1863.] NOTES ON SOME ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 587 



lections where many species are grown. Many annuals in 

 favourable situations continue to exist in gardens ; if once well- 

 establishedj they continue self-propagated. 



Echium plantagineum, Jj., is a tall and rather erect plant, with 

 large intensely blue flowers. This specimen [lierhario in meo) is 

 from Laconia, between Gythesim and Levetsova. It flowers in 

 April, and is annual. 



Echium calycinum, Viv., another Grecian plant, grows at 

 Lerna, near Argos. 



Echium elegans, Lehra., is from Acro-Corinth, apparently an 

 annual. The two latter-mentioned are not in Smith's Prodromus 



FlOR.E GKjECM.* 



Cynoylossum columnce, Tenore?, is a curious plant with yellow 

 flowers and downy greyish leaves. All these plants have a strong 

 family likeness. This specimen is from the valley of the Eurotas, 

 and flowers in March. It is only found wild in the South of 

 Europe, viz. in Naples, Sicily, Dalmatia, etc. 



Cynoglossum cheirifolium, L., is a much finer plant than the 

 above-mentioned, with hoary, velvety, neatly-shaped leaves 

 and deep purple flowers. Both are probably perennial, like our 

 two British species, though the majority of modern authors, 

 Smith e.g., call them biennials. f 



The following plants belong to the Order Boraginece, but they 

 have neither generic nor specific representatives in Great Britain, 

 viz., first, Alkanna graeca, Bois., A. pulmonaria, Grsb., which is 

 common in many parts of the Peloponnesus. It grows also in 

 Turkey, Macedonia, etc. It is a showy plant, with numerous 

 lanceolate leaves and deep yellow flowers. It is probably only 

 half-hardy ; yet it might be worth a trial in our climate. Is it 

 in Smith's ' Prodromus ' ? % 



* " Echium calycinum is common in the uortli of Europe. -£J. elegans is rarer. 

 The chief place where I have seen it is the ascent to Acro-Corinth, where it 

 abounds." 



+ Cynoglossum cJieirifoUnm is common here, and in the whole Mediterranean 

 region of France. So is C pictum, a beautiful species, with pale-blue flowers 

 streaked with a brighter blue. This last is common in Sicily. C. columnce grows 

 in Sicily, and is frequent in Greece, where I do not think I ever saw C. cheirifolium. 



X " To A. grceca may be added the rarer and still finer 4. orientalis, wliich grows 

 abundantly at Delplii and on the Acro-Corinth. Also A. tinctoria, a rather 

 dwarfish species, the root of which yields a dye, and which stains the paper. This 

 plant is covered with fine blue flowers, with the triUiant metallic glance so cha- 

 racteristic of the colours of the BoraginecB."- — From a Correspondent. 



