Pothos — Rhaponticum. 177 



with huge simple dark-green leaves, forming a magnificent 

 rosette. It requires stove treatment in winter and spring, 

 and having made its growth and been hardened off under 

 cover, it may be placed out in the open air in sheltered 

 warm places in the southern counties, from the middle 

 of June to the end of September. It, however, some- 

 times suffers from cold, and is on the whole only likely 

 to be of very partial use. Among the other large 

 Aroids which have been tried in Battersea Park, the 

 best are Philodcndron mac7'ophyllum, P. Simsii, and An- 

 thurium Hookeri. Being rather tender they all require a 

 very warm and well-sheltered position. W. Indies. 



*Rhaponticum cynaroides. — A hardy perennial 

 from the Pyrenees, 3 ft. or more in height, with a rigid, 

 simple, furrowed stem, and lobed or entire oblong radical 

 leaves, covered underneath with silvery down. Flowers 

 solitary, purple, in very large heads. It thrives in a deep, 

 substantial, moist, but well-drained and free soil. This 

 and, to a smaller extent, the following species are worthy of 

 a place in full collections of hardy fine-leaved plants, for 

 borders, the margins of groups, and, in the case of R. cyna- 

 roides, for isolation. Both are easily increased by division. 



*Rhaponticum pulchrum. — A hardy perennial from 

 the Caucasus, with numerous simple stems 2 ft. or more 

 in height, and much-divided, undulating, toothed leaves 

 of an ashy or sea-green colour on the upper side, and 

 whitish underneath. The flowers are borne in small 

 solitary purplish heads late in summer. A very suitable 

 subject for embellishing dry, arid, rocky positions. R. 

 scariosum is another kind, useful for the same purposes 

 as the preceding species. 



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