CYTISUS DANAE 465 



and more rounded bush, 2 ft. or more high. It differs from C. purpureus in 

 having the flowers a distinct compromise between yellow and purple, and in 

 having a quite hairy calyx. It has been known for about fifty years, and is a 

 very desirable broom. 



DABCECIA POLIFOLIA, Don. ST DABEOC'S HEATH. 



ERICACEAE. 



(D. cantabrica, Koch; Boretta cantabrica, 0, Kuntze.^ 



\ 



An evergreen shrub up to 2 ft. high, with slender, erect stems, 

 furnished with glandular hairs. Leaves alternate, ovate oblong, J to f in. 

 long, y 1 ^ to ^ in. wide, tapering at both ends, very dark glossy green and 

 with a few scattered hairs above, covered beneath with a close white 

 wool ; stalk scarcely evident. During the summer a cluster of two or 

 three .small leaves comes in the axil of each leaf. Flowers produced from 

 June to November in erect, terminal, glandular racemes, ultimately 

 3 to 5 ins. long. Corolla broadly egg-shaped, f to J in. long ; contracted 

 at the mouth, where are four tiny reflexed lobes ; rosy purple. Calyx with 

 four glandular, hairy divisions, which are J in. long. Seed-vessel four- 

 celled, hairy ; flowers-stalk J in. long. 



Var. ALBA. Flowers pure white, and the whole plant of a paler cast 

 than the type; discovered in Connemara in 1820. 



Var. ATROPURPUREA has richer red-purple flowers than the type. 



Var. BICOLOR (syn. versicolor) has some of its flowers white, others 

 purple, whilst others are partly white and partly purple ; all on the same 

 plant. 



Native of W. Europe, including Ireland, where it is found in 

 Connemara. This beautiful little shrub is one of the most valuable we 

 possess, flowering as it does from late June until after the autumn frosts 

 come. It make a charming picture planted in large patches, either of 

 one sort, or more mixed. It may be propagated by seed, and its 

 varieties by cuttings. Closely allied to Erica, it differs in the corolla not 

 being persistent. The plants are better if pruned over in early spring, 

 so as to remove the old flower-spikes and part of the previous year's 

 shoots. This tends to keep them closer in habit and more effective in 

 blossom. It likes a peaty soil or a light, sandy loam, free from lime, with 

 which leaf-mould has been mixed. 



DANAE LAURUS, Medicus. ALEXANDRIAN LAUREL. 

 LILIACE/E. 



(D. racemosa, Moench ; Ruscus racemosus, Linnccus.} 



An elegant evergreen shrub, 2 to 4 ft. h;gh, with green, slender, erect 

 or spreading, semi-woody stems, once-branched and quite smooth. 

 "Leaves" alternate, oblong-lanceolate, ij to 4 ins. long, \ to ij ins. 

 wide ; bright green on both surfaces, taper-pointed, abruptly narrowed 

 at the base but scarcely stalked. Flowers greenish yellow, small, bisexual, 



2 G 



