170 breck's new book of flowers. 



CONOCLINUM— Mist-flower. 



[Name derived from the conical sliape of the disk, on wliicli the florets are 

 placed.) 



Conoclinum CCelestinum. — Sky-blue Conoclinum, Mist- 

 flower. — A perennial ; two feet high. This is the most 

 beautiful species. It grows wild, from the Potomac to the 

 Mississippi. Its flowers, produced very late in autumn, 

 are of a beautiful suLalt or sky-blue. The roots of this 

 species are creeping, from which it is easily propagated. 

 It was formerly called Eupatorium coelestinum. 



CONVALLARIA.— Solomon's Seal. 



, " No flower amid the garden fairer grows 



Than the sweet Lily of ihe lowly vale, 

 Tiie queen of flowers." 



Convallaria inajalis. — Lily of the Valley. — An elegant 

 and delicate, sweet-scented plant, which for ages has been 

 a favorite flower, and highly prized. It succeeds well in 

 the shade in any soil, and soon spreads itself, by its slen- 

 der, creej^ing roots, beyond the desire of the cultivator. 

 It flowers in May and June. Gerarde describes it, in his 

 quaint way, thus : " The Lilly of the Vally hath many 

 leaves like the smallest leaves of Water Plantaine, among 

 which riseth vp a naked stalke, halfe a foot high, garnished 

 witli many white floures, like bels, with blunt and turned 

 edges, of a strong savour, yet pleasant enoughf, which be- 

 ing past, there come small, red berries, much like the ber- 

 ries of asparagus, wherein the seed is contained." That, 

 which was foi-merly called G. racemosa^ will be found un- 

 der Smilacina and C, multlflora is now Polygonatum — 

 which see. 



