SYNOPSIS. ix 



The true lilies have a longitudinal nectariferous furrow at the base of each 

 petal or perianth piece, an undivided style, a capitate stigma, and flat seeds. 

 The colour of the flowers is white, yellow, or red. p. 13. 



TROP2EOLUM, from tropaion, a trophy. N.O., Tropceolacea. 

 LINN.EAN: 8, Octandria; 1, Monogynia. p. 17. 



PHLOX, from phlox, a flame, in allusion to the splendour of the 

 flowers. N.O., Polemoniacece. LINN^AN: 5, Pentandria ; 1, Monogynia. 

 The order represented by Polernoniuin consists, for the most part, of herbaceous 

 plants with alternate leaves, regular flowers which have a five-cleft calyx, 

 and a five-lobed corolla consisting of one piece as in the primulas. The 

 stamens are five in number, inserted alternately with the lobes of the corolla; 

 ovary three -celled, fruit a capsule. There is not much to be said of this 

 order, as it has no important place in the arts, and it is restricted in its forms 

 and geographical distribution. It is more largely represented in the new 

 than in the old world, and the majority of its members are found in tem- 

 perate climates, a few of the smaller kinds giving a glow of colour to alpine 

 and sub-arctic scenery. As garden plants, many of them are of great im- 

 portance, as not only the phlox, but the gilia, ipomopsis, cobaea, leptosiphou, 

 and the lovely cantua are members of the order. p. 21. 



MICHAELMAS DAISY.-See "Aster," p. xiv., Vol. I. 



p. 25. 

 SINGLE FUCHSIA. See "Fuchsia," p. xiii., Vol. III. 



p. 29. 



CHRISTMAS ROSE, or HELLEBORUS. The familiar 

 name needs no explanation. Helle/borus is from the Greek hclein, to kill, 

 and bora, food, implying a poisonous plant, which this certainly is. N.O., 

 Ranunculacece. LINNJEA.N : 13, Polyandria ; 6, Polygynia. See under 

 " Acouitum," p. vii., Vol. I. p. 33. 



LAVENDER, from Latin lavo, to wash. N.O. Lamiacece, or Labi- 

 at((. LISTIOEAN: 14, Didynamia; 1, Gymnospermia. The labiate order is 

 marked with strong characters, and constitutes a distinct though extremely 

 large group. The members of it are mostly herbs and low shrubs with square 

 stems, opposite leaves, and aromatic juices ; the flowers are singularly formed ; 

 the calyx is bell-shaped with five teeth ; the corolla tubular, irregular, two- 

 lipped, the upper o'ne very short and sometimes wanting ; stamens four ; 

 ovary four-lobed ; stigma two-cleft ; fruit composed of four one-seeded nuts 

 enclosed in the interior of the permanent calyx. A large proportion of the 

 most useful aromatic herbs belong to this order, such as sage, thyme, mar- 

 joram, mint, betony, ground ivy, &c. About 1,714 species are known, of 

 which over 1,000 belong to the eastern hemisphere. The temperate and 

 warm temperate parts of the earth are largely occupied with labiates ; there 

 are but few in the Equinoctial regions, and still fewer are Arctic. p. 37. 



