170 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



Lychnis Viscaria Flore-pleno. 



GERMAN CATCHFLY; Nat. Ord. SILENACEJE. 

 THE double form of the red German Catchfly. The old Latin 

 name for the type was L. Angustifolia, which is still used some- 

 times, being a good descriptive name. So much cannot be said 

 of the common name ; at any rate, it sounds odd that one of 

 our native plants should be called the " German Catchfly," as 

 name is evidently used in the geographical sense. There are 

 several forms of this species having double flowers, which may 

 be termed florists' or garden varieties; all are handsome and 

 effective flowering plants, and last a long time in good form. A 

 very short description will suffice for these, the flowers of which 

 in many respects resemble pinks ; they are, however, borne on 

 stout stems in long heads, the petals being full, divided, and 

 bent, each flower an inch across. The rose-coloured varieties 

 are bright and attractive ; the leaves are in tufts Sin. or 4in. 

 long, narrow and reflexed. These double Catchflies are very 

 showy in either borders or rockwork ; they rank with our neatest 

 subjects and brightest flowers, and certainly ought to be widely 

 grown. 



They enjoy a stiff soil, but are in no way particular; they 

 should, however, have a sunny situation. They may be increased 

 by root divisions in summer or early spring. 



Flowering period, June to August, 



Lysimachia Clethroides. 



CLETHRA-LIKE LOOSESTRIFE ; Nat. Ord. PRIMULACE^. 

 THIS is a tall-growing and distinct species, newly imported from 

 Japan; it is perfectly hardy and herbaceous, and differs very 

 much indeed from its creeping and evergreen relation, the money- 

 wort, or " creeping jenny," being more like a tall speedwell, 

 having large leaves ; it is so dissimilar, there can be no likelihood 

 of confounding it with other species. As a decorative garden 

 plant it is both attractive and interesting. 



It attains a height of 3ft. in favourable quarters, and has both 

 a wealth of rich foliage and showy one-sided spikes of white 

 flowers; the latter are neatly formed and continue to develop 

 along the spike for the length of a foot; the flowers are in. 

 across, somewhat star-shaped, having five, and sometimes six, 

 divisions of the corolla, which are oval and cupped ; the short 

 flower stalk is supported by a very narow bracteole of equal length 

 this helps not a little to enrich the yet unblossomed part of the 

 spike, the buds of which are of the purest whiteness and pearl- 

 shape, mounted in the claw-like setting of the pale green calyx ; 

 these pleasing spikes of flowers and buds have a peculiar habit 

 of bending ; the unbloomed part is at right angles with the erect 



