P H L 



P H L 



The species are: 1. P. pankulala, Panicled 

 J^ychnidea; 2. P. suaveolens, White-flowered 

 Lychnidea; 3. P. maadatn, Spotted-stalked 

 Lvchnidea; 4. P. pilosa, Hairy-leaved Lych- 

 nidea ; 5. P. Carolina, Carolina Lychnidea ; 6 

 P. glaberrhna, Smooth Lychnidea; 7. P. di- 

 vaiicata. Early-flowering Lychnidea. 



The iirst has the stalk smooth, of a light 

 green, about two feet high, sending out a few 

 side branches : the leaves are near three inches 

 long, and one broad in the middle, of a dark 

 green, and sessile : the flowers in a terminating 

 corymb, composed of many smaller bunches, 

 which have each a distinct footstalk, and sup- 

 port a great number of flowers, which stand on 

 short slender pedicels : the calyx short, cut al- 

 most to the bottom into five narrow acute seg- 

 ments : the corolla is pale purple, appearing 

 late in July, and often followed by seeds which 

 ripen in autumn. It is a native of North Ame- 

 rica, flowering in August and September. 



The second species has white flowers, mo- 

 derately sweet-scented. It is a native of North 

 America, (lowering in July and Angust. 



The third has upright stalks, of a purplish 

 colour, closely covered with white spots, and 

 about three feet high : the leaves about three 

 inches long, and one broad at their base, ending 

 in acute points. Towards the upper part of the 

 stalks are small branches opposite, each ter- 

 minated by a small bunch of flowers ; but on 

 the top of the principal stalk is a long loose 

 spike of flowers, composed of small bunches 

 from the axils at each joint; each cluster having 

 one common peduncle near an inch long, but 

 the pedicels are short. The flowers are of a 

 bright purple colour, and appear late in July : 

 if the season be temperate, or the soil moist, 

 they continue in beauty a great part of August, 

 but rarely perfect seeds in this climate. It is a 

 native of North America, flowering in August. 



The fourth species has the stalks about a foot 

 high : the leaves narrow-lanceolate, ending in 

 acute points, sessile, a little hairy : the calyx 

 cut into acute segments almost to the bottom : 

 the tube of the corolla slender and pretty long, 

 cut at top into five ovate spreading segments : 

 the flowers light purple, appearing at the end of 

 June, but seldom producing seeds in this cli- 

 mate. It is a native of North America. 



The fifth resembles the sixth, but the stem is 

 three times as high, and somewhat rugged : the 

 leaves wider, and ovate-lanceolate : the corymb 

 consisting of numerous flowers, with several 

 peduncles from the uppermost axils of the leaves, 

 erect, and fastigiate into a sort of corymb of a 

 dark purple colour. It grows naturally in Ca- 

 rolina, flowering from July to September.. 



The sixth species has the stalks near a foot 

 and half high, dividing into three or four small 

 branches towards the lop, each terminated by a 

 corvmb of flowers : the lower leaves opposite, 

 three inches long, and near half an incii broad 

 at the base, ending in long acute points, smootli 

 and sessile ; the upper ones are alternate : the 

 tube of the corolla twice the length of the ca- 

 lyx ; segments of the border roundish, spread- 

 ing, of a light purple colour: the flowers appear 

 in June, but seldom produce seeds in this 

 climate. It is a native of North America, flow- 

 ering from June to August. 



The seventh species has the stems almost up- 

 right, simple, and then divided intotwo branches: 

 the leaves opposite on a simple stem, in five 

 oppositions, softish, rugged ; the upper ones al- 

 ternate : the flowers from the partings of the 

 stem and the axils of the alternate leaves, twO' 

 together on separate pedicels : the calyx five- 

 parted : the corollas pale blue, with a crooked 

 tube : the flowers appear at the end of May, or 

 beginning of June, but are rarely succeeded by 

 seeds in this climate. It grows naturally in 

 North America. 



Culture. — These are generally increased by 

 parting their roots, as they do not often produce 

 seeds in this climate. The best time for per- 

 forming this is in autumn, when the stalks be- 

 gin to decay. The roots should not, however, 

 be divided into too small heads, when they are 

 expected to flower well the following summer; 

 nor should they be parted oftener than every 

 other year, as, when they are too often removed 

 and parted, it greatly weakens the roots, so that 

 they send out but few stalks, and those so weak, 

 as not to rise their usual height, and the bunches 

 of flowers are much smaller. 



The large root off"-sets may be planted out at 

 once where they are to remain ; but the small: 

 ones in nursery-rows, for further increase in 

 size. 



When the roots are parted and removed, it is 

 a good way to lay some old tan, or mulch, upon 

 the surface of the ground about their roots, to 

 prevent the frost from penetrating; for, as they 

 will have put out new roots before winter, 

 the frost, when it is severe, often kills the fibres, 

 whereby the plants suffer greatly, and are some- 

 times wholly destroyed. 



The first and sixth sorts may be increased 

 pretty expeditiously by their spreading roots, but 

 the others but slowly this way ; of course it is a 

 better method to have recourse to cuttings. The 

 best season for planting the cuttings is about 

 the end of April, or the beginning ot the follow- 

 ing month, when the young shoots from the 

 roots, which are about two inches high, should 



