Heracleum — Hydrangea. 1 49 



*Heracleum pubescens. — This species bears yel- 

 lowish-white flowers, in umbels about a foot in diameter, 

 and grows to a height of from 6 ft. to 9 ft. or more. The 

 leaves are very large, roughish on the upper side, and 

 much divided into elliptical segments, which are pointed 

 and stand close together. Crimea. 



*Heracleum villosum. — A species distinguished by 

 its very downy and fringed fruit, with robust stems, 6^ ft. 

 high or more. Leaves broad, much divided, the segments 

 coarsely toothed, covered with a whitish down on the 

 under side. Flowers in large umbels. Caucasus. 



*Heracleum Wilhelmsii. — The leaves of this species 

 are very large, downy, and wrinkled, much divided, with 

 lance-shaped, acute segments distant from each other. 

 The stem is more than dh ft. high, and bears whitish 

 flowers, in umbels from 10 ins. to 12 ins. in diameter. 

 Siberia. 



Several other species are in cultivation, the principal 

 of which is H. platyUcnium, a biennial of very large dimen- 

 sions, and remarkably ornamental in habit and foliage. 



Humea elegans. — This well-known plant may be 

 very agreeably associated with many of the subjects men- 

 tioned in this book, and is a graceful object in the centres 

 of beds, etc. To be put out early in May. New Holland. 



*Hydrangea quercifolia. — This is quite distinct in 

 aspect from the common Hydrangeas, and sufficiently 

 striking to deserve a place where variety of form is 

 sought. The leaves are, as the name indicates, somewhat 

 lobed and oak-like in outline. It is best adapted to form 

 a bush, its natural habit, and is best used singly. I, 

 however, have never tried to train young plants of it with 



