316 Iberbaceous plants. 



white and red. All are useful border plants, propagated 

 from seeds. 



THE LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY. 



Purple Loosestrife, Lyihrum Salicaria. A handsome 

 waterside plant growing three or four feet high with simple, 

 erect stems, willow-like leaves, and long terminal spikes 

 of reddish-purple flowers. For growing on the margins of 

 rivers and lakes in large grounds. 



THE CACTUS FAMILY. 



Prickly Pear, Opuntia vulgaris. A unique and pictur- 

 esque plant with fleshy, jointed sterns bearing handsome 

 yellow flowers in summer. Common in rocky and sandy 

 soil. B. Rafinesquii is another species, larger and more 

 spiny. O. Missouriensis is a species with short tubercled 

 joints and large yellow flowers. All these are very desir- 

 able rock plants interesting at all seasons and especially so 

 when covered with flowers. They thrive best in a sandy 

 loam in warm and sunny positions. 



Several other plants of the cactus family are perfectly 

 hardy and make very interesting objects in a rockery. 

 None are common in cultivation but many can easily be 

 obtained from the West. The hardiest are : Echinocactus 

 longihamata, a dwarfish, almost globular plant, ribbed and 

 spiny, w r ith yellow flowers. MamiUaria longimamma, with 

 long fleshy tubercles and yellow flowers; M. pusilla, small, 

 almost globular, flowers minute, pinkish. M. vivipara, 

 globular, from one to five inches high with comparatively 

 large purplish flowers. Plant in a compost of sandy loam 

 and old mortar. 



