HARDY FLOWERS. 



Acaena microphylla (Rosy-spvned A.) 

 Synonym, A. Novae Zealandice. A 

 minute creeping evergreen herb, 1 to 

 2 in. high. Flowers, in summer ; in- 

 conspicuous, in close heads furnished 

 with long crimson spines so as to 

 appear like globes of beautiful spines. 

 Leaves, pinnate, 1 in. long ; leaflets in 

 from 2 to 6 pairs, about i in. long, 



toothed. New Zealand. Rockwork 



and margins of borders ; best in very 

 fine and cool sandy soil. Forming a 

 dense low and compact turf it is well 

 suited for carpeting the ground be- 

 neath taller plants. It is readily in- 

 creased by division. 



Acaena myriophylla (Fern-leaved A .) 

 A small fern-like herb, 6 to 8 in. 

 high. Flowers, in summer and au- 

 tumn; small and dull, in rounded 

 spikes. Leaves, pinnate ; the leaflets 

 deeply cut into narrow pointed seg- 

 ments, slightly downy, light greyish, 



green beneath. Chili. Edgings to 



flower-beds, or tufts on the margins of 

 mixed borders, in ordinary soil. Divi- 

 sion. 



Acantholimon glumaceum (Prickly 

 Thrift). Statice Ararati.A. dwarf, 

 tufted evergreen herb, 6 in. high. 

 Flowers, in summer; rose, a little 

 more than | in. across, in two ranks 

 on spikes much longer than the 

 leaves. Leaves, crowded, narrow, with 

 sharp - pointed spines at the ends. 

 Armenia. Forms fine tufts on rock- 

 work or slightly raised banks, and 



also on the front margin of the mixed 

 border, in ordinary soil, but thrives 

 best in light sandy loam. Careful 

 division of tufts and by cuttings. 



Acanthus latifolius .(Stately Bear's 

 Breech). This is a noble variety of 

 A. mollis, larger in all its parts, with 

 leaves more leathery, rigid, broader, 

 and less cut; the flowers on stems 

 sometimes 5 ft. high; when in rich 

 ground more intense in colour, and the 

 leaves, when well established, form- 

 ing noble tufts of deep glossy green a 

 yard high and several ft. in diameter. 



Fine as isolated tufts in warm 



sheltered parts of the flower-garden, 

 pleasure-ground, or subtropical garden, 

 and also as a border plant, thriving best 

 in very rich, deep, and moist ground. 



Acanthus longifolius (Long-leaved A.) 

 A fine distinct and new species, 

 3 to 44 ft. high. Flowers, in June 

 and July ; wine-red, in the axils 

 of bracts which are oval, acuminate, 

 spiny, veined with green and of a 

 reddish hue on the top; forming 

 a spike of about 14 in. long. Leaves, 

 radical, very long (2^ ft.)> narrow 

 (4 or 4^ in.), numerous, erect, then 

 inclining and forming a sheaf of fine 

 effect; bright green, smooth above, 

 paler and rather pubescent under- 

 neath ; pinnatifid with lozenge -shaped 

 oval lobes. Roots abundant, but not 

 running ; distinguished from A . mollis 

 (to which it is allied) chiefly by the 

 length and narrowness of its leaves. 



