268 



ALTAMIRANOA 



ALYSSUM 



as Cotyledon, with which they have little else in com- 

 mon. None of the species is especially attractive, but 

 all of them develop at the base or on the branches 

 curious rosettes of Ivs. Twelve specimens are known, 

 of which 5 have been grown in Washington greenhouses 

 and the New York Botanical Garden. A. elongata, 

 Rose, has puberulent sts. and Ivs. and white fls.; 

 A. calcicola, Rose, is more or less glaucous, with turgid 

 Ivs. and greenish -yellow fls.; A. Goldmanii, Rose, is 

 glabrous, with linear Ivs. and pale yellow fls. ; A. Batesii, 

 Rose, is glabrous, with linear Ivs. and fls. purplish or 

 becoming so; A. scopulina, Rose, is glabrous, with 

 linear Ivs. and pure white fls. j_ j\f. ROSE. 



ALTERNANTHERA: Tetanthera. 



.ALTELEA (Greek, to cure). Malvacex. Tall annual, 

 biennial or perennial herbs, grown in the open garden. 

 The flowering shrubs known as altheas are forms of 

 Hibisctis syriacus. 



Flowers axillary, solitary, or racemose in the axils or 

 at the summit of the st., with 6-9 bracts below the calyx, 

 but otherwise as in Malva. About 15 species in the 

 temperate regions of the world. . 



officinalis, Linn. MARSH MALLOW. Fig. 180. Erect, 

 3-4 ft., downy: Ivs. ovate, often heart-shaped or 3- 

 lobed, frequently undivided, tomentose: fls. 1 in. across, 

 blush or rose, clustered in the axils of the Ivs. Perennial, 



180. Althaa officinalis. (Plant Xn,). Marsh Mallow. 



in marshes. E. Eu., and occurring in this country as 

 an escape. Root used for mucilage and for other pur- 

 poses; also medicinal. The root of commerce has its 

 brown outer covering removed. Rarely cult., but 

 occasionally escaped in marshes near the coast. 



rdsea, Cav. HOLLYHOCK, which see for culture. St. 

 strict and spire-like, hairy: Ivs. large and rough, 



rounded-heart-shaped, wavy-angled or lobed: fls. large 

 and nearly sessile, in a long wand-like raceme or spike, 

 in many forms and colors. Biennial. China. B.M. 

 3198. 



ficifolia, Cav. ANTWERP HOLLYHOCK. Biennial, 3-6 

 ft.: Ivs. 7-lobed, toothed: fl. lemon-yellow or orange, 

 large, in terminal 

 spikes, showy, sin- 

 gle or double. Eu. 

 Grown in Calif. 



cannabina, Linn. 

 Perennial, 5-6 ft., 

 branching: Ivs. digi- 

 tately 5-parted, up- 

 per ones 3-parted, 

 the lobes nar- 

 row and strongly 

 toothed : fls. not 

 large, rose-colored, 

 on many-fld. axil- 

 lary peduncles that 

 are longer than the 

 Ivs. Eu. Grown 

 sometimes as a 

 border plant. It 

 yields a fiber. 



L. H. B. 



ALUM -ROOT: 



Heuchera. 



ALtSSUM 



(classical name). 

 CnuAferx. Low 

 plants with 

 many small 

 clustered flow- 

 ers, grown in the open and often used in rock-gardens. 



Plants branching, often tufted: fls. white or yellow, 

 sometimes varying to rose; filaments often notched: fr. 

 a small orbicular pod, with 1 or 2 wingless seeds in 

 each of the 2 compartments; valves of pod nerveless, 

 flattened at the margins. As many as 100 species in 

 middle Eu., Medit. region and the Caucasus. 



The sweet alyssum is one of the commonest annuals, 

 grown both in the open and forced in benches, beds or 

 pots. It is of the easiest culture, either indoors or out. 

 The compact varieties are most prized for pot culture. 

 Under glass, it requires temperature of a carnation 

 house. It will stand considerable frost in the open, and 

 may be sown early; it blooms all summer, and until 

 killed by winter. Useful for window-gardens and bas- 

 kets. For winter bloom, sow seeds late in August or in 

 September. When blooms begin to fail, cut back the 

 plant, and it will bloom again. 



The perennial alyssums require no special treatment. 

 They are usually propagated by dividing the roots; 

 also by cuttings and seeds. 



INDEX. 



181. Sweet Alyssum. 



(XH) 



A. Fls. white; annuals or perennials. 



1. maritimum, Lam. (A. odoratum, Hort.). SWEET 

 ALYSSUM. Fig. 181. Alow, spreading, light green annual, 

 with lanceolate or linear entire Ivs., tapering to the base, 

 and small honey-scented fls. in terminal clusters, which 

 become long racemes. Eu. Many cult, vars.: var. Ben- 

 thamii or compaetum, a dwarf and compact form, not 

 over 6 in. high; var. variegatum, with pale white-edged 

 Ivs.; var. giganteum, robust, broad-lvd.; var. procum- 



