PHYGELIUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



PHYTEUMA. 



747 



in the rock-garden. Caucasus. Syn., 

 Crucianella stylosd. 



PHYGELIUS (Cape Figworf). P. 

 capensis, a Cape plant, is related to the 

 Chelone and the Pentstemon, but distinct 

 in its general effect. It grows some 3 or 4 

 ft. high, and its many stems are terminated 

 by a long branching raceme of brilliant 

 scarlet flowers, which open in May and 

 June and continue far into autumn. It is 

 hardy near London, though it does not 

 flourish so well in the open as under the 

 shelter of a wall, where it will stand 

 any amount of sun-heat and even long 

 periods of drought. It prefers a light 

 rich soil, but in warm sea-shore districts 

 is not fastidious. Readily increased by 

 cuttings or portions of the root-stock, 

 the bases of the stems being furnished 

 with rootlets. 



Phyllostachys. See BAMBUSA.- 

 PHYSALIS ( Winter Cherry].-P. Alke- 

 kengi is a handsome and curious South 

 European plant with ample downy leaves, 



Physalis Alkekengi (Winter Cherry). 



bearing in autumn bright orange-red 

 bladder-like calyces, enclosing Cherry- 

 like fruits of a pleasant acid flavour, and 

 perfectly wholesome either raw or pre- 

 served. It is a hardy perennial, requiring 



a warm border ; i to i ft. high. Division 

 or seed. Solanaceae. 



P. Francheti. A splendid new hardy 

 plant from Japan, possibly a variety of 

 P. Alkekengi, but so distinct as to merit 

 special attention. It is larger altogether 

 than the old kind both in foliage and 

 calyx, which is brilliant coral-red in colour, 

 though varying a little in shade, some- 

 times touched with orange, and generally 

 3 in. in length with a circumference of 

 7 or 8 in. The plant grows 18 in. high 

 and requires a similar position to P. 

 Alkekengi, spreading strongly by under- 

 ground stems. The dried fruits are beauti- 

 ful in winter bouquets. 



PHYSOSTEGIA (False Dragoris- 

 Head\ Handsome perennials, best for 

 grouping with the bolder kinds of hardy 

 plants. P. -virginiana, I to 4 ft. high, has 

 flesh-coloured or purple flowers crowded 

 in terminal racemes. There are pretty 

 white and pink forms, alba and rosea,and 

 a more vigorous one, speciosa, with larger 

 flowers of deeper purple colour. These 

 are all very pretty for cut work, or 

 grouped in the border. P. imbricata 

 from Texas has higher and more slender 

 stems, broader leaves, and larger flowers 

 of a deeper colour. P, denticulata is 

 similar to P. virginiana, but rarer and 

 less showy. All these kinds flower in 

 summer, and thrive in any ordinary soil. 

 Division. 



PHYTEUMA (Rampion).^ Ram- 

 pions are neat, pretty, and interestingplants 

 of the Bellflower order, with small flowers 

 in profusion. They enjoy a sunny posi- 

 tion, and some of them are good rock- 

 plants. P. orbiculare is a rare and desir- 

 able native Rampion, I to 2 ft. high, and 

 is best among rock-plants, where it would 

 be free from the destructive effects of the 

 hoe and rake. It flourishes in a dry 

 position in a mixture of limestone grit, 

 peat, sand, and loam, and has violet-blue 

 flowers in July. It is extremely impatient 

 of removal or division, and should be 

 raised from seed sown in autumn in a 

 cool frame. P. Sieberi is neat for the 

 rock-garden, requiring a moist sunny 

 situation, and a mixture of leaf-mould, 

 peat, and sand. It forms cushion-like 

 tufts, and in May and June has dark-blue 

 flower-heads, on stems 4 to 6 in. long. 

 Division. P. humile is a neat tufted 

 plant for the rock-garden, where it can 

 get a dry sheltered position in winter and 

 plenty of water in summer. The flowers 

 are blue, and produced in June on stems 

 6 in. high. Division. P. comosum is 

 very slow-growing, and must be particu- 

 larly guarded against slugs. It is a 



