SPECIES OF DIANTHUS 



THE genus Dianthus belongs to the order Caryophylleae, of 

 which it is the chief member, other well-known members 

 of the same order being Silene, Holostea, Cerastium, and 

 Lychnis. Dianthus, a classic designation, " Flower 

 of the gods," utilized by Linnaeus, forms a very large 

 genus of plants, more than two hundred species having 

 been described. These inhabit mostly the temperate 

 zone, but extend to colder and also to hotter regions. 

 They are largely evergreen perennial plants, but a few 

 are biennials, and some, dwarf shrubs. With one or 

 two exceptions, all may be cultivated in the open air 

 in the British Isles ; but as garden plants the species 

 worth cultivating are not many; and with the Carna- 

 tion, Pink, Sweet William, Indian Pink, and a small 

 selection of Hybrids, the following may be accepted as 

 comprising all that are worthy : 



D. aggregatus. A large. flowered pink variety introduced 

 in 1817. The plant grows one foot in height, and 

 flowers in summer. About 1832, there was a double 

 variety of this in cultivation as well as the single. The 

 type is figured in Sweet's "British Flower Garden," 

 vol. ii. p. 1 66. 



D. alpestris was introduced in the same year as the last- 

 named. It grows in Alpine pastures, and rarely grows 

 higher than six inches. The flowers are red. 



D. alpinus. This is one of the loveliest rock plants ever 

 introduced, though by no means the least exacting under 



