176 PENTSTEMON SECUNDIFLORUS. ONESIDED PENTSTEMON. 



The Pentstemons have mostly showy flowers, among which 

 are found white, scarlet, and purple in innumerable shades. 

 There are few which would be called insignificant. Florists have 

 taken them in hand, and besides the natural species now so 

 numerous, many hybrid forms are found in gardens. In this 

 work Texan and Mexican species have borne the chief part. 

 The Rocky Mountain forms have not been long under cultiva- 

 tion, but will probably be as useful to the florists as their more 

 southern brethren have been. In themselves, however, they 

 have abundant attractions to the lovers of beauty, and the 

 species now illustrated, with its bright, coppery-purple flowers, 

 will be especially welcome. 



The writer has found this and kindred species very easily 

 raised from seed in Eastern gardens. It seems, on the whole, 

 best to save the seed till spring, then to sow in a rather open 

 place, but partially shaded until the seeds sprout, when they 

 may have full exposure. The young plants will become very 

 strong the same season, and flower the following summer. 



The botanical collector as well as the flower-gardener may have 

 beauty together with dry science in his preserved specimens. 

 If properly attended to during the drying process, the colors are 

 preserved in almost a natural condition, and these Rocky Moun- 

 tain species especially are among the most attractive members 

 of a botanist's herbarium. 



Explanations of the Plate. — i. The flower, showing its two-lipped character. 2. Section 

 of the flower, showing its twisted stamens. 3. Barren branch, showing how the lower part 

 of the leaves is narrowed, while the reverse is the case in the leaves of the flower-stem. 



