ACONITUM ADENOPHORA. 



45 



Aconitum variegatum. (Variegated- 

 flowered A.) A handsome, and when 

 well grown, stately perennial, about 

 4 ft. high. Flowers, late in summer; 

 large, closely -packed, sky-blue varie- 

 gated with white, in an irregular 

 panicle. Leaves, alternate, glistening, 

 deeply divided. Native of most parts 



of Europe. Borders, groups of the 



finer herbaceous plants, and naturali- 

 zation. This plant is excellent for 

 forcing, and is readily increased by 

 division in autumn, winter, or spring. 



Acorus Calamus (Sweet Acorus). A. 

 very hardy marsh plant, supposed to 

 have been originally introduced from 

 India, but now naturalized in most 

 parts of Europe. Flowers, in midsum- 

 mer ; small, of a greenish yellow, in- 

 significant in appearance, borne on a 

 cylindrical spadix 4 to 6 inches long. 

 Leaves, sword-shaped, erect, striated, 

 about 3| ft. in length. Rhizome cylin- 

 drical, channelled and very fragrant. 

 A variety has gold-striped leaves 

 (A. japonicus foliis aureo - striatis). 



A. Calamus is fond of rather 



stiff moist soil, and may be planted 

 either on the margins of pieces of 

 water, or in the water itself. Easily 

 multiplied, like the Iris, by division. 

 The variegated variety deserves pot 

 culture in cool houses. 



Acorus gramineus (Grass-leaved A.) 

 A species with a slender, creeping 

 rhizome covered with numerous 

 narrow linear leaves, and a slender 

 stem nearly as long as the leaves, 

 which are from 4 to 6 in. in length. 

 Flowers small, numerous, sessile, 

 and of a pale yellow. China and 

 Japan. A variety with white-streaked 

 leaves (A.g. variegatus) is more tender 

 than the type, and enjoys protection 



in winter. Thrives out of as well 



as in the water, but requires a cool 

 and even moist soil, peat being the 

 most suitable. Both kinds are pro- 

 pagated by division, and are useful 



for edgings to beds with a north or 

 half-shady aspect. They also look 

 pretty on the margins of fountain- 

 basins, etc. 



Adenophora denticulata (Toothed A.") 

 A somewhat showy herb, 1 to 14 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in early summer; dark 

 blue, in a branched leafy panicle; 

 segments of the calyx ovate, sharply 

 toothed; style hardly appearing be- 

 yond the tube. Leaves, of stem some- 

 what ovate; of root, heart-shaped, 

 deeply serrated. Siberia. Bor- 

 ders, in dry open positions, in sandy 

 loam. Division or seed, which does 

 not ripen readily unless the seed 

 vessel is fertilized artificially. 



Adenophora Lamarckiana (Lamarck's 

 A.) An interesting perennial, about 

 1 ft. high. Flowers, in summer ; pale 

 sky-blue, bell-shaped, with pointed 

 divisions, about \ in. across, and a 

 long protruding style, in loose spikes. 

 Leaves, irregularly alternate, those of 

 the stem oval, pointed, serrate, nearly 

 sessile ; radical leaves renif orm, coarsely 

 toothed. Siberia. The rock-gar- 

 den, or mixed borders, in sandy loam. 

 Seed or division. 



Adenophora liliifolia (Lily -leaved A.) 

 Campanula liliifolia. An interest- 

 ing and pretty perennial, 1 to 1 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; pale blue, 

 numerous, sweet-scented, in loose 

 pyramidal panicles ; lobes of the calyx 

 somewhat erect, triangular, slightly 

 toothed ; style half as long again as 

 the corolla. Leaves, alternate ; of root 

 stalked, somewhat heart-shaped, cre- 

 nately toothed; of stem stalkless, ovate- 

 lanceolate, coarsely serrated. Europe, 



Siberia. Borders and slightly 



raised banks, in good warm loam. 

 Division or seed. 



Adenophora suaveolens (Sweet A .) A 

 handsome perennial, about 2 ft. high. 

 Flowers, in summer; bell-shaped or fun- 

 nel-shaped, numerous, pale blue, ar- 



