GARDEN BOTANY. XXxi 



7. Helleborus niger, Christmas Rose. Rare in gardens, should be 

 common, being very hardy, and handsome (not dull green, like H. viridis, Man. 

 p. 12); the large pedate leaf evergreen ; flower from the ground in earliest 

 spring, 1|' across ; sepals white, persistent, and turning green. 



8. Aquilegia vulgaris, Common Columbine. Spurs of the variously 

 colored flower (single or double) hooked at the end ; the parent of all the 

 common garden Columbines. 



9. Delphinium, Larkspur. Man. p. 12. Several are cult, for ornament. 



# Annuals, with finely divided leaves, petals united in one body, and a single 



pistil : flowers blue, varying to pink or white. 



D. Consolida, Common or Field Larkspur. Flowers scattered on 

 the spreading branches ; pod smooth. 



D. Ajaeis, Rocket Larkspur. Flowers crowded in a close spike or 

 raceme ; spur shorter ; some marks on the base of the united petals were 

 fancied to read AIAI = Ajax. 



* * Perennials, with 4 separate petals of 2 sorts, and 2 to 5 pistils : flowers 



various shades of blue, rarely white. 



+- Low, branching species : lower petals not notched. 



D. Siuense, Chinese Larkspur. Cultivated only with double flowers, 

 of deep indigo-blue ; leaves bright green, rather rigid. 



D. grandiflorum, Great-flowered L. Leaves cut into distant 

 narrowly linear lobes ; flowers single or double, of various tints of blue. 



D. cheilanthum, with lanceolate or oblong lobes to the leaves, is the 

 parent of some of the choice varieties of the Great-flowered Larkspurs. 



■*- Tall unci single-stemmed: lower petals notched. 



D. elatum, Bee Larkspur. Leaves cleft into 3 to 7 wedge-shaped, 

 gashed and toothed lobes ; lower petals strongly bearded. Many varieties. 



10. Aconitum Wapellus, Aconite, Monkshood. An upright species, 

 with 5-parted leaves many-cleft into narrow lobes ; the broad, erect helmet 

 short-pointed in front, is the parent of the common sorts of Monkshood in 



the gardens. 



11. Pasonia, Peony. Perennials, with thick roots, compound and cleft 

 leaves, and very large flowers : calyx leafy : petals 5 in the natural state, 

 white or red. Pistils 2, 3, or more, becoming thick pods. 



P. officinalis is the Common Peony of all gardens, generally with full 

 double flowers ; pods downy. 



P. albiflora, Sweet Peony, has smaller, sweet-scented, mostly white 

 flowers, and smooth recurved pods. 



P. Moutan, Tree Peony, has shrubby stems, pale leaves, very largo 

 flowers (white, purple, or variegated), and the pistils enclosed in a curious 

 urn-shaped cup (disk), which bursts as the pods grow. 



Order MAGNOLIACEiE. Magnolia Family. 



Manual, p. 15. — Besides the Magnolias described, p. 16, one from Japan and 

 two of the Southern States are planted, viz. : — 



1. Magnolia purpurea, Purple M., from Japan : a shrub with petals 

 about 3' long, erect, pink-purple outside, white inside, beginning to flower in 

 early spring before the obovate bright green leaves appear. 



