DATURA. 



DELPHINIUM. 



Mezereum is the best - known variety of 

 the hardy deciduous section. The dwarf 

 hardy evergreen daphnes are somewhat 

 tender ; they bear pink flowers, very 

 fragrant. There is a Chinese daphne, 

 D. odora, which is a great ornament in 

 the greenhouse, but too tender for the 

 open air. 



Datu'ra (not. ord. Solana'cesB). 



A tribe of highly ornamental plants, 

 hardy annuals, producing large sweet- 

 scented trumpet-shaped flowers of the 

 most attractive character, and succeeding 

 in any light rich soil. Datura chlorantha 

 flore pleno has magnificent golden-yellow 

 double flowers; D. Wrightii, or meteloides^ 

 has large flowers either white or bluish 

 violet in colour. The following are some 



DATURA PASTUOSA. 



of the best- known varieties, always except- 

 ing D. Stramonium, or Thorn Apple, with 

 white flowers, a plant indigenous to Eng- 

 land, and therefore often met with growing 

 wild 



D. ceratocaulon, satin-white, striped purple, 

 very handsome, 2 ft. 



D. fastuosa, fine violet outside and white within, 

 from 2 ft. to 3 ft. 



D. flore pleno (chlorantha fl. pi), rich golden- 

 yellow, a magnificent, free -flowering sweet- 

 acented variety, 2 ft. 



D. Knightii, white, splendid double flowen 



with exquisite odour, 3 ft. 



D. quercifolia, lilac, oak-leaved, i ft. to 2 ft. 

 D. Wrightii (rneteloides),_ w hite or bluish 



violet, an exquisite, sweet-scented green-hous* 



evergreen. 



Of the Daturas, one at least is pos- 

 sessed of value for medicinal purposes, 

 the leaves of Datura stramonium being 

 dried like tobacco-leaves, and then 

 smoked in cases of asthma, the inhala- 

 tion of the smoke affording, it is said, 

 relief to the lungs and to the person 

 suffering from the disease, by facilitating 

 breathing. It is prepared and sold for 

 this purpose by herbalists, from whom it 

 may be obtained by those who have a 

 desire to try it. Otherwise the plant is 

 of interest and ornamental, bearing as it 

 does large bell-shaped white flowers and 

 pale green leaves curiously pointed at 

 wide intervals. 



Deciduous Shrubs. See Arboretum, 

 Shrubs for, and Shrubs, Deciduous. 



Deciduous Trees. See Arboretum 

 Trees for, and Trees, Deciduous. 



Delphinium (nat. ord. Ranuncula' 



cese). 



A genus of profuse- flowering annuals, 

 biennials, and perennials, of a highly 



DELPHINIUM AJACIS- DOUBLE VARIETY. 



decorative character. Planted in larp 



