206 beeck's new book of flowers. 



DOWNINGIA. 



[Dedicated by Doct. Toirey, to the late A. J. Downing.] 



Downingia ^legans. — Elegant Downingia. — A beautiful 

 tender annual, a\ ith delicate foliage, and rich blue flowers 

 in great profusion ; six inches high ; in July and August. 



D. pulchella. — Pretty Downingia. — It is a pretty flow- 

 ering, tender annual, of very humble growth, only rising 

 a few inches high. The flowers are rather larger than D. 

 elegans^ blue, with a broad white spot at the centre, 

 stained with a rich yellow. The flower is about half an 

 inch across. Its delicacy of growth will prevent its 

 spreading raj^idly through the country. 



When grown in pots in the green-honse, both are very 

 beautiful. 



The Downingias are natives of California and are gen- 

 erally called Glintonia^ by florists ; a name given by 

 Douglas, who did not know that it had already been ap- 

 plied to another genus. 



DRACOCEPHALUM— Dragon's Head. 



[From Greek words, signifying a dragon's head, because the flowers are fan- 

 cied to resemble one.] 



Dracoc^phalum speciosum. — Showy Dragon's Head. — 

 Is a native of Siberia ; j^erennial ; three feet high, with 

 pink flowers ; in July and August. 



D. Sibiricum. — Siberian Dragon's Head. — From Siberia, 

 perennial ; one foot high, with light blue flowers ; in July 

 and August. Some of the annual species are handsome 

 border-flowers. 



D. Moldavica. — Moldavian Balm. — An annual from 

 Moldavia with blue, and a variety -with white flowers; in 

 July and August ; two feet high. 



