SCABIOSA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. SCHISTOSTEGA. 803 



nial, and perennial plants, forming by far 

 the largest proportion of the Teasel family 

 cultivated in our gardens. The old 

 English name of Pincushion Flower, from 

 the resemblance of the flower-heads to 

 that useful article, is perhaps a little more 

 appropriate than it is elegant, although it 

 serves its purpose very well, and, indeed, 

 we have been told these plants are known 

 by no other name in the country. Although 

 comprising a large number of species, 

 very few are found outside the botanic 

 garden, and were all the known kinds 

 hunted up, the sorts really worthy of the 

 gardener's attention would certainly not 

 amount to a dozen. 



S. atro-purpurea (Sweet Scabious], the 

 most common Scabious, which when 

 grown in distinct varieties, as it is now 

 sold by our florists, adds much to the 

 beauty of our mixed flower borders, as 

 well as being largely used for greenhouse 

 and conservatory decoration. The normal 

 colour is said to be deep crimson, but 

 under cultivation all shades of crimson, 

 purplish-yellow, and white, may be seen. 

 Many varieties have double flowers and 

 are preferred by some growers, but I 

 think the single varieties are best, and 

 they are also extremely useful for cutting. 

 Under the name Saudade the flower- 

 heads of the Sweet Scabious (S. atro- 

 purpurea) are used for funeral wreaths by 

 the Portuguese and other nations ; indeed, 

 the white varieties have attained such 

 purity that they might well be employed 

 in our own country, as they may be had 

 at almost any season of the year by being- 

 sown and grown under glass. Those 

 desirous of having gay groups for the 

 flower borders can order mixed packets 

 from their seedsmen, and the seeds should 

 be sown in the reserve ground along with 

 other annuals in May, or even later, to 

 bloom the following year. If sown earlier, 

 however, the Scabious will bloom the 

 same year, for though considered a biennial 

 by many growers we have always looked 

 upon it as a hardy annual. By sowing 

 the seed in the open towards the end of 

 March and thinning out as required, the 

 plants will bloom well towards the latter 

 end of summer. To get earlier bloom, those 

 sown the previous autumn may be trans- 

 planted in early spring to their flowering 

 quarters ; the succession will then be con- 

 tinued from early summer until late au- 

 tumn. South-western Europe. 



S. maritima (Sea Scabious}. k species 

 similar to the above, equally beautiful, a 

 hardy annual, and yielding abundance of 

 purple-crimson flowers, which are invalu- 

 able for cutting. 



S. caucasica (Caucasian Scabious} is 

 the handsomest and most useful. It 

 flowers from early summer to late autumn, 

 a true perennial on warm soils, but often 

 perishes on cool soils. It forms dense 

 tufts, which yield large quantities of blue 

 flower-heads, each usually from 3 to 4 in. 

 in diameter, on long foot-stalks, and are 

 useful for cutting, as they last a long time 

 in a warm room. There is a white variety. 

 Caucasus. Division and seed. 



S. graminifolia (Grass-leaved S.} A 

 graceful Scabious from i^ to 2 ft. high, 

 with pale blue flowers and silvery white 

 leaves ; it is very useful for the rock-garden. 

 Southern Europe. June to October. 

 Division and seed. 



S. pterocephala (Wing-headed S.}, 

 is a very dwarf-tufted hardy perennial, 

 rarely exceeding 4 in. or 6 in. in height 

 even when in flower ; flower-heads pale 

 purple in summer. We find it very useful 

 and less troublesome than most of the 

 other species. Greece. Division. Syns., 

 S. Parnassi and Pterocephalus Parnassi. 



S. Webbiana is another useful species 

 for the rock-garden or border, forming 

 neat little masses of hoary leaves, which 

 are attractive, especially when the plant 

 is grown in poor soil. Its creamy yellow 

 flowers, borne on long stalks, are pretty 

 from July to August. Division. 



Other kinds are succisa, arvensis, Portae, 

 suaveolens, Columbaria, gramuntia, but 

 the above will be found a fair selection for 

 most gardens. In addition to the annual 

 species given above, S. stellata will no 

 doubt find a place in many gardens. It 

 grows about 2 ft.in height, the large florets 

 spreading open like a star, of a pale purple 

 colour,perhaps more curious than beautiful. 

 A near ally of the above is S. palaestina, a 

 little taller, flowers larger, but paler ; 

 both are hardy annuals, but not to be 

 compared with the Sweet Scabious and its 

 varieties. D. K. 



SCHISTOSTEGA (Iridescent Moss}. 

 This Moss (S. pennata} is so small that it 

 would hardly be noticed by the naked eye 

 but for the iridescent gleams of beautiful 

 colour which it displays in suitable posi- 

 tions. Some of the stones and sods on 

 which it grows look as if sown with a 

 mixture of gold and the material that 

 forms the wings of green humming-birds. 

 It was supposed to require a particular 

 kind of rock ; but its wonderful corusca- 

 tions have lately been seen to spread over 

 sods of turf and masses of peat, as well as 

 over chips of rock brought from its native 

 place. Messrs. Backhouse have it in per- 

 fection in the open air, in a quiet deep 

 gorge of rocks, where it obtains suffi- 

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