928 WAHLENBERGIA. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



with tuberous roots like a Dahlia, and palmate 

 or bipinnate foliage. All these are natives of 

 China and Japan. V. himalayana is a North 

 Indian species with striking trifoliate leaves. 



V. VUlpina (Southern Fox Grape). A 

 distinct Vine, the leaves are small (2 to 3 ins. 

 across) and rounded, smooth and shining on 

 both surfaces, bright green. The sweet Migno- 

 nette-like perfume of the flowers of many 

 American Vines is in this species especially 

 apparent. The variety pahnata has the branch- 

 lets and frequently the petioles of a red colour. 

 Nova Scotia to Manitoba and southwards. 

 Syn. V. riparia. Other American Grape 

 Vines worth growing, but possessing no par- 

 ticular value beyond those already described, 

 are V. rupestris (the Sand Grape), arizonica, 

 and cinerea (the Downy Grape). 



W. J. B. 



Vittadenia. See ERIGERON. 



WAHLENBERGIA ( Tufted Hairbelt). 

 A charming group of alpine plants 

 allied to the Hairbells, and mostly in- 

 habiting the mountains of Dalmatia and 

 Asia Minor. They are useful, free-flower- 

 ing, and hardy, forming tufts with large 

 heads of pretty, bell-shaped, upright flow- 

 ers, of various shades of purple. The 

 chief points in their culture are full expo- 

 sure, plenty of sunshine, a free gritty soil, 

 and a raised position free from stagnant 

 moisture. All the species are true per- 

 ennials, easily cultivated, vigorous, and 

 free-flowering. They are difficult to in- 

 crease by division on account of the long 

 roots they make, but they ripen seed freely, 

 which if sown at once rarely fails. Syn. 

 Edraianthus. 



W. DALMATICA, a native of the moun- 

 tains of Dalmatia, is a tufted species with 

 narrow Grass-like leaves, 2 to 4 in. in 

 length, and flower-stems at first drooping, 

 afterwards erect, 4 to 6 in. high, with 

 large flowers of a violet-blue colour, in 

 clusters which appear in July and August. 



W. GRACILIS. This is a variable 

 species from New Zealand, with square, 

 hairy, much-branched stems, the leaves 

 opposite, narrow toothed, and hairy, the 

 flowers terminal, erect, but nodding while 

 in bud, blue, large, and attractive, flower- 

 ing all through the summer. W. stricta, 

 littoralis, capillaris, and polytnorpha are 

 varieties of this kind. 



W. GRAMINIFOLIA is the commonest 

 and easiest to manage, forming tufts of 

 long Grass-like leaves, and bunches of 

 large purple flowers. It ripens seed freely, 

 and that scattered about in the rock- 

 garden usually germinates readily. 



W. HEDERACEA (Ivy-leaved Hair- 

 bell). A native plant closely allied to 

 Campanula. It has creeping thread-like 

 branches, which bear small leaves and 



light blue flowers. There is about it an. 

 interest and grace not found in other more 

 robust members of the family, especially 

 when seen interlaced with the pink Bog 

 Pimpernel on British bogs. Worthy of a 

 place for a moist spot in the rock or bog- 

 garden, and easily increased by division. 

 It is abundant in Ireland and the south 

 and west of England. 



W. KITAIBELI is a sturdy tufted species,, 

 with large purplish blue flowers and 

 narrow toothed leaves. 



W. PUMILIO forms a dwarf tuft of 

 narrow, needle-like leaves of a bluish tint,, 

 half an inch or more in length, and has 

 large flowers of a reddish-lilac or bluish 

 colour, bell-shaped, numerous, and borne 

 erect on short stems, coming in succes- 

 sion on the tuft for more than two months 

 in May and June. 



W. PUMILIORTJM is the rarest, and al- 

 though little different from W. Pumilio^ 

 it gives us another shade of colour, smaller 

 and narrower leaves, a more straggling 

 habit, and longer-tubed flowers. We find 

 it an excellent hardy plant for the rock- 

 garden, where on raised mounds of free 

 gritty soil it grows and flowers vigorously. 

 Syn. IV. serpyllifolia dinarica. 



W. SAXICOLA. A beautiful species 

 from the mountains of New Zealand, with 

 leaves in close tufts and pretty flowers 

 which first appear in June and keep 

 coming in succession till November. It 

 is easily raised from seed and varies 

 greatly from white to deep blue. The 

 best forms can be increased by division. 

 It makes a handsome rock plant, and, 

 when left undisturbed and allowed to shed 

 its seeds freely, gives the cultivator no 

 trouble, but makes a highly attractive 

 picture. 



W. SERPYLLIFOLIA, with its small and 

 Thyme-like leaves and abundance of 

 purple-blue flowers, is effective on ledges 

 in the rock-garden. 



W. TENUIFOLIA is a dwarf compact 

 growing species, with hairy stems, short 

 slender leaves and small flowers, six to 

 ten in a head, violet-blue or whitish- 

 purple. 



WAITZIA. Half-hardy annual Com- 

 posites from Australia. Of the four kinds 

 in cultivation all are valuable for their 

 pretty flowers grown for winter bouquets. 

 W. acuminata has a variety with purple 

 flowers, and another with yellow flowers. 

 W. aurea has bright yellow flowers. W. 

 corymbosa has white and purple flowers, 

 and the flowers of W. grandiftora are like 

 those of W. aurea, but finer. All grow 

 about I ft. high, and require to be treated 

 like other tender annuals, such as Rho- 



