272 breck's new book op flowers. 



all the shades of light to dark-blue, inclining to purple ; 

 the margin of the flowers is frequently copper color, some- 

 times inclining to red. One variety has flowers of a dull 

 pink. Stem erect, hairy. The digitate leaves are com- 

 posed of about eight or ten leaflets, which are lanceolate, 

 wedge-shaped, arranged like rays around the end of the 

 petiole ; hairy and pale underneath. 



Many beautiful Lupins have, Avithin a few years, been 

 added to the list of herbaceous plants, from California 

 and the North-west coast, which part of the world seems 

 to be the central position, or head-quarters, of this genus 

 of plants. 



L« polyphyllus. — Many-leaved Lupin. — Is a splendid 

 plant, from the North-west coast of North America. 

 When I first received the seed of this fine Lupin many 

 years since, only one of them vegetated. It produced 

 radical leaves, only, the first year, Avhich were multifoliat- 

 ed, and borne on long petioles. The second year, it was 

 transplanted, with much care, into rich soil, having been 

 exposed, through the winter, to all the rigors of the sea- 

 son, without protection. In the month of May the flow- 

 er-stalks began to be developed, and produced, in June, 

 spikes of flowers, which were two feet in length, and from 

 three to four feet in height from the ground. The flowers 

 of a beautiful azure blue, with a reddish border, are dis- 

 posed in long terminal clusters, forming whorls, very near 

 each other, around the stem. The leaves are composed of 

 from twelve to fifteen green, lanceolate leaflets, hairy on 

 the under side. The third year it flowered abundantly, 

 throwing up numerous flower-stems, so luxuriant that 

 many were broken by the wind before they were secured 

 to sticks. The third year the roots should bo divided, as 

 they become large in rich ground; the central part first 

 decays, and finally the whole root perishes, unless this 

 operation is j)erformed. There is also a white variety. 



