230 



HARDY PERENNIALS ANI> 



specific. Numerous flowers are called Bachelor's Buttons, in- 

 cluding daisies, globe flowers, pyrethrums, and different kinds of 

 ranunculi, but here we have the " original and true ; " probably 

 it originated in some ancient English garden, as Gerarde says,. 

 "It groweth in the gardens of herbarists & louers of strange 

 plants, whereof we have good plentie, but it groweth not wild 

 anywhere." 



Its round smooth stems are stout, zigzag, and much branched,, 

 forming the plant into a neat compact bush, in size (of plants- 



PIG. 79. RANUNCULUS ACONIT FOLIUS FLORE-PLENO. 

 (One-fourth natural size ; a, natural size of flower.) 



two or more years old) 2ft. high and 2ft. through. The flowers 

 are white, and very double or full of petals, evenly and beauti- 

 fully arranged, salver shape, forming a flower sometimes nearly 

 an inch across ; the purity of their whiteness is not marred by 

 even an eye, and they are abundantly produced and for a long 

 time in succession. The leaves are of a dark shining green 

 colour, richly cut as the specific name implies after the style 

 of the Aconites ; the roots are fasciculate, long, and fleshy 

 This " old-fashioned" plant is now in great favour and much 



