218 breck's new book of flowers. 



GALIUM-Bed Straw. 



[Name from a Greek woid, signifying milk, because one sort is used for the 

 purpose of curdling milk.] 



The stems of all the species are four-cornered, and the 

 leaves in whorls ; the flowers generally axillary, hut 

 sometimes panicled. 



Galium V^riim, JPetit Muget in French, is called Bed 

 Straw, from the verb to strew, strow, or straw ; beini^ 

 one among a variety of odoriferous herbs, which were 

 frequently used to strew beds with. The genus contains 

 many indigenous species, but none are worthy of cultiva- 

 tion, except G. boreale, which is upright, growing aboiit 

 two feet high, bearing innumerable minute Avhite flow- 

 ers, in terminal panicles ; the stems are very much 

 branched, leaves delicate and small ; perennial ; in flower 

 in July, August, and September. It is valuable only in 

 the composition of bouquets. 



GAURA. 



fName from the Greek, for superb.] 



Gaura Lindheimeri. — This plant, which is from Texas, 

 is one of the finest that we have received for many years. 

 Tlie flowers are formed by a calyx, in four divisions, col- 

 ored with red, petals of a flesh-colored white, which con- 

 trast agreeably with the lively color of the calyx ; there 

 are eight light stamens, with purple anthers. 



It flowers on numerous branches, which form a large 

 panicle, and continue in blossom from June until the frost 

 comes. The stems are straight, growing from two to 

 three feet in height, furnished with linear leaves, forming 

 an elegant, although rather a slender plant ; large lanceo- 

 late leaves clustered in a tuft at tlie base of the plant. 



It is a perennial, and should be sown in May or June, 



