OUR NATIVE PLANTS. 149 



Quite showy is Uvularia gratidijlora, witli yellow bell-shaped 

 flowers, produced in great abundance in the early spring. 



Solarium Torreyi is a rare and beautiful plant two feet in height 

 with large violet flowers. 



Ipomoea leptophylla has a very large tapering root, stout trailing 

 stems, and large pink flowers. 



The genus Mertensia or Lungwort is represented by seven 

 species, all very beautiful plants, with clusters of purple or blue 

 flowers. One of the best and also the most known is M. Virgini- 

 ca with purple flowers ; but M. paniculatn, M. oblongifoUa, M. Si- 

 be7'ica, M. lanceolata, M. maritima, and M. aljnna are equally 

 valuable species. 



Another showy genus is the Silene or Catchfly, with numerous 

 species. Among the best we have S. Pennsylvanica, with ample 

 pink flowers, produced in great profusion ; and S. Hookeri with 

 rose colored flowers ; while S. rotundifoUa, S. Virginica, and S. 

 regia have large scarlet flowers. Very pretty is the moss-like S. 

 acaulis with ample rose colored flowers. 



Dianthus alpinus is a nice little plant with purplish flowers. 



Quite a gem is Papaver nudicaule with its large and showy yel- 

 low flowers 



Aster alpinus has very large heads of violet flowers. 



Solidago Virga-aurea var. aljnna has large clusters of yellow 

 blossoms. 



Dryas octopetala has whitish foliage and snow white flowers. 



A beautiful genus is the Gentiana, with nearly fifty species and 

 varieties, but most of them are known only from herbarium speci- 

 mens. 6r. Andrewsii has large clusters of blue flowers, that never 

 open. G. Saponaria has also blue flowers and so have G. calycosa 

 and the show}' G. angustifoUa ; while G. alba has flowers of a 

 white or greenish color. 



Swertia perennis somewhat resembles the last genus, and has 

 blue flowers. 



Very floriferous and showy is the Chrysogonum Virginianum, 

 with ample yellow flowers. 



' A plant of sterling merit is Stokesia cyanea, with numerous and 

 ver}' large flowers of beautiful lilac color. 



Mimulus cardinalis grows about eighteen inches high, and bears 

 many large red flowers 



Some of the Pentstemons can also come under this heading. 



