes perennial, but is generally treated as a half-hardy annual. From Mexico. 



C. miniata. — A small branching evergreen, with rough foliage and terminal spikes 

 of flowers, which have the calyx very hairy, and two large bright red petals 

 attached to the upper margin of the tube. It is rather more tender than platy- 

 centra, but may be cultivated in the open border, in summer, like that species. 



C. purpurea. — This plant is said to be a hybrid obtained by M. Delache of 

 St. Omer, between miniata and viscosissima, but its appearance would hardly 

 confirm such a statement. It is hairy, but not glandular ; the flowers are large 

 and very handsome, of a bright rose colour, with a violet tinge The two upper 

 petals are nearly as large as those of cordata. It is a greenhouse perennial, but 

 may be advantageously cultivated as a half-hardy annual ; seeds vegetate readily on 

 a slight hot-bed. "We hope to figure this species in a short time. 



C. strigillosa. — One of the hardiest of the genus, having lived through the late 

 severe winter in the open ground without any protection, in a dry sandy soil. 

 The flowers are remarkable, more for their number than for their brilliant colour, 

 but it deserves cultivation if only for its hardiness ; in groups it produces some 

 effect. From the Peruvian Andes. 



C. platycentra. — This species is deservedly popular, and is, perhaps, the best of 

 all for bedding purposes, with the exception of the new purpurea ; it is remarkable 

 for flowering whilst in a very small state, and indefinitely. Flowers tubular, 

 consisting only of calyx, of a bright vermillion, with the upper lip white and the 

 lower nearly black. It must not only be kept from frost, but also in a growing 

 state during the winter ; it does well in a warm sitting room at that season. The 

 name of this species is sometimes translated 'broad-centred', but erroneously, the 

 meaning being ' broad- spurred'. Now the spur of this species is in no way 

 remarkable, and it turns out that its real name is ignea, or fiery-red, the true 

 platycentra not being yet introduced. There is a white variety recorded, but we 

 have not seen it. From Mexico. 



